The Dobbs Diner...

[rlk]

RLK, do you think part of the great fit is that unique sweat attachment. Seeing yours reminded me of one I'd forgotten about. Very similiar to yours.
Has the string tightener for the sweat which it looks like yours has. Mine has the rolled edge sweat also. Original $10 price tag! That had to be a LOT of money back then.

B

Sure looks the same except for the Deluxe liner in yours. It seems to be the right shape as well as the sort of floating sweatband edge that is created by the design.

 

[Coopsgirl]

I picked up this beautiful deep blue Dobbs ladies hat at a local vintage clothes store and the woman working there told me that Dobbs only made ladies hat for a brief time during the 30s but she didn't know the year this one was made. To me it looks early to mid 30s and I was wondering if anyone here could help me narrow it down anymore as I haven't been able to find anything on the internet about their ladies hats.

It has the Dobbs tag but also has a label saying it was part of the Washington Fashions collection by Woodward and Lothrop. I found out that Woodward and Lothrop was a major department store founded in the 1880s and their flagship store was in Washington D.C. I'm still looking into that lead and hopefully I can find something.

 

[Brad Bowers]

While I can tell you a lot about Dobbs men's hats, women's hats I know very little about. This looks like others I've seen from the mid'30s. I don't seen anything about the hat that says it couldn't be '30s. It's a very nice Dobbs.

Dobbs opened a women's hat department around 1917. Shortly after The Dobbs & Co. and C&K shop at 620 Fifth Avenue opened in 1917, they expanded into a second building where they had two whole floors dedicated to the women's sport apparel department and women's hats. Several of the Hat Corporation of America divisions were selling women's hats at least to 1960, so I have to believe that Dobbs was among them.

Brad

 

[Coopsgirl]

Thanks for the info Brad. I love the hat and it fits perfectly so I really enjoy it.

 

[jimmy the lid]

Dobbs Guild Edge Family

Since it was a beautiful day here, I thought I'd take the opportunity to assemble my Dobbs Guild Edge lids for a family photo. That's a Dobbs 100 in the middle, flanked by two Dobbs 20's...

Cheers,
JtL

 

[billysmom]

Since it was a beautiful day here, I thought I'd take the opportunity to assemble my Dobbs Guild Edge lids for a family photo. That's a Dobbs 100 in the middle, flanked by two Dobbs 20's...

Cheers,
JtL

And a beautiful family it is, jtl! Thanks for the portrait!

:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

Sue

 

[CRH]

:eusa_clap

 

[m000m000]

That showcase of light colors is utterly awesome.

Though to be honest, as much as I'd love to have a hat like it, I'm not really sure what on earth I'd pair the blue one up with if it were mine to wear .

 

[bolthead]

Perfect........

Since it was a beautiful day here, I thought I'd take the opportunity to assemble my Dobbs Guild Edge lids for a family photo. That's a Dobbs 100 in the middle, flanked by two Dobbs 20's...

Cheers,
JtL

Dobbs triplets, w/perfect JTL creases to boot. Nice portrait indeed. :eusa_clap

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

Since it was a beautiful day here, I thought I'd take the opportunity to assemble my Dobbs Guild Edge lids for a family photo. That's a Dobbs 100 in the middle, flanked by two Dobbs 20's...

Cheers,
JtL

Wow, and Triple-WOW. Fantastic shot of those colors and styles. Thanks!

 

[jimmy the lid]

That showcase of light colors is utterly awesome.

Though to be honest, as much as I'd love to have a hat like it, I'm not really sure what on earth I'd pair the blue one up with if it were mine to wear .

Glad you folks enjoyed that photo!

As far as wearing the blue Dobbs, it looks right at home with a blue suit or a navy blazer, as well as a navy or black topcoat.


Cheers,
JtL

 

[Brad Bowers]

1942 Gay Prince

I've been trying to pick up examples of iconic Dobbs models, and finally have a Gay Prince. This one came with a box which I am 99% certain is original to the hat. The sales/packing slip on the box is dated July 21, 1942, and the hat's details match that period perfectly. There is very little evidence of wear. The crown is 5 3/4" high, with a 2 3/4" brim. The felt on the crown is the thinnest felt I have ever run across, even thinner than my vintage Borsalino. The felt feels paper thin to the touch. It's not thin through wear, either; it was made this way. The felt measures 0.0475" thick on top of the crown, about twice the thickness of the brim. This is evidence of how tightly felt was made back then, because if I tried to pounce a crown this thin today, I'd be into the core of the felt where it's not so tight. My 100+ year-old C&K Derby has felt this thin on top of the crown, but with shellac its like a drum head. This felt is about as pliable as felt gets. It has a beautiful fine velour finish.

