" The Great British Hat Makers "

[steur]

Arrived this week and remarkably in keeping with the venerable John Steed above.
Herbert Johnson bowler in brown. Size 56 (instead of the advertised size 57) with the bound brim at just under 5cm and the crown at 11,5cm. It's a bowler of modest proportions. The felt is very thin with a nice hand and the hat is remarkably lightweight at only 103 grams. The finishing is excellent overall. The style is called Amylyie Smooth Lingfield, which is a mouthful.
Herbert Johnson hats don't show up much and usually at inflated prices. As it mentions her majesty the queen it is post 1952, but likely not by much.

 

[Steve1857]

Arrived this week and remarkably in keeping with the venerable John Steed above.
Herbert Johnson bowler in brown. Size 56 (instead of the advertised size 57) with the bound brim at just under 5cm and the crown at 11,5cm. It's a bowler of modest proportions. The felt is very thin with a nice hand and the hat is remarkably lightweight at only 103 grams. The finishing is excellent overall. The style is called Amylyie Smooth Lingfield, which is a mouthful.
Herbert Johnson hats don't show up much and usually at inflated prices. As it mentions her majesty the queen it is post 1952, but likely not by much.

The name, the proportions, the colour, the style, the logo liner make this beauty an all round winner, Stefan.

Love it!

 

[steur]

The name, the proportions, the colour, the style, the logo liner make this beauty an all round winner, Stefan.

Love it!

Wouldn't expect anything else, but the English makers sure knew how to make an excellent bowler.

 

[Mean Eyed Matt]

Arrived this week and remarkably in keeping with the venerable John Steed above.
Herbert Johnson bowler in brown. Size 56 (instead of the advertised size 57) with the bound brim at just under 5cm and the crown at 11,5cm. It's a bowler of modest proportions. The felt is very thin with a nice hand and the hat is remarkably lightweight at only 103 grams. The finishing is excellent overall. The style is called Amylyie Smooth Lingfield, which is a mouthful.
Herbert Johnson hats don't show up much and usually at inflated prices. As it mentions her majesty the queen it is post 1952, but likely not by much.

What I'm searchin for since years - in 58.5! Wonderful!!!

 

[Rmccamey]

A most amazing color on the Johnson bowler, Stefan.

Arrived this week and remarkably in keeping with the venerable John Steed above.
Herbert Johnson bowler in brown. Size 56 (instead of the advertised size 57) with the bound brim at just under 5cm and the crown at 11,5cm. It's a bowler of modest proportions. The felt is very thin with a nice hand and the hat is remarkably lightweight at only 103 grams. The finishing is excellent overall. The style is called Amylyie Smooth Lingfield, which is a mouthful.
Herbert Johnson hats don't show up much and usually at inflated prices. As it mentions her majesty the queen it is post 1952, but likely not by much.

 

[steur]

What I'm searchin for since years - in 58.5! Wonderful!!!

A most amazing color on the Johnson bowler, Stefan.

Thank you, gentlemen. A lucky find; Herbert Johnson hats don't show up often in my part of the woods.

 

[steur]

Famous last words: Herbert Johnson doesn't show up much (see posting above)!

Herbert Johnson fedora in a nice dark brown called "oct brown" on the label. Size 57 with the raw edge brim at 6cm and the crown at 10cm at the center dent. Very lightweight hat at only 72 grams. Having a ribbon sweatband helps of course. Odd thing is that the ribbon sweatband is still reeded. I wonder if this one is supposed to be a roll-up hat.
Sorry about the uneven side pinch (how did I not see that?).

 

[steur]

This one has had a bit of journey, but it has made it to my doorstep yesterday. I owe a big thank you to Steve @Steve1857 and his sister for making this possible. The hat was listed on Ebay UK as a panama hat (seriously). Seller did not want to ship outside of the UK, so what to do? Luckily Steve still has relatives living there, so the hat was shipped off to his sister, to be picked up when Steven was back in England. The hat hadn't seen much love (see pics in the next post), but the style was certainly unusual for an English made hat and I'm a fan of T&W Lees hats anyway. After arrival I freshened up the hat a bit and here it is.
T&W Lees arminto style western hat in natural felt colour. Size 57 with the bound brim at 8,5cm and the open crown at 15cm. Great hand to the felt, but I wouldn't call it a chamois as can be read on the label. A bit sturdier and heavier felt as is fitting for a western. Weighs 180 grams. One for the Mancunian Cowboys this one.

 

[steur]

Part II

Where it was before. Sweatband was reattached, windcord was sorted out and the hat steamed and shaped.

