Borsalino Salvatore Balbi hats

[Marlowe's Lid]

Hello there. I'm new to this forum, and joined primarily to hear from other people who own Borsalino hats and might have information regarding quality designations etc.

I recently received my second Borsalino sold originally through Salvatore Balbi in Napoli. Both of these hats are marked 'Grand Luxe', and have a velour finish. They are also both marked XXXXXX. Now, I believe each hatmaker uses the 'X' in different ways to designate the quality of the felt. How did Borsalino's system work, and how did it differ from, say, Stetson's system? And how did 'Grand Luxe' translate to quality? I will say that these hats are made of the softest, most substantial felt I've ever seen. They must be primarily beaver felt.

Any other owners of Salvatore Balbi Borsalino hats please post. I'll try and get a photo of mine up soon.

 

[Garrett]

Welcome to the lounge! The Grand Luxe Borsalinos are some fine vintage lids, indeed. I've owned 3 ranging from xx to xxxxxx and they were all exceptional. The vintage stuff Borsalino made is some of the best you will find.

Cheers

 

[RBH]

Welcome!
Borsalino is a fine hat, I love my thin ribboned Alessandria.

 

[zetwal]

Check out this thread for lots of Borsalino pics. I don't recall if the Brotherhood thread features any S. Balbi specifically or not. Certainly many of us have and enjoy vintage Borsalinos sold by many shops in Italy (and elsewhere).

Welcome to the Lounge!

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=13733

 

[Bantam Man]

Borsalino's from Salvatori Balbi

I've come to think that Salvatore Balbi must have been a major hat shop. I have two or three Borsalino's bearing this shop's name. And one coming up...
See

What strikes me is that all of my Balbi Borsalino's (and so many other Borsalino's sold by Italian haberdashers) have found their way to the US, one time or another. Using eBay as a measure, also the volume of the trade in vintage Borsalino's in the US seems much larger as it is within Europe. If anybody could shed a light on that...

 

[XPLSV]

Michele Balbi

I have an older Borsalino homburg with the shop name of Michele Balbi.

 

[Borsalino Fan]

Hi:
I live near Napoli and Balbi was famous. they were on Via Chiaia..an elegant shopping street. I'm not sure if they are still there but will definitely check next time i'm down in the city.

I do have a question. Í have several Borsalino's, 2 of which are brand new from the 1960's. i inherirted them from my Dad and they've never been worn. Could anyone tyell me how to decipher the little codes inside the sweatband? I'd like to search for more exactly like these. I've been to the Borsalino factory and museum in Alessandria and even tried to purchase a couple from the museum!

Thanks