Want to buy or sell something? Check the classifieds
  • The Fedora Lounge is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

The Cavanagh Club

Brad Bowers

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,187
Thanks Brad... it was my birthday present to myself! Any sense on the vintage of this? I noticed a few have been posted at the lounge over the years... I seem to remember the logo showing the traditional Cavanagh colors?

This one is 1936 to late-'40s/1950

Brad
 

Brad Bowers

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,187
An oddity, probably from the 1980s. "Tenderfoot by Cavanagh," though it doesn't look terribly western. It's a ladies' hat, size 22. I'm not convinced the binding and hatband are original to the hat, as there is a black felt band underneath the white one, which has been tacked in place over the black one. The rear seam on the brim edge binding is also not a butt joint in the usual manner, but instead overlaps.

Don't worry, I picked it up dirt cheap, mainly out of curiosity. Almost seems a shame to post it here.

CavTenderfoot1.jpg


CavTenderfoot2.jpg


Brad
 

Joshbru3

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,409
Location
Chicago, IL
Heres some vintage ad pictures pulled from ebay. My apologies if any of these are duplicates.

1947 Cavanagh Hats Traditional
1947CavanaghHatsTraditional.jpg

1950 Cavanagh Hats Light Weight
1950JohnCavanaghHatsLightWeight.jpg

1951 Cavanagh Hats Illustrious
1951CavanaghHatsIllustrious.jpg

1951 Cavanagh Hats Park Avenue & 47th New York NY
1951CavanaghHatsParkAvenue47thNewYorkNY.jpg

1956 John Cavanagh Elmer Ward
1956JohnCavanaghElmerWard.jpg

1956 John Cavanagh Lucius Beebe
1956JohnCavanaghLuciusBeebe.jpg

1956 John Cavanagh Paul Hahn
1956JohnCavanaghPaulHahn.jpg

1957 Cavanagh Hat Benny Goodman
1957CavanaghHatBennyGoodmanPhoto.jpg

1957 Cavanagh Hat Paul Muni
1957CavanaghHatPaulMuni.jpg

1957 Cavanagh men's Hat Bruce Barton
1957CavanaghmensHatBruceBarton.jpg
 

InsolentPuppy

A-List Customer
Messages
338
Location
Chicago, USA
I saw this alpine style Cavanagh on ebay and couldn't resist. It was only $7.50. I tried it on immediately when it arrived at work and I couldn't stop smiling. When the guy in the next cubicle saw me he said, "Keep your pimp hand strong, Huggy Bear."

cimg2966y.jpg


cimg2975.jpg


cimg2981m.jpg



Obligatory noggin shot of my sunburned face.
cimg2990y.jpg
 

Short Balding Guy

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,871
Location
Minnesota, USA
Request for membership.

Please consider the hat described below as submission for my membership in the Cavanagh Club.

IMG7830-M.jpg


This Cavanagh Homburg is hanging at my house. Just came last week. I do not know anything about homburgs and this hat looked interesting. I have read thru the Fl thread (Cavanagh Club ) and am not sure as to age and placement of model or history.

The hat is ink blue with dark red contrast on the edge and ribbon. The dark burgundy color matches. The ribbon is fine grained and is featured with a loose edge ( the uninitiated eye would say slightly frayed). The ink blue is dark! Real dark. I hold the hat up to a dark blue blazer and it holds my eye with blue hues. I hold the hat up to a black blazer and it shows black hues while shows it’s blue. It works with black apparel. Ahhh, very interesting. I like to think it was a designer’s purposeful design.

IMG7833-L.jpg


IMG7831-M.jpg


IMG7832-L.jpg


The liner and markings are shown in the attached pics. A $20.00 hat. Today's dollar not pricey at all. Since I do not know the age, I imagine that it must have been on the pricer side of fedoras in it's day. That day is ???? The hat shows no wear marks and I believe has never had anything other than a center dent. No marks on liner, leather or felt. It is pristine and I touch it carefully. I am convinced, by this experience that the Cavanagh Homburg was a classy well made fedora if this hat is representative of the models. Oh-la-la it is a luxurious felt.

To my eye it has a resemblance to a hat I recalled showcased by Al (Post # 192, http://www.thefedoralounge.com/show...mages-Of-Fedoras-Worn-Town-amp-Country/page20 ). My hat is from the same retailer, Capper and Capper in Chicago,
capper-Th.jpg
as Al’s hat (the one with history). I liked the look of that hat and pictured that I might wear the hat to similar functions and occasions. To that, I never imagined that I would find one available to me. Never imagined, much less one in such fine condition.

Thanks for taking a look at the homburg hanging at my house.

Eric -
 
Last edited:

Lefty

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,639
Location
O-HI-O
Another great hat. I might be wrong, but I believe that one of the easiest dating tools for a Cav is the address on the liner. With a shot of that, Brad can probably give you a date within a decade or so.
 

Brad Bowers

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,187
Beautiful homburg, Eric. Those ribbon colors are typical with the Midnight Blue felt color, and they are really classy. Your hat is quite representative of '50s Cavanagh homburgs. $20 was an expensive hat when Cavanagh was introduced in 1928 and most Cavanaghs of that time were $20, but by the '50s, it was near the low end of Cavanagh pricing.

Any other tags inside? Any address on the liner tip underneath the Cavanagh crest?
Brad
 

Short Balding Guy

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,871
Location
Minnesota, USA
Brad; Thanks for the info. This thread has been fun to read. Lots of very classy homburgs. Among the many beautiful pics, facts, history, and other things was to spell homburg.

Here is a pic of the liner tag inside the leather;

IMG7852-L.jpg


The homburg is well made and uses fine materials. If this is a lower priced model, I only imagine what the best ones might be like. Interesting.

Thanks again, Eric -
 
Last edited:

delectans

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,335
Location
Minnesota
Congrats on your exquisite and fine Cavanagh Homburg, Eric! :eusa_clap

I absolutely adore the Midnight Blue felt and Burgundy trim...the ne plus ultra of understated elegance.
 

Joshbru3

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,409
Location
Chicago, IL
Like I said in the "Post new hats" thread, I love that topper! It looks superb. Whats interesting is that the reorder tag says that its only 5 7/8 inches deep. I have fedoras that are 5 7/8 inches deep and when they are open crown, they do not look as tall as that top hat. Maybe its just the picture angle, but it looks much taller than 5 7/8 inches to me. I'm sure its all in my head. :)
 

DavidJ

One of the Regulars
Messages
190
Location
Norman, Ok
I'm relatively new here, but I have a Cavanagh. Brad, I was wondering if you could give me any information about it. Pictures to come.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
109,008
Messages
3,072,529
Members
54,037
Latest member
GloriaJama
Top