Bogarts Cap in The African Queen

[Andy Hudson]

Does anyone know what type of cap Bogart is wearing in The African Queen? It has the look of a skipper, but the fit is tight to his head like a WWII A3 cap, and it has the black leather brim like a skipper, but with more of a vintage baseball brim shape. I’ve never seen anything quite like it anywhere, and I’ve come up empty with multiple internet searches.

 

[shopkin]

I tried to make one but failed. From the film clips the pattern panels seem to be similar to a Greek fisherman's cap or captain's, but very different. The tip needs to be cut extra large and pleated to the crown to give it a domed shape. I cut the tip 8.5 inches but that was not nearly large enough. Also, there is very little taper on the crown panel so it doesn't poof out. Bogart's head may have something to do with it too because he had a high forehead and high crown.

In the film clips, the brim has a distinctive shine to it. In 1951 there was some vinyl around, or it seems more likely to have been patent leather. If patent leather then the wardrobe mistress toned down the shine a bit while she was artificially distressing the rest of the cap. It could also have been buffed grain cowhide like i used here.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/p...dNIeAoxgGILniSmCSA=w1064-h902-s-no?authuser=0

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That one was bespoke but here is my fishing cap made at the same time.

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You can buy the Amazon rendition for cheap but it is cut more like a traditional Greek fisherman's cap.

https://www.amazon.com/Jungle-Explorer-Halloween-Costume-Accessory/dp/B08FRRT4LJ/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=mwGdq&content-id=amzn1.sym.f8fbf489-893c-481c-b7fa-18e0b0ecaa0c:amzn1.symc.a68f4ca3-28dc-4388-a2cf-24672c480d8f&pf_rd_p=f8fbf489-893c-481c-b7fa-18e0b0ecaa0c&pf_rd_r=47QM3W6SWHZXEN4MXQY2&pd_rd_wg=JFh1S&pd_rd_r=6d9adb92-132b-40c3-bd1c-c71f2e20420a&ref_=pd_hp_d_atf_ci_mcx_mr_ca_hp_atf_d