Here are a few abstracts of articles from the New Yorker archives that provide a little bit of info on trends at different times as well as quality and marketing of some hat brands. Some really provide great information, while others are just funny. I'll add more as I find them.
First Source
E. B. White, The Talk of the Town, ""Hatter"," The New Yorker, March 28, 1931, p. 13
B. Lachmann, New York's oldest hatter. Shop at 554 Hudson Street. Tells how good the hat business used to be years ago, when brewers gave hats to saloonkeepers and bartenders at Christmas.. Describes the various kinds of hats that were popular then; the doubledecker, a gray derby; the white cassimere, a high white felt shaped like high hat of today. Stetson used to work on same factory bench with him.
Second Source
Richard Lockridge, The Talk of the Town, ""Block that sinus!" Talk," The New Yorker, February 27, 1932, p. 7
Hatters try to stop fad of going without hats by placards stressing sinus troubles and the effeminacy of the habit. Students observed didn't seem to be suffering from either complaint.
Third Source
E. J. Kahn, The Talk of the Town, "Hats On," The New Yorker, September 28, 1946, p. 19
Talk. Stanley expedition to Danbury for an investigation of men's hatlessness. N. Y. is the most hatless city in the country. Danbury itself is not 100% hatted. Factories used to have a rule no employees could come to work hatless; buyers, however, are instructed not to interview hatless salesmen. Twelve per cent of all men never wear hats. 32% always wear hats. 98% of all men over 45 own at least one hat. Only 70% of college men own hats. Only 62% of college men consider hats important to personal appearance, veterans, 68% of them, do. Early in this century U. S. had 25 million males old enough for hats, and the annual production was 36 million; just before the war 50 million hat-males, but production of felts only 22 million. 59% of the women dislike hatless men. Goes into the question of baldness because of hats.
Fourth Source
Brendan Gill, The Talk of the Town, "Up From Plugs," The New Yorker, February 7, 1953, p. 24
Talk story about homburg hats, sales of which have gone up since Pres. Eisenhower announced he would wear a homburg for the Inauguration rather than a silk hat. Hat shops where sales have increased: Cavanagh, Thomas Begg, Young's Hat Stores, Knox, Dobbs, Lee Hats, Adam Hats. The only quiet spot was M. Flugelman, Inc. which made the silk hats worn at Inaugurations by all incoming Presidents since Theodore Roosevelt. Mortimer Loeb, present head of this company, said they tried to get Ike to continue tradition but were unsuccessful. Warren S. Smith, secretary-treasurer of the Hat Research Foundation said homburgs have been increasing in popularity for many years. The homburg outwears every other kind of hat except the derby which it has pretty well displaced. The homburg was devised for Edward VII in the eighteen-nineties at Homburg vor der Hohe, a town in Hesse-Nassau, that was his favorite watering place.
Fifth Source
Geoffrey T. Hellman, The Talk of the Town, "Hat Champ," The New Yorker, September 15, 1956, p. 33
Talk. Interview with Bernard L. Salesky, president of the Hat Corporation of America. The Corporation has just bought, for just under 2 million dollars, the Champ Hats, Inc., & a number of affiliate companies owned by Mr. S. & his 3 brothers, Joseph, David & Charles. This makes the Corporation the 2nd biggest hat manufacturing firm in the world. The Corportion has established a Cavanagh store in London-it has thre divisions: Cavanagh, Knox & Dobbs. Mr. S. is trying to patter their operation after General Motors: Cavanagh is their Cadillac division, Knox their Oldsmobile division, Dobbs their Buick Division, & Champ Hats their Chevrolet division They will sell Champ hats at Gimbel's, but not at Saks-5th Ave. Champs are masshats, the Corporation's class hats. Mr. Doesn't believe in scaring men into wearing hats; but to buy them to complement the wardrobe. Mr. S. is theoldest of seven children. His father, a Polish immigrant used to cut & block caps & his mother would sew them. His two other brothers Irving & Phoenix are doctors.
Sixth Source
Geoffrey T. Hellman, The Talk of the Town, "Boom," The New Yorker, June 28, 1958, p. 22
Talk. Interview with Bernard L. Salesky, president of the Hat Corp. of America, about the newest fashion in men's hats - the boater, or stiff straw sailor. (Two years ago the company added Champ Hats to a stable already consisting of Cavanagh, Knox & Dobbs). He said hats make a man look important. He got the idea of reviving the boater, a style of the twenties, after seeing women wear chemises. When boaters came out on the market this year they sold very well - the demand exceeding the supply. Striped ribbon on the hats sell best. They cost $5.95 to $10.00. The hats are being sewn in Italy now. Mr. Salesky says he sells hats on the basis of style, not comfort. The derby is coming back next fall, he says, because it goes with boaters. Business for the first 6 mos. of the year was $10,300,000.
