The Dobbs Diner...

[moehawk]

Fantastic, John! That kind of Game Bird and a Rainbow are on my list too. I’m glad your perseverance paid off. Wow, that’s one of the best I’ve seen!

Thanks Brent!
I bet you can imagine how thrilled I was see the thrift store worker pricing this one, AND having it fit!
These are tough to catch in any size, let alone a lunker like you would need!
Good luck on the hunt! (or fishing... )

 

[moehawk]

Beautiful hat. Congratulations

Thanks Joe!

 

[moehawk]

Wow! Wonderful colorway, nice dimensions, great condition, and it goes well with that jacket. That hat's a win/win/win/win!

Yup, yup, yup and yup! Gotta agree with you on all counts!
And thanks!

 

[moehawk]

VERY nice find!!! That's a beauty!

Thanks! I've had one of these on my wish list for years. Nice to cross it off!

 

[moehawk]

Good get, John! That's a keeper. I love that brim treatment, that's great.

And good to see your grimacing mug.

Thanks Jim!
Glad I didn't have to throw it back!
I'll have to check the CA fish and game regs to see if there's a limit is on these...

 

[DaveProc]

Dobbs Rainbow ads 1936-37

 

[Blare]

Dobbs Rainbow ads 1936-37

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Very cool. The Dobbs Cross Country. A five dollar hat... still highly sought after 80 years on.

 

[steur]

Hey all!
I knew if I was patient I'd eventually hook one of these beauties!
Found it thrifting today. Not even priced yet. Hate when they tag it through the sweat...

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Stamps

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The size tag fell out while I was inspecting it.

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There was no factory tag under the sweat or liner.
Embroidered tip under onionskin.

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It gave the Jiffy a workout steaming the many dimples and wrinkles out of the wonderfully soft felt of the crown. The brim needed no work save a brushing. The brim binding has a nice decorative stitch.

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Still a few dimples,but much straighter now. Please ignore the bitd poop on the Weber.

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The crown is almost 6 inches, while the brim is an impressive 2 7/8 inches. 130 grams. I'm going to guess late forties to early fifties mostly due to the dimensions since there is no factory tag.

Quick crease for a head shot. Kinda like the carefree look.

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The selfie grimace has not suffered at all from recent lack of use....
I'll post more pics in better light soon.

That's a really cool find, John. These rainbow hats are usually stingy brimmed ones as far as I have seen them.

 

[DaveProc]

Gay Prince this afternoon.

 

[Hapi]

Good Morning,

I have been standing outside the diner listening and learning for some time now and thought its time to come in and have a cuppa and piece of pie. I stepped in mainly to thank everyone here for their information and pictures of their hats! You've kindled an interest in vintage hats in me and I have learned a lot along the way.

I bought a pretty beat up Dobbs fedora a few months ago and was looking for info on how to clean it up. Happening upon the Diner here, I was able to learn quite a bit and began restoring the hat. The more I fooled with it the more interested I became. Now it is shaped, clean, and looking fine.

Its is a Dobbs 50's era black hat. It has the two inch wide band that started out black but has faded nicely. The brim is small - 1 3/4" - and I don't expect it to block much sun but it seems to fit the hat. The liner looked like it owned stock in Brylcream so I hand washed it and although its not white, it is no longer gross looking either. The sweat band is worn but not crumbling or torn so I am not planning on doing anything with it. The hat has been stretched, but with a couple of dollars folded under the sweat, it does fit nicely. I originally thought of making it into a porkpie, but the longer I handled it, the more it "told" me it wanted to stay a pinch front teardrop shape. I'm not sure how much I will wear it, but it has been a fun process cleaning it up and I look forward to many more visits to the Diner.

So, thank you, everyone, for sharing your expertise and hat collections! Now, I guess I will pick a table in the corner, and have that coffee and pie....

 

[Frunobulax]

Good Morning,

I have been standing outside the diner listening and learning for some time now and thought its time to come in and have a cuppa and piece of pie. I stepped in mainly to thank everyone here for their information and pictures of their hats! You've kindled an interest in vintage hats in me and I have learned a lot along the way.

