Side By Side/ Hat Comparisons

[Chepstow]

Great comparison, Gentlemen, Nick, your felt comparison of the Borsalinos are very interesting!
Was it on all Borsalino hats the superiore Quality!

 

[alanfgag]

I wonder if there is any connection between Resistol's offering and the long gone mello-roll ice cream cones that I remember from Jones Beach in my youth? Both (my youth and the mello-roll) have long since disappeared.

 

[ambulatingreader]

I remember eating Mello Roll ice cream as a kid in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, in the early 1950's. The ice cream came in a cylinder that you would put into the weirdly shaped cone.

 

[alanfgag]

Allies

These two hats seemed apt for a comparison. I suspect their vintage is similar though it is possible that 7-10 years separates them on the outside. They date from the years shortly after the end of the second world war, with the Royal Stetson DeLuxe likely mid to late 1940s, the Borsalino Eglisio with logo imprinted tag perhaps later 1940s to early 50s. Both are in mint condition. Studying them one can readily imagine being a customer in Rogers Peet (a place I hung out in with my Dad in the 1970s) trying to decide which to buy. The choice would be hard.

Both are wonderful hats of modest pedigree. Mid price range, classic styling. They share a 2 1/2" brim. The Borso uses an 8mm matching bound edge, the RSD features a 1/4" wide, triple stitched over welt - the wafer edge.

In your hand, you would admire the felt in both hats. Lightweight, smooth, dense - the Borso is perhaps a little softer. The RSD has lovely crumple quality - that ability to quickly assume a casual dent or crease so prized by many of us in our pre-war hats... and a quality that seemed to have been lost by the middle of the 1950s for all but the highest grade American felts.

The Stetson seems to have emerged from the war years in much the same form as it entered. The straight sided 5 1/2" crown is perfect for a center dent. The Borso is at least 1/4" shorter and more tapered. I have a shallow center dent in this photo, but usually prefer a diamond crease as I do for many of my 1950s hats.

Inside, both hats are very well finished for style and comfort. The sweatbands are thin, soft and supple. The Borso sweat is a little thicker and displays the typical unreeded construction with front corrugation. The RSD shows a flexible fabric "reed" which appears in 1940s Stetson lightweights.

The Borsalino liner is a natural raw satin weave silk - a truly beautiful fabric that remained with Borsalino long after American hats had switched to plastic lined synthetics. The RSD uses some sort of acetate. I wouldn't let Donna burn a bit to identify it. The crown imprints are both very finely crafted.

The store imprints are deep foil embossments, carefully placed and well crafted.

Resisting the temptation to draw additional historical conclusions and speculations... I'll leave these for you to enjoy as I do.

cheers,
Alan

 

[bond]

Nicely Done Allan.
I practically drool every time I see a mint Borso such as this.

 

[Rabbit]

Disney Gadabout & Mallory Nokabout - two models for knocking around

- A rendevous across the Atlantic -

As the model names imply, both hats were marketed as lightweight don't-care-too-much-about-it hats for traveling, day trips, and the like. Their overall design, although quite similar, shows notable differences in the details.

Both hats have a tapered 5" open crown with rounded crown roof, and are trimmed with ribbons in the 1"-width zone. Actually, that's where the similarities end, if you look close enough.

The unlined Gadabout has a moderate flange, raw brim and unreeded sweatband.

The lined Nokabout with its high flange has a very casual appearance; it has a bound brim with narrow binding. The sweatband is equipped with a fabric reed.

There's about one decade between these two hats - probably early 40s for the Gadabout, and the Nokabout is from the 1950s.


The Disney Gadabout from Alan (above) and the Mallory Nokabout from humble self (below):

Open crown - unfortunately, the crown shape of the Nokabout has been thrown out of balance at some time in the past. The crown was steamed, then stretched (not re-blocked) on a narrow band stretcher, resulting in a deformation just above the ribbon, still below the sweatband edge. You can also see the impression line on the felt. When viewing the open crown shot, you'll just have to imagine that the Nokabout was originally not quite as much tapered as it apperas now, after the stretch. The stretch itself almost certainly did not alter the size more than by a half size, but it certainly affected the crown shape. The wavy outline is clearly visible in the side profile.

Taking the stretch into account, I would say that the crown shape of the two hats is very much alike if not identical.

Unreeded sweat on the Gadabout, fabric reed on the Nokabout:

Note the unconventional back seam stitching on the Gadabout:

Gadabout (above) & Nokabout sticker:

 

[alanfgag]

Beautifully done!! :eusa_clap

What a great idea and enjoyable collaboration... thank you Nik.

cheers,
Alan

 

[Rabbit]

It was a pleasure, Alan.
A remote comparison like this has a lot of potential especially for this thread. We should do this more often.

