The Bowler or Derby Hat

[DanielJones]

Tom Waits as Nick pulls off this look splendidly.

Cheers!

Dan

 

[mayserwegener]

Geres Bowler

The Geres Bowler is at least 1930s and measures about 57cm. Has vent holes at the top.

Geres Bowler

 

[mayserwegener]

Dunn & Co. Lighweight Bowler

Dunn & Co. Lightweight Bowler is probably late 1950s and measures around 59cm. It has a Replacement liner.

 

[mayserwegener]

Foster Brothers "The Zephyr" Bowler

Foster Brothers "The Zephyr" Bowler measures about 58 cm.

 

[mayserwegener]

Moores "The Tween Hat" Bowler

Moores "The Tween Hat" Bowler measures about 58cm with vent holes on the top.

 

[Dreispitz]

Steve cought the Bowler feaver lol :eusa_clap

 

[mayserwegener]

Yes I went Bowler nuts! I wore the little Dunn & Co. yesterday but didn't take a pic.

 

[Brad Bowers]

Wow, what a nice selection of Bowlers you've run across recently. That Dunn & Co. so graphically shows the difference in block shapes between a classic style and a modern one. At least it still has a proper brim curl to it. By '59, the American manufacturers had reduced it to a modern homburg curl.

That Tween is really neat, as is the Fosters. As for the first one, are you sure it doesn't say Ceres, as in the Roman goddess?

Brad

 

[mayserwegener]

Wow, what a nice selection of Bowlers you've run across recently. That Dunn & Co. so graphically shows the difference in block shapes between a classic style and a modern one. At least it still has a proper brim curl to it. By '59, the American manufacturers had reduced it to a modern homburg curl.

That Tween is really neat, as is the Fosters. As for the first one, are you sure it doesn't say Ceres, as in the Roman goddess?

Brad

Thanks! Probably is Ceres vs. Geres. I will have to look behind the sweat to see if there are any tags.

 

[Story]

THE iconic Bowler Hat is making a comeback — after a top tailor decided to start stocking it again.

Charlie Chaplin wore one and the Bowler used to be the headwear of choice for civil servants and bankers — but it has been largely out of fashion since the 1960s.

Fashion house Austin Reed is now stocking the iconic hat for the first time in 12 years after a string of enquiries from customers.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3166622/Bowler-hat-on-comeback-trail.html

 

[Joshbru3]

1925 Metro-Felts Bowler

I just got this from ebay today. The hat is labeled as a 6 7/8, but actually fits as a snug 7. The felt is in excellent condition, and the sweatband is still very soft and pliable. I have never seen this brand before, but it seemed really interesting. I tried to find the original patent, but could not find it. I found a very cool surprise inside tucked away in the ribbon. See the pictures in the end. Here's some pictures:

 

[Joshbru3]

1925 Metro-Felts Bowler cont.

A couple more pictures:

I noticed that there was a lump in the ribbon. When I went to see what it was, this popped out:

Its a ticket stub that is marked "1925 ticket...Philadelphia. " The ticket is marked for 50 cents and there was two that were torn by the ticket taker. I would assume that the original owner of the hat had tucked them in the ribbon in 1925 and forgotten about them. Well, I guess its the first time that they have seen daylight in 85 years.

 

[Chinaski]

Joshbru, I was going to ask how you knew the date of the hat so precisely - that ticket was a neat find! Can you enlighten me on what patent you were searching for and where you were searching? Nice hat!

 

[Joshbru3]

Joshbru, I was going to ask how you knew the date of the hat so precisely - that ticket was a neat find! Can you enlighten me on what patent you were searching for and where you were searching? Nice hat!

I wanted to find out more about "Metro-Felts" and I looked on the US Patent site to try and find out about the company. The label on the liner says, "Styled In The Metropolis" Reg. US. Pat. Off. I googled, and searched, and came up with nothing.

 

[rlk]

I wanted to find out more about "Metro-Felts" and I looked on the US Patent site to try and find out about the company. The label on the liner says, "Styled In The Metropolis" Reg. US. Pat. Off. I googled, and searched, and came up with nothing.

Probably from the Loews State Theater(orig. near Times Square NYC) 50 cents is for a night or all-day weekend ticket
http://cinematreasures.org/theater/557/ Marcus Loew died in 1927.

 

[Joshbru3]

Probably from the Loews State Theater(orig. near Times Square NYC) 50 cents is for a night or all-day weekend ticket
http://cinematreasures.org/theater/557/ Marcus Loew died in 1927.

WOW RLK, thank you very much for the info. I thought the name of the president on the back of the ticket was "Roew," but in fact on closer inspection it says "Loew." It looks like the "s" in "Marcus" can be made out on the back of the ticket as well. Its unsure whether the box office was using old ticket stock dating to 1925, but I think I can say with a good amount of certainty that the hat dates to 1927 or before.

 

[mayserwegener]

Josh, Fantastic Derby! Personally I prefer lower profile crowns like this one.

 

[Joshbru3]

Josh, Fantastic Derby! Personally I prefer lower profile crowns like this one.

Thanks very much Steve! I would totally agree with you on the crown height. I like this height much beter than the other bowler that I have which has a much higher crown. I love high crowns on fedoras, but theres just something with a very high bowler crown. Its probably the lack of creases which makes it look weird. I dunno[huh]

 

[Daze]

Those pictures of Bowlers are fantastic, i own dunn & co normal and lightweight both, wonderful hats, but for my money, the hardest of all to find is an original pre war Lock and Co bowler, they have a different shape when looked at from the front and back, and are definately a 'hard' hat, and were 'conformed' to the buyer just as a similar period hard shell topper would have been, I'm privileged to own a dove gray lock bowler, and a gray top hat, I only now need to visit St James St. and get them re conformed to my head shape, lovely. when i get it done I will surely post some pics


Still looking for my avater hat tho!

 

[mayserwegener]

I have some old Bowler & Melone that were definitely conformed. They are sized in most cases but are very specific to the users head shape.