Felt ribbon?

[Canadave]

I saw an old guy wearing a fedora today. The hat didn't look very old, and it was a modern style.

It had a felt "ribbon", the same colour as the hat. What up wit dat? Anyone seen that before? (What a question...of course someone here will have seen it and will be able to 'splain me the whole deal.)

David

 

[Matt Deckard]

They still do it on cowboy hats, and it was popular to do it with fedoras in the 40's.

Some of the 40's fedoras even had a western twist and had stitching going through the top and bottom of the felt band and the edge of the brim.

 

[jamespowers]

Remember the Dobbs Gay Prince? It had the self (felt) ribbon with the stitched edge and brim edge. Check it out in the classified section.
That is an old style that has been around for years. I suppose it would be more popular with a better moniker.

Regards to all,

J

P.S. Here is the link:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=8143486832&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT

 

[Canadave]

Thanks guys...the one I saw didn't have any visible stitching.

David

PS Hey JP...you should have quit at 1111!!!

 

[K.D. Lightner]

I saw a green Borsalino in a hat store here in SD that had a felt ribbon. It was styled to look like thick chain links, and was the exact color of the hat.

I also won a white woman's hat off ebay that had a matching felt band. Alas, the brim was too, too stingy. Audrey Hepburn would have looked good in it, but not me.

I am not sure the green Borsalino was a man's hat, perhaps it was. I ought to go back and check.

karol

 

[jamespowers]

Originally posted by Canadave
Thanks guys...the one I saw didn't have any visible stitching.

David

PS Hey JP...you should have quit at 1111!!!

Yeah, I noticed that. Is it true that you get a free Optimo at the 1111 mark? I will have to watch for 2222 next. LOL
You were at 444 a few messages ago. That means you are entitled to a free new stetson.

Regards to all,

J

 

[Michael Mallory]

I have a Cervo trilby with a felt, non-patterned ribbon. Maybe it's an Italian thing. It looks fine on that hat (which I don't wear all that much, except to the Montrose, California, Oktoberfest each year), but I wouldn't want all my hats with felt bands.

 

[jamespowers]

Cervo makes fine quality hats as far as I know. They have far surpassed Borsalino in the examples I have checked out.
How is the felt of your Cervo in regard to felt quality and the finishing of the hat?

Regards to all,

J

 

[Brad Bowers]

On the Cervo note, in my quest for a modern Cavanagh edge, I recently checked to see if they did them. The answer is no, just sewn welt edge. Oh well. I'd like to see their modern hats.

Brad

 

[Michael Mallory]

I have two Cervos: one was made for Barbisio (a competitor of Borsalino), and it is by far the best. It is dark khaki/brown and has a whip-stitched edge, which I've never seen on any other hat. It also has a very thin and supple sweat band. But the quality of the felt is the finest I've ever, well...felt. It's heavy, but very soft. "Buttery" is the phrase a lot of people use when feeling the brim. The block it came with was a center dent, but the last time I had it cleaned I had the shop put in an open block crown, so I could bash it myself.

My other Cervo, which is labeled "Bantam," is even quirkier. It's a medium green, and the felt is not as heavy or dense as the Barbisio, but if anything, it's even softer. You can bash it with thoughtwaves. The sweatband is stiffer, but there's no lining. This is the one with the felt band, and it also has verticle pleats on each side. The brim is on the narrow side -- maybe 2 1/2 or so -- and has no edging, but concentric stictching runs through it, like canvas hats have. Like the pleats, I'm not sure if there's a reason for that or if it's just for style. Snapping up the brim in front (which I generally don't do), it looks like a hat a 1930's comedian like Ted Healy might wear.

 

[jamespowers]

Barbisio is probably one of the best modern felts out there. I have to agree on that. They are however priced pretty high (about the same as or higher than the Borsalino) and, as you mentioned, the blocks on their hats are not spectacular at all. If you want a teardrop or C crown then you have to have it done when you buy the hat. It is still a very nice hat for modern workmanship and when you consider what you get for the same price in a modern Borsalino.
The Cervo Bantam should be lighter weight. That is what they tout it as anyway. I have never seen one up close and felt the felt though.
Another hat brand from Italy that I would like to get a read on is Panizza. I have seen them in pictures and their styles do not impress me much but I am curious about the felt quality. Their Rover and Supreme look to be interesting hats but the brims are too small for me at 2". Anyone familiar with this brand?

Regards to all,

J

 

[jamespowers]

I am guessing your Bantam liner looks something like this right?

Regards to all,

J

 

[jamespowers]

Here is an ad from Panizza. It is from 1937. I wonder if they still make these. Put me down for one if they do.

Regards to all,

J

 

[jamespowers]

Panizza 1950

 

[Michael Mallory]

My Bantam doesn't have a liner. The word is stamped in white on the inside of the crown. "Bantam" and "Cervo" are also stamped in gold on the sweat band. I think Cervos and Barbisios run slightly less than Borsalinos. I got my Barbisio on sale for $125, and the Bantam on an even bigger sale for about half that.

 

[jamespowers]

Originally posted by Michael Mallory
My Bantam doesn't have a liner. The word is stamped in white on the inside of the crown. "Bantam" and "Cervo" are also stamped in gold on the sweat band. I think Cervos and Barbisios run slightly less than Borsalinos. I got my Barbisio on sale for $125, and the Bantam on an even bigger sale for about half that.

I wouldn't doubt that your Bantam would be different. My example was a vintage one but it had the same markings on the sweatband as yours.
You got your Barbisio for $125. Where? PM me. No need to tell everyone. LOL LOL Seriously though, what size brim does the Barbisio have?

Regards to all,

J

 

[Michael Mallory]

I got the Barbisio at Baron California Hats in Burbank. I think they were clearing out stock. But they did get a big order of Cervos not long after that, most of which have since been sold. The brim is 2 3/4. I don't know how to get pictures on the digest here, but if you go to my website (www.michaelmallory.com) there's a mugshot in the hat.

 

[Canadave]

Originally posted by Michael Mallory ... Snapping up the brim in front (which I generally don't do), it looks like a hat a 1930's comedian like Ted Healy might wear.

This brings up a question I've been meaning to ask...what makes a "snap brim" a "snap brim"?

Thanks,

David

 

[Michael Mallory]

Officially, a snap-brim is the kind of brim that can either be turned up or turned down, though I've noticed that it is sometimes equated with a very narrow brim.

 

[Canadave]

I'm still not clear. Can't the brim of any fedora be turned up or down?

David