The Bowler or Derby Hat

[steur]

A nameless bowler. Importé d'Angleterre, so an English manufacture. We'll call it Angleterre from here on.
Size 56 and a lovely lightweight and unlined bowler or chapeau melon as the French would say. Brim at 5cm and crown somwhere around 12 cm (always a bit tricky measuring bowlers). Weighs 90 grams and quite a bit of age to it by the looks of it. There is a label inside, but that isn't getting us anywhere. Some damage to the brim binding, but that is to be expected for hats of this age.

 

[steur]

Woodrow Amylyte Burlington bowler in grey. The size is 58, but it runs smaller than that. Colour is called radium. Brim at just shy of 5cm and crown 12cm. Another very lightweight bowler hat at just 98 grams. Grey bowlers are difficult to come by, so a pity it's not my size. It's post-war because it mentions the queen. Pre-war would mention the king.

 

[steur]

Pangaud chapeau melon, size 54. Woolfelt bowler with the brim at 5cm and the crown at about 11,5cm. Well made hat. Not as refined as its furfelt counterparts, but what would be a very serviable hat.

 

[Rmccamey]

Other than the extra staple holes, the sweat looks NOS, Stefan. Love the color, too.

Woodrow Amylyte Burlington bowler in grey. The size is 58, but it runs smaller than that. Colour is called radium. Brim at just shy of 5cm and crown 12cm. Another very lightweight bowler hat at just 98 grams. Grey bowlers are difficult to come by, so a pity it's not my size. It's post-war because it mentions the queen. Pre-war would mention the king.

 

[steur]

Other than the extra staple holes, the sweat looks NOS, Stefan. Love the color, too.

Thanks, Randy. It hasn't been worn much, that's for sure. The holes in the sweatband are from the little initial shields. I have a box of those so I could put in the new owner's initials right in.

 

[steur]

If we start off looking at French hatters, there's no way around this picture, where they are all named. It is certain however that more than a few of these sourced their hats from several manufacturers. I still need to find myslef a Léon hat (working on it) and up until now Motsch was also missing. Here's the E. Motsch however. The E stands for Eric.

E. Motsch bowler in black. Size 56 with the brim at 5cm and the crown at around 12 cm. The felt on this hat is magnificent, on par with the Penn Craft bowler that Stetson used to introduce that hat to the European market. The hat is also quite heavy at 190 grams. The Angleterre bowler and the Woodrow bowler weigh less than half that. Looking at the sweatband it is not intended as a riding bowler though (those are usually heavier). Unusual is that the brim curl opens up at the front and back of the hat instead of remaning curled inwards. It came in it original box as well. Almost certainly a pre-war hat.

 

[Dotneck]

A lot of these bowlers are OLD. The Stetson I recently picked up is at least 90 and maybe 100 years old...but still in very nice condition. Like it hadn't been used much at all over the years.

Would you wear a hat that old or just add it to the collection on the shelf?

 

[johnnycanuck]

Those colored liners are to die for!!!

Was Meyser ever big into bowlers? I assume they had a run some time during their history, I just can't recall seeing many Meyser bowlers posted here on TFL.

Northwest Hat Co.
View attachment 301367

That is one of the nicest modern produced bowlers I have seen.
Wear it in good health
Johnny

 

[johnnycanuck]

A lot of these bowlers are OLD. The Stetson I recently picked up is at least 90 and maybe 100 years old...but still in very nice condition. Like it hadn't been used much at all over the years.

Would you wear a hat that old or just add it to the collection on the shelf?

I have own one vintage bowler and by wearing it the brim started separating from the crown. Love the look and history of the hat but can’t see buying and wearing another vintage. I would probably go modern custom if I was to go for another. Probably from North West hats. I still have my Robert hall to scratch that itch when it comes up. Not the greatest example but it fits the bill.
Johnny

 

[BobHufford]

Would you wear a hat that old or just add it to the collection on the shelf?

I’d wear it! Maybe not to clean the gutters.

