Optimo south side mobsters

[Judgmentalist]

There are some very large Optimo hats making an appearance on eBay, if you haven't seen them.

The green one is 7 5/8 and the other two are both 7 7/8. The green one was originally listed at $750 but is descending toward, IMHO, reasonable offer range. The other two are fairly new. I'm grateful that none of the three will fit me lol.

 

[jeffgarf]

There are some very large Optimo hats making an appearance on eBay, if you haven't seen them.

The green one is 7 5/8 and the other two are both 7 7/8. The green one was originally listed at $750 but is descending toward, IMHO, reasonable offer range. The other two are fairly new. I'm grateful that none of the three will fit me lol.

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Yeah. Saw those. Large hats with a large price tag.

 

[thekiyote]

It is a very beautiful book. I learned some things about hat making. I also like having pictures and descriptions of most of Optimo's product line - though most of those photos and descriptions are available on their maddeningly limited website.

It is also an effective propoganda piece. I am fairly convinced that Optimo makes about the highest quality hats it is possible to make in the modern era. When I go to Chicago later in the year, I hope to ask Mr. Thompson what he thinks about modern quality vs. vintage quality and see what he has to say on the matter.

On the other hand, in a knowledgable crowd like TFL, I would be surprised if there were much, if any valuable data in terms of actual hat making, so in that sense I believe it fails to deliver on the promise of it's title.

At one point Mr. Graham describes having come up with an innovation that he believes is more accurate and effective than the vintage conformateurs he used to use, but the author did not include pictures of the device. I expect I will get to try one on at some point.

Yup, I dropped the $150 for that book.

I have complicated feelings about Optimo. I used to live just down the street from them, and have been in their shop many many times. In the mid-2010s, I came really close to ordering a hat from them, but opted to get a custom Art Faucet hat instead.

Like, I understand that a certain level of mythologizing is a part of the hat maker game, but that guy managed to fill a whole dang book with it, to the degree it feels a little cult like.

Yet, at the same time, the hats ARE really good, the book has a lot of photos of hats that I basically study for ideas, and getting a new hat from them is still kinda on my bucket list, despite the cost.

Very similar vibe to Hermes, as a leather worker, their high end bags really are some of the best made of all the high end brands, quality and skill wise, and I respect them for that, but that Hermes game does feel a bit shady to me, but also they seem to do other things well, so who am I to judge if one of those things is marketing?

Same with Optimo

Edit: Right after writing this, I walk upstairs, I see my daughter like this. She takes after me too much

 

[Hurricane Jack]

I bought an older TAR Optimo (ivory liner) a few wks ago. I liked the dimensions & am not sure if it was a predecessor to the Nashville in the Original West line or not. I believe the felt color is Noir, the same as the Americana from the Original West line. The dimensions were slightly smaller than the Pioneer Peak but I wanted to see if I could clone one if I kept the ratios of the lines similar, & not change the ribbon or remove the binding. The donor hat had been creased to look like a Stratoliner.

Nashville

While I’m not quite finished I wanted to wear the hat today, get some pics & see what I might need to do to finish it up. I have not set the dents & intend to make them smaller & more shapely. I’m not sure I can increase the angle of the rake without it touching my head towards the front.

Original West Pioneer Peak

 

[jba972]

I bought an older TAR Optimo (ivory liner) a few wks ago. I liked the dimensions & am not sure if it was a predecessor to the Nashville in the Original West line or not. I believe the felt color is Noir, the same as the Americana from the Original West line. The dimensions were slightly smaller than the Pioneer Peak but I wanted to see if I could clone one if I kept the ratios of the lines similar, & not change the ribbon or remove the binding. The donor hat had been creased to look like a Stratoliner.

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Nashville

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While I’m not quite finished I wanted to wear the hat today, get some pics & see what I might need to do to finish it up. I have not set the dents & intend to make them smaller & more shapely. I’m not sure I can increase the angle of the rake without it touching my head towards the front.

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Original West Pioneer Peak
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Do you know when they switched from the white liners? That last Optimo hat has a white liner. The hat also came with a small catalog with hats that aren't in their current lineup.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Do you know when they switched from the white liners? That last Optimo hat has a white liner. The hat also came with a small catalog with hats that aren't in their current lineup.

