Panama Hat information

[Panamabob]

Well, it happened. Simon Espinal called to say that his family can no longer weave hats for us. I'm assuming that there was some pressure from one of those heroes in Hawaii. Of course, I'll probably never know the truth. One more step toward monopoly for Hawaii. I hope he comes to see how he is killing the Montecristi hat industry. He who can pay the most money wins! Look for the prices to artificially inflate up again so that one man's ego can be stroked.

 

[RedPop4]

:rage: :rage:
Gracias para nada, Hawaii.

 

[johnnycanuck]

How long till the prices change?

Johnny

 

[dzacca]

What a bad news... :rage:


Did you manage to find out my hats, at least?

 

[TaxMan1]

Sorry to hear that, Bob! And thanks for fighting for us!

 

[duggap]

So Robert, what does this mean. Will you be able to supply Monticriste from other weavers or are you just out of luck. If so, how many Monticriste bodies do you have. I may need to grab one before they are all gone. We all hope you will still be able to provide us our Panama hats.

 

[Flieger]

I'm really sorry to hear that, Robert.

 

[Art Fawcett]

I'm sure that Robert will be able to continue getting panama's Gents, but the Espinal family are some of the best weavers in Equador and so the most fine ( museo quality) might be out of reach. I hope not, but that's basically what this means.

 

[Panamabob]

Maybe I'm overreacting, but I've been told before that someone in Hawaii asked Simon not to sell to me. Guess who told me that. Simon did. When I picked up my hats this time Simon gave some stories about the kids being busy at school, yet his son called out saying that he would do a hat and then his daughter did too. I gave the deposit two weeks ago. Today I get the call that he needs to return the money because they can't do the hats for me. No other explanation. Again, maybe I'm dead wrong. The son makes hats in the 1200-1300 range and the daughter makes hats in the 1600+ range. I'll see them at Christmas and might hear the truth then. As long as Simon is contracted out, I'm afraid his family may be off limits.

A special note for Guy Sterling. You have no idea who we help in Ecuador. The people put up with the dark man because he shells out the money. They scoff and laugh at his "gifts" of eyeglasses and weaving blocks. Egoista is a common term. Keep to your own kingdom and quit stealing posts from here, twisting them, and trying to make yourself look better. You can see your name all over the internet identified as the scum that you are.

 

[dzacca]

Bob,

I hope you can find out the truth when you see Simon again. This is a very very bad news, I hope, and I think all other loungers here do the same, that you'll be able to find out some kind of solution to have Espinal family in business with you again.

 

[Achille]

Hello,
I'm only a new customer but I'm really sad to read this, Robert.

Unfortunately this is the same law for all grood(exceptional) handcrafts everywhere in the world. Good craftsmen are ususally more attracted by the minority who can pay high price rather than the majority who can pays less. Economicaly it a big error but it's human.
I hope that these weavers will soon understand what they loose and don't forget that a lounge like fedora is a powerfull communication tool, positively for you but, perhaps not for those whose trade is unfair.

Sincerily
J.M.

 

[HungaryTom]

Sad news

How many Espinal family hats are there at PanamaBob

Espinal Simon: 0 hats for PHM - Simon keeps to exclusive contract details are not our beer.
Gisella Espinal 1600 + hat -the one on the photo.
Carlos Espinal: 1200-1300 range.
And two other hats.
Same family name but the hats are different in quality-the wpsi numbers tell that.

Too good to be true - the Espinal family seems to be unsafe as hat body suppliers for PHM - their commissioned hats regularly land with Brent Black - as it seems there are much more wannabe owners than hats. Their hats seem to be only accessible for us if Bob buys them right on the spot -and as it seems someone is very quickly informed about that - info is available on FL.

Blocking PanamaBobs commissions happens the third time since fall 2006.

Are those weavers the only ones to produce those grades in a fine and neat rows which is called Espinal grade? If countermeasures from Hawaii are that prompt and agressive - can there be other weavers found? Or were they also monopolized?

What grades can be supplied with safety?

Regards>

Tom

 

[Panamabob]

How many Espinal family hats are there at PanamaBob

We've got about a half dozen left.

Same family name but the hats are different in quality-the wpsi numbers tell that.

There are other very good Espinal weavers besides those three.

Are those weavers the only ones to produce those grades in a fine and neat rows which is called Espinal grade?

No, but the name means that they can charge upwards of $100 or $200.00 more.

Their hats seem to be only accessible if Bob buys them right on the spot - and as it seems someone is very quickly informed about that.

I have no secrets...If my brother-in-law would do his job, we wouldn't have near the problems we do. He is supposed to make weekly rounds to Montecristi and Cuenca. He clearly does not.

If countermeasures from Hawaii are that prompt and agressive - can there be other weavers found? Or were they also monopolized?

There are other weaving neighborhoods and one is nearly as good as Pile. They are not monopolized, but I wouldn't put anything past some people. As I've clearly seen, the love of money is the root of all evil and money is easily made with these hats.

What grades can be supplied with safety?

It depends on the grading system, but any hat up to 1200 can be had rather easily and upwards of 1400 if one is patient.

 

[HungaryTom]

Bob, thanks for the straightforward answers

This is where I wanted to get Simon is really the best but one must really decide whether to throw in 8-10k for his hat or one can be satisfied with the world class of Panama Hatworks of Montecristi at prices which you can afford!
The best line of Bob is woven in the same quality and he co-operates also with the same US master hatters as his competitor.
Yes the 'Ace' brandname costs a lot (we saw the media campaign around Simon with our eyes), but at PHM you find quality - which is worthwile to be 'snapped' even by Brent Black!
The brandname will be different.

 

[RedPop4]

Not to be selfish, or callous, or any other similar impression, the schmo like me, who'll likely never be able to afford the creme de la creme, won't be adversely affected by this? Oh, I'm bothered by it, if the Espinals are being goaded or in other ways coerced into this. My sense of overall justice is offended.

But I'm not likely to ever aspire to such a hat. To me a 400-500 will be the best I ever do. Are the rest of us to be slowly squeezed out of the market as well?
I don't know how many have purchased from you, but I know of one or two over at my other site, that I've steered your way, and I've made sure to dispel the myths told on that other Panama hat site in the process.

 

[Prairie Shade]

I dont have to have the best - Just good enough!!

I'm with Redpop on this. I have two I purchased from Robt 2-3 yeaars ago. They go about the same area for wpi. They are clearly superior to anything I see around (IMHO). So, their not the best, but their good enough for me!!

 

[geckoheart]

I don't know how many have purchased from you, but I know of one or two over at my other site, that I've steered your way, and I've made sure to dispel the myths told on that other Panama hat site in the process.

And those on that other site appreciate it- it's probably more like 5 or 12.

 

[RedPop4]

Hey buddy. Figured me out, did ya?lol lol lol

 

[Panamabob]

Now I read somewhere, on a place where I can't be a member, that nobody knows me in the Montecristi hat world. Good. Those thousands of hats we sell a year must not hurt anyone else's business. Good. Unfortunately, the guy who writes demeaning things about ALL of us here is well known by about 90% of the hatters who come calling for hats (repeatedly calling I might add!) know a crook and name him by name.

 

[RBH]

Keep up the good work Robert.