The BORSALINO BROTHERHOOD

[RBH]

New Borsalino Allesandria from Bencraft. While it's advertised as an open crown, it actually came creased with a shallow center dent and a relatively small front pinch. No matter, a few squirts from the spray bottle and you see the results below. Navy blue, I like it.

One question, what's the difference between the Bencraft Allesandria at $230 with the Allesandrias at other stores for $300 or more?

Tom

Just catching up with this one... MAN... I love it!

 

[HeyMoe]

Wow quiet around here ...........anyone pick up a good borsalino recently?

 

[DJH]

How are you liking yours, Moe? Hopefully with the days getting a bit cooler you are getting the chance to wear it.

I just sold a Borsalino, but a new one is on the way

 

[HeyMoe]

How are you liking yours, Moe? Hopefully with the days getting a bit cooler you are getting the chance to wear it.

I just sold a Borsalino, but a new one is on the way

I love it! It has an all around different feel when wearing it compared to my stetson. Almost like it better. As I mentioned I have no idea about age etc, but it just feels old: good quality comfort etc.

 

[HeyMoe]

DJH,

How did you guys make out over in NH? VT is pretty much a disaster area.

 

[DJH]

No real problems here. Power off for an hour or so, that's about it.

My brother in law owns a campground on the White River, in Sharon VT. From what I hear, everything has been washed away.

Amazing what rain can do.

 

[bond]

Nice Borso that you scored for 40. Ill post a few that i just picked up this wk. One is a 50s straw, and the others are 30-40s felts,the one felt I might add is a 7 us size and way too small for me so Ill be selling it,too bad cause its mint and the other is a 7 1/4.Also the straw is for sale too. Let me know if any one wants prices
or info on them.Anyway pics will follow

 

[JohnnyDollar]

Nice Borso that you scored for 40. Ill post a few that i just picked up this wk. One is a 50s straw, and the others are 30-40s felts,the one felt I might add is a 7 us size and way too small for me so Ill be selling it,too bad cause its mint and the other is a 7 1/4.Also the straw is for sale too. Let me know if any one wants prices
or info on them.Anyway pics will follow

Any inside shots of the felts?

 

[alanfgag]

Borsalino Feather Weight

Later vintage Borsalino Featherweight... it gives up a little to my earlier featherweight from Balbi's store in Naples, but not very much. It's a nice example of the consistency of Borsalino's manufacturing quality into the 1970's.

This auction ended while I was standing in the checkout line at IKEA in Chicago. I'm getting good with my iPhone!

First out of the box photos. I think I'll wear this one brim up, but I might flatten the curled flange a little.

Dress down Friday and it was steamy today.

 

[Aureliano]

Beautiful, Alan. I think Balbi was the king of the feather weights.

 

[mayserwegener]

Alan, I like the brim up look. Another super find!

 

[alanfgag]

Thanks guys... I wonder if we've seen a featherweight that didn't come from Salvatore Balbi's shop? I don't remember one.

I was a little surprised at 7 1/4 there wasn't more action on this auction. Only one other bidder and it went for $10 over the opening bid. Perhaps the 2 1/8" brim limited the interest?

 

[alanfgag]

I'm curious for your thoughts...

As I think more about the Balbi featherweights, I wonder about the seemingly monolithic connection of the Napoli address with this model and why Feather Weight is written in English? Were the examples we see purchased by Americans on trips to Naples, or were the Balbi hats imported and sold through a U.S. retailer? Do those of you who frequent the European Ebay sites find these hats for auction outside the U.S?

 

[Aureliano]

My feather weight is from Napoli but not from Balbi. I'll post pictures of the sweat when I get home. I also have another one from Balbi that's at my wife's late grandpa's house waiting for me. I'll have it on Monday.

 

[alanfgag]

Look forward to seeing the pictures... after doing a little searching through the thread archives, I found a number of Featherweights with different sweatband imprints. Thanks Aureliano!

 

[Aureliano]

I was a bit off, Alan. Mine is actually from Rome. Check it out. (I'll post pics of my wife's late grandpa's (now mine ) Balbi tomorrow. We're going to his house to get some stuff during the day.)

 

[bond]

A, if its a 7 3/8 its mine! just kidding, beautiful hat .

 

[bond]

Here are some pics of the new feather wt. i just picked up. As you can see the felt is in mint condition,really a clean hat ,i feel fortunate to finally get one in my size!

 

[HatsEnough]

Love that soft gray color, bond. Great piece.

 

[Aureliano]

A, if its a 7 3/8 its mine! just kidding, beautiful hat .

It's a 1/8... sorry lol lol.
By the way, is your Borsalino labeled as Feather weight? It looks like an Alessandria model to me... The color is great!