The BORSALINO BROTHERHOOD

[dapperdude]

@steur
Thanks again for the help with the colour for the Gobasti Muflone. It's a beautiful colour. I had a look at the label under some side lighting and you are indeed correct about the colour. Thanks so much for helping me solve this mystery. Do you think im on the right track with the finish? Is this soleil do you think?
The one you posted is incredible too They are all stunning hats.

I gave it quick brush and shot some slow mo footage for my archive. The photos just don't do it justice.
I'm happy to post it unlisted on YouTube if anyone was interested.


I threw up a couple of screenshots.

Thanks

Ian

 

[steur]

@steur
Thanks again for the help with the colour for the Gobasti Muflone. It's a beautiful colour. I had a look at the label under some side lighting and you are indeed correct about the colour. Thanks so much for helping me solve this mystery. Do you think im on the right track with the finish? Is this soleil do you think?
The one you posted is incredible too They are all stunning hats.

I gave it quick brush and shot some slow mo footage for my archive. The photos just don't do it justice.
I'm happy to post it unlisted on YouTube if anyone was interested.


I threw up a couple of screenshots.

Thanks

Ian View attachment 821137 View attachment 821138

As far as I know Borsalino didn't use "soleil" or "flamand" as names for their finishes. They did use "peluche". Soleil finished hats usually have a higher shine, which is not as noticeable on this hat, but that could just be the lighting.

 

[moontheloon]

I found a lot of similar information when I originally had a look.

That sounds like a very interesting video. And Amon sounds like a very interesting guy. I'll have to try and find thst book.
Im amazed how connected the hat makers seemed to be . Not just to politicians, but internationally. White label stuff sold through multiple vendors. Fur felt sourced from obscure (at least to me) sources and going to makers in direct competition and vastly different regions.
I went down a rabbit hole chasing Fisher/Fischer history for a while and it was very confusing. Ww 2, name changes, mass migration, nationalised factories, white label or contract manufacturing. Everyone seems to be connected somehow back then

The hats I mentioned being burned was in relation to something i read about Amon setting a bunch of Borsalinos on fire when Italy entered the war from.memory? Thats good to know about Ethiopia. And the timeline makes a lot more sense.

At that at the time I think he was the largest individual hat buyer in the world. And that he swapped Shady Oak hats with his guests and had accumulated an amazing and huge collection of hats owned by his powerful and famous guests.
Truly interesting story and period. Without being able to cross-reference the faded tag with the spreadsheet here, I think it would just been an amazing hat that I couldn't find any information on.

Thanks for the info.
Would love to see your video when it comes out.

Ian

You' ll love the book
Highly recommended