Historically Correct Hats

[Soldat]

Hello everyone. I've been a member of the Fedora Lounge for several years but I have been inactive for as many years. Anyway I love the vintage styles which is why I joined the Fedora Lounge several years ago. I have a number of custom made fedoras from Art Fawcett when he owned Vintage Silhouettes. Art Fawcett was the guy to go to for special, historically correct, or custom Fedoras. You could call his shop and speak with him directly with any questions or concerns. He kept a record of the customer's head shape and size which allowed each of his hats to fit perfectly. He was able to produce nearly any style for example classic fedoras, Homburgs, Lords Hat, and most anything from any time period. He could customize each hat with pinched fronts, center dents, teardrop crowns, cattleman crown, custom brim sizes, crown height, etc. Now he is retired and his business is sold. I suspect many of his original and historical hat blocks have gone to the four winds.
Is there anyone out there able to produce historically accurate fedoras?
(Not someone's modern interpretation of what they think a fedora was from the 1930's.)
Any suggestions, ideas, contacts, etc.

 

[jlee562]

Many of us here have hats from Art and he drops in from time to time.

Can you clarify what you mean by "historically correct"? Because that could slice any number of ways. From a certain point of view, no modern hat is "historically correct" to the 30's unless you find a deadstock mercury felt body.

Plenty of other makers have vintage blocks and flanges. Not as many have as good a ribbon collection as Art had. Gannon has produced some modern versions of vintage styles. He doesn't get a lot of press around these parts but Wellema is good with vintage styles.

 

[Frunobulax]

Many of us here have hats from Art and he drops in from time to time.

Can you clarify what you mean by "historically correct"? Because that could slice any number of ways. From a certain point of view, no modern hat is "historically correct" to the 30's unless you find a deadstock mercury felt body.

Plenty of other makers have vintage blocks and flanges. Not as many have as good a ribbon collection as Art had. Gannon has produced some modern versions of vintage styles. He doesn't get a lot of press around these parts but Wellema is good with vintage styles.

I love Wellema. Wish I could afford one!

Didn't the guy who bought VS get the blocks an equipment, too?

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I love Wellema. Wish I could afford one!

Didn't the guy who bought VS get the blocks an equipment, too?

Brent Black bought Art’s long oval blocks…I was a day late and a dollar short asking about them.

I’ve know Art’s wife Marsha has been selling off his Ribbon collection on eBay, but I don’t know where all his tooling went. I got some band blocks, a commercial steamer, and a few hand tools.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Hello everyone. I've been a member of the Fedora Lounge for several years but I have been inactive for as many years. Anyway I love the vintage styles which is why I joined the Fedora Lounge several years ago. I have a number of custom made fedoras from Art Fawcett when he owned Vintage Silhouettes. Art Fawcett was the guy to go to for special, historically correct, or custom Fedoras. You could call his shop and speak with him directly with any questions or concerns. He kept a record of the customer's head shape and size which allowed each of his hats to fit perfectly. He was able to produce nearly any style for example classic fedoras, Homburgs, Lords Hat, and most anything from any time period. He could customize each hat with pinched fronts, center dents, teardrop crowns, cattleman crown, custom brim sizes, crown height, etc. Now he is retired and his business is sold. I suspect many of his original and historical hat blocks have gone to the four winds.
Is there anyone out there able to produce historically accurate fedoras?
(Not someone's modern interpretation of what they think a fedora was from the 1930's.)
Any suggestions, ideas, contacts, etc.

I’ve never considered Art’s hats to be particularly accurate period reproductions. There was a great deal of variety in hats back in the day, so aside from the outlandish and obvious, I don’t know how you determine “historically accurate.”

If all you mean is an old block shape, an old flange shape, and a vintage ribbon then there are a lot of great options out there.

 

[belfastboy]

I love Wellema. Wish I could afford one!

Didn't the guy who bought VS get the blocks an equipment, too?

He did a midnight runner, closed his shop and headed to the midwest. Not sure he is still in the hat business. A lot of Art's equipment (perhaps blocks/flanges as well) went to a guy in Atlanta GA.

 

[belfastboy]

I’ve never considered Art’s hats to be particularly accurate period reproductions. There was a great deal of variety in hats back in the day, so aside from the outlandish and obvious, I don’t know how you determine “historically accurate.”

If all you mean is an old block shape, an old flange shape, and a vintage ribbon then there are a lot of great options out there.

