Akubra Overload

[gtdean48]

Dang... how far is Australia from Arkansas. lol

As said around here = it's a far piece!

 

[Chuck Bobuck]

Dang... how far is Australia from Arkansas. lol

About $30 by airmail.

 

[Mr. Paladin]

Today, being my birthday, the kids have banded together to buy dad an Akubra Balmoral - with official Akubra hatbox of course.
It's a hemp straw with thin leather band and Akubra badge. Colour is natural straw.

Very nice, ET! I guess summer is enroute down your way since we are wrapping it up. Happy Birthday!

 

[Colby Jack]

Happy Belated Birthday ET!:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[Ephraim Tutt]

Many thanks Mr P and CJ. Yep, it's spring right now in the Land of Oz and we've already had some summer-like temperatures. They tell us that it's going to be a scorcher this year. Summer makes me crave the snow. Brisbane is a very hot, humid place come December/January. Spring is just about perfect.
And the Akubra straw will be my go-to hat in my off hours - especially for days at the cricket (Australia plays the West Indies and Pakistan this year). Though I'm wearing it to work today cos it's new and I like it and I wanna break it in.

 

[Colby Jack]

Can't wait to see pics of you and your lid at the Cricket match!:eusa_clap

 

[Ephraim Tutt]

Confession

Friends, colleagues and sundry lurkers - I have a confession to make.

I have been manifestly cruel to an innocent elderly Akubra Le Baron (1940's 50's green stingy). You see, I picked it up cheaply even though it wasn't my size because it's quite rare and because of the retailer's name on the band which has some significance to me. The hat was way too small for me - a 6 3/4 - but I never intended to wear it.

But when I had it in my hands and felt the felt - the evil possessed me. I wanted to wear it. My tormented soul surrendered and sent that poor innocent Akubra to the rack! It would be a 7 1/4 or die!! Cruel, sick, insane chap that I am. "To the rack!" I cried!

And there it has remained for two weeks in the company of a beefy shirtless bloke with a black bag and eye-holes on his head who turns the screws a little more, laughs maniacally, and delivers hot tea and scones every day.

I ignored the old hat's screams, expecting it to pop its mortal coil - or at least its stitching - at any moment. But no...they made hats tough back then. It wouldn't surrender. It screamed and it stretched and it screamed and stretched some more.

Until....


Pics to come...

 

[Ephraim Tutt]

Soon

 

[Ephraim Tutt]

The Akubra survivor

Here's the Akubra Le Baron post torture chamber. It's a rare lid that's probably 1950's but could easily be earlier. My hatter has contacted Akubra but even their resident keeper of the company history needs to go check the records. The retailer, T.C. Beirne, was a high end retailer in business from the 1890's to early 1960's.

The ribbon has an interesting ribbed feature and is quite thick...as is the felt which is probably why it survived such a serious stretching. The big surprise for me was that the sweatband survived. It's a lovely supple leather. I guess it's a testament to the quaity of old Akubras.

The colour is 'Spice' - a green/brown/olive.

 

[Kreissaege]

Excellent!
Hats are to be worn, not pampered!

 

[Ephraim Tutt]

Excellent!
Hats are to be worn, not pampered!

Couldn't agree more Kreissaege! And this one has suffered so much I better make sure it was worth it and put it on every now and then when I need a green stingy!

Maybe tomorrow. It's casual Friday after all!

 

[CRH]

Yup. I think I understand now. This one is a stonker!

 

[Ephraim Tutt]

Ya reckon CRH??

Oh I dunno....but I know it will be worn on St Paddy's Day.

To be sure.

Yup. I think I understand now. This one is a stonker!

 

[CRH]

Ya reckon CRH??

Oh I dunno....but I know it will be worn on St Paddy's Day.

To be sure.

OK, make it a pork pie! .

A real honkey stonker !

lol

 

[Blackthorn]

just got my new Akubra Stylemaster

 

[Ephraim Tutt]

OK, make it a pork pie! .

A real honkey stonker !

lol

Ya know CRH....you just may be right. Maybe it's crying out to be a 'pie!

Worth an experiment I reckon.

 

[Ephraim Tutt]

I do love the Stylemaster Blackie....and you do it proud.

 

[Blackthorn]

Thank you, ET!

Thank you, sir!

 

[OddSteve]

That looks great on you, Blackthorn. Now I want one too [huh]

And what color is that - steel grey? Looks a little brownish to me, but darker than the acorn color from the Hatsdirect website.

 

[Ephraim Tutt]

A small addition to the well stretched Akubra Le Baron mentioned above...