Side By Side/ Hat Comparisons

[RJR]

My last comparision featured cousins, today I would like to share my observations about Mallory siblings.

The Mallory Ten and a Mallory Dallas both in silver belly are shown below. I know other Lounge members have these hats and have posted pics of themselves wearing them. They are not "rare" fedoras. Not being rare, does not take away from their magnificence. I boldly state that both models use the same quality felt, same color run, same dimensions, same block, and even the same quality leather band. The difference is the ribbon work, brim flange and edge binding. Any color differences that show up in the pics are due to lighting when I took the pics early this morning.

Mallory, in the 1940's sold both hats for $10.00. "Take a Look at Yourself in the Mallory Dallas." Mallory advertised that the fedoras were a light weight felt made with the Pliafelt process.

The liners are a bit different in that the screened logo is different. The material, feel are nearly the same - siblings.

The Ten was from a retailer in St.Peter, MN and the Dallas from Eau Claire, WI. The retailers were 154 miles apart.


The Mallory Ten -

The Dallas -

I do appreciate why other loungers post up their hats frequently as both hats are comfy and enjoyable to wear. Some days you need a medium ribbon and some days you need a thin ribbon.

Wonder what I will choose to wear today or tomorrow?

Thanks for taking a look at the siblings. Best wishes, Eric -

Nice hats,interesting comparison.

 

[mikespens]

Looks like you have a pre/post Stetson combo there Eric. One of my finest lids is a Mallory. Thanks for sharing those fine hats Eric

 

[Alive'n'Amplified]

My absolute favorite thread! A terrific place for stunning pics, great comparisons, and good reads. It's been quite a while since I've posted here. This comparison is between two Knox boaters.

Both Knox hats are designated "Premier". However, both hats are different in both looks and feel. I acquired the hats on eBay, one from an independent seller (low BIN price) and the other from Adrian, aka <miamibruno>. For the purpose of this thread, I'll call them "K1" (bottom) and "K2" (top).

Both hats are made of a similar straw weave and pattern, and they exhibit a beautiful shine in the right light. K1 is slightly stiffer, and it has approximatly 3 1/2 "teeth" per inch, while K2 has 3 teeth per inch. As a result, the additional amount of straw in K1 makes it slightly thicker and heavier. K1 really stands out to me, it is darker with a more luxurious patina, almost like a shiny new penny. K2 is lighter in color, more golden blonde, so it looks newer to me. Of the 4 boaters I own, K1 is my favorite.

When I first purchased K1 it had a standard 2" black ribbon, common for most boaters. The crown height is 3 1/2" and the brim is just over 2 1/4" wide with a saw tooth edge. Most boaters are finished this way. K1 was originally sold at Weinstock-Lubin Co. Store for Men in Sacramento, CA (closed, B&W pic below). K2 has a 3 3/8" crown and the brim is just over 2 1/8" wide, saw tooth edge. The black grosgrain ribbon is 2 1/4" wide with a very basic cinch. It was originally sold at Hofeller, Hiatt & Clark Inc. in Lima, OH (still in operation!).

Since I already owned a Cavanagh boater with a black ribbon, I wanted some contrast, so I swapped the K1's ribbon with a new one, 2 1/8", navy blue and white striped. The result was crisp and perfect; a beautiful combination with clean folds and lines. The bow exhibits a virtual criss-cross "X" as the fold comes together. This bold grosgrain "highway" gives the hat terrific pop and flair, and it goes great with any suit or shoe color, especially my navy suit with brown shoes. Otherwise, I ALWAYS match a black ribbon to black shoes/belts. The following pics show the before/after shots of K1 (third pic shows most accurate color):

The interior of K1 is relatively clean with a small spot on the crown tip. The sweatband is soft and supple, and it's a touch on the larger side of 7 1/4, which is the same to say of K2. Must be a Knox thing? I've added sizing/padding behind the sweatbands for a better fit. Now they're both just right. The K2 sweatband is beginning to dry, but ever so slightly. It is soft enough that Adrian was able to stamp my initials into it.

I've also noticed that both hats have liners slightly out of vertical alignment. What I mean by that is they are positioned just slightly clockwise, which is kind of annoying.

Boater hats offer a timeless style that is unique and expressive. If you have the confidence, I suggest owning one and wearing it frequently. If you think you get stopped everywhere you go now wearing a fedora, wait 'til you start wearing a boater! Have fun with it, and thanks for reading!

 

[Short Balding Guy]

Amp; Darn glad you are back posting. Love your post today comparing boaters.

I too love the patina on K1. Interesting your ribbon change it nspiration. I never thought about it and have to agree with your choice and execution. Well done.

You make the Boaters, both K1 & K2 look dynamite.

Well done. Eric-

 

[KY Crusader]

My absolute favorite thread! A terrific place for stunning pics, great comparisons, and good reads. It's been quite a while since I've posted here. This comparison is between two Knox boaters.

