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Messages
18,476
Location
Nederland
Took a chance on a lot of hats from Etsy that Brent pointed out to me. Listed as size 54, but the seller gave some measurements that pointed towards size 56 or even 57, so I took the plunge.

five7-jpg.344005


The good news is they are indeed all size 56 en 57. The bad news is they aren't really my style (mostly). One or two of them can stay and the rest I'll find a new master for.
The other good new is I found some new colours that we haven't seen before and I can give you a new theory on the meaning of one of the numbers on the labels.
Borsalino Alba Lightweight. Short brimmed fedora in grey. Size 57 with the raw edge brim at 4,2cm and the crown at 10cm. Lightweight indeed with only 89 grams, but them it is a very stingy brim. Made for Guiseppe Marino, Napoli, who chose a great liner.

borsalino-alba_01-jpg.344006
borsalino-alba_02-jpg.344007
borsalino-alba_03-jpg.344008
borsalino-alba_04-jpg.344009
borsalino-alba_06-jpg.344010
borsalino-alba_08-jpg.344011
borsalino-alba_10-jpg.344012
borsalino-alba_12-jpg.344013
borsalino-alba_13-jpg.344014
 
Messages
18,476
Location
Nederland
The second one of this batch.
Borsalino Tannino lightweight hat. Brown porkpie in a size 57, with the raw edge brim at 4,2cm and the crown at 10cm. Same weight as the Alba above with 89 grams. Not a style I go for, even if others wear it with great panache.
Tannino is also a colour not seen before and Borsalino keeps surprising with its unsurpassed range of colours. Now here's a theory concerning the numbers on the label. We know the number on the upper right refers to the model and felt (in this case A5329). We don't know exactly how, but that much we know. This one and the Alba are the same model and felt. Different colour and shaped differently, but basically the same. They were also made for the same retailer and what we see is that the numbers on the upper right side of the label are consecutive numbers (numbers 75387 and 75388). This leads me to the theory that these numbers refer to the retailer and specific hat as part of an order.

borsalino-tannino_01-jpg.344024
borsalino-tannino_02-jpg.344025
borsalino-tannino_03-jpg.344026
borsalino-tannino_04-jpg.344027
borsalino-tannino_06-jpg.344028
borsalino-tannino_08-jpg.344029
borsalino-tannino_09-jpg.344030
borsalino-tannino_11-jpg.344031
borsalino-tannino_12-jpg.344032
borsalino-tannino_13-jpg.344033
 

FedoraRedHat

One of the Regulars
Messages
106
In the last installment of the strange occurrences at JJ Hat Center, I had ordered a Stetson Saxon Midnight (Navy), which arrived with a non-standard 1" hatband, and missing Stetson pin and feather. I had to add my own feather.

DSC_0537.JPG


Recently, I ordered a custom-quality fedora from JJ Hat Center. This was The Ken in grey with a 2" brim. These hats were apparently ordered from Spain, while claiming to match pre-bankruptcy Borsalino quality. Their listing says: "*This styles runs approximately 1/2-1cm smaller (~1/2 a hat size) than most Stetson felts, being Spanish made." I am normally a 7 3/8 (59cm). I ordered a 7 3/8 model, assuming that 1/2 of a hat size reduction would still fit.

Here's where the interesting part comes in. They contacted me stating that the 7 3/8 was out of stock. They also stated that the 7 3/8 size would have to be ordered as a 7 5/8 size for it to fit properly. They also gave me an alternative hat to buy. Apparently, they found a model of The Ken labeled as a 63 cm hat which fit true to size to a 60cm hat. It took a few emails to clear the confusion. Even though a true to size 59cm is listed as a 60cm, the hat listed as 63cm was a true to size 60cm, not a listed size 60cm, which would normally be a 59cm hat.

After the confusion was cleared, I ordered the true to size 60cm hat. They included hat resizing tape in the box. After some light resizing, the hat fits perfectly. Here's how the hat was labeled:

DSC_0579.JPG


Here are some images of the hat:

DSC_0576.JPG


The coloring is somewhere between an Akubra Moonstone and an Akubra Carbon Grey.

DSC_0577.JPG


The felt is extremely soft and flexible. Simply pinching the crown causes the felt to reshape. The brim has stitching along the edge. It is not a bound edge, but it is not a raw edge either.

DSC_0578.JPG


Since the felt is less stiff than Stetsons or Akubras, the center crease features some unevenness.

DSC_0580.JPG


The hat features a JJ Hat Center black liner and a leather sweatband.