I have never seen a McQueen in person. I do not know when the liners were switched to the gold. I believe all the Original West line of which I have two, had the gold liner. I also have a Melusine finish with the gold liner.

 

[Judgmentalist]

I have never seen a McQueen in person. I do not know when the liners were switched to the gold. I believe all the Original West line of which I have two, had the gold liner. I also have a Melusine finish with the gold liner.

Love to see that Melusine some time

 

[Judgmentalist]

Love to see that Melusine some time

Found it - very cool

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/optimo-south-side-mobsters.30265/page-111#post-2985717

 

[Judgmentalist]

Melusine long hair beaver

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How do you like this hat compared to similar vintage examples?

 

[Hurricane Jack]

How do you like this hat compared to similar vintage examples?

It needs to be a quality piece capable of giving off a bit of sheen. Not something that looks like it came from an old fuzzy bathroom rug.

 

[Rmccamey]

Gannon was offered a few Melusine hoods last year. He and I talked but could not come up with any interesting ideas at the time beyond a top hat or a coachman hat. He was also worried that the market for such would be very small. I don't think he moved forward with the purchase but if anyone is interested in a custom Melusine you might give him a shout.

It needs to be a quality piece capable of giving off a bit of sheen. Not something that looks like it came from an old fuzzy bathroom rug.

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[Hurricane Jack]

He and I talked but could not come up with any interesting ideas at the time beyond a top hat or a coachman hat.

I’d vote for a coachman, a modern derby, or maybe a BRE or Michael’s own Highwayman.

 

[Gilded Age Guy]

Hello all, allow me to introduce myself in my first post ever. My name's Robert Brighton, and I'm a novelist (RobertBrightonAuthor.com) In my spare time, I'm a guitarist and Hat Guy. My seventh novel appears in October and thus is officially off my desk, so between now and the book tour I have time on my hands to catch up on other things, including hats and hat lore!

I'm starting here in this Optimo interest area because a) I'm not sure where else to begin and b) I have a nice collection of Optimo hats and am a great admirer of Graham both as a human and a hatter.

In addition to the Optimo brand, I also enjoy vintage hats, the older the better since my work is based in the Gilded Age (hence my handle). I wear all of my hats (if not simultaneously), even the ones that are probably classed as 'collector's items.' I like to think it makes them happy to survey the world from atop someone's head, as they were intended to do.

You can call me Robert or 'GAG' if you prefer. Anyhow, I'm not really a social media person, nor in truth terribly social in general, but I thought I'd give this site a whirl because the life of a writer can get pretty solitary. While that suits me fine, sometimes it's nice to shoot the breeze with other people of like mind and interests.

See you around! --Robert.

 

[jeffgarf]

Hello all, allow me to introduce myself in my first post ever. My name's Robert Brighton, and I'm a novelist (RobertBrightonAuthor.com) In my spare time, I'm a guitarist and Hat Guy. My seventh novel appears in October and thus is officially off my desk, so between now and the book tour I have time on my hands to catch up on other things, including hats and hat lore!

I'm starting here in this Optimo interest area because a) I'm not sure where else to begin and b) I have a nice collection of Optimo hats and am a great admirer of Graham both as a human and a hatter.

In addition to the Optimo brand, I also enjoy vintage hats, the older the better since my work is based in the Gilded Age (hence my handle). I wear all of my hats (if not simultaneously), even the ones that are probably classed as 'collector's items.' I like to think it makes them happy to survey the world from atop someone's head, as they were intended to do.

You can call me Robert or 'GAG' if you prefer. Anyhow, I'm not really a social media person, nor in truth terribly social in general, but I thought I'd give this site a whirl because the life of a writer can get pretty solitary. While that suits me fine, sometimes it's nice to shoot the breeze with other people of like mind and interests.

See you around! --Robert.

Welcome. I think you'll find many like-minded folks here and varying levels of social media engagement. For some, I'm pretty sure this was the gateway. Congratulations on completing the novel, as well.

 

[Judgmentalist]

Hello all, allow me to introduce myself in my first post ever. My name's Robert Brighton, and I'm a novelist (RobertBrightonAuthor.com) In my spare time, I'm a guitarist and Hat Guy. My seventh novel appears in October and thus is officially off my desk, so between now and the book tour I have time on my hands to catch up on other things, including hats and hat lore!

