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The School of Hard Knox

Messages
18,432
Location
Nederland
When I received this one I realised how few American made hats I actually have. There are several American branded hats in my collection, like Stetson or Dobbs, but these were made under license in Europe. Apart from the occasional western hat tourists bring home with them there are not many American made hats around. This one I swappend with Lounge member Michael78 for a Garant fedora which was too roomy for me. It's a Knox Superfine Homburg in brown, size 7 1/8. With a brim at 7cm and crown at 11,5cm at the pinch both the widest en highest homburg I have. I must say this is a superb quality hat. I knew of Knox of course, but I had never handled one. Beautiful piece of work. It does have some foxing on the liner and a few stains on the brim binding, but that gives it character. No idea how to age this one; a wild guess would be late forties to mid fifties. Sold by Donaldson Inc of Jacksonville , Florida for $ 12,50.

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FedOregon

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,134
Location
Oregon
When I received this one I realised how few American made hats I actually have. There are several American branded hats in my collection, like Stetson or Dobbs, but these were made under license in Europe. Apart from the occasional western hat tourists bring home with them there are not many American made hats around. This one I swappend with Lounge member Michael78 for a Garant fedora which was too roomy for me. It's a Knox Superfine Homburg in brown, size 7 1/8. With a brim at 7cm and crown at 11,5cm at the pinch both the widest en highest homburg I have. I must say this is a superb quality hat. I knew of Knox of course, but I had never handled one. Beautiful piece of work. It does have some foxing on the liner and a few stains on the brim binding, but that gives it character. No idea how to age this one; a wild guess would be late forties to mid fifties. Sold by Donaldson Inc of Jacksonville , Florida for $ 12,50.

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Man, that is spectacular!
 
Messages
12,384
Location
Albany Oregon
When I received this one I realised how few American made hats I actually have. There are several American branded hats in my collection, like Stetson or Dobbs, but these were made under license in Europe. Apart from the occasional western hat tourists bring home with them there are not many American made hats around. This one I swappend with Lounge member Michael78 for a Garant fedora which was too roomy for me. It's a Knox Superfine Homburg in brown, size 7 1/8. With a brim at 7cm and crown at 11,5cm at the pinch both the widest en highest homburg I have. I must say this is a superb quality hat. I knew of Knox of course, but I had never handled one. Beautiful piece of work. It does have some foxing on the liner and a few stains on the brim binding, but that gives it character. No idea how to age this one; a wild guess would be late forties to mid fifties. Sold by Donaldson Inc of Jacksonville , Florida for $ 12,50.

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Always love a good looking brown homburg (as we call them here...), this one is a gem Stefan! It does look like early 50s. The three letter abbreviation for Florida dates it as well as the price.
 
Messages
12,384
Location
Albany Oregon
Always love a good looking brown homburg (as we call them here...), this one is a gem Stefan! It does look like early 50s. The three letter abbreviation for Florida dates it as well as the price.

From the US Post Office website:

Until 1963 the Post Office Department preferred that state and territorial names be written out in full to avoid confusion, but accepted the popular public practice of abbreviation.

The Department published a list of preferred abbreviations in the 1831 Table of Post Offices in the United States. The United States Official Postal Guide, first published in 1874, also provided lists of preferred spellings. Most of the abbreviations in use in 1874 were still in use in 1943, although new states and territories had been added, and the abbreviation for California had been lengthened, from "Cal." to "Calif."
 
Messages
18,432
Location
Nederland
Man, that is spectacular!
Always love a good looking brown homburg (as we call them here...), this one is a gem Stefan! It does look like early 50s. The three letter abbreviation for Florida dates it as well as the price.
From the US Post Office website:

Until 1963 the Post Office Department preferred that state and territorial names be written out in full to avoid confusion, but accepted the popular public practice of abbreviation.

The Department published a list of preferred abbreviations in the 1831 Table of Post Offices in the United States. The United States Official Postal Guide, first published in 1874, also provided lists of preferred spellings. Most of the abbreviations in use in 1874 were still in use in 1943, although new states and territories had been added, and the abbreviation for California had been lengthened, from "Cal." to "Calif."
Gentlemen, thanks. It is indeed quite something and it does make a statement. Even more so than my other homburgs do.
Mike, thanks for the additional information that's useful for dating the hat; the postal guidelines for the different states are not something we in Europe would be aware of right away.
 

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