The BORSALINO BROTHERHOOD

[jeffgarf]

I just dug mine up and sure enough it's from that shop as well. Curious!

Snapped some pics but don't have time to post them, will do soon.

I wasn't crazy, right?

 

[steur]

I present another (one of the very few we see here) Borsalino Castor to add to the Brotherhood. This was sold as a black, size 6 7/8. Once I got the buyer down on his price, I was willing to buy it and work to resize it (or have it worked on). At purchase, I noticed the Punti size 5 tag, and though I'm usually a 5 1/2, this one ended up fitting perfectly.

A 2 1/2" brim with a thin hatband. It weighs 8 gr. Upon further inspection, I believe it is actually blue, an even darker shade than Mirtillo. As the last picture will show, the lining of the sweatband fused itself to the white celled tag, making almost everything but the size impossible to read. I attached an enhanced photo if anyone would like to assist.

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Black v. Blue View attachment 799049

Really cool find , Jeff. As you said: these castoro hats don't show up often. Not all of them came from Giuseppe Gallieni though. Mine came from Michele Balbi. It does happen though that some hats seem to be exclusive. All Martora hats we've seen here come from Peluso and all the "Maior" hats with the cool liner come from Giuseppe Marino. Retailers could choose their own liners (within reason I suppose).

I had a go at the label and for my money it is a Mirtillo. The model name keeps its secrets (to my eye at least).
The limited number of blue colours from Borsalino are a bit of an enigma. I'm sure when I first started with this hat thing I saw a colour chart by Borsalino somewhere with all of their blues and there were dozens of them with very subtle differences between them. Never been able to find that chart again

 

[jeffgarf]

Really cool find , Jeff. As you said: these castoro hats don't show up often. Not all of them came from Giuseppe Gallieni though. Mine came from Michele Balbi. It does happen though that some hats seem to be exclusive. All Martora hats we've seen here come from Peluso and all the "Maior" hats with the cool liner come grom Giuseppe Marino. Retailers could choose their own liners (within reason I suppose).

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I had a go at the label and for my money it is a Mirtillo. The model name keeps its secrets (to my eye at least).
The limited number of blue colours from Borsalino are a bit of an enigma. I'm sure when I first started with this hat thing I saw a colour chart by Borsalino somewhere with all of their blues and there were dozens of them with very subtle differences between them. Never been able to find that chart again

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Thank you for sharing both the information about your hats, as well as the great detective work on the color of my hat. I will go with Mirtillo as well, based upon the great enhancement you've done on the label photo.

 

[blewnote]

Been meaning to post this after the discussion of the provenance of Castoro Borsalino hats. Here's mine. The ribbon on the binding is definitely showing its age and should probably be replaced, other than that just needs a cleaning. Great felt, very thin and moldable.

 

[jeffgarf]

I'm not sure what I'm doing with this one yet, but it is a very nice one that dates from the 1936-1953 period. An Ecosan in Opale color, I knew it was on the small side even though the seller didn't provide any information other than the approximate width and length measurements. It is a Punti 4 1/2, but actually, for once, seems larger. The brim comes in at 7cm (2 1/2").

 

[jeffgarf]

I'm not sure what I'm doing with this one yet, but it is a very nice one that dates from the 1936-1953 period. An Ecosan in Opale color, I knew it was on the small side even though the seller didn't provide any information other than the approximate width and length measurements. It is a Punti 4 1/2, but actually, for once, seems larger. The brim comes in at 7cm (2 1/2").

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This was creased backwards. It has now been re-creased properly.

 

[Judgmentalist]

This was creased backwards. It has now been re-creased properly.

Oh yeah - look at that

 

[Judgmentalist]

This was creased backwards. It has now been re-creased properly.

I specifically love this color combination - mid grey felt with a lighter ribbon - I mean, it’s no black hat but still pretty cool.

 

[jeffgarf]

Oh yeah - look at that

And that is the beauty of a vinatge Borsa. Crease it either way, man or woman, and it wears just as well.

 

[steur]

I'm not sure what I'm doing with this one yet, but it is a very nice one that dates from the 1936-1953 period. An Ecosan in Opale color, I knew it was on the small side even though the seller didn't provide any information other than the approximate width and length measurements. It is a Punti 4 1/2, but actually, for once, seems larger. The brim comes in at 7cm (2 1/2").

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Very cool find, Jeff. The creases on the liner have me thinking this could have been a coffin box hat.

 

[jeffgarf]

Very cool find, Jeff. The creases on the liner have me thinking this could have been a coffin box hat.

It feels that it may very well have been.

 

[Pellie]

Borsalino Lobbia velour from the 60's early 70's. Colour changed on the label from Melasso to Marocco (don't know why). Very nice and soft felt. Fits perfectly. Nice hat!

 

[jeffgarf]

Borsalino Lobbia velour from the 60's early 70's. Colour changed on the label from Melasso to Marocco (don't know why). Very nice and soft felt. Fits perfectly. Nice hat! View attachment 802081 View attachment 802082 View attachment 802083 View attachment 802084 View attachment 802085 View attachment 802086 View attachment 802087

Interesting. Both colors do appear on the list we have as browns used by Borsalino. Have you checked for other examples here?

 

[Pellie]

Interesting. Both colors do appear on the list we have as browns used by Borsalino. Have you checked for other examples here?

Yes i saw that too, but which one is correct? Didn't check other hats here yet!

Edit: checked the lounge and i think Melasso is more accurate then Marocco, but why it is changed i don't know.

 

[Judgmentalist]

Borsalino Lobbia velour from the 60's early 70's. Colour changed on the label from Melasso to Marocco (don't know why). Very nice and soft felt. Fits perfectly. Nice hat! View attachment 802081 View attachment 802082 View attachment 802083 View attachment 802084 View attachment 802085 View attachment 802086 View attachment 802087

Very, very cool. Pellie. : ) I love this furry hat lol

 

[Pellie]

Very, very cool. Pellie. : ) I love this furry hat lol

Thank you, me too.... ;-)

 

[Daniele Tanto]

Edit: checked the lounge and i think Melasso is more accurate then Marocco, but why it is changed i don't know

Marcel, you don't have the eye of the Borsalino dye When, a few years back, they decided it was "Marocco" rather than "Melasso," there must have been a reason—or perhaps the person attaching the production labels made a mistake, or the dye shade had simply shifted closer to "Marocco" than to "Melasso." Over the years—not just recently—Borsalino has maintained very similar color palettes for base colors (in this case, "Brown"), which occasionally gave rise to "in-between" shades.

 

[jeffgarf]

Some Borsalino hats are timeless classics and some are a product of their time. This telescope crown (porkpie), I believe, is of the latter (61-64). A 1 3/4" brim and a 3 3/4" crown, it is a qualitá finissima in the rare color, stibina, a gray. Definitely one for the collection.

 

[Judgmentalist]

Some Borsalino hats are timeless classics and some are a product of their time. This telescope crown (porkpie), I believe, is if the latter (61-64). A 1 3/4" brim and a 3 3/4" crown, it is a qualitá finissima in the rare color, stibina, a gray. Definitely one for the collection.

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“Product of their time” gonna have to remember that - got a couple of those floating around lol - cool hat though

 

[steur]

Borsalino Lobbia velour from the 60's early 70's. Colour changed on the label from Melasso to Marocco (don't know why). Very nice and soft felt. Fits perfectly. Nice hat! View attachment 802081 View attachment 802082 View attachment 802083 View attachment 802084 View attachment 802085 View attachment 802086 View attachment 802087

Really like that style, Marcel. I think if you keep gently brushing it, you'll get that velour back to pristine condition.