I'm starting here in this Optimo interest area because a) I'm not sure where else to begin and b) I have a nice collection of Optimo hats and am a great admirer of Graham both as a human and a hatter.

In addition to the Optimo brand, I also enjoy vintage hats, the older the better since my work is based in the Gilded Age (hence my handle). I wear all of my hats (if not simultaneously), even the ones that are probably classed as 'collector's items.' I like to think it makes them happy to survey the world from atop someone's head, as they were intended to do.

You can call me Robert or 'GAG' if you prefer. Anyhow, I'm not really a social media person, nor in truth terribly social in general, but I thought I'd give this site a whirl because the life of a writer can get pretty solitary. While that suits me fine, sometimes it's nice to shoot the breeze with other people of like mind and interests.

See you around! --Robert.

First—I bought one of your books, and I’m looking forward to reading it. I’m an avid reader and always looking for new fiction to feed the beast.

Second—you should definitely post pictures of your Optimos. I love Optimo. At the moment I have seven, I think, and as far as I’m concerned they make the best hats it is possible to make in the modern world. I’d love to see yours.

I get a tremendous amount of both entertainment and education value from this forum, and I expect you will as well. Welcome to the Lounge!

 

[Gilded Age Guy]

Thank you fellows for your most cordial welcome. I certainly agree that Optimo makes surpassingly fine hats. The new Heirloom silverbelly felts are particularly choice. Only recently--before Graham disappeared again for Hawaii (who could blame him?)--he made me a beautiful heirloom Ranchero in 'Camel'. The new Optimo store he's setting up on the Big Island will be, as you may already know, quite the destination. Live jazz, a speakeasy, and (of course) a plethora of very fine straws--really the whole range from a few now-unobtanium 'cellar stock' Milans to fino to trafino Montecristis. I think it'll be a must-add to any Hat Person's itinerary when in the Aloha State.

And thank you Mr. Judgmentalist for supporting my work. While I'm certainly not here to promote it, I'm just as certainly appreciative all the same. There would be no writers without readers like yourself! There was a time I wrote for my own pride--I wanted to be 'published' and all that--but now as the years have passed I find I write not at all for myself, but for my readers. So I am humbly grateful that they (and you) allow me to do what I love to do.

And thank you Mr. Jeffgarf for your very kind comments on finishing the new one. It's called 'The Mosquito God--Theodore Roosevelt's Spy Game', and it's quite a lot of fun. (I think.)

 

[Judgmentalist]

Thank you fellows for your most cordial welcome. I certainly agree that Optimo makes surpassingly fine hats. The new Heirloom silverbelly felts are particularly choice. Only recently--before Graham disappeared again for Hawaii (who could blame him?)--he made me a beautiful heirloom Ranchero in 'Camel'. The new Optimo store he's setting up on the Big Island will be, as you may already know, quite the destination. Live jazz, a speakeasy, and (of course) a plethora of very fine straws--really the whole range from a few now-unobtanium 'cellar stock' Milans to fino to trafino Montecristis. I think it'll be a must-add to any Hat Person's itinerary when in the Aloha State.

And thank you Mr. Judgmentalist for supporting my work. While I'm certainly not here to promote it, I'm just as certainly appreciative all the same. There would be no writers without readers like yourself! There was a time I wrote for my own pride--I wanted to be 'published' and all that--but now as the years have passed I find I write not at all for myself, but for my readers. So I am humbly grateful that they (and you) allow me to do what I love to do.

And thank you Mr. Jeffgarf for your very kind comments on finishing the new one. It's called 'The Mosquito God--Theodore Roosevelt's Spy Game', and it's quite a lot of fun. (I think.)

So far, all of my Optimos have been purchased on the secondary market, and I wasn't aware of the Hawaii location. Thank you for bringing this to my attention.

 

[konadog]

I've owned many Optimo Chicago hats. Sold some, kept most. Here is the only one I bought second hand, a charcoal Chicago:

 

[jba972]

I've bought two retail at the store but a few more second hand ..I feel like the more I buy second hand I bring down the average amount I have spent on them. Lol

My Chicago in Camel.

 

[Gilded Age Guy]

Mr. Judgmentalist asked about what I called my new Ranchero Heritage Camel. I misspoke, it's a Gambler Heritage Camel. I was thinking of a different hat. Anyway, here it is.