Homburg and Bowler Reference

[Matt Deckard]

Homburg

Bowler

 

[Nathan Flowers]

I went and watched the Optimo video from Fox News Chicago today, and the hat she had on definitely looked like a bowler to me. It just had more swoop to the brim in front than the one you have pictured there. I will try to snag a pic with my digital camera, as I don't have the capability to put vhs video on the computer.

 

[jamespowers]

Looks pretty straight-forward to me.
Problems arise when you see the bowlers made early last century. They are like top hats with a rounded edge. Their height is not as high as a top hat of course but they are more flat on the top than we think of a bowler today.
I will see if I can scare up a picture of what I mean.

Regards to all,

J

 

[Matt Deckard]

You'll notice a difference between modern Homburgs and bowlers versus vintage. The brim on modern versions usually don't curl in nearly as much as the vintage. According to Baron hats and I think it was Gary White about 5 years ago, they said the problem with curling the brim in the old style lies with alot of the modern ribbon being made of plastics which can't take the heat needed for curling the brim -- it melts.

I asked Graham about this and he said his ribbon is made like they made it in the 30's and should have no problem.

Most modern versions I have seen look like this.

 

[Wild Root]

We are so far advanced now but they can't even make a hat correctly? Well, I know Optimo and a few others do a swell job, but still, you know what I mean. Why can?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t an old hat company like Stetson or Borsalino just make them like they used to? Oh yeah, it cost too much money

Cheers.

 

[Matt Deckard]

With the quality of todays Stetson, I think they could sell their fedoras for $25 a hat and still make a profit.

 

[Wild Root]

$25 bucks or 25 cents, they still would make a bundle! LOL LOL LOL

 

[jamespowers]

I was noticing the difference between a new homburg that a friend of mine recently purchased and my vintage Knox. Mostly, I noticed that the new homburg is quite a bit heavier. I am not sure exactly why but it certainly is. The new homburg also has a shorter crown with more taper than the Knox. The Knox has the brim rolled up just a tad more.
This sort of brings us to the background of the Homberg and the bowler. I am sure it has been stated here before but the bowler was developed as a hard hat for game keepers around 1850. Like the Homburg, it did not arise to prominent use until the nobility in England started wearing the bowler in the 1920s.
The Homberg was a casual hat developed between 1860 and 1890, depending on who you ask. Both have developed over time. They became less stiff than their originals after WWI due to the shortage of shellac for stiffner. This actually gave rise to the felt hats that we so like today being soft, easier to wear and pliable to different blocks. Modern bowlers and hombergs have reverted back to the stiff hard hat that they once had been though. I can say that my Knox is much more pliable than my friend's new Homberg. Interesting how things come full circle in some cases.

Regards to all,

J

 

[Wild Root]

Interesting to say the least! FYI, I saw a special on the History Channel about the men that repair power lines. It was very interesting that in the early years of those power companies, their workers wore felt hats. Not just any felt hats, but the taller the crown, the better! Reason being is that the soft felt crown would double as a way to let the worker know if he got to close to those hot wires! When a man's hat would come in contact with the wires, he would only feel the crown of the hat brush up against the wires then he knew that he was way to close.

No helmets came into the picture I believe till the late 50?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s or so. Felt,?¢‚Ǩ¬¶ Is there any thing it can?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t do?

Regards.

 

[Matt Deckard]

Wore one of my bowlers to work today... Gettin' the craziest looks.

 

[Wild Root]

Matt, that's a weird photo. Is it from a movie? Looks like 70's by the womens hair style.

Root.

 

[Matt Deckard]

Pre Emma Peel Avengers 1960's


This better?

 

[Wild Root]

Sure.

Root.

 

[jamespowers]

Originally posted by Matt Deckard
Wore one of my bowlers to work today... Gettin' the craziest looks.

Did you wear it at a jaunty angle as in the picture of Mr. Steed?
I have a Cavanagh bowler on the way so I will see how people l interact with react. Should be interesting with a bowler in size 7 5/8. Hobos will probably try to live under it. I had better buy a box before it gets here. LOL

Regards,

J

P.S. I thought Emma Peel was a brunette. Hmmm.

 

[Matt Deckard]

I had to wear it at a jaunty angle, otherwise it just looks wierd

That's not Emma, that's Cathy Gale played by Honor Blackman; she was Steed's partner before Emma.

She moved on from the series to be in Gold Finger as Pussy Galore.

This is Emma Peel played by Diana Rigg

You may remember, she moved on to Play the woman who married James Bond in On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

 

[jamespowers]

That's the one I remember. Much better looking than the previous partner of Mr. Steed.
Now she is the host of Mystery on PBS---at least she was last time I saw it.

Regards to all,

J

 

[Matt Deckard]

Tell us what responses you get when wearing your bowler.

 

[Wild Root]

Well, the last time I wore a bowler... Oh yeah, I don't have a bowler.

Sorry about that,

Root.

 

[Matt Deckard]

I have 4 now... You like brown?

I picked 'em up on ebay back when they was cheap.

The brown one is from the 50's

 

[Wild Root]

Well, I'll have to see it first. I don't think I saw it before.

See ya,

Root.