Both Knox hats are designated "Premier". However, both hats are different in both looks and feel. I acquired the hats on eBay, one from an independent seller (low BIN price) and the other from Adrian, aka <miamibruno>. For the purpose of this thread, I'll call them "K1" (bottom) and "K2" (top).

Both hats are made of a similar straw weave and pattern, and they exhibit a beautiful shine in the right light. K1 is slightly stiffer, and it has approximatly 3 1/2 "teeth" per inch, while K2 has 3 teeth per inch. As a result, the additional amount of straw in K1 makes it slightly thicker and heavier. K1 really stands out to me, it is darker with a more luxurious patina, almost like a shiny new penny. K2 is lighter in color, more golden blonde, so it looks newer to me. Of the 4 boaters I own, K1 is my favorite.

When I first purchased K1 it had a standard 2" black ribbon, common for most boaters. The crown height is 3 1/2" and the brim is just over 2 1/4" wide with a saw tooth edge. Most boaters are finished this way. K1 was originally sold at Weinstock-Lubin Co. Store for Men in Sacramento, CA (closed, B&W pic below). K2 has a 3 3/8" crown and the brim is just over 2 1/8" wide, saw tooth edge. The black grosgrain ribbon is 2 1/4" wide with a very basic cinch. It was originally sold at Hofeller, Hiatt & Clark Inc. in Lima, OH (still in operation!).

Since I already owned a Cavanagh boater with a black ribbon, I wanted some contrast, so I swapped the K1's ribbon with a new one, 2 1/8", navy blue and white striped. The result was crisp and perfect; a beautiful combination with clean folds and lines. The bow exhibits a virtual criss-cross "X" as the fold comes together. This bold grosgrain "highway" gives the hat terrific pop and flair, and it goes great with any suit or shoe color, especially my navy suit with brown shoes. Otherwise, I ALWAYS match a black ribbon to black shoes/belts. The following pics show the before/after shots of K1 (third pic shows most accurate color):

The interior of K1 is relatively clean with a small spot on the crown tip. The sweatband is soft and supple, and it's a touch on the larger side of 7 1/4, which is the same to say of K2. Must be a Knox thing? I've added sizing/padding behind the sweatbands for a better fit. Now they're both just right. The K2 sweatband is beginning to dry, but ever so slightly. It is soft enough that Adrian was able to stamp my initials into it.

I've also noticed that both hats have liners slightly out of vertical alignment. What I mean by that is they are positioned just slightly clockwise, which is kind of annoying.

Boater hats offer a timeless style that is unique and expressive. If you have the confidence, I suggest owning one and wearing it frequently. If you think you get stopped everywhere you go now wearing a fedora, wait 'til you start wearing a boater! Have fun with it, and thanks for reading!

Wonderful hats and pictures. I doubt I could pull it off; but they certainly look good on you.

 

[Alive'n'Amplified]

Amp; Darn glad you are back posting. Love your post today comparing boaters...

Eric, my friend! Great to be posting. It's always an honor to share my passions with my fellow 'Loungers. Thank you for the compliments. I don't recall if I've seen any boaters on your head or not. No?




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Short Balding Guy]

Amp; Alas no boaters. Yet!

 

[RJR]

Amp; Darn glad you are back posting. Love your post today comparing boaters.

I too love the patina on K1. Interesting your ribbon change it nspiration. I never thought about it and have to agree with your choice and execution. Well done.

You make the Boaters, both K1 & K2 look dynamite.

Well done. Eric-

+1,beautiful boaters.

 

[hatophile]

My absolute favorite thread! A terrific place for stunning pics, great comparisons, and good reads. It's been quite a while since I've posted here. This comparison is between two Knox boaters.

Both Knox hats are designated "Premier". However, both hats are different in both looks and feel. I acquired the hats on eBay, one from an independent seller (low BIN price) and the other from Adrian, aka <miamibruno>. For the purpose of this thread, I'll call them "K1" (bottom) and "K2" (top).

Both hats are made of a similar straw weave and pattern, and they exhibit a beautiful shine in the right light. K1 is slightly stiffer, and it has approximatly 3 1/2 "teeth" per inch, while K2 has 3 teeth per inch. As a result, the additional amount of straw in K1 makes it slightly thicker and heavier. K1 really stands out to me, it is darker with a more luxurious patina, almost like a shiny new penny. K2 is lighter in color, more golden blonde, so it looks newer to me. Of the 4 boaters I own, K1 is my favorite.

When I first purchased K1 it had a standard 2" black ribbon, common for most boaters. The crown height is 3 1/2" and the brim is just over 2 1/4" wide with a saw tooth edge. Most boaters are finished this way. K1 was originally sold at Weinstock-Lubin Co. Store for Men in Sacramento, CA (closed, B&W pic below). K2 has a 3 3/8" crown and the brim is just over 2 1/8" wide, saw tooth edge. The black grosgrain ribbon is 2 1/4" wide with a very basic cinch. It was originally sold at Hofeller, Hiatt & Clark Inc. in Lima, OH (still in operation!).

