Panama Hat Thread

[ShadedDude]

Originally Posted by Rick Blaine
Sold at A Baker & Sons - Nassau, The Bahamas, an ongoing concern I may add. Although this looks to have a bit of age on it anyway. A little thick & woody, but I have now, with nominal success recreased it into a fedora. I haven't got the brim quite as I would have it, yet, or I'd post an after photo.
I DO particularly like the bound brim.


Hey, I was just there a few weeks ago! Here's the only good section of the shop:

This looks like Tony's shop in St. Augustine, not A Baker & Sons? Did I miss something? [huh]

 

[randooch]

This looks like Tony's shop in St. Augustine, not A Baker & Sons? Did I miss something? [huh]

Holy smokes! I posted the wrong picture!! :eusa_doh: Good catch. I'll dig up the other; it's here somewhere.

 

[Nazarin]

Hi, I have recently bought a low-grade panama (cheapest cuenca?) woven in Ecuador (as the stamp stated) and blocked in Poland. That was my first panama and I have been dissatisfied by it's quality. The brisa weave was grainy and not very consistent, and it had been treated presumably with some stiffener. The hat was very stiff and cardboard-like. I have decided to make a return. I am convinced, that there could be better panamas in my price range. I have figured that Panama Bob would be the one to make a deal with. I have 100$ dollars to spend on the fedora. Could I buy something nicer for that sum from PB? That would make a grade 8-9 brisa Cuencano or grade 12 llano Cuenca... I would like the hat to be smoother, not necessarily very smooth, but nice to touch nonetheless, stiffener-free and not prone to waving. Is it possible for me to fetch something like that?

 

[rlk]

Calado from Optimo

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Robert that will keep you cool this hot summer. Nice and breezy.

 

[mikespens]

From RLK:
Calado from Optimo

Doubt if they get cooler than that. Super kool RLK.

 

[Ordinary Guy]

RLK, absolutely awesome, I can't believe you can even feel that hat on your head........

 

[fedoralover]

Please help Identify this weave

I don't have a clue what kind of weave this is, does anyone here know?? It is kind of a braided and then sewn together type of weave. Nothing on sweatband to identify it. It is vintage and not new, although I did have a new sweatband put in it.

thanks for any info: fedoralover

 

[jamespowers]

I don't have a clue what kind of weave this is, does anyone here know?? It is kind of a braided and then sewn together type of weave. Nothing on sweatband to identify it. It is vintage and not new, although I did have a new sweatband put in it.

thanks for any info: fedoralover

Looks like a type of Milan to me. A nice one too.

 

[alanfgag]

It's a very nice design. The construction seems more like a straw boater than a milan.

I don't know where this type of weaving might have been done. Here are a couple of Leghorn straw hats in comparison.
These are solid weaves rather than sewn braids, but show a decorative radial pattern.

 

[fedoracentric]

OK, I took your all advice on a straw. I found one in a thrift store. But there is nothing stamped on the leather sweatband, so I can't say who made it. The shop owner said it was "probably from the 50s or something." In other words, he didn't know.

But from what I've read here there are some cues to me that it might be older than "probably the 1950s or something." But I just don't know.

The crown is 4 and one quarter tall and the brim is 2 and three eighths. There is nothing on the sweatband, but below you'll see some of the pencil and ink markings inside.

Here I go trying to post photos and I hope it works... I started one of those image services as you guys suggested to others on other threads. If it works, you'll see the hat, closeup of the weave, the edge of the brim, and some details of the sweatband.

OK, had to re-try a few times, but I got it to work.

So, anyone know what sort of hat this is? What sort of weave? Age? Even who could have made it (I doubt you'll be able to figure that out, though.)?

 

[fedoracentric]

I should add that the straw is very fine and thin. It is not stiff at all. In fact, the brim is very easily moved around, almost floppy bu no too droopy. There is a noticeable dip in front that makes the brim sort of bubble and doesn't flow nicely from the hat to the edge. Can I get that brim better shaped or is a straw unable to be shaped?

