The BORSALINO BROTHERHOOD

[mayserwegener]

I always try to do my best, but so far I have found only one catalog in 1989
I stay tuned in search of some document that speaks of the Borsalino hats in detail
Meanwhile, good hunting for you too!

Daniele, Yes your 1989 Borsalino catalog was a great + important find. I am sure they sent out similar catalogs going back to their beginning. As always I will be on the look out too. Let's hope 2019 brings new finds!

 

[Garrett]

 

[mayserwegener]

Fantastic!

 

[Steinbockhase]

Beautiful. Can you wear a 56 cm?

 

[Garrett]

Beautiful. Can you wear a 56 cm?

Yes, this one fits well.

 

[steur]

Stunning! And with a unique liner too. Thanks for posting this.

 

[Bill Hughes]

This is my latest vintage acquisition. A 1950s Borsalino Lontra (Otter). My understanding is Italy outlawed otter felt in the 1970s. This is very lightweight felt that has an unusual tan color in that is has a bit of a reddish/peach tone. The color is "Muflone" which is a small reddish/brownish wild sheep. The model is Fantesca. I acquired this from Alan aka @alanfgag. As you know any hat from Alan is bound to be top shelf and is therefore to be cherished.

 

[steur]

This is my latest vintage acquisition. A 1950s Borsalino Lontra (Otter). My understanding is Italy outlawed otter felt in the 1970s. This is very lightweight felt that has an unusual tan color in that is has a bit of a reddish/peach tone. The color is "Muflone" which is a small reddish/brownish wild sheep. The model is Fantesca. I acquired this from Alan aka @alanfgag. As you know any hat from Alan is bound to be top shelf and is therefore to be cherished.

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That is just outstanding, Bill! Another lontra felt Borsalino was offered on Ebay a few months ago, but it was not in my size. How does the felt compare?

 

[steur]

Echter Borsalino ecosca in black. Export Qualität in size 4 (55) with the bound brim at 6,5 and the crown at 10cm at the pinch. Interesting bit about this is that it is dated (as German sold hats sometimes were): 15 november 1958.

 

[steur]

And the paperwork:

 

[steur]

Last one is the best one. This one I bought at an auction thinking it would be a very old German made hat. Let's start off with some of the auction shots.

Hat, sweatband, liner look old and it comes in a box, which i know is not original to the hat, bit still has a newspaper in it dating back to 1909. For just shy of $25 including shipping, what's not to like. Didn't even bother to ask what size the hat was.
The hat arrives and unpacking I am pleasantly surprised by the feel of the felt. The brim is all wonky because of the hat sitting in a wrong box for decades, but that will probably steam out.
Under the sweat could be the answer to who made this mystery hat. And there I find this:

Interesting to say the least. This label with the separate size label places this somewhere in the thirties (according to the sketchy Borsalino lore). OK, so a thirties Borsalino with a replacement sweatband and liner in an older box. Very nice. There's more to this hat than that however. First some shots to fill up this first installment.
The size is 57 (5) and the model name is "Natalsti" (if I'm reading it correctly). Brim is a generous 7,5cm and the crown measures 10,5cm at the pinch.
Stay tuned for part 2.

 

[steur]

Part 2
A very cool Borsalino with a replaced sweatband and liner. I usually look into the retailer of the hats I find and more often than not there's nothing to be found. Not so in this case.
Carl Freindrich Hermann Haugk was located in Dresden, Pragerstrasse 37 (Europahof) and that turned up this place on the interweb.

And there's even a litho of the Haugk factory (in 1857):

However Haugk was only located on the Pragerstrasse 37 address until 1906, after which date the address is occupied by Johannes Kupke. These are publications dated 1916 and 1926 respectively:

Haugk still is located in Dresden after 1906, but on a different address:

The King of Saxony (Freidrich August III) abdicated in 1918 after the Russion octoberrevolution, so Haugk was on that address before 1918, which is consistent with the Kupke information.
This doesn't make sense of course; a thirties hat with a 1906 replacement sweatband. Maybe the seller can tell me more. And he can. To his knowledge the hat in fact belonged to this man (picture belongs to seller):

Fritz Otto Sauerstein, 1893-1968, painter and member of the Kulturkammer in WWII. He was living in Dresden from 1922 onwards. According to the seller he is wearing the hat in this picture, which I don't think is right (the brim seems too narrow and there's more taper to the crown in the picture).
Everything adds up, except the address on the sweatband. As far as I can figure out, it might well be possible that the sweatband was replaced with one from an older (unsold) hat. How cool is that?

 

[Steinbockhase]

And the paperwork:

Wonderful. I have one which is almost identical; even the same year 1958.
Fortunately in size 57 cm; so I can wear it.
Pictures will follow soon.

 

[steur]

Wonderful. I have one which is almost identical; even the same year 1958.
Fortunately in size 57 cm; so I can wear it.
Pictures will follow soon.

Thanks! This one is too small even for me, but I'm sure I can find a new master for it.

