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[gtdean48]

Is a Velour finish a product of pouncing, felting, or both?

As I recall from Winchester tour, a special pouncing machine post felting....it fluffs up the felt fibers instead of sanding smoother...

 

[ersatzS2]

How would you identify or name this style of hat? Depiction is a fashionable driver of an early teens motorcar, say 1913? Thanks!

 

[gtdean48]

How would you identify or name this style of hat? ...

Crush cap or crushed cap = http://www.acmedepot.com/keepemflying/crusher.shtml

civilian variety...

 

[ronsavage]

Does anybody know about the O'Rourke hat company of San Francisco? "Makers of famous Castle Hats" is the quote on the label. Cant find any info on them.

 

[gtdean48]

Does anybody know about the O'Rourke hat company of San Francisco? "Makers of famous Castle Hats" is the quote on the label. Cant find any info on them.

Did you search for O'Rourke-Eubanks Hat Company, San Francisco?

 

[daizawaguy]

Was there not a thread called the `Panama Canal`, and why would someone have changed it?

 

[BR Gordon]

I believe that it was merged with the "Panama Hat Thread".

 

[job]

Has anyone heard of http://www.6pm.com/eugenia-kim-men-accessories/COfWAVICsRjAAQLiAgMYAQo.zso ?
The cashmere cap looks good to me.

 

[Lord Henry]

Hopefully, this question hasn't been asked already. Some of the hats have the initials of the original purchaser imprinted on the band, does this signify that it was "not off the shelf" and ordered custom? or did they do that for those types of hats, also?

I just wondered if there's any other significance to it as far as information about the hat.

 

[jlee562]

Hopefully, this question hasn't been asked already. Some of the hats have the initials of the original purchaser imprinted on the band, does this signify that it was "not off the shelf" and ordered custom? or did they do that for those types of hats, also?

I just wondered if there's any other significance to it as far as information about the hat.

Perhaps someone else has a more definitive answer, but my gut feeling is no. Custom hats "back in the day" were not nearly as common as they are today, mainly because the selection of available hats was so much greater. It seems to be that retailers had the appropriate equipment for the lettering.

 

[Lord Henry]

Makes sense, thanks!

 

[Vampyre Master]

plantation hat

greetings
just bought a plantation panama hat, rather battered in a charity shop, made in Guatamala, very close weave, its cleaned up well and bought back the shape with a little
steam and left overnight, how do i put on new hat band, there's a slight taper to the crown and the band is standing off around the top?
VM

 

[John in Covina]

Hopefully, this question hasn't been asked already. Some of the hats have the initials of the original purchaser imprinted on the band, does this signify that it was "not off the shelf" and ordered custom? or did they do that for those types of hats, also?

I just wondered if there's any other significance to it as far as information about the hat.

Some of the hat shops invested in the ability to do imprints. Much like pen shops had engraving equipment.

The was a type of initials the was a hole punched system that formed the initials that is have seen too.

 

[Shapoh]

"Parabuntal Italy" for $7.50...good deal?

Howdy,

Been awhile since I posted here; can't even remember the last time, actually. Anyway, please know up front this is NOT an ebay reseller's pricing question (I find those tacky and annoying).

I've wanted a straw hat for some time but nothing's ever been quite right or what I like is of course well out of my price range, so I've passed and done without. Today at a resale shop there was an extremely lightweight, extremely tightly and smoothly woven straw fedora for $7.50. I've never seen anything like it. It literally felt as light as a piece of paper. It's in perfect shape except the brim is a little wobbly and the blocking on the front is a bit wide for my taste. No markings except on the silky-like reddish band it says Parabuntal Italy.

Now the reason I'm posting is, never having had a quality straw hat before, is it possible I can straighten out the wobbly brim myself without damaging the hat...or pinch up the front a little? It's 7 1/2 and I'm 7 3/8...it looked a tad big on me but not frightfully so. I'd for sure wear it, if I could fix the brim. I can't afford to have it professionally done right now, else I would. If you say it can't be fixed at home, I'm just going to leave it for someone else to enjoy.

