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The BORSALINO BROTHERHOOD

rlk

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,100
Location
Evanston, IL
carouselvic said:
Do you know of any dated examples?

Slightly stiff shiny liners in most older hats that are more transparent and not yellow like the "Onionskin" are probably cellophane. Definitely in Borsalino of various ages, Portis and some Stetsons. Its more biodegradable than modern polyethylene and polyester so many disappear with heavy use and exposure. More about CELLOPHANE:http://www.stiftungbrandenberger.ch/cello_e.htm
 

carouselvic

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4,984
Location
Kansas
I know all about oil skin and cellophane, that wasn't what I asked. Do you have any dated examples? Ads or anything else?
 

rlk

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6,100
Location
Evanston, IL
carouselvic said:
I know all about oil skin and cellophane, that wasn't what I asked. Do you have any dated examples? Ads or anything else?

What would you date this Lord's Hat with the ribbon attached by basting at the top edge?
3368507124_c93523a6bd_b.jpg
3368507358_2169fc716f_b.jpg


Hats w/ positive dating 1953 Habig with similar tip protection. 1964 Stetson might be. OPS label Portis probably. Another Borsalino family said was 50 years old. Don't have a lot of pre WWII hats w/ liner protection and/or certain dating. Hard to find an ad for uses of cellophane in textiles on a retail basis.
 

rlk

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6,100
Location
Evanston, IL
Unfortunately, I just took the hat out to show more closely and the CELLOPHANE shattered a bit, why we don't see a lot of old cellophane. Once the hat was exposed again it didn't maintain the pristine quality.
3853968839_1cc786f867_b.jpg
 

carouselvic

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4,984
Location
Kansas
rlk said:
Hats w/ positive dating 1953 Habig with similar tip protection. 1964 Stetson might be. OPS label Portis probably. Another Borsalino family said was 50 years old. Don't have a lot of pre WWII hats w/ liner protection and/or certain dating. Hard to find an ad for uses of cellophane in textiles on a retail basis.

These Bulgarian Borsalinos have been sold on ebay for years. I never believed their 30's date and a 40's date I find to be a complete impossibility, very late 40's maybe. You have German made eulan, plastic liner in an Italian hat, going to a Bulgarian retailer. All members of the Axis powers. They were sure playing fast and loose with their petroleum. It defies logic, IMHO.
 

rlk

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,100
Location
Evanston, IL
carouselvic said:
These Bulgarian Borsalinos have been sold on ebay for years. I never believed their 30's date and a 40's date I find to be a complete impossibility, very late 40's maybe. You have German made eulan, plastic liner in an Italian hat, going to a Bulgarian retailer. All members of the Axis powers. They were sure playing fast and loose with their petroleum. It defies logic, IMHO.

I guarantee its cellophane. Very common for German Austrian and Italian Hats of various vintages check Homburg Thread and German Thread for more. You are supporting pre-War by your observations.
I think we've exhausted this for now.
 

carouselvic

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4,984
Location
Kansas
rlk said:
I guarantee its cellophane. Very common for German Austrian and Italian Hats of various vintages check Homburg Thread and German Thread for more. You are supporting pre-War by your observations.
I think we've exhausted this for now.

I use the term plastic the same as cellophane, I know they are different. I am in no way supporting pre-war in anyway shape or form. We will have exhausted this when you can produce at least one dated example.
 

rlk

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6,100
Location
Evanston, IL
carouselvic said:
I use the term plastic the same as cellophane, I know they are different. I am in no way supporting pre-war in anyway shape or form. We will have exhausted this when you can produce at least one dated example.

Story if you choose to believe it:http://www.tangogigolotienda.com/servlet/the-13/Vintage-Silver-Gray-Borsalino/Detail

One last review.
TO CLARIFY--PRE-WAR MEANS PRE-ALLIED INVASION AND ACTIVE WAR IN THE AREA(ITALY + BULGARIA) Bulgaria joined Axis 3/41 Declared war on US/GB 12/41 Sofia bombed after that. Bulgaria during WWII details:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_history_of_Bulgaria_during_World_War_II
For your reasons and others the 1940's are very unlikely(1940-1941 is possible), War conditions,shortages, Italy invaded by Allies in 1943, and the mess of reconstruction and later Communist Bloc dominance.

