The BORSALINO BROTHERHOOD

[mayserwegener]

Posted this in another thread, but maybe it's allowed to repeat? Just unpacked my first vintage (I have no idea how vintage) Borsalino, and I'm starting to understand why fur felt is the prefered material. Is there some way to tell how old it is? (It was sold as "vintage" only). (Bonus: shirt colour matches hats inner lining).

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Can you post a photo of the paper label behind the sweatband? It looks to be from the original factory and later.

 

[Fredrik Eide Nilsen]

Can you post a photo of the paper label behind the sweatband? It looks to be from the original factory and later.

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

Lovely! These appear to have been quite popular in the U.S. from the mid to late 1950s. They show up with frequency at the 5X quality. There was a 6X which I have seen but have not handled. The varnish coating on the sweatband reed seems to be prone to flaking off. I have actually removed it completely from one of my hats that was particularly badly affected (yours looks pretty good). It came off easily with my fingernail and revealed a nice fabric covered reed underneath.

Hi Alan:
Thank you for the info and kind words.
I believe it was Tonio who posted a chocolate 6x MGL back in Feb. It was a grand hat. I have 3 of the 5x and each one is different in proportion yet the same felt, sweatband and liner. One is a stingy brim with a stitched over-welt, the other two wider unfinished edge. All nice hats that remind me of the Super Barbisio Chamois felt. All wonderful to pet.
Be well. Bowen
Ps: an intact reed coating is a treasure to me.

 

[mayserwegener]

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It's from 1978 ("78-" is the production year) so made in the original Borsalino factory.

 

[Fredrik Eide Nilsen]

It's from 1978 ("78-" is the production year) so made in the original Borsalino factory.

Thank you! I do have a problem with "vintage" when it was made 10 years after I was born, but good to know.

 

[mayserwegener]

Quality wise (felt + components) there isn't much difference from earlier. The original Borsalino factory made great hats.

 

[steur]

Stefan, I was posted it here because Tonak mentions supplying headgear to Borsalino. I don't think they have much of a chance of building the brand outside of the Czech Republic. The Hückel brand has no current recognition. Borsalino is still a known brand in Italy but less in other parts of Europe. In America it's really only known by the Orthodox Jewish communities. The "Made in Italy" carries weight so I guess that is what Borsalino is banking on here in America. How is Borsalino perceived in Holland? Is it a hat style (like Fedora) or brand?

Borsalino is very much a brand over here, Steve. As far as hats go there are only two names people come up with and those are Borsalino or Stetson. Having said that: even if people do know these brand names most of them would not be able to tell if a hat has any quality or not.

 

[steur]

I like green hats, even if Stefan doesn't. Send all your green hats to me, Stefan!

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They wouldn't fit you, Max!

 

[steur]

View attachment 129177 View attachment 129178 View attachment 129179 View attachment 129180 View attachment 129181 View attachment 129182 View attachment 129183 View attachment 129184 Greetings All:
For your reference today we have a Borsalino Marque Grand Luxe 5X with a 2 1/4” raw edge brim and 1” ribbon. The felt is a very pleasant velourish finish unique to the MGL. All in all a very well appointed and crafted Borsalino and a pleasure to wear and pet.
Be well. Bowen

Gorgeous hat, Bowen.

Any idea on the age of this one? This is all I have to go on.

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I would say later fifties to early sixties is most likely, Bob. These cellophane liner covers seem to appear in the early fifties and disappear again in the mid-sixties. The later ones have the sort of grid-like structure to them (probably to make them less fragile).

 

[steur]

Borsalino Trionfo sold in Sofia in the Simon Zlateff shop with the wind cord

The color is "Mirtillo" and the "type" is "Mula" (a female mule) Size is 6 1/2 Ancient French way to measure hat, a more simple 60 centimeters

It came from UK as many of the "Zlateff field" in Europe. I'm making some research to understand why so many Bulgarian hats surface in UK.

The Bulgarian homburg are alway marked "Mula" that is a type for Borsalino, that in the same years, produced more high end homburg in other shape and dimension at least for the Italian market

The proportions are the classic Lobbia Borsalino: 5.5 cm. curled brim, around 11.5 crown with a soft felt

I added another "Mirtillo" to my collection of the this color interpreted in a very bizarre way by the Borsalino dyeing man during the years

Congrats, Daniele. A great hat to add to the collection.

