the serial number on a vintage borsalino?

[skwerl-hat]

does anyone know if theres any way to read these #s do they tell the date the hat was made? i just found the number on my borsalino torino it reads

n3154p 42336
thanks for any help

 

[squid]

There are several threads discussing that. The serial number is usually two sets of five numbers. In some hats the first two digits of the second set is the year it was made. I think we are pretty sure that works from the early 70s until now. That might be true for other time periods, and maybe it's a coincidence when the numbers match the same decade the hat was made.

I have two Borsalinos with serials that have numbers in the mid thirties. One I am sure was made in the thirties, and the other I think was made in the fifties. I have another that doesn't match when I think the hat was made.

 

[skwerl-hat]

hey thanks for the info, squid
i somehow missed the thread on serial numbers
i was asleep during that lesson!

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

My two Borsalino Homburgs, probably 1950s:

My Borsalino first sold in Saigon or Pnomh Penh, probably 1920s:

My Borsalino "Open Road," probably 1950s-60s:

 

[Baron Kurtz]

From what i can see (comparing my own and others that were posted here), there is no clear correlation between earlier Borsa birth dates and the serial numbers. There is a thread ("just the facts, Ma'am") that tried to form a resource for verifyable early Borsa dating info. It, unfortunately, degenerated into another of the specuative threads, if i remember correctly ...

bk

 

[Cruiser]

More serial numbers...

I recently won a Borsalino Alessandria, mentioned in a different thread. In the eBay listing, the seller posts the following comment, including the serial number. "The lable says the following: Qualita Superiore Borsalino Alessandria Made in Italy Reg. U.S. Pat. Off. Underneath the band there is a lable that has the numbers 3038 47704 and the word Bismuto. The outside of the leather band has the Borsalino Stamp followed by Fabrica si Cappelli - Alessandria - Grand Prix Paris 1900 - Made in Italy Original House founded in 1857."

So, would you take this to mean that the hat was made or originally sold in 1947? Or does that only apply to the 1970's and later, as far as we know?

 

[DOUGLAS]

Tony, that hat from Pnomh Penh is absolutely beautiful. You are a lucky man.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Tony, that hat from Pnomh Penh is absolutely beautiful.

That was a wonderful auction. And the price!!! http://cgi.ebay.com/VERITABLE-BORSA...97QQihZ001QQcategoryZ2998QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

.

 

[Dinerman]

my #'s don't seem to mean anything.

 

[mayserwegener]

Borsalino dating is very problematic. Please look over this thread (see below). It's the place to post Borsalino related questions.

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?13133-The-BORSALINO-BROTHERHOOD&highlight=borsalino