Joshbru3
I'll Lock Up
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- 4,409
- Location
- Chicago, IL
Early 1900's Caravan Derby (Von Hal Hats)
Well this Derby was a shocker. I bought it because it had a really cool sweatband stamp, but upon looking under the sweat, to my surprise, I have my first VON GAL HAT! Hawes Von Gal made hats in their own brand name, but also did private label work. In the little bits of information I have been able to piece together about the company, it started life as the HAWES hat company and then around 1902-1903 it merged with the E.J. von Gal Hat Company and was called the Hawes Von Gal hat company until around 1911-1912 where the Hawes name was dropped from some advertisements to only leave the Von Gal Hat Company. Some advertisements still used both names, "Von Gal made hats" and "Hawes Von Gal." Whats interesting is that even though the name changed to the Hawes Von Gal hat company around 1902 or 1903, many advertisements in THE AMERICAN HATTER and MEN'S WEAR still referred to the company as the Hawes hat company. The reorder tags also just said "HAWES" for a bit. I am unsure when the company actually used "Hawes Von Gal" on the reorder tags and sweatband stamps. This Caravan Derby has the "Von Gal" name on the reorder tag. Also the original price tag for the hat is stapled to the sweat and very faintly says $4. I would date this hat to around 1911 or 1912 if its a "Hawes Von Gal hat, but I'm unsure if this hat was made at the E.J. von Gal factory and therefore the reason that the reorder tag only says, "Von Gal." I suspect that since the hat was made in Danbury, Conneticut and not in Niagra Falls, New York (where the E.J. von Gal Hat Co manufacturing building was located), that this hat was MOST likely made by the "Hawes Von Gal" manufacturing plant post 1911-1912 when the "Hawes" name was dropped from the labels. Whats REALLY CONFUSING is that I've seen many references that show that E.J. von Gal Hat Co Limited and Hawes Von Gal Incorporated existed at the same time under similar management. My dates could be completely off because the info is all over the board, but if anybody can help me solidify any of these dates, I would really appreciate it.
Here's an advertisement from 1911 that shows the "Von Gal Made Hats" logo which I have not seen on any advertisement prior to 1911.
Well this Derby was a shocker. I bought it because it had a really cool sweatband stamp, but upon looking under the sweat, to my surprise, I have my first VON GAL HAT! Hawes Von Gal made hats in their own brand name, but also did private label work. In the little bits of information I have been able to piece together about the company, it started life as the HAWES hat company and then around 1902-1903 it merged with the E.J. von Gal Hat Company and was called the Hawes Von Gal hat company until around 1911-1912 where the Hawes name was dropped from some advertisements to only leave the Von Gal Hat Company. Some advertisements still used both names, "Von Gal made hats" and "Hawes Von Gal." Whats interesting is that even though the name changed to the Hawes Von Gal hat company around 1902 or 1903, many advertisements in THE AMERICAN HATTER and MEN'S WEAR still referred to the company as the Hawes hat company. The reorder tags also just said "HAWES" for a bit. I am unsure when the company actually used "Hawes Von Gal" on the reorder tags and sweatband stamps. This Caravan Derby has the "Von Gal" name on the reorder tag. Also the original price tag for the hat is stapled to the sweat and very faintly says $4. I would date this hat to around 1911 or 1912 if its a "Hawes Von Gal hat, but I'm unsure if this hat was made at the E.J. von Gal factory and therefore the reason that the reorder tag only says, "Von Gal." I suspect that since the hat was made in Danbury, Conneticut and not in Niagra Falls, New York (where the E.J. von Gal Hat Co manufacturing building was located), that this hat was MOST likely made by the "Hawes Von Gal" manufacturing plant post 1911-1912 when the "Hawes" name was dropped from the labels. Whats REALLY CONFUSING is that I've seen many references that show that E.J. von Gal Hat Co Limited and Hawes Von Gal Incorporated existed at the same time under similar management. My dates could be completely off because the info is all over the board, but if anybody can help me solidify any of these dates, I would really appreciate it.
Here's an advertisement from 1911 that shows the "Von Gal Made Hats" logo which I have not seen on any advertisement prior to 1911.
