Thanks, Dennis. Very kind of you to say so, but almost everything I know I learned from the members here. Now and again I can add a little tidbit.Stefan, your command of the Borsalino history is admirable. It's a good thing you live so far away. I would probably be knocking on your door asking to see these hats up close.
Two things for the Forum. I will be in Florida (Orlando) from the 9 to the 16 of March. If there are any F.L's who may be interested in seeing some of the collection send me a note. I can likely bring 8 or 10 without too much difficulty. Check out my thread "Over 100 Vintage Fedoras" for more info of what I have.
In meantime here is a link for a 6 7/8 Borsalino.
http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/706-5...29529&kwid=902099&mtid=824&kw=lg&toolid=11111
Here you are sir:Hello Ivano, can you tell me the link to "Over 100 Vintage Fedoras" please? I can't seem to find it. I live near Orlando. Thank you.
Thanks, Steve. Maybe that's why he's still aroundStefan, Super find! Hutkönig Regensburg is still going strong and very expensive.
Alan, thanks. You're probably right with the dating of this one. The liner kind of threw me off, since I associate that type with older hats. The hat looks like the spitting image of the Faunosca model in the same colour I have, which was dated by the seller as 1950. Must put these two together for a comparison. I think most of Borsalinos' efforts in the pre-war and war period were directed towards making hats for uniforms. I believe I've read they were up and running very soon after the hostilities ended, even though they did get hit by bombs.Lovely thin ribbon, Stefan. I expect it is c.1950. I have a similar one with that liner imprint and it’s one of my favorites. I wish we had more information here to document the trade timeline for Borsalino during the era of Mussolini and WWII. Despite the short period of actual conflict 1941-1943, I expect the hostilities earlier and the wartime toll to Alessandria during the war made for a significant gap in importation of Borsalino hats to the U.S... perhaps lasting more than a decade in the 1930s and 1940s. Maybe Mike can help us with the research.
Alan, Thank you! It's interesting reading for sure.Steve, this is a remarkable resource and a fascinating read. Not sure how I missed it previously. How many U.S. market Borsalino hats from this period have been posted here over the years? Certainly a tiny number. The tariffs must have been an effective deterrent. Was there a more restrictive embargo enjoined during wartime? And were the embargoes/tariffs removed entirely after the end of the war to assist in rebuilding the European manufacturers?
Reading the testimony on the production numbers and dollars is good evidence against the meme that the decline in the hat industry should be blamed on President Kennedy. Surely the blame lies with Calvin Coolidge. ;^)
Alan, thanks. You're probably right with the dating of this one. The liner kind of threw me off, since I associate that type with older hats. The hat looks like the spitting image of the Faunosca model in the same colour I have, which was dated by the seller as 1950. Must put these two together for a comparison. I think most of Borsalinos' efforts in the pre-war and war period were directed towards making hats for uniforms. I believe I've read they were up and running very soon after the hostilities ended, even though they did get hit by bombs.
Alan, Thank you! It's interesting reading for sure.
I checked the "Borsalinos with Celled Paper Labels" thread and I found 5 American Market Borsalinos out of 21 total. Borsalino sold well for imports (in the 1920s) but the overall numbers were very small compared to domestic manufactured Men's Fur Felt Hats.** Borsalinos exports to America pretty much stopped in the 1930s. The tarriffs, the Depression and eventually WWII were major factors. I will have to see if I can find the posts or Daniele might chime in. It's was definitely a struggle to import Men's Fur Felt Hats! Bill & Caldwell (and others) were busy with Congress.
**
1927 Imported Men's Fur Felt Hats were ~ 28,500 Dozen
1927 American Manufactured Men's Fur Felt Hats were 1,961,410 Dozen
Alan, Yes there were more than expected. I am waiting for number 6!I was hoping for that tally - 5 of 21 is more than I would have guessed.