The Dobbs Diner...

[Blare]

Interesting. I took the photos, since I was expecting to see Guild Edge that’s what I “saw.” I know there were several ways to approximate a Cavanagh edge. Maybe this method is one of the things the separates the Fifteen from the Twenty?

That was the same thing that happened to me. We see what we want to see. At some point I noticed Dobbs edge in the familiar Guild Edge logo. The Fifteen/Twenty difference would make a lot of sense. I mean… a wind trolley alone would hardly be worth the additional 5 bucks. I do however have a 1950s 15 with a true guild/Cavanagh edge. But it has … I think 2 1/4 brim. Maybe as 50s went on cost cutting measure was more in limiting production processes. So Dobbs edge got the ax. then both the 15 and 20 featured a Guild edge. The Fifteen with a 2 1/4 brim and the Twenty a 2 1/2 and wind trolley.

Now I’m really speculating!

 

[The Hatted Professor]

The Dobbs Edge was apparently exclusive to the Dobbs Fifteen line and was introduced in the Fall of 1956. The difference between the Dobbs Edge and Guild Edge seems to come down to the production method. For instance, the Dobbs Edge posted above has an edge that matches Fig. 5 from the second Cavanagh Edge patent awarded in 1931. The Guild Edge is either a different version of the second patent, possibly Fig. 3, or more likely from the third patent in 1936, as seen in Fig. 6 in the second image. These are best guesses only, and unless anyone wants to sacrifice their hat and dissect it, we might never know.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Mid-gray Dobbs Twenty homburg. I know it presents as brown in many of the photos, but it’s gray. Size is 7 ¼ long oval

 

[Blare]

The Dobbs Edge was apparently exclusive to the Dobbs Fifteen line and was introduced in the Fall of 1956. The difference between the Dobbs Edge and Guild Edge seems to come down to the production method. For instance, the Dobbs Edge posted above has an edge that matches Fig. 5 from the second Cavanagh Edge patent awarded in 1931. The Guild Edge is either a different version of the second patent, possibly Fig. 3, or more likely from the third patent in 1936, as seen in Fig. 6 in the second image. These are best guesses only, and unless anyone wants to sacrifice their hat and dissect it, we might never know. View attachment 561820
View attachment 561822

Wow! Glad to see our speculation elicited a response from the professor himself. Glad to see you back on the lounge, Brad.

Not sure I want to dissect my 15s anytime soon… Or twenty’s for that matter. But I’ll do my best to take some closeups of this Dobbs Edge In comparison to other hand felted edges.

I will say one thing I notice on the underside of the brim a line approx where the welt ends or maybe where stitches may have been.

 

[Zombie_61]

The Dobbs Edge was apparently exclusive to the Dobbs Fifteen line and was introduced in the Fall of 1956. The difference between the Dobbs Edge and Guild Edge seems to come down to the production method. For instance, the Dobbs Edge posted above has an edge that matches Fig. 5 from the second Cavanagh Edge patent awarded in 1931. The Guild Edge is either a different version of the second patent, possibly Fig. 3, or more likely from the third patent in 1936, as seen in Fig. 6 in the second image. These are best guesses only, and unless anyone wants to sacrifice their hat and dissect it, we might never know.

Are these "edges" merely for appearances, or do they provide a practical purpose like, say, reinforcing the edge of the brim enough to maintain it's shape?

 

[T Jones]

Dobbs Fifth Avenue, Round Up Collection. I'm assuming that the B/R on the sweat is Byer/Rolnick (?) Obviously, the hat has been converted from a Western to a fedora. It now sports a tall Center Dent crown, a suede finish, and a dimensional cut brim, 2 3/4 front and back and 2 5/8 on the sides. Staying with a touch of its Western roots it also sports an OR style thin ribbon. Photos didn't upload in order...

 

[TheOldFashioned]

A delicious oatmeal heather Dobbs:

Crown	5-1/8" (open)
Brim	2-5/8" with 3/16" overwelt
Ribbon	1-3/8"
Weight	94g

I have a soft spot for these wartime Dobbs hats. The felt is dynamic, the dimensions are great, the reedless sweatbands are comfortable (although this one suffers from dry rot). I suspect this hat must have been cleaned/renovated at some point because there are no tags behind the sweatband and the liner is taped in place.

If you find a Dobbs hat with that distinctive roundel liner crest I highly recommend getting it.

 

[Rmccamey]

A very nice old Dobbs, indeed!

