The BORSALINO BROTHERHOOD

[Blare]

This “Adam” hat applies for membership in the Borsalino Brotherhood.

Borsalino Qualita Superiore - Mid 1950s Medium Brown
4 3/4 crown as shaped
3/8 Thin Ribbon
2 3/4 Brim with 1/8 binding
Wind trolley

It was Sold as an “Adam” hat, presumably because of the Adam Hats box it was stored in and I could not resist grabbing this Borsalino up at a super low Buy It Now deal. As I suspected it fits a bit smaller than it’s tagged 1/8 size and fits almost a perfect 7. The color is a medium to light brown felt in an OR/Strat styling… that I would say favors more of the Stratoliner due to its lighter weight felt. The ribbon and brim binding have faded to a golden tone. Once in hand, I could easily feel where this felt wanted to be guided into this sharp front pinch with gobs of character!

The manufacturing sticker with the four serrated edges would indicate indicates mid 1950’s. I can’t quite make out the the color or style names printed on the tag. Maybe Stefan @steur might have some idea? Coincidentally this Borsalino was originally sold at J.L. Hudson Company of Detroit, the same retail store as the 1940s Dobbs a found a week or so ago.

 

[Blare]

View attachment 533243

This “Adam” hat applies for membership in the Borsalino Brotherhood.

Borsalino Qualita Superiore - Mid 1950s Medium Brown
4 3/4 crown as shaped
3/8 Thin Ribbon
2 3/4 Brim with 1/8 binding
Wind trolley

It was Sold as an “Adam” hat, presumably because of the Adam Hats box it was stored in and I could not resist grabbing this Borsalino up at a super low Buy It Now deal. As I suspected it fits a bit smaller than it’s tagged 1/8 size and fits almost a perfect 7. The color is a medium to light brown felt in an OR/Strat styling… that I would say favors more of the Stratoliner due to its lighter weight felt. The ribbon and brim binding have faded to a golden tone. Once in hand, I could easily feel where this felt wanted to be guided into this sharp front pinch with gobs of character!

The manufacturing sticker with the four serrated edges would indicate indicates mid 1950’s. I can’t quite make out the the color or style names printed on the tag. Maybe Stefan @steur might have some idea? Coincidentally this Borsalino was originally sold at J.L. Hudson Company of Detroit, the same retail store as the 1940s Dobbs a found a week or so ago.


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Enhanced image of the tag

 

[steur]

View attachment 533243

This “Adam” hat applies for membership in the Borsalino Brotherhood.

Borsalino Qualita Superiore - Mid 1950s Medium Brown
4 3/4 crown as shaped
3/8 Thin Ribbon
2 3/4 Brim with 1/8 binding
Wind trolley

It was Sold as an “Adam” hat, presumably because of the Adam Hats box it was stored in and I could not resist grabbing this Borsalino up at a super low Buy It Now deal. As I suspected it fits a bit smaller than it’s tagged 1/8 size and fits almost a perfect 7. The color is a medium to light brown felt in an OR/Strat styling… that I would say favors more of the Stratoliner due to its lighter weight felt. The ribbon and brim binding have faded to a golden tone. Once in hand, I could easily feel where this felt wanted to be guided into this sharp front pinch with gobs of character!

The manufacturing sticker with the four serrated edges would indicate indicates mid 1950’s. I can’t quite make out the the color or style names printed on the tag. Maybe Stefan @steur might have some idea? Coincidentally this Borsalino was originally sold at J.L. Hudson Company of Detroit, the same retail store as the 1940s Dobbs a found a week or so ago.


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That's a cool find, Joe. If I'm reading the label correctly the colour is Averla and the model name is Ta Ludora. That would fit. Nice.

 

[TheOldFashioned]

Borsalino Milan:

Crown	5-1/2" (as creased)
Brim	2-3/4"
Weight	131g

 

[Steve1857]

Borsalino Milan:
View attachment 533700 View attachment 533701 View attachment 533702 View attachment 533703 View attachment 533704 View attachment 533705

Crown	5-1/2" (as creased)
Brim	2-3/4"
Weight	131g

Love everything about that one, Jonathan.

 

[Blare]

That's a cool find, Joe. If I'm reading the label correctly the colour is Averla and the model name is Ta Ludora. That would fit. Nice.

Thank you Stefan. I thought you might be able to match it up. And Tu Ludora concurs with Jonathan’s suggestion

 

[Blare]

Borsalino Milan:
View attachment 533700 View attachment 533701 View attachment 533702 View attachment 533703 View attachment 533704 View attachment 533705

Crown	5-1/2" (as creased)
Brim	2-3/4"
Weight	131g

A beauty, Jonathan.

