The Dobbs Diner...

[Brad Bowers]

I was searching for something else today, and ran across this bit of information from Biltmore's website.

Biltmore also entered into an agreement with the Hat Corporation of America that allowed Biltmore to market hats under the Dobs [sic] and Knox labels in Canada.

In the timeline they are describing, this happened sometime between 1952 and 1956. No indication how long they were licensed to make Dobbs and Knox hats.

So, this partially answers our questions.

Brad

 

[Brad Bowers]

I ran across a photo of the Dobbs & Co. store at 242 Fifth Avenue, taken shortly after they opened in September 1908. Dobbs & Co. was the retailing company set up by Crofut & Knapp that would be selling the new Dobbs brand of hats, but was completely separate from the hat manufacturing. Notice by the caption that when they first opened, they were known for Knapp-Felt Hats, since the Dobbs brand was new and unknown to the public at this time.

Look at all those soft felt hats in the display window on the right.

The original Dobbs & Co logo clearly shows the relationship of C&K to Dobbs, as the hats were retailed through the "The Knapp-Felt Shops."

Brad

 

[Ephraim Tutt]

Fanatastic photo Brad. Care to drop it into the 5th Avenue thread?

 

[Brad Bowers]

Can do. Thanks, yes, I'd seen it, but I appreciate it. You might want to edit out the link, since links to live auctions aren't permitted.

Brad

 

[Ephraim Tutt]

And speaking of the 5th Avenue thread, Brad...I dropped a couple of old street shots in there a while back that appear to capture the Knox hat shop...but spelled "Knox's" hats. Do you know if that's the Knox Shop?

 

[Brad Bowers]

I noticed that. I suspect it is the Knox shop, but haven't done any digging to find out for certain.

Brad

 

[rlk]

Wide-brim Dobbs Twenty

W-i-d-e 3" brim with beautiful Guild Edge and 5 5/8" crown. Felt is in excellent shape but for a bit of dust. Unfortunately a Size 7 on hidden factory tag as well as in its 22" circumference. Warm reddish medium brown with a ribbon of rusty red. Sweatband has significant wear but quite usable.

 

[Salty O'Rourke]

Dobbs Hankachif

Landed this out of the bay - Dobbs Hankachif felt:

This is pretty close to the actual color:

You can just make out the Dobbs crest in the unlined crown:

Unreeded Sweatband:

It's VERY light, good summer weight hat, which I suppose was the whole idea.

No snotrag comments, please...

 

[Sam Craig]

Salty,

Nice looking lid.

I picked up a dark green hankachif Dobbs at an antique store a couple hours from here recently.

It was just like new.

I have to be careful not to wear it too much, it's sooo comfortable

I'd take a dozen more if they could be found

Nice felt!

 

[Mario]

I have to be careful not to wear it too much

Why that? [huh]

 

[fluteplayer07]

I picked up a Dobbs Challenger from a Salvation Army for $20 today. How would one compare it in quality to another Dobbs, such as a Fifth Avenue or Golden Coach? What were the years of production for the Challenger? I think it's vintage, but I'm no expert on Dobbs hats. Any insight would be appreciated. (I hope this is an appropriate place to slip in a quick question, so I don't need to make a new thread.)

Thanks,
flute

 

[Brad Bowers]

Sounds like a pretty good deal you got there. Golden Coach and Challenger as models both date back to the 1960s. Both of those models survived the closing of the Norwalk factory in 1971, and the subsequent sale of the brands to Koracorp in 1972. Golden Coach is still made today, but I don't know about the Challenger. A Golden Coach post-1972 will pretty well equate to a Challenger post-1972, and pre-1972 models will equate to each other, but pre-1972 won't equate to post-1972.

Fifth Avenue isn't technically a model name, it's just part of the Dobbs brand name. I suppose a Dobbs without a model name could be considered a Fifth Avenue, though, for lack of anything else.

Brad

 

[Florida_Marlin]

choclate brown with brown ribbon

Here's my Dobbs. When I got it, it was filled with cigarette smoke. It took 3 weeks and 3 boxes of baking soda, combined with a couple steam baths, to get rid of the smell. Now, not a trace of smell. The wife and I wore it out to eat, so it must be ok now! Regards, F_M

 

[Mario]

Great hat and even greater photo! You wear that Dobbs really well. :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[fluteplayer07]

Sounds like a pretty good deal you got there. Golden Coach and Challenger as models both date back to the 1960s. Both of those models survived the closing of the Norwalk factory in 1971, and the subsequent sale of the brands to Koracorp in 1972. Golden Coach is still made today, but I don't know about the Challenger. A Golden Coach post-1972 will pretty well equate to a Challenger post-1972, and pre-1972 models will equate to each other, but pre-1972 won't equate to post-1972.

Fifth Avenue isn't technically a model name, it's just part of the Dobbs brand name. I suppose a Dobbs without a model name could be considered a Fifth Avenue, though, for lack of anything else.

Brad

Thanks!

--flute

 

[Florida_Marlin]

Thanks Mario!

My daughter took that picture. It's one of my favorite snapshots. Regards, F_M

 

[ScottF]

Dobbs with Pug

 

[Brad Bowers]

That's an interesting one, Scott. Is that just a line of decorative stitching around the brim, or is there a very fine overwelt? And do you think that pugaree is original to the hat? It seems to match well, which makes me think that it might be. If so, that makes it really special.

Brad

 

[Brad Bowers]

December 14, 1940

Brad

 

[stealthboy]

Venturing around town in the aftermath of Snowmageddon 2010 in my Dobbs Dayton (measured 27 inches in my backyard!).