The Dobbs Diner...

[Brad Bowers]

Kkaderly, your Dobbs is post-1972, after the end of Hat Corporation of America and the sale of the brand to Koracorp. It was made in the plant in Garland, TX, where Dobbs hats are still made today. It's probably '80s or later. This style of hat has been made for decades. The type of factory tag and the "Made in U.S.A." confirm that it's a Garland-made hat.

Javier, until we see more of your hat it's hard to say when it was made, but it certainly could be early-'60s. The box is not original to the hat, though, because the box is '40s or earlier. An original box to a '60s hat should be a black octagonal box.

Brad

 

[Kkaderly]

Kkaderly, your Dobbs is post-1972, after the end of Hat Corporation of America and the sale of the brand to Koracorp. It was made in the plant in Garland, TX, where Dobbs hats are still made today. It's probably '80s or later. This style of hat has been made for decades. The type of factory tag and the "Made in U.S.A." confirm that it's a Garland-made hat.

Javier, until we see more of your hat it's hard to say when it was made, but it certainly could be early-'60s. The box is not original to the hat, though, because the box is '40s or earlier. An original box to a '60s hat should be a black octagonal box.

Brad

Thats why I love FL ... always great info!!!!! Thanks Brad!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kk

 

[JAVIER]

Kkaderly, your Dobbs is post-1972, after the end of Hat Corporation of America and the sale of the brand to Koracorp. It was made in the plant in Garland, TX, where Dobbs hats are still made today. It's probably '80s or later. This style of hat has been made for decades. The type of factory tag and the "Made in U.S.A." confirm that it's a Garland-made hat.

Javier, until we see more of your hat it's hard to say when it was made, but it certainly could be early-'60s. The box is not original to the hat, though, because the box is '40s or earlier. An original box to a '60s hat should be a black octagonal box.

Brad

Here are the pics. Click to enlarge. TY for your input.

 

[Brad Bowers]

Thanks for the photos. Well, we can narrow it down to within ten years, 1972 to 1982. As in the case of Kkaderly's hat, the "Made in U.S.A." and Registration symbol mark it as a Garland-made hat.

In December 1982, the United Hatters, Cap, and Millinery Workers union merged into the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union, so your hat was made prior to then, based on the union label.

Brad

 

[JAVIER]

Thanks for the photos. Well, we can narrow it down to within ten years, 1972 to 1982. As in the case of Kkaderly's hat, the "Made in U.S.A." and Registration symbol mark it as a Garland-made hat.

In December 1982, the United Hatters, Cap, and Millinery Workers union merged into the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union, so your hat was made prior to then, based on the union label.

Brad

Thanks for the info, makes since since it cleaner than most hats. Would you know what type of felt it would be? It feels like soft fur (?)

 

[Dinerman]

Just won this. Brad, I'll get you better pictures once I get it in my hands.

 

[Brad Bowers]

Thanks for the info, makes since since it cleaner than most hats. Would you know what type of felt it would be? It feels like soft fur (?)

Just won this. Brad, I'll get you better pictures once I get it in my hands.

Thanks, Dinerman! Glad you got it, it's a neat hat.

Brad

 

[bowlerman]

Just wondering if anyone could help determine the vintage of this derby. So far I've read that Roos Atkins in California was open from 1957-early 1990s, so that's a pretty large window.

 

[Brad Bowers]

Further research shows Roos-Atkins had been in business since about 1860, but that doesn't really add another century to the possible date of the hat. This one is late-'50s to no later than 1972, but more likely 1958-ish to about 1965 or so. Many of these modern Derbies date to the 1958-59 Derby Revival. Beautiful example of late-era Dobbs Derby.

Brad

 

[JAVIER]

Further research shows Roos-Atkins had been in business since about 1860, but that doesn't really add another century to the possible date of the hat. This one is late-'50s to no later than 1972, but more likely 1958-ish to about 1965 or so. Many of these modern Derbies date to the 1958-59 Derby Revival. Beautiful example of late-era Dobbs Derby.