I bought a pretty beat up Dobbs fedora a few months ago and was looking for info on how to clean it up. Happening upon the Diner here, I was able to learn quite a bit and began restoring the hat. The more I fooled with it the more interested I became. Now it is shaped, clean, and looking fine.

Its is a Dobbs 50's era black hat. It has the two inch wide band that started out black but has faded nicely. The brim is small - 1 3/4" - and I don't expect it to block much sun but it seems to fit the hat. The liner looked like it owned stock in Brylcream so I hand washed it and although its not white, it is no longer gross looking either. The sweat band is worn but not crumbling or torn so I am not planning on doing anything with it. The hat has been stretched, but with a couple of dollars folded under the sweat, it does fit nicely. I originally thought of making it into a porkpie, but the longer I handled it, the more it "told" me it wanted to stay a pinch front teardrop shape. I'm not sure how much I will wear it, but it has been a fun process cleaning it up and I look forward to many more visits to the Diner.

So, thank you, everyone, for sharing your expertise and hat collections! Now, I guess I will pick a table in the corner, and have that coffee and pie....

Pics or it didn't happen!

You might want to look into giving the sweat a little leather care.

Mmmmm...pie!

 

[Hapi]

Point well taken, Sir!

Thank you, DaveProc. Worked like a charm!

 

[DaveProc]

Point well taken, Sir!


Um, OK, I don't know what happened to the pictures. I have Apple products and had to convert to .jpeg - I guess I did it wrong, but there were pictures when I hit the "post reply" button. I'll work on it and get pictures out hopefully soon.

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This thread may help. https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/how-to-post-pictures.89090/

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Dobbs Westward. 2 3/4” bound brim and 5 5/8” open crown.

 

[DaveProc]

1950s Dobbs Fifteen that just followed me home.

 

[dh66]

Here's a mystery model with a bound edge brim I just picked up on the cheap. Not real sure of the vintage... it has the straight Dobbs lettering with made in the U.S.A. underneath it on the sweat, which would indicate it's post 72, but it still has the gold size tag. The sweat is that cardboard feeling bonded leather, and it's pretty low crowned, which makes the 2 1/4" brim look bigger than it is, but the felt is sill much thinner and well finished than most of the more modern Dobbs (or any other brands) I've has my hands on... it came with a box (not sure if its the original or not).....AND, like I said, I didn't pay very much for it...... so it's a happy purchase.

 

[BobHufford]

Here is another example of that "1938" re-order tag as noted on Brad's site used in a later hat. Not sure when the $20 Gay Prince was introduced, but ads seem to indicate late '40s before the price went up (unless there was a similar styled model at the $20 price point earlier).

Maybe they used what was laying around or the hat was re-furbished at the factory and that "room" had the old style stickers. Dunno ...

 

[Blare]

Here is another example of that "1938" re-order tag as noted on Brad's site used in a later hat. Not sure when the $20 Gay Prince was introduced, but ads seem to indicate late '40s before the price went up (unless there was a similar styled model at the $20 price point earlier).

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Maybe they used what was laying around or the hat was re-furbished at the factory and that "room" had the old style stickers. Dunno ...

Or maybe opposite? Sweat replaced with a more ‘modern’ sweat? That style of reeding looks later than 40s too no? Could be someone stretched this 38 hat and installed a newer larger sweat.

the self felted band looks a slightly different shade in the photos.

 

[BobHufford]

Brushed it off a bit. That stitch in the liner does go through the felt, but you can barely see it on top of the crown. I guess a previous owner had issues with it touching his head (?).

Joe's theory about a resize and new sweat seems to fit (as it seems to fit my head and explains the later price point on the sweat with the late '30's / early '40s factory sticker). All conjecture on my part, but it doesn't really matter in the long run as I have a nice hat for very little money.

 

[dh66]

Brushed it off a bit. That stitch in the liner does go through the felt, but you can barely see it on top of the crown. I guess a previous owner had issues with it touching his head (?).

Joe's theory about a resize and new sweat seems to fit (as it seems to fit my head and explains the later price point on the sweat with the late '30's / early '40s factory sticker). All conjecture on my part, but it doesn't really matter in the long run as I have a nice hat for very little money.

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It's a real nice one, Bob, repaired or otherwise. I've long thought the stitched edge of those was extemely cool looking.