Thanks very much for any input,

Respectfully,

shapoh

 

[fedoracentric]

OK, I know nuthin' about bowlers. But over the last few months I've seen something strange on ebay twice now.

Here is the auction in question...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Estate-Anti...063?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f1a4c850f

Now, what someone has done is take a bowler, slice the top off, then jam it down into the ribbon area to make the thing a very short hat. I've see this slicing/jamming twice, now.

Is this a "thing" that used to happen? Was it a fad or a practice that anyone else has seen?

 

[RBH]

Howdy,

Been awhile since I posted here; can't even remember the last time, actually. Anyway, please know up front this is NOT an ebay reseller's pricing question (I find those tacky and annoying).

I've wanted a straw hat for some time but nothing's ever been quite right or what I like is of course well out of my price range, so I've passed and done without. Today at a resale shop there was an extremely lightweight, extremely tightly and smoothly woven straw fedora for $7.50. I've never seen anything like it. It literally felt as light as a piece of paper. It's in perfect shape except the brim is a little wobbly and the blocking on the front is a bit wide for my taste. No markings except on the silky-like reddish band it says Parabuntal Italy.

Now the reason I'm posting is, never having had a quality straw hat before, is it possible I can straighten out the wobbly brim myself without damaging the hat...or pinch up the front a little? It's 7 1/2 and I'm 7 3/8...it looked a tad big on me but not frightfully so. I'd for sure wear it, if I could fix the brim. I can't afford to have it professionally done right now, else I would. If you say it can't be fixed at home, I'm just going to leave it for someone else to enjoy.

Thanks very much for any input,

Respectfully,

shapoh

According to your post count.. this is your first post.

 

[randooch]

OK, I know nuthin' about bowlers. But over the last few months I've seen something strange on ebay twice now.

Here is the auction in question...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Estate-Anti...063?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f1a4c850f

Now, what someone has done is take a bowler, slice the top off, then jam it down into the ribbon area to make the thing a very short hat. I've see this slicing/jamming twice, now.

Is this a "thing" that used to happen? Was it a fad or a practice that anyone else has seen?

Yeah, I've seen that several times, and if I remember right, Bowlerman had a very funny picture series documenting just such a discovery AFTER he took delivery of the bowler.

I bought a 1920's Stetson bowler that had been chopped, but only for the cool old sweatband, which I put into another hat.

 

[JAVIER]

Just wondering if anyone posted this (sorry if yes)

After the US Olympic uniform debacle, CNN posted this short list of Made in the USA items.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/13/living/made-in-america/index.html?hpt=hp_c2

Made in America: The short list
By Emanuella Grinberg, CNN
updated 3:52 PM EDT, Mon July 23, 2012

Bollman Hat Company started out in 1868 as a manufacturer of black felt hats in Adamstown, Pennsylvania. It continues to make wool felt, fur felt, and straw hats and caps from its employee-owned factory in the same town. Bollman Hat Company started out in 1868 as a manufacturer of black felt hats in Adamstown, Pennsylvania. It continues to make wool felt, fur felt, and straw hats and caps from its employee-owned factory in the same town.

http://www.bollmanhats.com/

 

[John in Covina]

OK, I know nuthin' about bowlers. But over the last few months I've seen something strange on ebay twice now. Here is the auction in question...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Estate-Anti...063?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f1a4c850f

Now, what someone has done is take a bowler, slice the top off, then jam it down into the ribbon area to make the thing a very short hat. I've see this slicing/jamming twice, now.

Is this a "thing" that used to happen? Was it a fad or a practice that anyone else has seen?

Well I can recall seeing a similar type of bowler in the Western movies, so it is possible that they are trying to pass off (recreate) the early style by butchering a defenseless hat.

 

[Lord Henry]

Is 40 dollars a lot to pay for a Stetson "Ivy League" from the early 50's?