I've observed many and none appeared to be in a style that precluded the pre-war period. No wide(over 2-1/2")brims, low crowns, multi-colored labels, etc.

Mostly raw-edge brims some with pencil curl

Many Homburgs(These may have ribbon on edge)

The sweatbands are wide(2"+) thick high quality and most have the ribbon at rear and taped seam seen in other period hats. Later Borsalino usually have unreeded sweatbands. The reed fabric is also consistent with early hats.

The perforated Borsalino stamps have the script on the left edge and other qualities and similar numbers to period hats.

Some(I can't see them all) have the ribbons attached with wide visible external stitches along the top edge, also common with that period of hat.

Pleated liner around tip.
When there is liner protection it has been onion skin, or cellophane(when clear)I can send you a sample since mine has now broken.

Eulan Bayer Tag:1922 intro
Cellophane:1912 intro(not a petroleum product)
Both products were more popular in their early years.

How many hats have dates hanging from them? I have well over 50 and only 4 have actual decipherable dates on them.
I haven't heard any reason why they cannot be.
What qualities would make you think they were 1950's or newer(and sold in isolated Communist Bulgaria).
 

HarpPlayerGene

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Messages
4,682
Location
North Central Florida
I'll wade into these troubled waters just to share that I own two of the Zlateff Borsalinos. The blue Trionfo is amazingly lightweight.

I am biased toward wanting to believe they are '30s hats but have no proof. The wide leather sweatbands do point to older eras as do other details brought up by rlk. However, the reeded sweatband is always a point which gives traction to the idea that they are of more recent vintage. In any event, the style and quality would have been right at home in any part of the '30s - and the raw edge brims commonly found on these Bulgarian 'stash' hats was popular in that decade giving way later to bound brims and other treatments.

This Trionfo has very old quality but seems as though it must have been stored and kept from developing any 'mileage' on it:

DSC_0040.jpg


95850689_o.jpg


95850722_o.jpg



This brown one has less of a 'new' feel to it. A very, very old vibe. It also has that loooong stitching trick around the top of a portion of the ribbon, and just a early era set of proportions. Not sure what any of that's worth.

DSC_0025.jpg


94920629_o.jpg


94920786_o.jpg


94920757_o.jpg
 

rlk

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,100
Location
Evanston, IL
A couple more from Zlateff

Borsalino
3742972983_79a9e621e2.jpg

Cervo Bantam
3743766656_f437bf29ab.jpg

3743827526_2deebaa92d_b.jpg

However, the reeded sweatband is always a point which gives traction to the idea that they are of more recent vintage.
This may actually argue for age since most later verified Borsalino's have unreeded sweatbands. The reed fabric is of an early type(no plastic or coating). Early derbies, at least have reeded sweatbands(for what its worth).
 

rlk

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,100
Location
Evanston, IL
ZENIT

Zenit and Borsalino Italian ads of the 1920's-1930's, the last two are 1943 and 1941 Allied Invasion of Italy was 1943.
!BY94eggB2k~$(KGrHgoOKiIEjlLmVkUiBKkYm7wi)Q~~_12.JPG
!BUtL6Cg!2k~$(KGrHgoOKjEEjlLmZ(ZQBKO3qdD+sQ~~_12.JPG
f8cd_1.JPG
a8ca_12.JPG
df31_12.JPG
erf.JPG
5f2f_12.JPG
!BUtMvL!!Wk~$(KGrHgoOKiQEjlLmZ!24BKO3wEwWlQ~~_12.JPG
!BYI)Rsg!mk~$(KGrHgoOKiQEjlLmVz3(BKf84iUiI!~~_12.JPG
 

cookie

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Messages
5,927
Location
Sydney Australia
HarpPlayerGene said:
I'll wade into these troubled waters just to share that I own two of the Zlateff Borsalinos. The blue Trionfo is amazingly lightweight.
This Trionfo has very old quality but seems as though it must have been stored and kept from developing any 'mileage' on it:

