Vintage Borsalino from Germany

[jamespowers]

I just got this in from Germany and thought I would share some pictures:

and the most interesting part that I have not seen before---so I had to buy it---yeah that's it :

I never noticed a Borsalino made for the US market to be so marked on the sweatband. The "Export Qualitat" is not low quality either like Borsalino makes today. The hat has not been worn much if at all. The original box didn't come with it, which explains why it was dusty as heck when I got it (Can you get lung cancer from felt dust? ). The felt is just as good as examples I have from Italy and Venice of the the same time period. Interesting---to me anyway.
We'll see how it performs in rain as I am wearing it today.

Regards to all,

J

 

[Kaleponi Craig]

Sweet lid, JP, any idea of how old it is?

KC

 

[feltfan]

and the most interesting part that I have not seen before---so I had to buy it---yeah that's it :
I never noticed a Borsalino made for the US market to be so marked on the sweatband. The "Export Qualitat"

That's German, not Italian. I imagine that "Export Qualitat"
was stamped on by the German store (like those odd
initial buttons on the sweat).

 

[jamespowers]

Sweet lid, JP, any idea of how old it is?

KC

Probably from the 1950s by my estimation.

Regards,

J

 

[jamespowers]

That's German, not Italian. I imagine that "Export Qualitat"
was stamped on by the German store (like those odd
initial buttons on the sweat).

The stamping does have a different font type than the rest of the labeling that is for sure. The initial buttons are actually pretty cool. Unfortunately only one is useful as an inital of mine.

Regards to all,

J

 

[Mr. Rover]

Looks like it has a bound-edge. That's pretty nice. Any theories to why a lot of the Borsalinos I see have such narrow ribbons? It's rare for me to see any on eBay with a ribbon more than 1" or so.

 

[Twitch]

Good lookin! And I love that color too.

 

[jamespowers]

Looks like it has a bound-edge. That's pretty nice. Any theories to why a lot of the Borsalinos I see have such narrow ribbons? It's rare for me to see any on eBay with a ribbon more than 1" or so.

It has a very small bound edge. You don't notice until you look hard. It must have been tough for the hatter to get it just right being so small an area to work with.
Most Borsalinos you see are Alessandrias and they have thin ribbons by style. Finding the other styles is harder because they made more Alesandrias than anything else for export.

Regards,

J

 

[feltfan]

Narrow ribbons

Any theories to why a lot of the Borsalinos I see have such narrow ribbons? It's rare for me to see any on eBay with a ribbon more than 1" or so.

There are certainly a lot of Borsalinos with narrow ribbons,
even if you ignore the "open road" super narrow ones.
I believe one reason for this was that many of the lighter
hats were intended to be rolled up frequently and a wider
ribbon would keep wrinkles or the bow would be messed up.

I have a couple of early 50s Borsalinos with narrow ribbons
that have incredibly thin felt and roll readily. One came in
one of those "cheese wedge" Borsalino boxes. After ~50 years
it popped into a c-crown shape. With a touch of steam
it was smooth.

Another possibility might be that the 50s-era hats we
see have narrow ribbons as a statement of modernity,
along with the lower crown (again, ignoring the western-style
micro-ribbon). If you check out that Chronicle Books tome
"Men's Hats" you can see that Borsalinos from the turn of
the century through the 30s had some remarkably wide ribbons.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

I believe one reason for this was that many of the lighter
hats were intended to be rolled up frequently and a wider
ribbon would keep wrinkles or the bow would be messed up.

That theory makes a lot of sense!

 

[scotrace]

I need to have Art put that size ribbon on my Open Road style Borsalino.

Very nice catch!

 

[jamespowers]

Borsalino did have numerous ribbon widths it is just that what we see here are mostly the Alessandrias. That style has been around for over fifty years now and they still make it---although the new ones the local hat guy got in were so bad that he sent them back.
I have a Borsalino ad from 1958 that shows a narrow brim with a wide ribbon around the crown. So they did make them but looking at that style it is no wonder they didn't sell many.
The Borsalino travel hats are a different story. Art had several of them at the store and they are a different animal than mine even though I can roll mine up just as easily. The travel hats are still produced today if my memory serves me correctly. The vintage ones have a different type of sweatband (very thin roan) and lighter weight felt but the ones I saw had a ribbon width about the same width as mine. Darn, I should have bought those even though they would never fit me. Art is the one to elaborate more on the travel hats as he has seen tons more than I.
This does not mean that I cannot roll up the light weight Borsalinos without any undue problems. In fact I threw three of them in a suit case for the QM. They straightened out fine. The difference is the 40s Borsalinos with the medium weight felt will become a mess if you roll them up. Can you say reblock needed?

Regards to all,

J

 

[riccardo]

Georgeous hat, compliments.
Enjoy it.
Riccardo.

 

[BellyTank]

I have a '40s Borsalino, which I got from France- it's the classic shape, in a beige shade with about a 3/16" bound edge and 3/8" ribbon.

B
T

 

[The real Henry]

Great fedora, well, for the reason you got in Germany! Ebay.de? Usually you get not that nice stuff!

BTW-It's Export Qualität/Qualitaet which means as most of you would think of export quality! Too difficult isn't it?

 

[jamespowers]

I have a '40s Borsalino, which I got from France- it's the classic shape, in a geige shade with about a 3/16" bound edge and 3/8" ribbon.

B
T

Well, lets see some pictures man. :cheers1:

Regards to all,

J

 

[BellyTank]

JP- I'm sure I've posted pics of it before...

The grey 'Angora'(slightly fuzzy)Borsalino that I also have is the identical and classic Borsalino shape but with a black 1 5/8" black ribbon and that 'Cavanaugh' style self-felted beaded brim edge.

Neither of them have wind trolleys-

I like these Borsa's a lot- the shape is classic.
The modern Allesandrias are a very similar shape(trying to be)- but as discussed, the materials and workmanship don't measure up to the vintage jobs...

B
T

 

[Harry Lime]

Beautiful hats. I do love the long hairs when they're properly done. And I've touched a couple of Borsalinos like your grey one - the hand is incredible.

Harry Lime

 

[Hemingway Jones]

Beautiful Hat, Mr. Powers! It looks very "Bogart" to me. I hope you bring it to the QM. I would love to see it.

I love Borsalino's. The are so soft and so light weight that it nearly defies reason! I have a vintage Borsalino that I bought in a vintage shop for $65! and it was it such marvelous shape.

Here are some pictures:


Mine has a wind trolley, and I rather like it!

 

[jamespowers]

That's great. I love the hats.
BT, that plush is a really nice hat. I wish I could find one in my size. That gray Alessandria is an example of what I am talking about. Geez, if they made them like that for export to the US, I would buy one. As it is now I think they are franchised out and made by some far away factory---at least that is what I have to think to account for the huge drop in quality. I mean really. A glued in liner?! :rage:
I might just bring it to the QM this year if it is not at the bottom of those stacks. You don't have too bad a hat there either.
Ok, who else has a Borsalino for show and tell? :cheers1:

Regards to all,

J