The School of Hard Knox

[BobHufford]

This hat was nothing at all like the seller described. The photos were equally poor. My disappointment didn’t last once I got a good look at it. Knox Excellent in near mint condition.

Saaaaweeeet! Good get Brent!

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Ooooooooohh. Well yeah definitely nothing to be disappointed with. Nice find my friend.

except maybe size

Thanks, Joe. The condition blows me away.

 

[steur]

Continuing:

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Dang! So close. But what a thing, Brent! Style, condition, colour: all spot on. Superb.

 

[Frunobulax]

Continuing:

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That's a helluva hat, Brent. Good get.

 

[TheOldFashioned]

A Superfine black white whale:

6" Crown (open)
2-3/8" Brim
2-1/4" Ribbon
98g Weight

This old medium hair Knox cleaned up quite nicely after a few brushing and some steam. It was caked pretty well in dust, but revealed a deep black underneath with a nice sheen, so maybe a melusine type finish. Moldable felt to die for that rivals my Stetson of a similar era.

I combed through the forum but couldn't find a label like this one. Found some similar, but not the same. See following post for more.

 

[steur]

A Superfine black white whale:
View attachment 400928 View attachment 400929 View attachment 400930 View attachment 400931

6" Crown (open)
2-3/8" Brim
2-1/4" Ribbon
98g Weight


View attachment 400932 View attachment 400933 View attachment 400934 View attachment 400935

This old medium hair Knox cleaned up quite nicely after a few brushing and some steam. It was caked pretty well in dust, but revealed a deep black underneath with a nice sheen, so maybe a melusine type finish. Moldable felt to die for that rivals my Stetson of a similar era.

I combed through the forum but couldn't find a label like this one. Found some similar, but not the same. See following post for more.

Gorgeous hat and quite the find, Jonathan!

 

[TheOldFashioned]

Some similar cell style labels:

From a post by Tonio:

From this police helmet at the Springfield Museum:

From my hat above:

From this post by delectans:

In 1903 Knox was split into two companies, the Knox Hat Manufacturing Company and the E.M. Knox Retail Hat Company. This lasted for approximately a decade before once again merging into the Knox Hat Company Inc.

I believe Tonio's hat/label is the oldest of the bunch. Note how closely the label from the police helmet is to the label in my hat. The helmet label includes "Manufacturing" whereas mine doesn't, but the layout is the same. As such I'm guessing my label evolved shortly after the merger of the two branches, thus possibly dating my hat to the mid-late teens or 1920s.

Obviously a sample size of one and based solely on this feature is not concrete proof. I only offer a hypothesis based on this information and other dating clues from the construction of the hat.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

A Superfine black white whale:
View attachment 400928 View attachment 400929 View attachment 400930 View attachment 400931

6" Crown (open)
2-3/8" Brim
2-1/4" Ribbon
98g Weight


View attachment 400932 View attachment 400933 View attachment 400934 View attachment 400935

This old medium hair Knox cleaned up quite nicely after a few brushing and some steam. It was caked pretty well in dust, but revealed a deep black underneath with a nice sheen, so maybe a melusine type finish. Moldable felt to die for that rivals my Stetson of a similar era.

I combed through the forum but couldn't find a label like this one. Found some similar, but not the same. See following post for more.

Wow! That’s a gorgeous hat!

 

[Blare]

A Superfine black white whale:
View attachment 400928 View attachment 400929 View attachment 400930 View attachment 400931

6" Crown (open)
2-3/8" Brim
2-1/4" Ribbon
98g Weight


View attachment 400932 View attachment 400933 View attachment 400934 View attachment 400935

This old medium hair Knox cleaned up quite nicely after a few brushing and some steam. It was caked pretty well in dust, but revealed a deep black underneath with a nice sheen, so maybe a melusine type finish. Moldable felt to die for that rivals my Stetson of a similar era.

I combed through the forum but couldn't find a label like this one. Found some similar, but not the same. See following post for more.

Wonderful hat

 

[Frunobulax]

Some similar cell style labels:

From a post by Tonio:
View attachment 400937

From this police helmet at the Springfield Museum:
View attachment 400938

From my hat above:
View attachment 400941

From this post by delectans:
View attachment 400940

In 1903 Knox was split into two companies, the Knox Hat Manufacturing Company and the E.M. Knox Retail Hat Company. This lasted for approximately a decade before once again merging into the Knox Hat Company Inc.

I believe Tonio's hat/label is the oldest of the bunch. Note how closely the label from the police helmet is to the label in my hat. The helmet label includes "Manufacturing" whereas mine doesn't, but the layout is the same. As such I'm guessing my label evolved shortly after the merger of the two branches, thus possibly dating my hat to the mid-late teens or 1920s.

Obviously a sample size of one and based solely on this feature is not concrete proof. I only offer a hypothesis based on this information and other dating clues from the construction of the hat.

That's just a great hat by anybody's standards. I dig the finish.

 

[Louis Mountbatten]

I have a Knox 100 in an original Knox hard case for sale. It is a size 7-1/4. I am in some financial trouble, otherwise I would never, ever, EVER sell this... so, anyone interested? We all know how rare this is, so you know I am not interested in letting it go cheap. Size 7-1/4.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I have a Knox 100 in an original Knox hard case for sale. It is a size 7-1/4. I am in some financial trouble, otherwise I would never, ever, EVER sell this... so, anyone interested? We all know how rare this is, so you know I am not interested in letting it go cheap. Size 7-1/4.

WOW! If it was my size I’d be breaking open my piggy bank.

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

I have a Knox 100 in an original Knox hard case for sale. It is a size 7-1/4. I am in some financial trouble, otherwise I would never, ever, EVER sell this... so, anyone interested? We all know how rare this is, so you know I am not interested in letting it go cheap. Size 7-1/4.

So how much is “not cheap”?

 

[Louis Mountbatten]

So how much is “not cheap”?

I am wrestling with that. As it is, I paid close to a grand for it in 2019. But when I bought it, it was only the hat. I added the case later when I found it. And with the case, the price is deeper, because the case is at least as rare as the hat, if not more so. I am leaning toward the $1,300 range. But... ebay may give me much more. So, I am wrestling with what I want to do. Add to it that I hate, hate, hate to sell it and I am struggling.

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

I am wrestling with that. As it is, I paid close to a grand for it in 2019. But when I bought it, it was only the hat. I added the case later when I found it. And with the case, the price is deeper, because the case is at least as rare as the hat, if not more so. I am leaning toward the $1,300 range. But... ebay may give me much more. So, I am wrestling with what I want to do. Add to it that I hate, hate, hate to sell it and I am struggling.

Thank you for the clarification.
I hope you can remedy your issue without letting go such a fine, fine hat.
Best wishes.
B

 

[Louis Mountbatten]

Thank you for the clarification.
I hope you can remedy your issue without letting go such a fine, fine hat.
Best wishes.
B

Thanks. I am in a bind and I'm afraid there's no help for it.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Knox Fifteen. 51/2” open crown and 2 3/8” wide brim with a Cavanagh edge.

 

[Blare]

Knox Fifteen. 51/2” open crown and 2 3/8” wide brim with a Cavanagh edge.

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Nice hat. Unusual in that it appears to be a 50s hat with black sweat.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Nice hat. Unusual in that it appears to be a 50s hat with black sweat.

I agree. The $15 price with a Cavanagh edge surely puts it in the 1950s, but on US made hats I would have expected a brown sweatband.

 

[Fourman110]

New to me Knox Vagabond felt hat. I've really been looking for a sage/olive color hat for a while and very pleased. The color changes quite a bit in different light sources.