Avatar hats

[shamus]

1940's Borsalino.
My grandfather bought it new.
It's amazing. I don't wear it everyday, as it's just too nice.

Did I mention how much I like this fedora?

 

[Clyde R.]

My avatar hat is the Stetson stratoliner I've previously posted about. I bought it about fifteen years ago in a antique shop for three bucks. I'm looking for a whippet now, or something along those lines.

 

[adamgottschalk]

Thomas Begg

This charcoal-colored stingy has become my second skin. Outstanding in every way, every detail unique and perfect. I believe this was a custom-made hat or from a very limited run. Never seen anything like it. 1" brim! Tall center dent crown; unusual in that the elliptical dent at top is meant to protrude upwards from around the edges of the top of the crown (the elliptical dent)--looks really cool! The stingy brim and charcoal color makes this my everyday hat. Cost me $100, but it's mint, never worn, gorgeous plush thick fur felt, exactly my size (23"), and my hat guy says it was made in the late '50s or early '60s. This is the kind of hat that makes me love find fur-felt fedoras.

 

[Mr. Rover]

Akubra Federation Vintage 2004.

 

[FLJones]

Jimmy Pierce design Borsalino.

 

[BellyTank]

.
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My old Avatar Hat:
'40s Vintage Borsalino-

B
T

 

[Wild Root]

Mine is...

Tan with brown ribbon mid 1930's Dobb's 5th Ave. One of the nicest and softest felts one could ever touch!

=WR=

 

[Wild Root]

Wildroot,

It is amazing to think that that fine specimen dates from the 1930s. It's immaculate!

Please tell us:

1. Did you get it professionally refurbished?
2. Where did you get it?
3. What's the inside like?

Thanks,

Mr. 'H'.

Hey Mr.H, it's one of the hats I showed you when you and your wife were out here It has never been refurbished because it is New Old Stock. Never was worn till I bought it and I only wear it when I dress nicely.

Here is a photo of the inside since you asked so nicely.

=WR=

 

[Harry Lime]

Very nice - a question...

Tan with brown ribbon mid 1930's Dobb's 5th Ave. One of the nicest and softest felts one could ever touch!

=WR=

Root,

That is one sweet hat. A couple of questions, sir, out of curiousity:
1) What size is your nug?
2) It's interesting that a hat that nice seems to have a raw edge. Do you think it's possible that when it was originally sold, particularly seeing it's wide brim, it was possible that a customer could pick a brim edge for it? It would look nice with an edge of the same color as the ribbon, or with an underwelt.

Very, very nice as is as well.

Harry Lime

 

[tonyb]

Jeepers, WR, how'd you score that lid? A 70-or-so-year-old NOS hat, especially one as stylish and of such quality as that one, is indeed a rare find. Do you recall how much you shelled out for it? Hope I'm not asking anything untoward here, but it seems like it just has to be a compelling story.

 

[tonyb]

Well, I guess that answers the questions.

 

[jake_fink]

No idea....

... but apparently it is both bullet proof and wind proof.

Yee-ha!

 

[Wild Root]

Thanks Mr. H you saved me a mouth full!

About the raw edge....

In the 1930's, the "Raw Edge" was every where! The bound edge I find was mostly on Homburgs and the like rather then most fedoras. The bound edge started to become popular on fedoras in the late 30's and into the 40's.

This is a rare example of an early to mid 1930's Dobb's. We find so many late 40's to early 60's Dobb's that a hat like this is a breath of fresh air. This raw edge is one of my favorite hats because of the fit and weight of the felt. It truly is like butter and is so soft to the touch.

I'm glad you men enjoyed this hat, I hold it very near and dear.

=WR=

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Hmmm. Avatar hat?

Not sure. Something Austrian ...

bk

 

[Dave Keith]

vintage Resistol

It looks much like an Open Road, but is a Resistol 3X Beaver, originally sold by Bluff's Westerner in Scottsbluff NE. I snagged it on eBay at a very reasonable price as a result of a fuzzy photo and a title of "western hat."

 

[Wild Root]

Looks good friend! I like that style also!

=WR=

 

[adamgottschalk]

Perfect hat

2) It's interesting that a hat that nice seems to have a raw edge. Do you think it's possible that when it was originally sold, particularly seeing it's wide brim, it was possible that a customer could pick a brim edge for it? It would look nice with an edge of the same color as the ribbon, or with an underwelt.
Harry Lime

This hat Root posted is so beautiful, I'm almost ashamed I haven't got one like it. I tried my hands on an old Dobbs for cheap on eBay, but it was trashed, moth nibbles, etc. Thick and plush fur felt. But this golden hat with a tall crown and center crease, well, it's nearly perfect to my eyes and liking (I tend to like stingy brims...though that's probably going to change if I continue hanging around you lot . It quite reminds me of a new hat Mr. Fawcett showed recently.

HL, I can faintly make out some stitching on the top of the brim, in both the front and the back of the photo. Very, very fine, almost invisible, considering the dimensions and closeness of the picture. Sweet lid. I gotta get me one.

 

[Harry Lime]

This hat Root posted is so beautiful, I'm almost ashamed I haven't got one like it. I tried my hands on an old Dobbs for cheap on eBay, but it was trashed, moth nibbles, etc. Thick and plush fur felt. But this golden hat with a tall crown and center crease, well, it's nearly perfect to my eyes and liking (I tend to like stingy brims...though that's probably going to change if I continue hanging around you lot . It quite reminds me of a new hat Mr. Fawcett showed recently.

HL, I can faintly make out some stitching on the top of the brim, in both the front and the back of the photo. Very, very fine, almost invisible, considering the dimensions and closeness of the picture. Sweet lid. I gotta get me one.

I think you're right, it does look like there's a stitch. That would make sense, and make the hat look better. Actually bound edges and stitches were more common than raw even in the early '30's particularly on a better make hat like a Dobbs. Cheaper hats like Sears, Penney's, etc are different, more likely to have a raw edge because they were, well, cheaper and more common. A nice hat regardless, I only broached a question.

If that is your picture in your avatar, adam-long-name, it looks great. Stingy brims suit you. I say wear whatever fits your face and the stingy looks great.

Harry Lime

 

[JPS]

Avatar Hat

All you guys have such good lookin' hats. Actually I'm a little embarassed about mine. I don't have any vintage, custom, or Borsalino hats--yet. Actually this the cheapest one I have, but it keeps this conehead warm in the cold winds we get in the winter. Sadly, it didn't come with a wind trolley. It's a wool felt Bailey Glen.

JPS

 

[Wild Root]

I think you're right, it does look like there's a stitch. That would make sense, and make the hat look better. Actually bound edges and stitches were more common than raw even in the early '30's particularly on a better make hat like a Dobbs. Cheaper hats like Sears, Penney's, etc are different, more likely to have a raw edge because they were, well, cheaper and more common. A nice hat regardless, I only broached a question.

If that is your picture in your avatar, adam-long-name, it looks great. Stingy brims suit you. I say wear whatever fits your face and the stingy looks great.

Harry Lime

Ah, you guys crack me up! Funny, don't ask the owner of the hat if it has stitching seeing "he" would know.

Don't let the photo fool you guys, it's as raw as it can get! A raw finished brim didn't cost as much in those days as say a Cavanaugh or bounded edge. But, that's why you saw them more because, it was the Great Depression and most men could afford the 2-5 dollar hats of the time.

I'm very pleased that you gents find my hat lovely! Thank you for all your kind words of prase. I'm almost afraid to show some other hats of mine that I've not taken photos of yet.

=WR=