 

[alanfgag]

Wonderful new hats and provenance stories Stefan. Thanks for the great photos and details. On the Lontra, I can confirm a felt of very high quality with unusual softness in the finish. I'm sure you will add one to your collection at some point.

 

[M Hatman]

Part 2
A very cool Borsalino with a replaced sweatband and liner. I usually look into the retailer of the hats I find and more often than not there's nothing to be found. Not so in this case.
Carl Freindrich Hermann Haugk was located in Dresden, Pragerstrasse 37 (Europahof) and that turned up this place on the interweb.

And there's even a litho of the Haugk factory (in 1857):

However Haugk was only located on the Pragerstrasse 37 address until 1906, after which date the address is occupied by Johannes Kupke. These are publications dated 1916 and 1926 respectively:

Haugk still is located in Dresden after 1906, but on a different address:

The King of Saxony (Freidrich August III) abdicated in 1918 after the Russion octoberrevolution, so Haugk was on that address before 1918, which is consistent with the Kupke information.
This doesn't make sense of course; a thirties hat with a 1906 replacement sweatband. Maybe the seller can tell me more. And he can. To his knowledge the hat in fact belonged to this man (picture belongs to seller):

Fritz Otto Sauerstein, 1893-1968, painter and member of the Kulturkammer in WWII. He was living in Dresden from 1922 onwards. According to the seller he is wearing the hat in this picture, which I don't think is right (the brim seems too narrow and there's more taper to the crown in the picture).
Everything adds up, except the address on the sweatband. As far as I can figure out, it might well be possible that the sweatband was replaced with one from an older (unsold) hat. How cool is that?

This history is wonderful. As to the sweatband stores (mainly hat stores but others who would clean and block hats) kept these in stock all debossed and ready to go to replace sweats. They did not disassemble old stock hats to recover them......too much work. And the sweats after all are the most delicate part of a hat and need replacing regularly when you wear the same hat every day.......they did not diassemble old hats to recover them.
I do have a few store marked sweats laying about......Levine hats from St Louis will sell them to you even today.....and they are debossed too! Yours was stock made up earlier for such perpose and that is just too cool.......
M

 

[mayserwegener]

Stefan, Really fantastic finds and information. I have come across Haugk's Hutfabrik before. I wonder what the address looks like now? My guess is it didn't survive WWII especially being in that part of Dresden. Does the band look original (the stitches are through the paper label)? The Borsalino label is definitely from around WWII. The sweatband type looks like that era too.

 

[steur]

Wonderful new hats and provenance stories Stefan. Thanks for the great photos and details. On the Lontra, I can confirm a felt of very high quality with unusual softness in the finish. I'm sure you will add one to your collection at some point.

Alan, thanks. I can't alway find this kind of information on a hat, so when it's there it's always a thrill. I'll keep my eye out for a Lontra felt for sure.

This history is wonderful. As to the sweatband stores (mainly hat stores but others who would clean and block hats) kept these in stock all debossed and ready to go to replace sweats. They did not disassemble old stock hats to recover them......too much work. And the sweats after all are the most delicate part of a hat and need replacing regularly when you wear the same hat every day.......they did not diassemble old hats to recover them.
I do have a few store marked sweats laying about......Levine hats from St Louis will sell them to you even today.....and they are debossed too! Yours was stock made up earlier for such perpose and that is just too cool.......
M

Mark, thanks. The use of a stock-sweatband makes perfect sense. Should have thought of that.

Stefan, Really fantastic finds and information. I have come across Haugk's Hutfabrik before. I wonder what the address looks like now? My guess is it didn't survive WWII especially being in that part of Dresden. Does the band look original (the stitches are through the paper label)? The Borsalino label is definitely from around WWII. The sweatband type looks like that era too.

Steve, thanks. The ribbon stitching runs through the label, so probably a replacement. By the look of it an early one though.
You guessed right about the Pragerstrasse not surviving the war. This is how it looks now (sigh).

 

[mayserwegener]

Alan, thanks. I can't alway find this kind of information on a hat, so when it's there it's always a thrill. I'll keep my eye out for a Lontra felt for sure.


Mark, thanks. The use of a stock-sweatband makes perfect sense. Should have thought of that.



Steve, thanks. The ribbon stitching runs through the label, so probably a replacement. By the look of it an early one though.
You guessed right about the Pragerstrasse not surviving the war. This is how it looks now (sigh).

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Stefan, Thank you for checking the current situation at the address. I have seen hats pieced together for theatrical purposes also for Karnival. I believe the original Borsalino was WWII era. Did it come from Germany?

 

[steur]

Stefan, Thank you for checking the current situation at the address. I have seen hats pieced together for theatrical purposes also for Karnival. I believe the original Borsalino was WWII era. Did it come from Germany?

The auction was on a Dutch site, Steve. The seller did own original pictures of the previous owner, so I suspect it came as part of an estate sale or inheritance maybe.