The Cavanagh Club

[Brad Bowers]

I dug back through my research to find an article on the '59 derby revival, and a couple of things jumped out at me. One was the comment that the '59 derbies were more of a British-styled bowler, with a belled crown and billycock roll to the brim. I can't tell if this one has the belled crown, but it definitely has the billycock roll. The article said that the new derbies were lighter and more flexible, and it looks like this one does have a more flexible crown.

Another hat that was part of this revival was what they called the "demi-bowler," in that it was like a derby, but had a center crease like a homburg.

Sales of the derby pretty well died out during the early years of the Depression. To give you an idea of the scope of this revival, Hat Corporation of America sold around 800 derbies per year throughout the 1940s and 1950s. By the summer of '59, though, they were putting out about 3,000 derbies per week! One thing that helped sales was that women were buying them to wear, not just men. It became a unisex item. The revival was short, but I don't quite know when it ended. I think it was only a year or two, though.

It's interesting that Cavanagh appears to have kept the $15 price point for a very long time - three decades, at least. What I find amazing is that hat prices held pretty steady over that time period. Sure, the top end prices for Cavanagh rose from $40 to $100, but their bottom prices stayed consistent. Even factoring in a reduction in quality to help cover the cost, hats seemed to have maintained an anti-inflationary stance until the 1970s.

Brad

 

[rlk]

Chocolate Milk Brown Cavanagh

Fresh from ebay. Looks like new. Full 2" sweatband, 2-1/4" brim. Price marked down from $25.00 to $14.90. Originally sold by The Metropolitan Co. Dayton, Ohio.

 

[Brad Bowers]

You have a quintessential Cavanagh there, rlk. :eusa_clap Very nice.

Brad

 

[rlk]

1959 Derby Ad

I dug back through my research to find an article on the '59 derby revival, and a couple of things jumped out at me. One was the comment that the '59 derbies were more of a British-styled bowler, with a belled crown and billycock roll to the brim. I can't tell if this one has the belled crown, but it definitely has the billycock roll. The article said that the new derbies were lighter and more flexible, and it looks like this one does have a more flexible crown.

Another hat that was part of this revival was what they called the "demi-bowler," in that it was like a derby, but had a center crease like a homburg.

Sales of the derby pretty well died out during the early years of the Depression. To give you an idea of the scope of this revival, Hat Corporation of America sold around 800 derbies per year throughout the 1940s and 1950s. By the summer of '59, though, they were putting out about 3,000 derbies per week! One thing that helped sales was that women were buying them to wear, not just men. It became a unisex item. The revival was short, but I don't quite know when it ended. I think it was only a year or two, though.

It's interesting that Cavanagh appears to have kept the $15 price point for a very long time - three decades, at least. What I find amazing is that hat prices held pretty steady over that time period. Sure, the top end prices for Cavanagh rose from $40 to $100, but their bottom prices stayed consistent. Even factoring in a reduction in quality to help cover the cost, hats seemed to have maintained an anti-inflationary stance until the 1970s.

Brad

Saw this ad:

 

[XPLSV]

That panama looks to be treated/painted with something?
If memory serves, Dinerman recently cleaned up such a panama.
You might ask him what that was all about before sending it
on to Optimo.

It arrived at Optimo this past week for cleaning and reblocking--I asked about whether it had been treated or sprayed with something...they said it was a sulfer bleaching.

 

[rlk]

It arrived at Optimo this past week for cleaning and reblocking--I asked about whether it had been treated or sprayed with something...they said it was a sulfer bleaching.

I saw your hat while at Optimo and it was pointed out as an example of poor cleaning(bleaching) in the past. Graham has just gone on vacation so if it wasn't completed it may take a bit. The hat I dropped off on Friday won't be ready until July 24.

 

[feltfan]

It arrived at Optimo this past week for cleaning and reblocking--I asked about whether it had been treated or sprayed with something...they said it was a sulfer bleaching.

Ah, an awful lot of vintage panamas were treated that way.
Some of mine, for sure. It's not too bothersome, at least to me.
I don't really understand why they did it, though. It doesn't really
bleach the hat. But I think it does coat it, perhaps making it
possible to brush the panama?

 

[XPLSV]

I saw your hat while at Optimo and it was pointed out as an example of poor cleaning(bleaching) in the past. Graham has just gone on vacation so if it wasn't completed it may take a bit. The hat I dropped off on Friday won't be ready until July 24.

They told me up front about the vacation, so I'm not too worried about turn around time. Heck, I've been waiting on an Adventurbilt from Nov 2007 and a Randall Made Knife from Dec 2005...the joke around here is my son will never know what he might get in the mail should I kick the bucket

(We've got the same name).

Bernie

 

[rlk]

Jumbo Grey Cavanagh

Much bigger than expected. Brim is 2-3/4" front and back, 2-5/8" on the sides. 5-3/4" crown. Size 7-1/2 XLO. Overall condition would be excellent but for numerous moth nips, which are all individually small and shallow(probably could make them nearly vanish with some work). Underside is near perfect. I won't be wearing this one. Originally $20.00 fromL. Strauss Co. Inc. Indianapolis. and owned by J. Wayne Ebert M.O.

 

[Brad Bowers]

A rare beauty there, even with the critter damage. Tall crown and really wide brim, wow. Nice one, rlk!

It's hard to tell from the photo, but it looks like the sweatband is NOT marked "Cavanagh Edge." Is that right?