And shown here by model Steve

 

[Steve1857]

This one has had a bit of journey, but it has made it to my doorstep yesterday. I owe a big thank you to Steve @Steve1857 and his sister for making this possible. The hat was listed on Ebay UK as a panama hat (seriously). Seller did not want to ship outside of the UK, so what to do? Luckily Steve still has relatives living there, so the hat was shipped off to his sister, to be picked up when Steven was back in England. The hat hadn't seen much love (see pics in the next post), but the style was certainly unusual for an English made hat and I'm a fan of T&W Lees hats anyway. After arrival I freshened up the hat a bit and here it is.
T&W Lees arminto style western hat in natural felt colour. Size 57 with the bound brim at 8,5cm and the open crown at 15cm. Great hand to the felt, but I wouldn't call it a chamois as can be read on the label. A bit sturdier and heavier felt as is fitting for a western. Weighs 180 grams. One for the Mancunian Cowboys this one.

Nice job, Stefan. I was pleased to be able to get this one into your resurrecting hands.

 

[steur]

Nice job, Stefan. I was pleased to be able to get this one into your resurrecting hands.

Thanks, Steve. Glad we were able to save this one.

 

[alanfgag]

Arrived this week and remarkably in keeping with the venerable John Steed above.
Herbert Johnson bowler in brown. Size 56 (instead of the advertised size 57) with the bound brim at just under 5cm and the crown at 11,5cm. It's a bowler of modest proportions. The felt is very thin with a nice hand and the hat is remarkably lightweight at only 103 grams. The finishing is excellent overall. The style is called Amylyie Smooth Lingfield, which is a mouthful.
Herbert Johnson hats don't show up much and usually at inflated prices. As it mentions her majesty the queen it is post 1952, but likely not by much.

Some great stuff here that I have missed. That is a beautifully proportioned and finished bowler for the period. Love it.

 

[steur]

Some great stuff here that I have missed. That is a beautifully proportioned and finished bowler for the period. Love it.

Thank you, Alan. Much appreciated.

 

[Zombie_61]

This one has had a bit of journey, but it has made it to my doorstep yesterday. I owe a big thank you to Steve @Steve1857 and his sister for making this possible. The hat was listed on Ebay UK as a panama hat (seriously). Seller did not want to ship outside of the UK, so what to do? Luckily Steve still has relatives living there, so the hat was shipped off to his sister, to be picked up when Steven was back in England. The hat hadn't seen much love (see pics in the next post), but the style was certainly unusual for an English made hat and I'm a fan of T&W Lees hats anyway. After arrival I freshened up the hat a bit and here it is.
T&W Lees arminto style western hat in natural felt colour. Size 57 with the bound brim at 8,5cm and the open crown at 15cm. Great hand to the felt, but I wouldn't call it a chamois as can be read on the label. A bit sturdier and heavier felt as is fitting for a western. Weighs 180 grams. One for the Mancunian Cowboys this one.

You know, if you get that brim under control and give it a "Gus" crease, you might be on to something here.

 

[Alexwood]

My newest purchase for $128.00 CAD including shipping and taxes. A made in England Woodrow, Clifford, Midnight Blue fur felt made for Simpson’s The Store for Men, West End Quality, I believe it would be Simpson's of Canada. The seller thought it was from the 1950's, it comes in mint condition with original box.

 

[steur]

My newest purchase for $128.00 CAD including shipping and taxes. A made in England Woodrow, Clifford, Midnight Blue fur felt made for Simpson’s The Store for Men, West End Quality, I believe it would be Simpson's of Canada. The seller thought it was from the 1950's, it comes in mint condition with original box. View attachment 548922 View attachment 548923 View attachment 548924 View attachment 548925

Great find and a quality piece. Plenty of homburgs about, but not many in blue.

 

[steur]

Joseph E Ward homburg in black. Size 56 with the bound brim at 6,5cm and the crown at 11cm at the center dent. This one has a contrasting ribbon and binding, but it's hard to say if that was intentional or that they just lost their colour over time. I like the effect though. Sold by Kioes of Luxembourg. Georges Kioes was the successor of Waldbillig somewhere between 1935 and 1962. So this hat is centrainly before 1962. Late forties or early fifties would be my guess. The brim is still a bit uneven, likely because of the way at was stored.

 

[steur]

Part II

A couple more pics of the location and Waldbillig as a retailer.

The hat logo

The shop in 1913

The shop nowadays.

 

[Steve1857]

That's a real nice find, Stefan. Love it inside and out.

Great ribbon and brim binding contrast regardless if it's due to aging or design.

 

[Steve1857]

My newest purchase for $128.00 CAD including shipping and taxes. A made in England Woodrow, Clifford, Midnight Blue fur felt made for Simpson’s The Store for Men, West End Quality, I believe it would be Simpson's of Canada. The seller thought it was from the 1950's, it comes in mint condition with original box. View attachment 548922 View attachment 548923 View attachment 548924 View attachment 548925

Super find. As Stefan says, lots of Homburgs around, but not many in blue. Strange really as they really do look great in that colour. I have 3 or 4 myself. Hard to catch the shade in a photo.

Yours is most definitely from the 1950s. George VI died in 1952. Woodrow wouldn't still refer to the late king into the 60s.

It was made by J Woodrow & Son of Stockport, one of the Manchester hatmakers.