DSC_0040.jpg


I thought we'd agreed you were never going to post that hat again??:rage: :rage:

Especially as I bought a Navy Blue Cappeline hood the other day to have made up.....:p :p
 
Messages
17,517
Location
Maryland
rlk said:
Story if you choose to believe it:http://www.tangogigolotienda.com/servlet/the-13/Vintage-Silver-Gray-Borsalino/Detail

One last review.
TO CLARIFY--PRE-WAR MEANS PRE-ALLIED INVASION AND ACTIVE WAR IN THE AREA(ITALY + BULGARIA) Bulgaria joined Axis 3/41 Declared war on US/GB 12/41 Sofia bombed after that. Bulgaria during WWII details:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_history_of_Bulgaria_during_World_War_II
For your reasons and others the 1940's are very unlikely(1940-1941 is possible), War conditions,shortages, Italy invaded by Allies in 1943, and the mess of reconstruction and later Communist Bloc dominance.

I've observed many and none appeared to be in a style that precluded the pre-war period. No wide(over 2-1/2")brims, low crowns, multi-colored labels, etc.

Mostly raw-edge brims some with pencil curl

Many Homburgs(These may have ribbon on edge)

The sweatbands are wide(2"+) thick high quality and most have the ribbon at rear and taped seam seen in other period hats. Later Borsalino usually have unreeded sweatbands. The reed fabric is also consistent with early hats.

The perforated Borsalino stamps have the script on the left edge and other qualities and similar numbers to period hats.

Some(I can't see them all) have the ribbons attached with wide visible external stitches along the top edge, also common with that period of hat.

Pleated liner around tip.
When there is liner protection it has been onion skin, or cellophane(when clear)I can send you a sample since mine has now broken.

Eulan Bayer Tag:1922 intro
Cellophane:1912 intro(not a petroleum product)
Both products were more popular in their early years.

How many hats have dates hanging from them? I have well over 50 and only 4 have actual decipherable dates on them.
I haven't heard any reason why they cannot be.
What qualities would make you think they were 1950's or newer(and sold in isolated Communist Bulgaria).

I do have a Habig (Vienna, Austria) Homburg that has a date stamp on the sweat of November 29, 1940. I have a couple of others from this early war period. I think your observations are spot on.

Here is my Zlateff Bulgarian Borsalino. I am thinking late 1930s very early 40s. It looks very similar to the hats in the last two Borsalino ads you posted.

n768896892_1497997_7568734.jpg


It has the Eulan Bayer tag too.

n768896892_1497998_4285423.jpg


Also my Hückel Superior is from Bulgaria. It doesn't have the Zlateff stamp but that is probably the source.

3723009953_0d95d16a13.jpg


This hat is definitely 1938-45 (my guess 1938-43) because the hat is marked "Made in Germany" and Johann Hückel´s Söhne was located in Novy Jicin Czechoslovakia (before WWI Neutitschein, Austria). Novy Jicin is located in Sudetenland which was made part of Germany 1938-45. Post 1945 Johann Hückel´s Söhne was nationalized as TONAK (Czechoslovakia).

3856972715_b0486b6026.jpg
 

High Pockets

Practically Family
Messages
569
Location
Central Oklahoma
I've been waiting for this!!

"Gentleman, with these photos I respectfully request permission to submit my application to the Brotherhood."

The Borsalino that Douglas was kind enough to offer to sell to one of us finaly got back from Graham today,......Optimo has all of my re-build business from now on!!!!

100_2527.jpg



100_2526.jpg



100_2525.jpg





And last but not least; The Ugly Mug Shot:

100_2505.jpg
 

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