A delicious oatmeal heather Dobbs:
View attachment 565440 View attachment 565441 View attachment 565442 View attachment 565443 View attachment 565444 View attachment 565445

Crown	5-1/8" (open)
Brim	2-5/8" with 3/16" overwelt
Ribbon	1-3/8"
Weight	94g

I have a soft spot for these wartime Dobbs hats. The felt is dynamic, the dimensions are great, the reedless sweatbands are comfortable (although this one suffers from dry rot). I suspect this hat must have been cleaned/renovated at some point because there are no tags behind the sweatband and the liner is taped in place.

If you find a Dobbs hat with that distinctive roundel liner crest I highly recommend getting it.

 

[Blare]

A delicious oatmeal heather Dobbs:
View attachment 565440 View attachment 565441 View attachment 565442 View attachment 565443 View attachment 565444 View attachment 565445

Crown	5-1/8" (open)
Brim	2-5/8" with 3/16" overwelt
Ribbon	1-3/8"
Weight	94g

I have a soft spot for these wartime Dobbs hats. The felt is dynamic, the dimensions are great, the reedless sweatbands are comfortable (although this one suffers from dry rot). I suspect this hat must have been cleaned/renovated at some point because there are no tags behind the sweatband and the liner is taped in place.

If you find a Dobbs hat with that distinctive roundel liner crest I highly recommend getting it.

Just tremendous

 

[Daniele Tanto]

A delicious oatmeal heather Dobbs:

Molo bello!

 

[steur]

A delicious oatmeal heather Dobbs:
View attachment 565440 View attachment 565441 View attachment 565442 View attachment 565443 View attachment 565444 View attachment 565445

Crown	5-1/8" (open)
Brim	2-5/8" with 3/16" overwelt
Ribbon	1-3/8"
Weight	94g

I have a soft spot for these wartime Dobbs hats. The felt is dynamic, the dimensions are great, the reedless sweatbands are comfortable (although this one suffers from dry rot). I suspect this hat must have been cleaned/renovated at some point because there are no tags behind the sweatband and the liner is taped in place.

If you find a Dobbs hat with that distinctive roundel liner crest I highly recommend getting it.

Fantastic hat, Jonathan!

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Fantastic 1940s (I think) Dobbs. 5 ½” open crown and 2 ¾” bound edge brim. The hat is pristine. The felt is thin and perfectly moldable. Wherever you move the felt it stays. I just wish it was my size.

 

[TheOldFashioned]

Fantastic 1940s (I think) Dobbs. 5 ½” open crown and 2 ¾” bound edge brim. The hat is pristine. The felt is thin and perfectly moldable. Wherever you move the felt it stays. I just wish it was my size.


View attachment 567693 View attachment 567694 View attachment 567695 View attachment 567696 View attachment 567697 View attachment 567698 View attachment 567699 View attachment 567700 View attachment 567701

That's the wartime roundel crest, and the 5361 block is what's used on the Westward models. Great hat!

 

[Rmccamey]

You must have an inside track to a big Dobbs stash these days, Brent. Another nice, old one!

Fantastic 1940s (I think) Dobbs. 5 ½” open crown and 2 ¾” bound edge brim. The hat is pristine. The felt is thin and perfectly moldable. Wherever you move the felt it stays. I just wish it was my size.


View attachment 567693 View attachment 567694 View attachment 567695 View attachment 567696 View attachment 567697 View attachment 567698 View attachment 567699 View attachment 567700 View attachment 567701

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Steel gray Dobbs Twenty with a 5 ⅝” open crown and 2 ¾” wide brim. The size is a very hard to find 7 ⅞ or 63cm.

 

[riddlers]

An inexpensive slate color Dobbs Hunter MT arrived today. It's in decent clean shape and made of some type of extremely soft fur. Please accept apologies for terrible pictures. Not sure of age, type of fur, etc.

 

[riddlers]

Another inexpensive Dobbs, a Veluna, in Tobacco Brown arrived today. This one has a "Guild Edge". The composition seems to be made of average felt. Like the other one, this Veluna doesn't appear to be very vintage.

 

[steur]

Dobbs fifteen in brown with a longhair finish. Colour is called "twist" and model "smartset" according to the label. Could be the other way around though. Size 58, but it fits more like a size 57 to me. Overwelt brim at a stingy 4,5cm and the crown at 10cm at the center dent. Made under license in Italy, so Panizza, who held the license, is the actual maker. This one is dated 1963. Very nicely made hat with a lovely hand to the felt. Sold by Sools, Paris.

 

[DaveProc]

Dobbs Forest Blend 1937

 

[DaveProc]

Dobbs Lake Forest Blends
1937