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[Koechinggendoet]

Hello everybody,mind if im asking
Is 50 dollar is a justifiable prices for leather top hat box?heres the picture of it
And the name of the hatters was conrad bohmer,i will appreciate any answer to my question,thankyou

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Hello everybody,mind if im asking
Is 50 dollar is a justifiable prices for leather top hat box?heres the picture of it
And the name of the hatters was conrad bohmer,i will appreciate any answer to my question,thankyou

Condition is everything. If the condition is what you want, $50 seems reasonable for a leather case to store a top hat. Shipping can be more than $50 so I hope it’s a local purchase.

 

[Koechinggendoet]

Shipping is not that bad,box seems wearable
Except the lock is not fuctional again
Can someone have the hat box refurbrished?

 

[belfastboy]

I paid $75 with shipping for a large vintage leather travel hat box in OK shape and was thrilled. I don't use it but it makes for a wonderful display piece.....patina and all its flaws. I conditioned the dry leather and polished up to give it a bit of sheen.

 

[Matt_SFL]

Most modern hats (including, I think, the Saxon) have factory-pressed crowns. The shape of the crown (crease, dents) is determined by the factory. This entails putting more shellac - stiffener - in the hat to hold the predetermined shape. These modern hats are at most difficult to reshape and, because the design of the hat includes this shape in the profile, often don't have much crown to play with to alter the shape.

The hats you speak of are normally "open crown" hats, and do not come pre-shaped by the factory. The crowns have considerably less stiffener in them and usually more height to the crown to allow you to shape them as you see fit. Felt quality and the hatter's skill in finishing can determine whether or not the crown can be easily shaped with or without steam.

In modern hats, a custom is the easiest way to go to get the kind of crown and shapeability you are seeking. However, I wouldn't necessarily recommend that for a guy new to this, as they can be a bit more expensive. However, most factory-produced hats that come open crown in the modern era (some higher end Stetsons, I believe Borsalinos) are at a price point to put them on par with some of the customs available.

My advice is to find a couple of vintage hats to introduce yourself to this. With any luck, you can find something fairly nice at a local antique store, estate sale, or vintage shop for a reasonable price. You will find these hats to be much easier to work with than the newer hats. As you get more comfortable with it, then you can think about parting with hard-earned $$$ to get a new factory hat, a custom, or if you're like most of us, invest in some vintage lids that will meet your needs.

Most modern hats (including, I think, the Saxon) have factory-pressed crowns. The shape of the crown (crease, dents) is determined by the factory. This entails putting more shellac - stiffener - in the hat to hold the predetermined shape. These modern hats are at most difficult to reshape and, because the design of the hat includes this shape in the profile, often don't have much crown to play with to alter the shape.

The hats you speak of are normally "open crown" hats, and do not come pre-shaped by the factory. The crowns have considerably less stiffener in them and usually more height to the crown to allow you to shape them as you see fit. Felt quality and the hatter's skill in finishing can determine whether or not the crown can be easily shaped with or without steam.

In modern hats, a custom is the easiest way to go to get the kind of crown and shapeability you are seeking. However, I wouldn't necessarily recommend that for a guy new to this, as they can be a bit more expensive. However, most factory-produced hats that come open crown in the modern era (some higher end Stetsons, I believe Borsalinos) are at a price point to put them on par with some of the customs available.

My advice is to find a couple of vintage hats to introduce yourself to this. With any luck, you can find something fairly nice at a local antique store, estate sale, or vintage shop for a reasonable price. You will find these hats to be much easier to work with than the newer hats. As you get more comfortable with it, then you can think about parting with hard-earned $$$ to get a new factory hat, a custom, or if you're like most of us, invest in some vintage lids that will meet your needs.

you know of any custom hatters or online sites to buy vintage hats besides eBay cuz eBay only has a handful of hats that are 7’58...I’ve been searching my tail off on eBay and couldn’t come up with basically anything for 7’58 except for 1 and the guy wanted 90 dollar shipping lol so

 

[Matt_SFL]

Most modern hats (including, I think, the Saxon) have factory-pressed crowns. The shape of the crown (crease, dents) is determined by the factory. This entails putting more shellac - stiffener - in the hat to hold the predetermined shape. These modern hats are at most difficult to reshape and, because the design of the hat includes this shape in the profile, often don't have much crown to play with to alter the shape.

