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Ebay Hats: Victories, Defeats, Gripes & Items of Interest

Messages
17,477
Location
Maryland
Landed this Wegener bucket hat holder.

$(KGrHqN,!lME1F8rBeCZBNb8)vszn!~~_12.JPG


$(KGrHqV,!lcE1GHGviUOBNb8)1n))w~~_12.JPG


Another old JHS promo pocket mirror. Has some physical damage but couldn't resist.

FHjK6peBkhlD130026874619S.jpg
 

Joshbru3

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,409
Location
Chicago, IL
Those two items are super cool, Steve!! I love that the Germans/Austrians had enough insight to design a type of hat holder like that and not rely on cardboard rings in hat boxes to hold hats upside down.
 

Joshbru3

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,409
Location
Chicago, IL
In what way historic?

I know Ive never seen a black boater with a milan-looking underside made by Knox. It looks like it dates back to the teens or 20's and I just figured that anything early and unusual from Knox in that period to any collector of Knox hats, would be historic. Obviously not historic in terms of world history, just in a specific companies "hat history."
 

Lefty

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,639
Location
O-HI-O
I don't know about the milan underside (I don't think I've seen that) or how often I've seen them by Knox, but a black boater pops up once or twice per year. They are pretty rare.
 

Joshbru3

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,409
Location
Chicago, IL
Maybe they were used for summer funerals?

I was thinking black tie affairs in the summer outside. Obviously the top hat or homburg would be the hat of choice for a dressy affair, but if I had to stand outside in 100 degree summer weather, I would go for my black boater. That Knox kind of reminded me of the straw version of a Tuxedo Homburg. Those Tuxedo homburgs had black satin undersides and very nice black or bright white linings. In this boater example, the milan underside reminded me of the satin underside of a tuxedo homburg but only in straw form. The boater also had a beautiful satin or silk black liner with a very simple, but elegant, sweatband.
 
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Feraud

Bartender
Messages
17,190
Location
Hardlucksville, NY
Back in the day boaters were painted black. I forget for what reason this was done but there was a product sold to do it. Perhaps it a post-boater season tradition or having to do with covering up wear..
A few years Marc Chevalier gave us a little lesson on it.
 
Messages
17,477
Location
Maryland
Those two items are super cool, Steve!! I love that the Germans/Austrians had enough insight to design a type of hat holder like that and not rely on cardboard rings in hat boxes to hold hats upside down.

Thanks!

This type of hat holder was / is used in hat shops. You stack a few same size hats (inverted) with ring spacers between.

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Here is one from P. & C. Habig that fits in a hat box / case (all original).

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Messages
15,077
Location
Buffalo, NY
I've got a lot of styles represented in my somewhat out of control collection, but no boaters. I've been tempted a few times from a historical perspective. I notice a few threads on FL, but very rarely seeing anyone wearing one. Too much of an anachronism? There is something about the stiff straw that says uncomfortable, but I assume that's not true in the wearing.

Anyone have a boater in their hat rotation?
 

Joshbru3

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,409
Location
Chicago, IL
Back in the day boaters were painted black. I forget for what reason this was done but there was a product sold to do it. Perhaps it a post-boater season tradition or having to do with covering up wear..
A few years Marc Chevalier gave us a little lesson on it.

That would be really interesting to learn about. Thanks very much for the information. Ive never heard of boaters being painted black. When I first saw the Boater, I figured it was meant to be black because of the black liner and uncommon ribbon bow. I was under the impression that boaters had a very simple white liner or sometimes just a strip of fabric that held the company logo. Having the black liner would make me think that it was meant for a more dressy occasion. But then again, I could just be over-thinking this whole thing a bit too much. Which is probably the case.
 
Messages
15,276
Location
Somewhere south of crazy
That's a very nice boater, Steve.
Feraud, it would be nice to find some info on the meaning of the black boaters.

Alan, in answer to your question,

I have 2 boaters that fit and one that doesn't, mostly for collection/curiosity purposes (no black ones though). I also have a couple of derbies. While I'm not shy about wearing fedoras, a homburg or cowboy hat, I have some reluctance to wear the boaters or derbies on a regular basis. However, I know there are some on this forum who use both quite regularly, and I think look quite good in them.
 
Messages
15,077
Location
Buffalo, NY
Alan, in answer to your question,

I have 2 boaters that fit and one that doesn't, mostly for collection/curiosity purposes (no black ones though). I also have a couple of derbies. While I'm not shy about wearing fedoras, a homburg or cowboy hat, I have some reluctance to wear the boaters or derbies on a regular basis. However, I know there are some on this forum who use both quite regularly, and I think look quite good in them.

Thanks for the feedback. I can do a derby with no problem, but somehow the boater is locked in my brain as something to take a bite out of or punch a fist through. I'm going to have to work on that.
 

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