 

[Rmccamey]

Thanks Johnny, I do love the bowlers.

Like all my vintage hats (except a couple of beaters I wear for working or in bad weather), I wear bowlers a lot and have never had any issues. I don't have the experience of our resident experts @mayserwegener @Steve1857 @steur but bowlers don't seem to be any more susceptible to problems than any other vintage hat. I take a bit more care not to dent the top, of course, but that's not been a real problem. I did have an old banged-up Stetson beater bowler and the brim stitches and leather finally gave up but the felt/wool never gave me any problem.

Bowlers are great hats, even the old ones, and deserve to be worn. And as a bonus, I'll get complements on my bowlers 10:1 over any other hat I wear!

Of course, I highly recommend Mike at Northwest Hats if you are interested in a modern bowler.

A lot of these bowlers are OLD. The Stetson I recently picked up is at least 90 and maybe 100 years old...but still in very nice condition. Like it hadn't been used much at all over the years.

Would you wear a hat that old or just add it to the collection on the shelf?

That is one of the nicest modern produced bowlers I have seen.
Wear it in good health
Johnny

I have own one vintage bowler and by wearing it the brim started separating from the crown. Love the look and history of the hat but can’t see buying and wearing another vintage. I would probably go modern custom if I was to go for another. Probably from North West hats. I still have my Robert hall to scratch that itch when it comes up. Not the greatest example but it fits the bill.
Johnny

I’d wear it! Maybe not to clean the gutters.

 

[steur]

A lot of these bowlers are OLD. The Stetson I recently picked up is at least 90 and maybe 100 years old...but still in very nice condition. Like it hadn't been used much at all over the years.

Would you wear a hat that old or just add it to the collection on the shelf?

Wear it of course. No reason to let it collect dust on the shelf and I actually have the idea that just letting them sit there does more harm than good. A lot of good vintage bowlers can be found for a very reasonable price so no reason to treat them like museum pieces.

 

[Steve1857]

Super find, Stefan. The new owner is a lucky man indeed.

Woodrow Amylyte Burlington bowler in grey. The size is 58, but it runs smaller than that. Colour is called radium. Brim at just shy of 5cm and crown 12cm. Another very lightweight bowler hat at just 98 grams. Grey bowlers are difficult to come by, so a pity it's not my size. It's post-war because it mentions the queen. Pre-war would mention the king.

 

[Steve1857]

Wear it, wear it, wear it. Please wear it!

A lot of these bowlers are OLD. The Stetson I recently picked up is at least 90 and maybe 100 years old...but still in very nice condition. Like it hadn't been used much at all over the years.

Would you wear a hat that old or just add it to the collection on the shelf?

 

[Rmccamey]

That is a great portrait, Steve. Quite the handsome young man in that ensemble! Stay warm. I'm looking at 4F tonight with -20F wind chill.

Wear it, wear it, wear it. Please wear it! View attachment 310038

 

[Steve1857]

Thanks Randy. I'm loving the photos of you rocking your Bowlers.

It's pretty cold here too, but I think I'll settle for our low temperature when I compare them to yours.

Stay warm and safe, my friend.

That is a great portrait, Steve. Quite the handsome young man in that ensemble! Stay warm. I'm looking at 4F tonight with -20F wind chill.

 

[quikrick]

Wear it, wear it, wear it. Please wear it! View attachment 310038

Everything about that pic is so cool Steve. The wardrobe, hat and the background. You look so thoughtful and reflective almost somber, which add to the mood of the image.

 

[Steve1857]

Thank you, Rick. I appreciate that

Everything about that pic is so cool Steve. The wardrobe, hat and the background. You look so thoughtful and reflective almost somber, which add to the mood of the image.

 

[Steve1857]

G.B. Borsalino fu Lazzaro & Co Qualitá Finissima Bowler. They don't get much better than this one.

More in the fu Lazzaro thread.

 

[steur]

Wear it, wear it, wear it. Please wear it! View attachment 310038

Superb look, Steve. Takes an Englishman it seems