The hats you speak of are normally "open crown" hats, and do not come pre-shaped by the factory. The crowns have considerably less stiffener in them and usually more height to the crown to allow you to shape them as you see fit. Felt quality and the hatter's skill in finishing can determine whether or not the crown can be easily shaped with or without steam.

In modern hats, a custom is the easiest way to go to get the kind of crown and shapeability you are seeking. However, I wouldn't necessarily recommend that for a guy new to this, as they can be a bit more expensive. However, most factory-produced hats that come open crown in the modern era (some higher end Stetsons, I believe Borsalinos) are at a price point to put them on par with some of the customs available.

My advice is to find a couple of vintage hats to introduce yourself to this. With any luck, you can find something fairly nice at a local antique store, estate sale, or vintage shop for a reasonable price. You will find these hats to be much easier to work with than the newer hats. As you get more comfortable with it, then you can think about parting with hard-earned $$$ to get a new factory hat, a custom, or if you're like most of us, invest in some vintage lids that will meet your needs.

Vintage hats are so hard to find in my size I guess I have a big head

 

[OldStrummer]

First, let me wish everyone here a Happy New Year! As the Who sang in their rock opera, Tommy, "I've got a feeling twenty one / Is going to be a good year. / Especially if you and me / See it in together." Of course, the title of the song is 1921, but hey, who's counting, eh?

Now, I haven't posted in the forum for a while, except now and then in the Notable Passings thread, but that's simply because I haven't added any new hats to my collection. And it's pretty boring writing about the same old hats day after day, don't you think?

But as we end the (horrible) year, I've been wearing one of my three Stetson Fredericks today. This is the one in navy, and it was my daily companion last year as I trod the streets of Vienna, Austria, and was subject to some light rain, wind and the vagaries of airline passenger compartments and hotel rooms. I looked at it (myself) in the mirror and noticed it had developed a bit of "character." The brim has adopted somewhat of a wavy aspect, and I got to thinking: Would it be better to leave it "personalized" in such a way, or should I take it upon myself to have it re-blocked and shaped back to "factory default?" I guess this is a matter of personal taste, but the change is noticeable (to me, anyway), and it got me to thinking...

Again, best wishes for a better, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 

[deadlyhandsome]

First, let me wish everyone here a Happy New Year! As the Who sang in their rock opera, Tommy, "I've got a feeling twenty one / Is going to be a good year. / Especially if you and me / See it in together." Of course, the title of the song is 1921, but hey, who's counting, eh?

Now, I haven't posted in the forum for a while, except now and then in the Notable Passings thread, but that's simply because I haven't added any new hats to my collection. And it's pretty boring writing about the same old hats day after day, don't you think?

But as we end the (horrible) year, I've been wearing one of my three Stetson Fredericks today. This is the one in navy, and it was my daily companion last year as I trod the streets of Vienna, Austria, and was subject to some light rain, wind and the vagaries of airline passenger compartments and hotel rooms. I looked at it (myself) in the mirror and noticed it had developed a bit of "character." The brim has adopted somewhat of a wavy aspect, and I got to thinking: Would it be better to leave it "personalized" in such a way, or should I take it upon myself to have it re-blocked and shaped back to "factory default?" I guess this is a matter of personal taste, but the change is noticeable (to me, anyway), and it got me to thinking...

Again, best wishes for a better, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Good to see you around these parts, Fred. Don’t be a stranger.

I “say” leave its character, what I “do” is another story.

 

[Frunobulax]

Vintage hats are so hard to find in my size I guess I have a big head

Yes, you do, LOL. Any online auction source is going to be more expensive, the market is bigger. Hit up your local antique stores, thrift shops, and estate sales. That's where the deals are.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

you know of any custom hatters or online sites to buy vintage hats besides eBay cuz eBay only has a handful of hats that are 7’58...I’ve been searching my tail off on eBay and couldn’t come up with basically anything for 7’58 except for 1 and the guy wanted 90 dollar shipping lol so

You have to have patience, but they are out there. eBay isn’t the only place, but it has more vintage hats that any place else. I recently sold a Borsalino 7 5/8 light gray Peluche that was listed for a month before it sold on eBay. At our size the reality is there is not much no matter where you look, but with patience you’ll find a few gems...and often pay through the nose for them.
Lots of good custom hat makers. I’m partial to Gannon, but I’ve had mostly good luck with many different hatters.

I also wonder if you might need to change the way you are searching eBay if you haven’t seen anything in weeks or months.

