Were fedoras worn during WW1?

[Pat_H]

Here is an advertisement I recently added to my collection.

This is a full-page ad, and very colorful by advertising standards back then. The hat is boldly styled, similar to the famous photo of Capone. It features side creases instead of a front pinch, but still looks strikingly like what we think of as a fedora.

The year?

1908.

Wow! Great image!

The side creases seem pretty common on the photos of the early (proto?) fedoras I've run across. This hat looks like a Fedora to me, as do they. If they aren't they're darn close.

 

[Pat_H]

Here is an advertisement I recently added to my collection.

This is a full-page ad, and very colorful by advertising standards back then. The hat is boldly styled, similar to the famous photo of Capone. It features side creases instead of a front pinch, but still looks strikingly like what we think of as a fedora.

The year?

1908.

Compare it to the typical Crofut & Knapp from 1906, which is also typical of most hat companies' ads of the time:

Based on my research so far, I have to attribute this new hat styling and marketing to John Cavanagh, GM and VP of C&K at this time. It was his suggestion to reintroduce soft felt hats in 1906. His handiwork is seen all over this ad.

I find it interesting that Cavanagh, who was such a forward-looking innovator and visionary when it came to C&K and Dobbs hats, held his own baby brand, Cavanagh Hats, in a kind of time warp, almost unchanging and very conservative, from 1928 until the early- to mid-1950s, after he had retired from the company. Granted, his retailing concept of an exclusive store raised the bar that no company ever matched, but it's still funny.

Brad

On soft hats, the author of The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt notes Roosevelt's soft "campaign hat" being noted at the 1900 GOP Convention. That hat wasn't really a campaign hat, but a sort of cowboy hat, but which also resembled the Army's campaign hat at the time. This was likely worn to recall TR's recent Army service, as well as his ranching connections.

Anyhow, I note that, as that isn't far off in time from this, and the fact that he was wearing a soft hat was apparently notable for the time.

 

[deanglen]

Found this on the web. Circa 1915, I think.

dean

 

[Lefty]

That's quite a variety of styles.
There's everything from top hat to fedora in that photo.

I also really like the one guy's dimples.

Do you know what's going on there? It looks like the guy in the middle is probably a politician, the guy on the left is labor (it looks like he's in uniform), and the guy on the right is management.

 

[dhermann1]

That's Charlie Ebbets, president of the Brooklyn Dodgers. The McKeevers were his partners. Wilbert Robinson was the Dadger manager at the time.
Hard to know what this shot represents, but here's an article from a 1915 New York Times that presumably describes a pre season game at Ebbetts Field.
http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archiv...71238E633A25753C1A9629C946496D6CF&oref=slogin
This story is a great example of sports writing from that era. Quite amusing. And it describes a double steal by the Yankees: runner at first steals second, while the runner at third steals home!

 

[Pat_H]

That's quite a variety of styles.
There's everything from top hat to fedora in that photo.

I also really like the one guy's dimples.

Do you know what's going on there? It looks like the guy in the middle is probably a politician, the guy on the left is labor (it looks like he's in uniform), and the guy on the right is management.

Great avatar photo. What's the details behind it?

 

[Lefty]

fftopic: It's Alexander (Aleksandr) Rodchenko, an avant-garde painter, sculptor, photographer, metal smith, furniture and clothing designer, etc. who headed up the Russian Constructivist art movement. He's influenced the way I view nearly everything. Though I don't agree with any of his political views (he was a hard-line commie if there ever was one), it was his idea that a skilled artist can find a way to look at anything in a new way. His work can be found in most major museums, including MOMA.

Two of my prized possessions are photos from his original negatives.

Great avatar photo. What's the details behind it?

 

[deanglen]

If you follow this link to this baseball fan forum and peruse the photo galleries, like I have, you will find excellent hat pictures, (yes, many basball caps), but lots of fedoras on the heads of some of the star players from the early to mid twentieth century. It will take some persistence, but it's worth it.:

http://www.baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=40306


dean

 

[Pat_H]

That's Charlie Ebbets, president of the Brooklyn Dodgers. The McKeevers were his partners. Wilbert Robinson was the Dadger manager at the time.
Hard to know what this shot represents, but here's an article from a 1915 New York Times that presumably describes a pre season game at Ebbetts Field.
http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archiv...71238E633A25753C1A9629C946496D6CF&oref=slogin
This story is a great example of sports writing from that era. Quite amusing. And it describes a double steal by the Yankees: runner at first steal second, while the runner at third steals home!

And what's the story behind this great Avatar photo?

 

[Pat_H]

If you follow this link to this baseball fan forum and peruse the photo galleries, like I have, you will find excellent hat pictures, (yes, many basball caps), but lots of fedoras on the heads of some of the star players from the early to mid twentieth century. It will take some persistence, but it's worth it.:

http://www.baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=40306


dean

Wow, great collection of baseball photos.

 

[ADHD librarian]

well,
this fedora wearer is more well known for his role in WWII,
but he was a soldier in the War to End all Wars too. No Idea when these photos were taken but probably during or just before the second.

I wonder if he picked it up off the streets at a book burning, where it may have been dropped by some passing archaeologist?

 

[Lefty]

It would be interesting to be able to read the liner in that hat.

 

[Pat_H]

LoC photo, 1910-1915

This photo is indicated as having been taken between 1910 and 1915 by the Library of Congress:

http://memory.loc.gov/service/pnp/ggbain/09500/09553r.jpg

That's a Fedora. So they were around then, I think we'd have to agree.

 

[Pat_H]

This photo is indicated as having been taken between 1910 and 1915 by the Library of Congress:

http://memory.loc.gov/service/pnp/ggbain/09500/09553r.jpg

That's a Fedora. So they were around then, I think we'd have to agree.

By the way, it looks like this photo is on the earlier range of that time scale, so probably no later than 1910.

It seems we're getting the earliest Fedoras around 08-10.

 

[Lefty]

August Sander, "Young Farmers" (1914)

 

[BellyTank]

I've got a Hitler Hat!

Picture of it somewhere...

Furry, grey, fat ribbon.

I think this is early '30s.


B
T

 

[Speedster]

This photo is indicated as having been taken between 1910 and 1915 by the Library of Congress:

http://memory.loc.gov/service/pnp/ggbain/09500/09553r.jpg

That's a Fedora. So they were around then, I think we'd have to agree.

The New York Times, September 13, 1911 (other sources states that the drive took place on April 23, 1911 [huh]):

BURMAN MAKES WORLD'S RECORD

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archiv...A1531E233A25750C0A96F9C946096D6CF&oref=slogin

Could be from that event...

A few other shots of the car (and hats/crown):

 

[BellyTank]

Here it is, the Hitler Hat:

Quite similar, just dented differently, it's so soft, it will do anything.


B
T

I've got a Hitler Hat!

Picture of it somewhere...

Furry, grey, fat ribbon.

I think this is early '30s.


B
T

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

well,
this fedora wearer is more well known for his role in WWII,
but he was a soldier in the War to End all Wars too. No Idea when these photos were taken but probably during or just before the second.

I wonder if he picked it up off the streets at a book burning, where it may have been dropped by some passing archaeologist?[/QUOTE]
[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"][COLOR="MediumTurquoise"]"Hey, nice hat! I bet ya buy a hat like that and ya get a free bowl of soup!"
(Oh,he,he,...looks good on you though!)[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

 

[Pat_H]

Any location noted for those young farmers?