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Boater faction!

David Conwill

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,854
Location
Bennington, VT 05201
If I hadn't won the vintage boater I did, I was planning to head on over to Henry the Hatter in Detroit to try out the Tesis. I've handled them, and they compare favorably to the vintage ones. Perhaps it would be most economical for you to purchase a Tesi and have it re-ribboned?

-Dave
 

jswindle2

One of the Regulars
Messages
214
Location
Texas
If I hadn't won the vintage boater I did, I was planning to head on over to Henry the Hatter in Detroit to try out the Tesis. I've handled them, and they compare favorably to the vintage ones. Perhaps it would be most economical for you to purchase a Tesi and have it re-ribboned?

-Dave

I have a Tesi,Scala and a Capas Panama version that I've all reribboned. I only ordered the Jaxon so I could have a light hat to wear when it's 100 +. I guess I'll have to do with the Capas.
 

Big Man

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,781
Location
Nebo, NC
Well guys, I got my "Jaxon Black Band Skimmer" this morning ... Needless to say guys,I am disappointed ...

Thanks for the review. Sounds like the hat is about the same as the "budget skimmer" but with a cut down brim (and a higher price). I was ready to order one, but now I sure am glad I waited for your review.
 

jswindle2

One of the Regulars
Messages
214
Location
Texas
I just ordered an Olney Black Band. I was going to wait for a vintage in my size to show up somewhere, but I noticed during my research that the Olney is more of the pre-WWI style with a shorter crown and a longer brim. All the current styles for sale and the vintage on offer on EBay seem to be a later style. I know there is no dead set style and there alot of options available. I may be wrong about the Olney, but from all the pictures I've seen it seems be different. Regardless, I guess I've become a Boater collector. I'll let ya'll know how it all works out. Until then, maybe Mr. Huang(sorry if I spelled that wrong)could give us the stats on his Olney.
 

Neophyte

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,445
Location
Chattanooga, TN
Great to see ya back, JBucklin. We have a thread here called "Boater Faction" that you may want to check out. Hope you find what you're looking for.
 

jbucklin

Practically Family
Messages
977
Location
Dallas, TX
Thanks Neo. I'll check that out.

Btw, I forgot all about the Fedora Festival which was in my hood. I could have met you and some of the others. Next year. :)
 

jswindle2

One of the Regulars
Messages
214
Location
Texas
I finally received my Olney and I LOVE IT! Anyone looking for a boater should buy the Olney. I own almost every form of modern boater and the Olney beats them all hands down. The crown is about a half inch shorter than your Tesi's and Rialto's so they look more like the pre 1920's boaters. This does feel a bit strange if you have a pointed head like myself, but you get used to it. The brims are a bit wider too, so you get a little more shade. Probably the best deal these days is that even after the extra postage for ordering from England, the hats are still about 20 dollars cheaper than the Tesi's. Olney does give you the choice between the regular guards band and a solid black band. Finally, you don't have too risk screwing up your hat by changing to a better band. I recommend Tails and the Unexpected. They are very friendly and professional and sell alot of other interesting things. Right now you still have to order them from overseas, but it is very worth it.
 

Edward

Bartender
Messages
25,082
Location
London, UK
I bought an Olney last month. A jump up in price from the cheaper options I have, but far superior as a hat. Leather sweatband, lined, stiff brim. Not a hat that would take being sat on - in that respect the pricier options are more fragile than the cheapoes - but worth it. It'll definitely be getting more wear over the Summer.

229717_10150174289662260_555787259_7306082_518321_n.jpg
 

Edward

Bartender
Messages
25,082
Location
London, UK
It's worth looking around on eBay. I don't know what T&TE charge, but I found as much as GBP12.00 of a difference between sellers.
 

jswindle2

One of the Regulars
Messages
214
Location
Texas
It's worth looking around on eBay. I don't know what T&TE charge, but I found as much as GBP12.00 of a difference between sellers.

I believe the whole price for shipping was $9.00 or $9.50. I think I also got a seperate $1.75 international fee,but I don't know if that will apply for everyone.
 
Messages
10,939
Location
My mother's basement
Thanks to cardelo for digging up this source (see entry #203 in this thread, posted over a year ago now).

From that source:

"The straw boater had a different history. Straw hats had been widely worn by working-class men during the nineteenth century, but following the invention in 1870 of a machine for sewing straw, a new form of straw hat, the boater, became extremely popular with all social classes for about five decades (Wilcox 1945: 245; Berendt 1988: 24; Cunnington and Cunnington 1959: 341). Afterward the boater ceased to be worn except as a form of costume for musical entertainment."


I actually had occasion to wear my quite old (1920s vintage, maybe?) boater recently, and that prompted me to wondering just when a hat we all might agree (most of us, anyway) is a boater first appeared. While it's true that such boater-wearing occasions don't arise with much frequency for me, I haven't participated in any deliberate form of musical entertainment since my teen years. For this, all hearing persons can be grateful.
 

Mike in Seattle

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,027
Location
Renton (Seattle), WA
I've got an Olney boater in mint condition for sale. $50/OBO plus delivery. An aunt bought it for me on vacation year before last and sent the wrong size. It's listed as 7-5/8 / 62 cm. Pix below.

mikeoak840


mikeoak840


mikeoak840


mikeoak840


mikeoak840


Please PM if you have any questions, rather than add to this post.
 

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