Want to buy or sell something? Check the classifieds
  • The Fedora Lounge is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

The BORSALINO BROTHERHOOD

John Galt

Vendor
Messages
2,080
Location
Chico
"Whiskey" is the word I've seen most to describe this color - mostly on Resistol cowboy hats.


"Faint hat never won fair lady."
 

fedoralover

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,006
Location
Great Northwest
I haven't bought a hat off ebay in quite a while but I couldn't pass up getting this Borsalino on a BIN option. Seller said it was purchased in Italy by his uncle quite a number of years ago. The felt quality is great and in excellent condition and seems to be a bit thicker and higher density than some of my other ones. Also the sweatband isn't like the others I have. It doesn't have the corrigated piece in the front. Any body have a clue on it's age? Here's the pics.

fedoralover



 
Messages
15,083
Location
Buffalo, NY
Borsys are notoriously difficult to date but your best clues will be the tag/tags under the sweatband.

Mike is right, though by the look of the sweatband, peeking underneath is liable to pop some stitching. This liner and size tag were used into the 1960s and perhaps beyond. I would guess that your Borso is late 1950s-60s. Here is one that I owned which displays similar elements - with taped rear seam on a reeded sweatband.

newfeather5.jpg
 

fedoralover

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,006
Location
Great Northwest
Thanks for the info. The liner says it is "Extra Extra Superiore" Quality. I've seen others that just say "Extra", I've always been curious to what that second Extra got you. Or if it was purely marketing.

fedora
 

fedoralover

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,006
Location
Great Northwest
So true on that. I have 10 borsys and have compared it to the others and the felt is noticeably thicker. I'm not crazy about the sweatband on this one and wouldn't call it an extra extra quality compared to the others. Still a nice hat though for the price I got it for.

fedoralover
 

Ordinary Guy

One Too Many
Messages
1,292
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
So true on that. I have 10 borsys and have compared it to the others and the felt is noticeably thicker. I'm not crazy about the sweatband on this one and wouldn't call it an extra extra quality compared to the others. Still a nice hat though for the price I got it for.

fedoralover

I also acquired a similiar Borso....

It has a purple liner and says the extra extra but on the hatband it has three XXX..... Kind of a puzzler to me......

Excellent hat and has fancy stitching around the brim... Milano stamped on the hat band with what looks like the store name leading me to believe this was sold in Italy.....

I did the comparison as you did with your felt to other borso's and came up with the same results as yours,,, I can not detect anything tremendously different....

Anyone guess to ballpark age on this hat ???

66bwwi.jpg
 

Nazarin

New in Town
Messages
18
Location
Poland
1.JPG 2.JPG 3.JPG 4.jpg 5.JPG 6.jpg
Hi, here's a grey Borsalino Homburg I bought about two years ago. The quality of the felt is really nice. I have another homburg in dark navy, and although they are both "qualita superiore", this one's felt is noticeably more pliable. I've been astounded by it's condition. Apparently it had been stored in a hat box for many years. Not sure about the year of production. Perhaps 1980, judging from the tag.
 

Chepstow

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,406
Location
Germany/ Remscheid
Bought a Borsalino Grand Prix 1900 for cheap Money.
After a cleaning I gave him a new ribbon. Now the Details.
I was surprised, that black beauty has a ventilated area in the forhead of the sweatband.
The Paper Label says Lunasca and it's the old Label so I guess he is from the late 50s!
The felt is super soft and falls under the leight weight hats.

Fresh out of the Box!
0x0r.jpg


After cleaning and new ribbon!
7t77.jpg


Some details!
p8mb.jpg
 
Last edited:

Forum statistics

Threads
109,253
Messages
3,077,340
Members
54,183
Latest member
UrbanGraveDave
Top