I am a custom hat maker. I and many other hatters, if you supply a screen grab or photo, can replicate that hat. It would just be a matter whether they have the block pattern to match the hat. Also check to see if they use vintage grosgrain ribbon. I have thousands of yards of Art's supply.... as do a lot of hatters (I think he had 50,000 yards at one point so there is a lot out there. Tim@purebeaver (IG) sells a FEPSA beaver felt in 95gram weight that is as close to a vintage feel as I have come across in a modern felt.

 

[Bill Hughes]

Mike Miller of Northwest Hats has made many derby and coach hats that look good. You mi give him a call.

 

[belfastboy]

Mike Miller of Northwest Hats has made many derby and coach hats that look good. You mi give him a call.

Yes, Mike has made me 9 hats, most of them from either a description or picture of a hat. He nailed every one of them.

 

[Rmccamey]

Yes, Mike Miller is a master of the old D'Orsay curl and, in my opinion, period-correct hat reproductions. I have five Northwest hats and they are all A+.

 

[johnnycanuck]

Hello everyone. I've been a member of the Fedora Lounge for several years but I have been inactive for as many years. Anyway I love the vintage styles which is why I joined the Fedora Lounge several years ago. I have a number of custom made fedoras from Art Fawcett when he owned Vintage Silhouettes. Art Fawcett was the guy to go to for special, historically correct, or custom Fedoras. You could call his shop and speak with him directly with any questions or concerns. He kept a record of the customer's head shape and size which allowed each of his hats to fit perfectly. He was able to produce nearly any style for example classic fedoras, Homburgs, Lords Hat, and most anything from any time period. He could customize each hat with pinched fronts, center dents, teardrop crowns, cattleman crown, custom brim sizes, crown height, etc. Now he is retired and his business is sold. I suspect many of his original and historical hat blocks have gone to the four winds.
Is there anyone out there able to produce historically accurate fedoras?
(Not someone's modern interpretation of what they think a fedora was from the 1930's.)
Any suggestions, ideas, contacts, etc.

So far has been some really good responses. I think the real question should be what fedora are you looking to recreate? Ask that question and I think you will get more direct responses and better recommendations.
Johnny

 

[Who?]

Can someone define what they mean by “vintage look”?

Anyone?

 

[belfastboy]

Hello everyone. I've been a member of the Fedora Lounge for several years but I have been inactive for as many years. Anyway I love the vintage styles which is why I joined the Fedora Lounge several years ago. I have a number of custom made fedoras from Art Fawcett when he owned Vintage Silhouettes. Art Fawcett was the guy to go to for special, historically correct, or custom Fedoras. You could call his shop and speak with him directly with any questions or concerns. He kept a record of the customer's head shape and size which allowed each of his hats to fit perfectly. He was able to produce nearly any style for example classic fedoras, Homburgs, Lords Hat, and most anything from any time period. He could customize each hat with pinched fronts, center dents, teardrop crowns, cattleman crown, custom brim sizes, crown height, etc. Now he is retired and his business is sold. I suspect many of his original and historical hat blocks have gone to the four winds.
Is there anyone out there able to produce historically accurate fedoras?
(Not someone's modern interpretation of what they think a fedora was from the 1930's.)
Any suggestions, ideas, contacts, etc.

Mike at NW Hats just up the road aways from Art is a master at replicating hats. If you have a picture of what you want he is able to replicate close to exact.

 

[Rmccamey]

Can someone define what they mean by “vintage look”?

Anyone?

No, because "vintage" is a vague and subjective term whether you are talking hats, cars, or guitars. If you ask more specific questions about "vintage", you will probably get better answers. For example, what was the look of men's fedoras in the 1920s and 1930s? They "tended to be" taller crowns, wider brims and much wider ribbons aka Humphrey Bogart. How about during the 1960s? Mens fedoras "tended to be" shorter crowns, moderate ribbons and shorter brims (ie, Trilby's) aka James Bond.

If you ask about western hats during those same periods, you will get other answers.

If you ask about bowler hats during those same periods, well...

 

[Who?]

No, because "vintage" is a vague and subjective term whether you are talking hats, cars, or guitars.

That was my point, it is a meaningless term.

Thank you

 

[deadlyhandsome]

It’s perhaps not very useful on its own…it needs a modifier or two. There is certainly a place in my vocabulary for the word.

 

[Rmccamey]

"Vintage" and "_X" and you can sell any hat in the world.

That was my point, it is a meaningless term.

Thank you