Brad

 

[rlk]

A rare beauty there, even with the critter damage. Tall crown and really wide brim, wow. Nice one, rlk!

It's hard to tell from the photo, but it looks like the sweatband is NOT marked "Cavanagh Edge." Is that right?


Brad

Yes, Brad, no "Cavanagh Edge" on the sweatband and the Park Ave. address on the liner.

 

[Garrett]

So, given the absence of the cavanagh edge stamp and the address presence on the liner what is the dating of this one?

 

[Brad Bowers]

So, given the absence of the cavanagh edge stamp and the address presence on the liner what is the dating of this one?

No idea. It's interesting that it doesn't say Cavanagh Edge. I can't imagine why they wouldn't have stamped it.

I haven't been able to discern the significance of the Park Avenue address on the liner, either. I once thought it was used on hats that were retailed from the store itself, but I've seen enough Cavanaghs that were sold through their retail network with the Park Avenue liner to discount that idea. My best guess is that it was used for a period of time, but no clue when that might have been. The only thing I can say with certainty is that it's pre-1964, as that is when the shop was forced to relocate from 247 Park Avenue.

You see a lot of L. Strauss & Co.-marked hats from Cavanagh and Dobbs, as their relationship with the department store chain stretched way back into the C&K days.

rlk, is there any sign of a union label underneath the sweatband or liner? That might help date it.

Brad

 

[rlk]

No idea. It's interesting that it doesn't say Cavanagh Edge. I can't imagine why they wouldn't have stamped it.

I haven't been able to discern the significance of the Park Avenue address on the liner, either. I once thought it was used on hats that were retailed from the store itself, but I've seen enough Cavanaghs that were sold through their retail network with the Park Avenue liner to discount that idea. My best guess is that it was used for a period of time, but no clue when that might have been. The only thing I can say with certainty is that it's pre-1964, as that is when the shop was forced to relocate from 247 Park Avenue.

You see a lot of L. Strauss & Co.-marked hats from Cavanagh and Dobbs, as their relationship with the department store chain stretched way back into the C&K days.

rlk, is there any sign of a union label underneath the sweatband or liner? That might help date it.

Brad

No sign of a Union tag or that there ever was a size tag or tape behind the stitched sweatband seam. Its a different sweatband than any of my other Cavanaghs. Smooth outer surface. 7-1/2 inked stamp on underside of band. in middle of side.

 

[Brad Bowers]

So, possibly 1940-1947, say. No guarantee, but maybe a safe bet.

Brad

 

[rlk]

Optimo renovated Gray Cavanagh

Never did show this post renovation. It has a 2-7/16" brim all around. The cardboard size tag was behind the sweatband seam double loop tie rather than triple. Unfortunately it had no liner.

 

[Dreispitz]

Blue Onyx 7 3/8

Here is the little thingy that was described as some black bowler and went for under 10 USD. I must say, a good deal for a rare item in this condition. lol

From the rather unclear auction pictures, I put it somewhere 60ies. Now it is here, and I have got to revise my estimate. It is a phantastic darkish blue onyx felt of Cavanagh´s best. 2 1/4 brim and high crown. The silk ribbon is very fine quality, cavanagh edge and the embossed ribbon that is usually present in hats up to the beginning fifties. Therefore, I put the hat in that time frame.

Concerning it´s purpose, it still shows virginity in terms of absence of wear and has kept all it´s tags. The inside is still a bit dusty. It was obviously not kept in a box.

Enjoy the pictures!

 

[Lefty]

Very nice, and being from Halle Bros., it's an Ohio hat!. Please post it there as well.

 

[Brad Bowers]

That is one sweet Cavanagh, Dreispitz!:eusa_clap

Blue Onyx is one of their best colors, in my opinion. I need to get one in that color one of these days. Maybe once my paychecks start rolling in again at the end of September I can run across one.

I'm almost tempted to say that your hat is pre-1946, since there is no evidence of a Union label. Considering how "virgin" your hat is, it should, theoretically, be there if it's later than '46. The perforated price and size tag is also slightly different from others we've seen.

[EDIT: I just remembered that the Union label could be glued to the felt underneath the liner.]

Can you make out anything at all of the stamp on the sweatband next to the tag in this photo? Most of the time these are illegible.

Brad

 

[Dreispitz]

That is one sweet Cavanagh, Dreispitz!:eusa_clap

Blue Onyx is one of their best colors, in my opinion. I need to get one in that color one of these days. Maybe once my paychecks start rolling in again at the end of September I can run across one.

I'm almost tempted to say that your hat is pre-1946, since there is no evidence of a Union label. Considering how "virgin" your hat is, it should, theoretically, be there if it's later than '46. The perforated price and size tag is also slightly different from others we've seen.

[EDIT: I just remembered that the Union label could be glued to the felt underneath the liner.]

Can you make out anything at all of the stamp on the sweatband next to the tag in this photo? Most of the time these are illegible.

Brad

Thank you, Brad!

Yes, the hat has some properties, that are typical, jet different from other Cavanaghs. I had a closer look under the sweatband. I did not find a union lable - even not after thorough palpation - but another tag. That might be the giveaway. Do you have record of similar lables of the time or does the code give any evidence?

The fold in the liner and the border of the centre medallion are certainly noteworthy. The stamp on the sweatband si not really legible, I must regret.