Oh, and I feel lucky about the size. The store owner said it was a "small" and it did fit awful tight, but when I got it home I noticed someone had scotch taped some padding inside the hat under the sweat. I removed that and it fits perfectly.

Anyway, this is the new/old straw I got. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Joshbru3]

I should add that the straw is very fine and thin. It is not stiff at all. In fact, the brim is very easily moved around, almost floppy bu no too droopy. There is a noticeable dip in front that makes the brim sort of bubble and doesn't flow nicely from the hat to the edge. Can I get that brim better shaped or is a straw unable to be shaped?

Oh, and I feel lucky about the size. The store owner said it was a "small" and it did fit awful tight, but when I got it home I noticed someone had scotch taped some padding inside the hat under the sweat. I removed that and it fits perfectly.

Anyway, this is the new/old straw I got. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

Well, first off, I believe that this hat is WAY older than the 50's. I have received several panama hats with no manufacture info on the sweatband before. This sweatband on your hat COULD be a replacement, but it does have that very close "vvvvvvvvv" stitching though which usually means that the hat is early. Without any sort of manufacture stamp, or store stamp, its hard to date, but if I had to make an educated guess based on the fullness of the crown shape, un-stitched sweatband seam, "vvvvvvvv"stitching, and sweatband texture, I would say its from the 20's or early 30's. But then again, there's no way of telling for sure.

BTW: A little steam and water goes a long way with these vintage panama's. Be careful of the straw because it tends to become brittle after so many years, but the steam will re-activate the shellac on the straw and should make everything a bit more firm. NEVER try to shape a panama without steam and or water because you risk cracking or splitting the straw.

 

[alanfgag]

Nice find! It is very difficult to guess an age with any authority. Bodies are still being woven in this manner today. The hat could well have been sold from a small hat shop who might have blocked the body for a customer and sewn in a sweatband with older machinery, using supplies on hand for a while. 20s, 30s, 40s... perhaps even 50s... all possible. It looks like a nice body. If the worn sweat bothers you, run down to Chicago and have Optimo clean and block and install a new comfortable sweat.

 

[gqmagic]

Very Nice:eusa_clap

 

[newturnofphrase]

Here I am, thrilled to be wearing my brand spanking new Montecristi by Brent Black Hats.

This hat took a while, as he had trouble finding a suitably large one to block as a short-brim fedora.

 

[Rabbit]

VS Montecristi 28x28 weave count

- Cross-posted from the Hall of Fame -

2 3/8" brim, 12 ligne black ribbon

Today, on this summer's hottest day so far, my new VS Montecristi arrived. I asked Art whether he had a block like the one below from his inventory in my size as well. He did. The block has a spine line both vertically along the crown roof plus front/rear and along the crown sides.

It's the block on the right; the other one is a Western straw hat block (note the distinct lack of rake).

The block shape is incredibly beautiful. Art's blocking of the Panama is impeccable, as always; the brim on this one has a moderately high flange with a snap.
The woven straw has a very textured look - entirely different from my other VS Panamas - having lots of reddish and some grayish straw in it, rather evenly distributed over the hat body. Although I prefer the clear ivory color of my other Panamas, I also enjoy the variety.

 

[Rabbit]

VS Montecristi 28x28 weave count Part II

The 28x28 / 800wpsi (lower right) with my other VS Panamas: 24x24 / 600wpsi (upper left), 33x38 / 1250wpsi (lower left), and another 28x28 / 800wpsi (upper right).
As you may be able to see in the full resolution image (link below), weave count isn't everything. Evenness/ consistency of weave is a big factor. The 28x28 in the upper right looks finer than its weave count, more like a 900wpsi; the new acquisition looks closer to a 700 or 600wpsi. By the way, Art very decently sold it as a 600wpsi.

Full resolution image

 

[danofarlington]

That is a very fine hat.

 

[hatophile]

That is a very fine hat.

No doubt!