Since I already owned a Cavanagh boater with a black ribbon, I wanted some contrast, so I swapped the K1's ribbon with a new one, 2 1/8", navy blue and white striped. The result was crisp and perfect; a beautiful combination with clean folds and lines. The bow exhibits a virtual criss-cross "X" as the fold comes together. This bold grosgrain "highway" gives the hat terrific pop and flair, and it goes great with any suit or shoe color, especially my navy suit with brown shoes. Otherwise, I ALWAYS match a black ribbon to black shoes/belts. The following pics show the before/after shots of K1 (third pic shows most accurate color):

The interior of K1 is relatively clean with a small spot on the crown tip. The sweatband is soft and supple, and it's a touch on the larger side of 7 1/4, which is the same to say of K2. Must be a Knox thing? I've added sizing/padding behind the sweatbands for a better fit. Now they're both just right. The K2 sweatband is beginning to dry, but ever so slightly. It is soft enough that Adrian was able to stamp my initials into it.

I've also noticed that both hats have liners slightly out of vertical alignment. What I mean by that is they are positioned just slightly clockwise, which is kind of annoying.

Boater hats offer a timeless style that is unique and expressive. If you have the confidence, I suggest owning one and wearing it frequently. If you think you get stopped everywhere you go now wearing a fedora, wait 'til you start wearing a boater! Have fun with it, and thanks for reading!

Great coupla hats. Nice comparison too.

 

[alanfgag]

A great collection of thoughts and photos, thank you AnA. Boaters are much easier and more comfortable to wear than some might imagine... and often a bargain in smaller sizes.

 

[Alive'n'Amplified]

Wonderful hats and pictures. I doubt I could pull it off; but they certainly look good on you.

I appreciate it, Crusader. You could always look for a broken down boater (to try), so you don't spend too much if you don't like it. Flat tops and straight lines give each boater a sharp profile.

+1,beautiful boaters.

Thanks, RJR!

Great coupla hats. Nice comparison too.

'Preciate it, Perry! Thanks for reading!!

 

[Alive'n'Amplified]

A great collection of thoughts and photos, thank you AnA. Boaters are much easier and more comfortable to wear than some might imagine... and often a bargain in smaller sizes.

Your compliments are always appreciated, Alan! I LOVE boater hats!! Your collection had inspired me to start building my own. Indeed, boaters can be easily picked for a good price, especially if you're a 6 3/4! LOL However, I've been noticing lately a lot of boaters 7 1/4+ catching up to the rest of the market, $125 and up. Every once and a while there's a good catch.

 

[Miamibruno]

AnA - Wow. I love what you did with the ribbon. So glad you are enjoying it. Wonderful contemplation on boaters. Bravo!

 

[alanfgag]

Two Early Stetson Playboys.

As Eric notes in an earlier post, Stetson advertised that they had sold 2 million Playboys by 1940 (the hat was introduced as a $5 hat in the mid-1930s). These hats are from that pre-war generation... a lightweight hat (just over 2.5 ounces), unlined, with a raw brim, narrow ribbon and an informal hattitude. They are very similar, but subtle differences call to me. Do these differences help to identify which hat is older? Or are they random details, seasonal tweaks or the luck of the draw for which box of parts was pulled to finish a particular run of hats.

Both hats display features consistent with a production date a year or so on either side of 1940. The brim width is a narrow 2 3/8" on the gray hat, 2 1/2" on the black. The edge is raw without the decorative stitch that arrived on the Playboy sometime after WWII.

The ribbon is slightly under 7/8" on the gray, slightly over 7/8" on the black.

The manufacturing label in the gray hat is the narrow three panel label used between the old wide label and the single panel narrow label found in the black Playboy. The gray hat uses a 123 block compared with 122 (2?) on the black. 122 is the block marked on each of the early Stratoliners (1941-42) that I have handled.

Hard to find much difference in the shape of the open crowns.

Imprints are inkless, deep debossments. The sweatbands have had different amounts of wear (the black hat is virtually pristine) but both are thin, soft and flexible. Stitching is the same in both.

Note the different gold inks on the size tags. The black hat has a bronze powder in the ink that has oxidized over the years. The gray hat tag remains shiny.

If this were a quiz, I would answer that the gray hat is earlier than the black. But then there is the LOTXXXX number, which is lower on the black Playboy (7636 vs. 7794). Do these numbers represent a true timeline, or just a general production history, with different lots spread around the factory at the same time?

 

[alanfgag]

One thing is sure... they both are a pleasure to wear.

 

[1mach1]

Great comparison, Alan. Very interesting.

 

[alanfgag]

Glad you enjoyed it, Harv!

 

[moontheloon]

thank you Alan ... I throughly enjoyed that

I could read stuff like that all day

wonderful comparison !

... and superb photos

 

[FedOregon]

Fantastic thread!

 

[Redfokker]