Grosgrain Treasures from the Historic Batsakes Hat Shop (Est. 1907)

[TheSocialHat]

Here’s another treasure from my acquisition of the historic Batsakes Hat Shop in Cincinnati, Ohio, established in 1907.
An incredible collection of vintage rayon and cotton grosgrain ribbons, preserved in their original rolls and stored in these beautiful old wooden drawers.
Different widths, colors, textures, and finishes — some of which are increasingly difficult to find today.
For me, these ribbons are more than hat trimmings. They’re part of the history of American hatmaking, and I’m excited to give them a new life on the custom fur felt hats I’m creating.
There’s something special about pairing vintage materials with traditional hatmaking techniques.
One hat at a time, keeping the craft alive.
I’d love to hear from fellow Lounge members: Does anyone else collect or work with vintage grosgrain ribbons?

 

[belfastboy]

Here’s another treasure from my acquisition of the historic Batsakes Hat Shop in Cincinnati, Ohio, established in 1907.
An incredible collection of vintage rayon and cotton grosgrain ribbons, preserved in their original rolls and stored in these beautiful old wooden drawers.
Different widths, colors, textures, and finishes — some of which are increasingly difficult to find today.
For me, these ribbons are more than hat trimmings. They’re part of the history of American hatmaking, and I’m excited to give them a new life on the custom fur felt hats I’m creating.
There’s something special about pairing vintage materials with traditional hatmaking techniques.
One hat at a time, keeping the craft alive.
I’d love to hear from fellow Lounge members: Does anyone else collect or work with vintage grosgrain ribbons?

One of the most important steps I took when I began my hat making journey was securing many lifetimes of good vintage woven edge grosgrain ribbon. I have thousands of yards of it so no worries of ever running out. It is my single largest expenditure I have made setting up shop. My only regret is not buying more when I had the opportunity.

 

[TheSocialHat]

One of the most important steps I took when I began my hat making journey was securing many lifetimes of good vintage woven edge grosgrain ribbon. I have thousands of yards of it so no worries of ever running out. It is my single largest expenditure I have made setting up shop. My only regret is not buying more when I had the opportunity.

Absolutely! When it comes to beautiful vintage woven-edge grosgrain ribbon, there’s simply no such thing as having too much!


I completely understand your regret about not purchasing more when you had the opportunity. These old ribbons are becoming increasingly difficult to find, especially in certain widths, colors, and qualities.


I’ll be traveling to Europe again next year, and one of my personal missions will be hunting down more vintage ribbon treasures wherever I can find them!


I’d absolutely love to see some photographs of your massive collection. Thousands of yards must be quite a sight! It’s always fascinating to see what fellow hatmakers have managed to preserve over the years.


After all, we aren’t just collecting ribbons. We’re preserving little pieces of hatmaking history!

 

[belfastboy]

Absolutely! When it comes to beautiful vintage woven-edge grosgrain ribbon, there’s simply no such thing as having too much!


I completely understand your regret about not purchasing more when you had the opportunity. These old ribbons are becoming increasingly difficult to find, especially in certain widths, colors, and qualities.


I’ll be traveling to Europe again next year, and one of my personal missions will be hunting down more vintage ribbon treasures wherever I can find them!


I’d absolutely love to see some photographs of your massive collection. Thousands of yards must be quite a sight! It’s always fascinating to see what fellow hatmakers have managed to preserve over the years.


After all, we aren’t just collecting ribbons. We’re preserving little pieces of hatmaking history!

The collectioin is not very impressive as I keep it all in plastic bins. A separate colour and differing widths in each bin. Hufvud has cultivated a source for contemporary grosgrain ribbon that he hopes to sell to the trade early in 2027.