Overall, I am pleased with my purchase, but getting there was a strange event. The employees at JJ Hat Center were very friendly, so I approve of their customer service quality. Some may point out that when ordering a custom-quality hat, I should get exactly what I ordered. That is true, but I guess I bought the hat just so I could tell the story. :cool:

I guess I'll have to wait for the next event that sparks another installment of Strange Occurrences at JJ Hat Center. 'Till next time.

2021-07-02_16-21-41.jpg
 
Messages
19,001
Location
Central California
In the last installment of the strange occurrences at JJ Hat Center, I had ordered a Stetson Saxon Midnight (Navy), which arrived with a non-standard 1" hatband, and missing Stetson pin and feather. I had to add my own feather.

DSC_0537.JPG


Recently, I ordered a custom-quality fedora from JJ Hat Center. This was The Ken in grey with a 2" brim. These hats were apparently ordered from Spain, while claiming to match pre-bankruptcy Borsalino quality. Their listing says: "*This styles runs approximately 1/2-1cm smaller (~1/2 a hat size) than most Stetson felts, being Spanish made." I am normally a 7 3/8 (59cm). I ordered a 7 3/8 model, assuming that 1/2 of a hat size reduction would still fit.

Here's where the interesting part comes in. They contacted me stating that the 7 3/8 was out of stock. They also stated that the 7 3/8 size would have to be ordered as a 7 5/8 size for it to fit properly. They also gave me an alternative hat to buy. Apparently, they found a model of The Ken labeled as a 63 cm hat which fit true to size to a 60cm hat. It took a few emails to clear the confusion. Even though a true to size 59cm is listed as a 60cm, the hat listed as 63cm was a true to size 60cm, not a listed size 60cm, which would normally be a 59cm hat.

After the confusion was cleared, I ordered the true to size 60cm hat. They included hat resizing tape in the box. After some light resizing, the hat fits perfectly. Here's how the hat was labeled:

DSC_0579.JPG


Here are some images of the hat:

DSC_0576.JPG


The coloring is somewhere between an Akubra Moonstone and an Akubra Carbon Grey.

DSC_0577.JPG


The felt is extremely soft and flexible. Simply pinching the crown causes the felt to reshape. The brim has stitching along the edge. It is not a bound edge, but it is not a raw edge either.

DSC_0578.JPG


Since the felt is less stiff than Stetsons or Akubras, the center crease features some unevenness.

DSC_0580.JPG


The hat features a JJ Hat Center black liner and a leather sweatband.

Overall, I am pleased with my purchase, but getting there was a strange event. The employees at JJ Hat Center were very friendly, so I approve of their customer service quality. Some may point out that when ordering a custom-quality hat, I should get exactly what I ordered. That is true, but I guess I bought the hat just so I could tell the story. :cool:

I guess I'll have to wait for the next event that sparks another installment of Strange Occurrences at JJ Hat Center. 'Till next time.

2021-07-02_16-21-41.jpg


If a size 63cm fits like a 59cm then they are taking their duplication of Borsalino all the way. :)
Personally, I wouldn’t accept a new hat that required sizing tape to get it to fit.
 

FedoraRedHat

One of the Regulars
Messages
106
If a size 63cm fits like a 59cm then they are taking their duplication of Borsalino all the way. :)
Personally, I wouldn’t accept a new hat that required sizing tape to get it to fit.

Fortunately, the hat was only slightly loose. I only needed some thin resizing tape. I have some Akubra Federation IV 61 cm hats that require double thick resizing tape, and much more of it. Compared to those hats, I don't mind this too much.
 
Messages
18,476
Location
Nederland
Part of the Borsalino hat haul from Greece.
Borsalino Misto Grafite fedora. Size 57 with the overwelt brim at 5cm and the crown at 10,5cm at the center dent. Misto Grafite is another new colour, just like the Alba and the Tannino we've seen before. Lightweight means 94 grams in this case. And I saw I made mistake in the numbers theory for the Borsalino labels; I'll correct that in the Borsalino thread.
Anyway: without further ado, here's the misto grafite.

borsalino m grafite_01.jpg
borsalino m grafite_02.jpg
borsalino m grafite_03.jpg
borsalino m grafite_04.jpg
borsalino m grafite_05.jpg
borsalino m grafite_06.jpg
borsalino m grafite_07.jpg
borsalino m grafite_09.jpg
borsalino m grafite_10.jpg
borsalino m grafite_12.jpg
 
Messages
18,476
Location
Nederland
This is the one that made me go for the Greek hat lot in the first place.
Borsalino Empaspo 401/2 in grey. The colour part of the label is missing, but I think it's either bismuto or rodio. Size 56 with the felted brim at 6cm and the crown at 10cm at the center dent. The "feltrato" edge was done superbly thin and delicate; lovely work. Made for Guiseppe Marino of Napoli, with his own wonderful liner design. Weighs only 89 grams.
The motto on the liner translates roughly into : where there's better, lesser loses meaning.
This is the last one of the Greek hat haul. There was another one in the lot (a Mogano coloured one), but it was in such poor condition it couldn't be saved.