 

[skipper469]

This beauty finally arrived. 5 ⅝” open crown and a 2 ⅞” wide brim. The felt is very thin and shapes easily without steam. It fits pretty true to size, or maybe a bit small. The slightly tight fit, the thin easily shaped felt, and my long oval head all conspire to cause the brim to curl up on the sides when I wear it. I’d love to keep this hat, but it’s just too small.

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Wow! Beautiful hat!

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Great hat, but the stitches holding the un-reeded sweatband on are starting to go. I sent another Borsalino to Garrahan Custom Hats for refurbishment and depending on how that comes out I’m thinking of sending this hat to them too. The open crown measures 5 ⅞” and the bound edge brim measures exactly 3” wide. The felt is very mellow and while not claylike, it’s light and thin and easily accepts a dry crease.

 

[belfastboy]

Great hat, but the stitches holding the un-reeded sweatband on are starting to go. I sent another Borsalino to Garrahan Custom Hats for refurbishment and depending on how that comes out I’m thinking of sending this hat to them too. The open crown measures 5 ⅞” and the bound edge brim measures exactly 3” wide. The felt is very mellow and while not claylike, it’s light and thin and easily accepts a dry crease.

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as long as it is just the stitches and the leather is solid it can be repaired without much effort. I repaired one last week (unreeded). The thread was shot and the leather along the stitch line was brittle and crumbling. But I trimmed off about 1/8 of an inch of the rot the entire length of the sweat and found solid leather. Stitched it back on and its good for another 60 years.....or so.

 

[steur]

Borsalino Milan:
View attachment 533700 View attachment 533701 View attachment 533702 View attachment 533703 View attachment 533704 View attachment 533705

Crown	5-1/2" (as creased)
Brim	2-3/4"
Weight	131g

Very nice. Cool find, Jonathan. Don't see them very often.

 

[steur]

Great hat, but the stitches holding the un-reeded sweatband on are starting to go. I sent another Borsalino to Garrahan Custom Hats for refurbishment and depending on how that comes out I’m thinking of sending this hat to them too. The open crown measures 5 ⅞” and the bound edge brim measures exactly 3” wide. The felt is very mellow and while not claylike, it’s light and thin and easily accepts a dry crease.

View attachment 533919 View attachment 533920 View attachment 533921 View attachment 533922 View attachment 533923 View attachment 533924 View attachment 533925 View attachment 533926 View attachment 533927 View attachment 533928

Great find, Brent. Folco is a gorgeous colour. The label is difficult to read, but I think that is actually a Gorasgu model. I thought I saw "Cocisan" at first, but that looks more like a "u" at the very end there and a Gorsagu is more consistent with the low number at the upper left. Cool.

 

[PDXHAT]

Very light and thin felt that creases with only a light touch. 2 ½” bound brim and 5 ½” open crown.

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View attachment 529069

John Helmer is still an active shop here in Portland. Nice folks and I do buy a hat from them from time to time. Wish I could still buy one of these!

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Great find, Brent. Folco is a gorgeous colour. The label is difficult to read, but I think that is actually a Gorasgu model. I thought I saw "Cocisan" at first, but that looks more like a "u" at the very end there and a Gorsagu is more consistent with the low number at the upper left. Cool.

Thanks, Stefan. The label is very faded and of the dozen or so photos I took of it this was the best. I do wish it was just a touch bigger as the tight fit changes the tensioning on the thin felt and causes it to distort a bit. Still, it’s true to size which is a pleasant surprise with a Borsalino.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

John Helmer is still an active shop here in Portland. Nice folks and I do buy a hat from them from time to time. Wish I could still buy one of these!

I’ll be driving through Portland tomorrow, but my wife and I have agreed that we won’t make any detours. Maybe someday.

 

[Hunk]

Hi! My first post here, even though I have been reading this forum occasionally for a couple of years, I registered yesterday.

A couple of weeks ago I bought my first Borsalino fedora (or it might also be considered a Trilby, as the brim width is a little less than two inches). I have tried googling and reading this thread to find something with the same kind of branding and lining but have not found anything similar (I have only read the last 50-60 pages of this thread, however, so I might have missed it). But any advice on dating it and what “Centurion” and “900 Quality” stands for would be highly appreciated.

Regarding the dating, it was made for a hat store called “Hugos” in Gävle, Sweden, which according to a couple of online sources closed in 1975. So, we can be quite sure (if it is not a fake) that it was made before that. The logo has a 60s feel and the hat model also feels 60s to me, but as it does not seem to have been worn at all, it might have been leftover stock when the store closed and that it therefore is more probable that it was made close to 1975.

I have added some pictures below.