Best wishes,
Nik

 

[DJH]

Fantastic, Alan and Nik. Thanks for posting the comparison Nik!

As you know, I was the keeper of the Nokabout for a while and one of the reasons I passed it along was that it was a little large for its marked size so it had clearly been stretched at some time. When I wore it, I had to pad the sweatband with felt to stop the hat from touching my ears.

It is interesting how the two hats have such a similar profile - it is hard to say from the photos, but the Disney looks to have a slightly taller crown even though you mention they are both about 5 inches.

The almost white colour of the Gadabout is just incredible!!

 

[Rabbit]

David, it's hard to tell like you said, but I believe the crown height (and block shape, for that matter) really is the same, for all practical purposes. It's possible that the Gadabout is ever so slightly higher; still, I think it's the light felt color and contrasting ribbon that creates the illusion of a somewhat higher crown.
With their current creases, the Nokabout is also more tightly pinched, pulling down the creased front height a bit. Likewise, the rear crease also sits a little lower due to the wider crease.

 

[alanfgag]

The Gadabout is right at 5"... the iPhone lens distortion makes the crown appear taller if you are pointing anywhere above level with the brim. Unlike the taller Cross Country and Playboy on the first page of this thread, the Gadabout will only take a shallow center dent.

 

[Chepstow]

Fantastic, Alan and Nik. Thanks for posting the comparison Nik!

100%

 

[Alive'n'Amplified]

David (aka DJH) has inspired me to write a comparison between two of my [eight] favorite hats. Actually, these two hats have not been compared by similarities, but mainly by contrast. These contrasts don't mean that I feel one hat is better than the other; each hat has a special place on my head. Interestingly enough, I am showcasing my oldest hat, a late 1930's Cavanagh, and my newest hat, a 2012 Falcon Park Hattery custom.

My comparison is mainly with regard to the felt quality. The biggest similarity these hats share, aside from shape and vintage ribbon, is that they have exceeded my expectations of phenomenal quality. My Cavanagh is an absolute marvel; I was able to get it at auction for a wonderful price. I knew what to look for and I knew this hat was special. After receiving it I understood just how special it was. The quality is unbelievable. I am convinced that it is made of beaver fur (though, I could be wrong); the felt is luxuriously smooth, soft, and ultra pliable, no matter how I shape it. I can dry crease and pinch the crown or roll the brim at will and the felt holds, every time. It is also extremely lightweight; the felt is thin, but dense like clay.

The FPH is made of rabbit fur. It is soft, but in a different way. The felt is easily twice as thick as the Cavanagh, which results in a heavier weight. Dry creasing this hat is doable, but where the rabbit felt really shines is its ability to hold a shape when steamed. And when it holds, it's a stiff hold. The granite felt isn't a seamless grey; it does show some additional brown tones up close, hence the "granite" designation. I wasn't sure if I liked it at first, but then I understood the natural characteristics of the felt, so it really grew on me.

You can see in the following close up pictures the difference in the two felts. The Cavanagh is very rich and luxurious, with a high level of consistencey throughout, while the FPH is much thicker and the fur is more noticeable, showing subtle color variations.

These are top quality hats. Cavanagh is well-reknowned for high-end hats and superior craftsmanship. Parker Melvin is a skilled hat maker. He can create a hat to your likings and just about meet your smallest detail (given that he has the right equipment, of course). Any chance you have at a vintage Cavanagh or a new FPH, go for it. You won't be disappointed!!

Thanks for reading! :thumb:

 

[Rabbit]

Well done, A-n-A! The images show every aspect of the felt differences very well.

 

[Alive'n'Amplified]

Thanks! I've been wanting to do a comparison post for quite some time. I'll have a follow up when my Dobbs FIFTEEN arrives. That will be compared to my Saks Fifth Ave 15/20 clone. The Saks hats were made for them in the Dobbs factory. Same color, and from the looks of it, same ribbon bow. I think the 15 has a wider brim, though. We shall see!!

 

[randooch]

Thanks for the addition to this super thread. Very enjoyable examination of two great hats. :eusa_clap

 

[LoveMyHats2]

You also have a nice camera to take those close up shots! Real nice hats!

 

[Alive'n'Amplified]

Thanks for the addition to this super thread. Very enjoyable examination of two great hats. :eusa_clap

I enjoyed writing it!

 

[Alive'n'Amplified]

You also have a nice camera to take those close up shots! Real nice hats!

iPhone 4.

Great camera. Horrible phone.

 

[Chepstow]

AnA, great comparison!