First Source
E. B. White, The Talk of the Town, ""Hatter"," The New Yorker, March 28, 1931, p. 13
B. Lachmann, New York's oldest hatter. Shop at 554 Hudson Street. Tells how good the hat business used to be years ago, when brewers gave hats to saloonkeepers and bartenders at Christmas.. Describes the various kinds of hats that were popular then; the doubledecker, a gray derby; the white cassimere, a high white felt shaped like high hat of today. Stetson used to work on same factory bench with him.
Second Source
Richard Lockridge, The Talk of the Town, ""Block that sinus!" Talk," The New Yorker, February 27, 1932, p. 7
Hatters try to stop fad of going without hats by placards stressing sinus troubles and the effeminacy of the habit. Students observed didn't seem to be suffering from either complaint.
Third Source
E. J. Kahn, The Talk of the Town, "Hats On," The New Yorker, September 28, 1946, p. 19
Talk. Stanley expedition to Danbury for an investigation of men's hatlessness. N. Y. is the most hatless city in the country. Danbury itself is not 100% hatted. Factories used to have a rule no employees could come to work hatless; buyers, however, are instructed not to interview hatless salesmen. Twelve per cent of all men never wear hats. 32% always wear hats. 98% of all men over 45 own at least one hat. Only 70% of college men own hats. Only 62% of college men consider hats important to personal appearance, veterans, 68% of them, do. Early in this century U. S. had 25 million males old enough for hats, and the annual production was 36 million; just before the war 50 million hat-males, but production of felts only 22 million. 59% of the women dislike hatless men. Goes into the question of baldness because of hats.
Fourth Source
Brendan Gill, The Talk of the Town, "Up From Plugs," The New Yorker, February 7, 1953, p. 24
Talk story about homburg hats, sales of which have gone up since Pres. Eisenhower announced he would wear a homburg for the Inauguration rather than a silk hat. Hat shops where sales have increased: Cavanagh, Thomas Begg, Young's Hat Stores, Knox, Dobbs, Lee Hats, Adam Hats. The only quiet spot was M. Flugelman, Inc. which made the silk hats worn at Inaugurations by all incoming Presidents since Theodore Roosevelt. Mortimer Loeb, present head of this company, said they tried to get Ike to continue tradition but were unsuccessful. Warren S. Smith, secretary-treasurer of the Hat Research Foundation said homburgs have been increasing in popularity for many years. The homburg outwears every other kind of hat except the derby which it has pretty well displaced. The homburg was devised for Edward VII in the eighteen-nineties at Homburg vor der Hohe, a town in Hesse-Nassau, that was his favorite watering place.
Fifth Source
Geoffrey T. Hellman, The Talk of the Town, "Hat Champ," The New Yorker, September 15, 1956, p. 33
Talk. Interview with Bernard L. Salesky, president of the Hat Corporation of America. The Corporation has just bought, for just under 2 million dollars, the Champ Hats, Inc., & a number of affiliate companies owned by Mr. S. & his 3 brothers, Joseph, David & Charles. This makes the Corporation the 2nd biggest hat manufacturing firm in the world. The Corportion has established a Cavanagh store in London-it has thre divisions: Cavanagh, Knox & Dobbs. Mr. S. is trying to patter their operation after General Motors: Cavanagh is their Cadillac division, Knox their Oldsmobile division, Dobbs their Buick Division, & Champ Hats their Chevrolet division They will sell Champ hats at Gimbel's, but not at Saks-5th Ave. Champs are masshats, the Corporation's class hats. Mr. Doesn't believe in scaring men into wearing hats; but to buy them to complement the wardrobe. Mr. S. is theoldest of seven children. His father, a Polish immigrant used to cut & block caps & his mother would sew them. His two other brothers Irving & Phoenix are doctors.
Sixth Source
Geoffrey T. Hellman, The Talk of the Town, "Boom," The New Yorker, June 28, 1958, p. 22
Talk. Interview with Bernard L. Salesky, president of the Hat Corp. of America, about the newest fashion in men's hats - the boater, or stiff straw sailor. (Two years ago the company added Champ Hats to a stable already consisting of Cavanagh, Knox & Dobbs). He said hats make a man look important. He got the idea of reviving the boater, a style of the twenties, after seeing women wear chemises. When boaters came out on the market this year they sold very well - the demand exceeding the supply. Striped ribbon on the hats sell best. They cost $5.95 to $10.00. The hats are being sewn in Italy now. Mr. Salesky says he sells hats on the basis of style, not comfort. The derby is coming back next fall, he says, because it goes with boaters. Business for the first 6 mos. of the year was $10,300,000.