Brad

Brad,

Is it a bad or good thing that there are allot of Dobbs on the bay to catch? As a buyer I think its good for me, but than wonder why so many are around and available ? Is the reason, that they are of good quality and have passed the test of time, or perhaps is it that they were (for lack of words) super common?
teach or great one, teach ~

About a third of my collection are Dobbs, granted I only have 13 fedora hats (not including ball caps).

Regards,

Javier

 

[ToucanSam23]

Since this is my first post on the Fedora Lounge I'd just like to say Hi to everyone and show off my circa 1950's Dobbs fedora!

I just purchased it for $30 off of Ebay.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/708/kgrhqiokjge3ru1u9pdbn9m.jpg/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/339/kgrhqyokje3uzdrb44bn9me.jpg/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/808/kgrhqvime3s7mkwehbn9mvs.jpg/

 

[bowlerman]

Hello and welcome to the lounge-- nice Dobbs!

 

[JAVIER]

Since this is my first post on the Fedora Lounge I'd just like to say Hi to everyone and show off my circa 1950's Dobbs fedora!

I just purchased it for $30 off of Ebay.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/708/kgrhqiokjge3ru1u9pdbn9m.jpg/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/339/kgrhqyokje3uzdrb44bn9me.jpg/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/808/kgrhqvime3s7mkwehbn9mvs.jpg/

Nice grab, I almost bid on it too, eyed it for awhile.... glad it went to a fellow Lounger.

 

[Brad Bowers]

Brad,

Is it a bad or good thing that there are allot of Dobbs on the bay to catch? As a buyer I think its good for me, but than wonder why so many are around and available ? Is the reason, that they are of good quality and have passed the test of time, or perhaps is it that they were (for lack of words) super common?
teach or great one, teach ~

About a third of my collection are Dobbs, granted I only have 13 fedora hats (not including ball caps).

Regards,

Javier

You can never have too many Dobbs hats.

The answer to your question is yes and yes. They are good quality hats, but also fairly common. Out of the major brand names, I feel safe in saying that Dobbs was the second best-selling brand, behind Stetson. Lee might contest that, but I consider Lee a second-tier hat. They've essentially been in production since 1908, and out of the brands that Hatco still produces in Garland, only the Stetson and Knox brands are older, but Knox is exclusive to Levine Hats, so I don't think their production numbers are very high. So, that's a lot of years of hats, and more for us to find here in 2011.

Brad

 

[Luckytop]

Anyone have info in regards to dating Dobbs by size tag? I recently bought a gorgeous Dobbs forty that has a brown oval shape size tag. I don't have pictures to post yet, but it is very light gray with guild edge, 2 1/2" brim, two different $40 price tags inside the band. Sold by Gus S May, Los Angeles Biltmore. Condition is near new, so whoever owned it took great care with it. When did Dobbs stop using the "forty" model designation?

 

[Brad Bowers]

Anyone have info in regards to dating Dobbs by size tag? I recently bought a gorgeous Dobbs forty that has a brown oval shape size tag. I don't have pictures to post yet, but it is very light gray with guild edge, 2 1/2" brim, two different $40 price tags inside the band. Sold by Gus S May, Los Angeles Biltmore. Condition is near new, so whoever owned it took great care with it. When did Dobbs stop using the "forty" model designation?

The Forty might have lasted until the end in 1972, but I can't remember seeing one past the early-'60s. In any case, Gus S. May apparently moved from the Biltmore to the Beverly Hilton in 1955, so your hat is no newer than that. It could date as early as late-'40s. Let's see photos!

Brad

 

[Luckytop]

Heres the photos:

http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j359/luckytop1/100_1269.jpg
http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j359/luckytop1/100_1267.jpg
http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j359/luckytop1/100_1268.jpg
http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j359/luckytop1/100_1272.jpg
http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j359/luckytop1/100_1266.jpg
http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j359/luckytop1/100_1265.jpg

 

[Luckytop]

Not sure how I managed to show the first upside down photo, but I did it!

 

[HatsEnough]

Not sure how I managed to show the first upside down photo, but I did it!

if you put [ IMG ] and [ /IMG ] before and after each url, all the photos will show up.

(by the way, take the space out of the brackets. I had to include the space so it would show up here on the page)

 

[Luckytop]

Thanks for the tip!