A little bit of critter damage, but it can be photoshopped out for my book.lol

The adhesive has come off of the reorder tag, so I've got it sitting in the hat for the photo:

One interesting item is the Trusize sweatband adjuster. Invented by Abraham Blum in 1927, modified in 1934, and licensed by Hat Corporation of America. This is the only one I can remember seeing posted on the Lounge.

The Gay Prince was introduced in September 1940, so this is within two years of introduction and representative of the style.

Let's see, I still need a Gay Blade, a Game Bird, a Rainbow, and a Twenty. The problem with the Game Bird and Rainbow is that they changed styling over the years. I'd like to get as original to those as I can.

Brad

 

[billysmom]

I've been trying to pick up examples of iconic Dobbs models, and finally have a Gay Prince. This one came with a box which I am 99% certain is original to the hat. This felt is about as pliable as felt gets. It has a beautiful fine velour finish.

Brad

Brad -

This is amazing! Congratulations! (And may your Gay Blade appear soon.)

Sue

 

[mayserwegener]

I've been trying to pick up examples of iconic Dobbs models, and finally have a Gay Prince. This one came with a box which I am 99% certain is original to the hat. The sales/packing slip on the box is dated July 21, 1942, and the hat's details match that period perfectly. There is very little evidence of wear. The crown is 5 3/4" high, with a 2 3/4" brim. The felt on the crown is the thinnest felt I have ever run across, even thinner than my vintage Borsalino. The felt feels paper thin to the touch. It's not thin through wear, either; it was made this way. The felt measures 0.0475" thick on top of the crown, about twice the thickness of the brim. This is evidence of how tightly felt was made back then, because if I tried to pounce a crown this thin today, I'd be into the core of the felt where it's not so tight. My 100+ year-old C&K Derby has felt this thin on top of the crown, but with shellac its like a drum head. This felt is about as pliable as felt gets. It has a beautiful fine velour finish.

Brad

Wow that is fantastic! I am very partial to fine velour finishes. :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[DOUGLAS]

That is Beautiful Brad!

 

[rlk]

Dobbs Cross Country Blue/Green Heather Mix

Heather Mix of blue and green felts with green ribbon. 2" overwelt brim with Derby-style flanging, 6" open crown. Hat is incredibly dirty and somewhat missshapen and no clue as to original crease if any. Many dirt lines and dirt circle at top of crown. Interior of crown photo is closest to the correct color. Early Dobbs stamp and taped sweatband seam. I'll revisit after cleaning.

 

[bolthead]

Heather Mix of blue and green felts with green ribbon. 2" overwelt brim with Derby-style flanging, 6" open crown. Hat is incredibly dirty and somewhat missshapen and no clue as to original crease if any. Many dirt lines and dirt circle at top of crown. Interior of crown photo is closest to the correct color. Early Dobbs stamp and taped sweatband seam. I'll revisit after cleaning.

Looks a bit Stingy, I think you should pass it my way.

 

[Brad Bowers]

That should clean up nicely, rlk. Good catch, probably late-'30s. I haven't yet determined when the heather mix was introduced. That term wasn't trademarked, just Cross Country, which must be what the U.S. Patent Office mark is referring to.

That reminds me, I need to add Cross Country and Westward to my above list of iconic Dobbs models from the '30s and '40s to acquire.

Brad

 

[rlk]

The trademark goes back to 1927 for Cross Country.

That should clean up nicely, rlk. Good catch, probably late-'30s. I haven't yet determined when the heather mix was introduced. That term wasn't trademarked, just Cross Country, which must be what the U.S. Patent Office mark is referring to.

That reminds me, I need to add Cross Country and Westward to my above list of iconic Dobbs models from the '30s and '40s to acquire.


Brad

 

[ScottF]

another Dobbs Cross Country

Not sure what 'large' size is going to end up meaning, but it's a Cross-Country supposedly in good shape:

1950's Dobbs Cross-Country