The size states “60” and I am normally a 61 (Eurosize), but it depends a little, so this hat is at least not smaller than “true to size” (the inner measurement is around 60.3 cm).

 

[AC80]

Hi everyone,

I am excited to join the forum as I have become interested in fedoras and the history behind them.

A vacation to Italy this June and the purchase of a Borsalino fine Panama hat in Rome solidified my notion that a finely made hat is a thing of beauty.

I recently bought an unused Borsalino Como II Imperiale. I have done a lot of researching on this forum regarding if this is a Bollman made hat or an authentic Borsalino. I can’t tell what the consensus is.

I bought it for $125 CAD and I love the fit and think it is pretty well made but would obviously be more excited if it is a Borsalino.

Let me know what you think.

Adam

 

[batankyu]

Hi, I purchased this bowler hat for 20 euros at a garage sale few days ago in Normandy France, a Borsalino fu Lazzaro if I believe what is written inside. Trying to find resources online to date the hat and check if it is genuine, i found this thread which helped me to discover that the sweatband was hiding a tag with cells and serrated edges which could help to determine the period, so I'm posting photos here.

- Front view:

- Rear view:

- Left side view:

- Right side view:

- Top view:

- Bottom view, with underbrim:

- Bottom view, pleated lining:

- Bottom, zoom on text:
G.B. BORSALINO FULAZARRO & C.
ALESSANDRIA ITALIA ITALIA

QUALITÀ FINISSIMA
MARCA DEPOSITATA

Unico depositario della Marca
Cappellaria Cimasoni
LUGANO

- Sweatband, text on left side:
GRAND PRIX TURIN 1911
G.B. Borsalino fu Lazzaro & C.

- Sweatband, text on right side:
Unico Depositario della Marca
Cappeleria Cimasoni
LUGANO

- Sweatband, rear view: "5" (french size, I assume), initials "E B", and bow.

- Tag hidden behind sweatband and lining on right side:
G.B. BORSALINO FU LAZZARO ALESSANDRIA
1902 9327
F Basilea 5

 

[batankyu]

I also purchased this fedora few days later at another garage sale, in a much poorer condition but for only 4 euros, a Borsalino Antica Casa according to what is written inside. Again this thread helped me to dscover the tag hidden behind the black sweatband, which is not sticking anymore, if it ever has. It has straight edges with round corners and a code with an hyphen after first couple of digits 82-70501 so I guess the hat would be from 1982, though I've read in this thread that the time period for this type of tag ended in 1981.

- Front view:

- Rear view:

- Left side view:

- Right side view:

- Top view:

- Bottom view, with underbrim:

- Bottom view, logo behind plastic protection:
QUALITÀ SUPERIORE
BORSALINO
ALESSANDRIA ITALIA
MARCA DEPOSITATA

- Sweat4band, text on left side:
Borsalino
Grand Prix Paris 1900
ANTICA CASA FONDATA NEL 1857

- Sweatband, text on right side:
DORAT
Chapelier Specialiste
4, Rue Rallier-du-Baty
RENNES
IMPORTÉ D'ITALIE

- Sweatband, rear view: bow and size tag 57.

- Text on tag behind sweatband:
T5998 82-70501
BISMUTO INTONATA 57

 

[Rmccamey]

Nice one, sir. The Fu Lazzaro are generally highly regarded here on the Lounge. They are not rare but also not all that common, either. We look forward to seeing more.

Hi, I purchased this bowler hat for 20 euros at a garage sale few days ago in Normandy France, a Borsalino fu Lazzaro if I believe what is written inside. Trying to find resources online to date the hat and check if it is genuine, i found this thread which helped me to discover that the sweatband was hiding a tag with cells and serrated edges which could help to determine the period, so I'm posting photos here.

- Front view:

- Rear view:

- Left side view:

- Right side view:

- Top view:

- Bottom view, with underbrim:

- Bottom view, pleated lining:

- Bottom, zoom on text:
G.B. BORSALINO FULAZARRO & C.
ALESSANDRIA ITALIA ITALIA

QUALITÀ FINISSIMA
MARCA DEPOSITATA

Unico depositario della Marca
Cappellaria Cimasoni
LUGANO

- Sweatband, text on left side:
GRAND PRIX TURIN 1911
G.B. Borsalino fu Lazzaro & C.

- Sweatband, text on right side:
Unico Depositario della Marca
Cappeleria Cimasoni
LUGANO

- Sweatband, rear view: "5" (french size, I assume), initials "E B", and bow.

- Tag hidden behind sweatband and lining on right side:
G.B. BORSALINO FU LAZZARO ALESSANDRIA
1902 9327
F Basilea 5