borsalino-empaspo_01-jpg.344684
borsalino-empaspo_02-jpg.344685
borsalino-empaspo_03-jpg.344686
borsalino-empaspo_04-jpg.344687
borsalino-empaspo_06-jpg.344688
borsalino-empaspo_07-jpg.344689
borsalino-empaspo_08-jpg.344690
borsalino-empaspo_09-jpg.344691
borsalino-empaspo_10-jpg.344692
borsalino-empaspo_12-jpg.344693
 
Messages
18,476
Location
Nederland
To make up for the missing hat of the Greek hat haul (the Mogano coloured hat could not be saved) here's a special treat. This one came in from Croatia and arrived within just a few days. The UK postal services should take some lessons there; been waiting for a month now for a hat from England and no movement noticeable yet.
Anyway, I digress.
Borsalino qualitá Augusta Eiarsan fedora in Senapa (mustard) colour. Both model and colour are new and haven't been seen before, which is why I went for this hat in the first place. Size 56 with the raw edge brim at 6cm and the crown at 9,5cm at the center dent. This one is interesting for another reason as well: it has the separate size sticker and we can confirm Steve's @mayserwegener conclusion that these date to the early forties. His example was datestamped and this one isn't. So, how can we confirm this then? Well, the retailers are Fratelli Vuckovic from Cattaro. Cattaro was and is known as Kotor near Dubrovnik in Montenegro and it was only known as Cattaro during a brief period in WWII, namely from 1941-1943 when it was part of the Kingdom of Italy. How cool is that?
The hat is in plendid condition. Another feature not seen before is the stamping on the inside of the felt just above the Borsalino logo on the sweatband. Also a lightweight hat with just 92 grams.

borsalino-senapa_01-jpg.344694
borsalino-senapa_02-jpg.344695
borsalino-senapa_03-jpg.344696
borsalino-senapa_04-jpg.344697
borsalino-senapa_06-jpg.344698
borsalino-senapa_07-jpg.344699
borsalino-senapa_08-jpg.344700
borsalino-senapa_09-jpg.344701
borsalino-senapa_10-jpg.344702
borsalino-senapa_11-jpg.344703
 
Messages
11,730
To make up for the missing hat of the Greek hat haul (the Mogano coloured hat could not be saved) here's a special treat. This one came in from Croatia and arrived within just a few days. The UK postal services should take some lessons there; been waiting for a month now for a hat from England and no movement noticeable yet.
Anyway, I digress.
Borsalino qualitá Augusta Eiarsan fedora in Senapa (mustard) colour. Both model and colour are new and haven't been seen before, which is why I went for this hat in the first place. Size 56 with the raw edge brim at 6cm and the crown at 9,5cm at the center dent. This one is interesting for another reason as well: it has the separate size sticker and we can confirm Steve's @mayserwegener conclusion that these date to the early forties. His example was datestamped and this one isn't. So, how can we confirm this then? Well, the retailers are Fratelli Vuckovic from Cattaro. Cattaro was and is known as Kotor near Dubrovnik in Montenegro and it was only known as Cattaro during a brief period in WWII, namely from 1941-1943 when it was part of the Kingdom of Italy. How cool is that?
The hat is in plendid condition. Another feature not seen before is the stamping on the inside of the felt just above the Borsalino logo on the sweatband. Also a lightweight hat with just 92 grams.

borsalino-senapa_01-jpg.344694
borsalino-senapa_02-jpg.344695
borsalino-senapa_03-jpg.344696
borsalino-senapa_04-jpg.344697
borsalino-senapa_06-jpg.344698
borsalino-senapa_07-jpg.344699
borsalino-senapa_08-jpg.344700
borsalino-senapa_09-jpg.344701
borsalino-senapa_10-jpg.344702
borsalino-senapa_11-jpg.344703
You did quite well with this haul Stefan.
 

moehawk

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,841
Location
Northern California
Lately I have not been in hat seeking and buying mode, but when the fish jump in the boat... :)
Today I went into a recently opened second-hand and collectables store just a few blocks from home. Found this cool three-hat Dobbs box.

20210703_172145.jpg 20210703_172204.jpg 20210703_172230.jpg

It's cool enough as is, with the Game Bird stamp on the tag, but the hat inside is awesome, even though it isn't a GB or even a Dobbs.

20210703_172243.jpg 20210703_172313.jpg 20210703_173026.jpg 20210703_172505.jpg 20210703_172531.jpg
 

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