 

[Matt_SFL]

G

Yes, you do, LOL. Any online auction source is going to be more expensive, the market is bigger. Hit up your local antique stores, thrift shops, and estate sales. That's where the deals are.

Thank god I have some great reviewed antique vintage shops near me cuz I was getting worried...I hate it that I don’t have a hatter near me, I would have to drive an hour or so to nearest hatter which is goorin bros in that rathole Miami lol

 

[jlee562]

If you want to try something a little bigger than 2", here's a good deal on an open crown hat.

https://hatsdirect.com/collections/the-akubra-range-1/products/fedora

 

[Matt_SFL]

You have to have patience, but they are out there. eBay isn’t the only place, but it has more vintage hats that any place else. I recently sold a Borsalino 7 5/8 light gray Peluche that was listed for a month before it sold on eBay. At our size the reality is there is not much no matter where you look, but with patience you’ll find a few gems...and often pay through the nose for them.
Lots of good custom hat makers. I’m partial to Gannon, but I’ve had mostly good luck with many different hatters.

I also wonder if you might need to change the way you are searching eBay if you haven’t seen anything in weeks or months.

Going to go to some antique vintage shops and see what they got there hopefully I get lucky...I normally type in “vintage fedora” on eBay could that be the reason I’m not seeing that many hats ?...and I’ll check out Gannon I know custom gets pretty pricey that’s why I’ve been saving that to my last resort

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Going to go to some antique vintage shops and see what they got there hopefully I get lucky...I normally type in “vintage fedora” on eBay could that be the reason I’m not seeing that many hats ?...and I’ll check out Gannon I know custom gets pretty pricey that’s why I’ve been saving that to my last resort

eBay limits me to 200 saved searches. I have 200 saved searches. I call them my trap lines. Sometimes a hat will show up in 10+ saved searches and sometimes just one or two.

At your/our size don’t expect many great hats to come cheap. Custom hats often aren’t much more, and sometimes cheaper, and they are readily available.

 

[Frunobulax]

G

Thank god I have some great reviewed antique vintage shops near me cuz I was getting worried...I hate it that I don’t have a hatter near me, I would have to drive an hour or so to nearest hatter which is goorin bros in that rathole Miami lol

Your challenge here is you're in Florida. The pickings for fur felt are likely slim down there.

 

[Timeras1]

All right then!!

Spotted this lid in an antique/flea market... it's rather hammered, so I didn't buy it myself, but thought I'd post it here for curiosity's sake...

"Stetson renovated" is a new one on me... The sweatband is dry and brittle... I started to look underneath it, and it started to threaten to pull away from the felt... as I said, hammered... as such, its $35...

And GO-O-O-O!!!

 

[Blare]

View attachment 296534 All right then!!

Spotted this lid in an antique/flea market... it's rather hammered, so I didn't buy it myself, but thought I'd post it here for curiosity's sake... View attachment 296528 View attachment 296529 View attachment 296530 View attachment 296531 View attachment 296533

"Stetson renovated" is a new one on me... The sweatband is dry and brittle... I started to look underneath it, and it started to threaten to pull away from the felt... as I said, hammered... as such, its $35...

And GO-O-O-O!!!

A very cool hat actually. If I had to guess it looks like it was brought in to be cleaned up at some point and the sweat was replaced. The sweat appears sewn directly to the felt and unreeded but I’m no expert on that... others would know more. I think it would clean up very nicely. The kind of hat many of us here would take a stab at if we came across it. Very fair price in my opinion.

 

[Frunobulax]

View attachment 296534 All right then!!

Spotted this lid in an antique/flea market... it's rather hammered, so I didn't buy it myself, but thought I'd post it here for curiosity's sake... View attachment 296528 View attachment 296529 View attachment 296530 View attachment 296531 View attachment 296533

"Stetson renovated" is a new one on me... The sweatband is dry and brittle... I started to look underneath it, and it started to threaten to pull away from the felt... as I said, hammered... as such, its $35...

And GO-O-O-O!!!

Looks saveable. What size is it?

 

[Timeras1]

Looks saveable. What size is it?

Honestly, I don't think I ever saw that... but I'm happy to purchase and pass it along if someone's interested in taking a chance on it...

I can also go back and double-check for a size too.

 

[Frunobulax]

Honestly, I don't think I ever saw that... but I'm happy to purchase and pass it along if someone's interested in taking a chance on it...

I can also go back and double-check for a size too.

Don't knock yourself out. It does have an appealing color combo, tho.