Hat store start up kit

[Aaron Hats]

I'm taking a tip from MThatter and posting this pic of a kit to start up a hat store.

Roberts, Cushman & Co is still in business but I think they only make hatbands for the big boys.

 

[besdor]

Aaron ,I dont think 3/4 of that stuff is still made today . Good wishing though.
Did you hear of any good finds from the big auction in St JO?:cool2:

 

[mthatter]

erased by mt

 

[MJL]

Amazing ad. Has anyone noticed they refer to the factory as the "Hat Sweat Factory". I wonder if that is the same as sweat shop!

 

[John in Covina]

Amazing ad. Has anyone noticed they refer to the factory as the "Hat Sweat Factory". I wonder if that is the same as sweat shop!

*****
My first impression too, but it is probably a refence to Sweat Bands!

 

[Aaron Hats]

Do you have the complete catalog, wanna trade some copies of old ones?

It's actually from the book "Scientific Hat Finishing & Renovating" but I'm willing to trade green for anything you're selling.

 

[besdor]

Aaron , that book is great to have . There are not that many hat books out there but for renovating ,thats the best one . Do you have any old Hat Life magazines ?
Steven:cool2:

 

[Aaron Hats]

Aaron , that book is great to have . There are not that many hat books out there but for renovating ,thats the best one . Do you have any old Hat Life magazines ?

The book is fascinating to read. No, haven't been able to find any magazines.

 

[Fedora]

Aaron , that book is great to have .

Yes, and what I get a kick out of was the alchemy used to clean particular sorts of stains, etc. And the pricing. The guy that wrote the book, even told you how to treat your customers. Reading that book is indeed like stepping back to a simpler era. I still get a kick out of how the hatters would smoke the hats to give them the dead finish that was in vogue then. Nowadays, you send out a hat that smells of smoke and all heck would break loose. My how times do change. Fedora

 

[Aaron Hats]

Here are a couple more pages from that book.

Anybody know where I can get some asbestos?

 

[jamespowers]

I'll take two strtup kits please.

Regards to all,

J

 

[photobyalan]

You know, I was going to make one of my usual smart-aleck comments about wanting to get hat service today at those prices, but something occurred to me:

Multiply all the figures in that "what to charge" clipping by 100. What you arrive at is: for hats under $300, the blocking costs $50, a new sweatband is $25, etc. Pretty much in line with today's prices. Maybe not surprising, but interesting.

 

[Fedora]

Anybody know where I can get some asbestos?

If you are gonna make a sulphur box for Montecristis, I am sure you could find a good substitute that is safer to work around. From what I understand, this is the best way to bleach out Montecristis. At least really fine ones that have mucho money invested. The other methods, I hear, are detrimental to the fiber of the hat. But, much easier to do, and that is why some folks use the easy way out. If I were gonna clean and reblock this sort of hat, I would have to make one as I understand it to be the superior method, then, and now. Fedora

 

[Fedora]

Multiply all the figures in that "what to charge" clipping by 100. What you arrive at is: for hats under $300, the blocking costs $50, a new sweatband is $25, etc. Pretty much in line with today's prices. Maybe not surprising, but interesting.

Is that an accurate appraisel of the difference in prices? That is, would one normally use that 100 factor to convert those old dollars into 2006 dollars? Or was it just an educated guess? Just curious. Fedora

 

[tonyb]

I'd just be happy to have a copy of that book, and I'd gladly pay 100 times what it cost new. I've searched for it online, to no avail.

 

[photobyalan]

Is that an accurate appraisel of the difference in prices? That is, would one normally use that 100 factor to convert those old dollars into 2006 dollars? Or was it just an educated guess? Just curious. Fedora

Simply an observation. Or an UN-educated guess!

I have no idea how 2006 dollars would compare to dollars back then. I do find it interesting to note that hats today seem to fall into two broad categories: off-the-shelf hats that generally cost less than $300, and custom and other high-end hats that generally cost more than $300 and that $3.00 was the price point between an "inexpensive" hat and a "more expensive" hat back then; and the hatter's services have also gone up by roughly the same multiple.

 

[SHARPETOYS]

Today vs the old

http://oregonstate.edu/dept/pol_sci/fac/sahr/sahr.htm

This might help

 

[jamespowers]

In order to find the exact amount you need to know the exact year the ad is from. The number of years makes quite a difference. You can use the inflation adjuster at:http://www.westegg.com/inflation/ to do the calculations.
For instance, if we figure that the $75 starter kit ad is from 1940 we find that the price equals $998 2005 dollars. I doubt you could actually get that amount of merchandise for that now but that is how it works out. The .75 reblock must have been before 1940 because it only amount to $9.98 in 2005 dollars. I could really go for that but it probably was an ad from before the 1940s.

Regards to all,

J

 

[Aaron Hats]

I'd just be happy to have a copy of that book, and I'd gladly pay 100 times what it cost new. I've searched for it online, to no avail.

The copy I have is just that, a copy. It's not original. I don't know if the copy was legally made so I'm hesitant to offer up copies.

As I looked at it, I sensed late '20s or more likely early '30s.

The book is from 1919.

 

[Fedora]

The copy I have is just that, a copy. It's not original. I don't know if the copy was legally made so I'm hesitant to offer up copies.

Yes, and mine is too. I think we got ours from the same hatter. But, if there is a trustworthy fellow here who wants to use my copy to make more copies, with no money involved except the price of having it done, I will lend you mine. But, since this book supposedly is out of print, hence the copies that are out there, this may be the only way one can get it. It was printed in 1919, and the info came from an immigrant master hatter who went to work for a hatter in the US, and was told his hats were too fine!!! He went to South America where he made hats for the rich and famous before coming back to America. I think I have that right, but it has been awhile since I read it. It is good reading, due to the era that it was written, especially for folks who love vintage hats. This master hatter frowned heavily upon anyone who machine pounced fine felt. Fine felt was to be only hand pounced. Just a few of us adhere to that old tradition nowadays. The lower quality felt, sure, go ahead and use the machines, as it would probably need it!! :cheers1: Fedora