 

[drmaxtejeda]

They wouldn't fit you, Max!

Ah, details, details.
Nothing my hydraulic hat-stretcher can't handle
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[steur]

Ah, details, details.
Nothing my hydraulic hat-stretcher can't handle
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I can't let an innocent borsalino be subjected to such cruelty

 

[mayserwegener]

Borsalino is very much a brand over here, Steve. As far as hats go there are only two names people come up with and those are Borsalino or Stetson. Having said that: even if people do know these brand names most of them would not be able to tell if a hat has any quality or not.

Stefan, Thank you for the reply. That is great that Borsalino still has general brand recognition. Stetson Europe (Friedrich W. Schneider Cologne) have done a good job of marketing the Stetson brand name.

 

[Fredrik Eide Nilsen]

Borsalino is very much a brand over here, Steve. As far as hats go there are only two names people come up with and those are Borsalino or Stetson. Having said that: even if people do know these brand names most of them would not be able to tell if a hat has any quality or not.

I belive this is true for much of Europe. It's the same here in Norway. If you say Stetson or Borsalino, people know what it is (=hats). All other brands are unknown. But, I also think they connect it more to style here, almost like "panama hat". Stetson = cowboy hats, Borsalino = fedora or similar.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Thank you! I do have a problem with "vintage" when it was made 10 years after I was born, but good to know.

Borsalino kept making quality felt hats long after other makers forgot what the word quality meant.

As for vintage, if you can order a bottle of vintage wine from 2014 then the 1970s qualify.


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[drmaxtejeda]

Borsalino kept making quality felt hats long after other makers forgot what the word quality meant.

As for vintage, if you can order a bottle of vintage wine from 2014 then the 1970s qualify.


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Do you think modern-day factory-made hats, e.g. Stetsons will be considered Vintage in 40 years?
Quality-wise I mean? Or just old?

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[deadlyhandsome]

Do you think modern-day factory-made hats, e.g. Stetsons will be considered Vintage in 40 years?
Quality-wise I mean? Or just old?

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There’s a lot of speculation there. Moon is convinced today’s moden hats will never be collectible. Certainly there won’t be the variations that exist with what we currently call vintage hats.

I do think that some will be collectible. I can see an Excellent grade Stratoliner bringing good money and lots of interest in 50+ years just because so few were made. However, since you were specific to quality and not scarcity, I don’t think anyone believes that modern production hats compare with vintage and the passing of decades isn’t going to change that.

Anthony turned me onto the current Stetson New York LE as his one exception. He raved about the felt so of course I had to buy two. They are great hats and I think compare favorably to vintage.

 

[drmaxtejeda]

There’s a lot of speculation there. Moon is convinced today’s moden hats will never be collectible. Certainly there won’t be the variations that exist with what we currently call vintage hats.

I do think that some will be collectible. I can see an Excellent grade Stratoliner bringing good money and lots of interest in 50+ years just because so few were made. However, since you were specific to quality and not scarcity, I don’t think anyone believes that modern production hats compare with vintage and the passing of decades isn’t going to change that.

Anthony turned me onto the current Stetson New York LE as his one exception. He raved about the felt so of course I had to buy two. They are great hats and I think compare favorably to vintage.

Thanks again, Brent. I found a Stetson New York, without the LE. What does the LE stand for?

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[deadlyhandsome]

Thanks again, Brent. I found a Stetson New York, without the LE. What does the LE stand for?

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No idea what the LE stands for. It’s an open crown 100% beaver hat with an underwelt brim. I own them in tobacco and Phantom Gray. The felt is truly wonderful. Anthony sold his, I think because he wanted more crown height, but then he’s been known to sell perfect hats for his own reasons.

http://www.hat-co.com/perch//resources/f18-stetson-city.pdf

 

[drmaxtejeda]

No idea what the LE stands for. It’s an open crown 100% beaver hat with an underwelt brim. I own them in tobacco and Phantom Gray. The felt is truly wonderful. Anthony sold his, I think because he wanted more crown height, but then he’s been known to sell perfect hats for his own reasons.

http://www.hat-co.com/perch//resources/f18-stetson-city.pdf

I found the on the Bay. Pricey.

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