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Messages
19,001
Location
Central California
Biltmore Imperial eggshell (off-white) homburg:

C6ECAABF-181A-4C50-93AC-82F1EE3EC1A4.jpeg
CEC2BD2B-7BDA-4D52-9752-82E2EDFEB6DC.jpeg
749FB7E0-7B5B-4D39-9E0D-D1AED650777A.jpeg
06BB1DEA-8657-43E7-B1E9-B915D78E6139.jpeg
80F0ED10-8952-4403-8471-97D6EE859906.jpeg
1BC43AE5-DDA5-45A3-A100-FDC56C74FF0E.jpeg
50F6AA1A-02A3-47C4-9209-15D087FB5BD3.jpeg
 

Granville

One of the Regulars
Messages
214
Location
Long Beach, NY
Champ. And the felt feels fabulous.
Pretty clean, except the brim, which is stained or color faded. Not enought to be disfiguring, just enough to add character. The sweat is in great shape, too. The wear could be shelf wear; the liner is very clean.
Sides of the hat are soft, but no "memory" of pinches/dents.
I brushed the hell out of it, played with the bash, and put it in the freezer until I get back after Mother's Day weekend.
Champ head duck.jpeg
Champ Pin Ribbon and Wind Button.jpeg
The sweat has all the trademarks: "Felted by Master Craftsman" "Kasmir Finish" and, of course, "Feel the Felt"
Under the sweat is a factory tag with blocking info. Plastic liner on the tip.
Champ sweat and tip.jpeg
From the on-line photos I expected similar, if darker (deeper?) brown, as my Rose Selentino, but it's really a completely different color altogether. Here's a side by side of the two. The Champ's on top.
SideBySide.jpeg
Champ three quarter.jpeg
 

Attachments

  • Champ three quarter smile alt.jpeg
    Champ three quarter smile alt.jpeg
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Messages
18,401
Location
Nederland
Stefan, you are a mind of information, as if I didn't know, and I thank you for it.

I used the oven heat treatment,

View attachment 423633

but went the other way to give the Prince & Co Top Hat a wings up look.

View attachment 423634

Don't try this at home folks, or maybe you should :cool:
I'd say that's a great result! There's a big difference in knowing how it's supposed to be done and actually doing it! You're braver man than I Gunga Din:)
 

Granville

One of the Regulars
Messages
214
Location
Long Beach, NY
Big storm in jersey cancelled our plans, so I took the new hat out of the freezer and cut the plastic tip cover off. It was a little greasy, so my Champ isn’t as virginal as it appeared at first glance. Here’s the factory tag under the sweat. Also, on the underside of the sweat itself is a torn tag. Could this be a model name (Duncan)? 9D8973A6-EF59-4468-9A8C-5ABF2F7484AA.jpeg 893D3BBF-E427-45CE-BD19-9AB83527A2B4.jpeg duncan.jpg
I also posted in “ask a question” about adding side dents/pinches. And getting them to stay.

PS: Taller than my other stingy/trilbies at almost 5" measured from the side. 2 inch ribbon, 1.5 inch brim.
 
Last edited:
Messages
11,369
Location
Alabama
Swann hat manufactured by the Swann Abram Hat Co., Louisvillle, KY. Not a lot of information or many hats out there that I’ve seen in regards to this co. Some American Hatter info from the 1880’s indicating they were in operation and a few other bits and pieces. Saw an ad from 1895 and an order card published in 1942 for “Victory Hats”. Saw a few writings that they were the first with the Kentucky Derby hats but I’ve found no examples. Nothing beyond the 1942 example. The former hat factory is now the Grady Hotel. A 51 room boutique spot near downtown Louisville. The lounge is called the Wild Swann. The only other hat I’ve found was a Clear Nutria fedora RLK had for sale in 2013.

This particular hat is also in Clear Nutria and is as black as a hole. Dimensions are 3 x 6 OC with a shoestring ribbon. Slight flange. The felt is a western weight that is very dense and fairly thin with a nice smooth finish. The brim is firm but workable and the crown is also firm but has that clay like malleability I associate with 7X CB’s and such.
DAD835BE-C953-410A-BAFD-CC2C3EB0B7A3.jpeg
9C0748F8-026D-480A-8AF8-AD5E30750509.jpeg
399F8DB5-BEED-4D07-93B6-6E64404A04C4.jpeg
DD425D3B-9B3C-440B-B7E7-808A53370C5D.jpeg
277B7C7D-9824-4A4C-B574-353F401770E0.jpeg
A6410D32-7BA8-4F14-B041-73F2FAF739D6.jpeg
B588BA9D-73E8-4E60-A31E-0D69A256061E.jpeg
6EF86186-017D-497B-B320-DE07745FC616.jpeg

cont.
 
Last edited:

Steve1857

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,829
Location
Denmark
Swann hat manufactured by the Swann Abram Hat Co., Louisvillle, KY. Not a lot of information or many hats out there that I’ve see in regards to this co. Some American Hatter info from the 1880’s indicating they were in operation and a few other bits and pieces. Saw an ad from 1895 and an order card published in 1942 for “Victory Hats”. Saw a few writings that they were the first with the Kentucky Derby hats but I’ve found no examples. Nothing beyond the 1942 example. The former hat factory is now the Grady Hotel. A 51 room boutique spot near downtown Louisville. The lounge is called the Wild Swann. The only other hat I’ve found was a Clear Nutria fedora RLK had for sale in 2013.

This particular hat is also in Clear Nutria and is as black as a hole. Dimensions are 3 x 6 OC with a shoestring ribbon. Slight flange. The felt is a western weight that is very dense and fairly thin with a nice smooth finish. The brim is firm but workable and the crown is also firm but has that clay like malleability I associate with 7X CB’s and such.
View attachment 424015 View attachment 424016 View attachment 424017 View attachment 424018 View attachment 424019 View attachment 424020 View attachment 424021 View attachment 424022
cont.
Oh my days, Greg. What a great find.
 

thatguykeek

New in Town
Messages
22
Location
Chicagoland
Swann hat manufactured by the Swann Abram Hat Co., Louisvillle, KY. Not a lot of information or many hats out there that I’ve seen in regards to this co. Some American Hatter info from the 1880’s indicating they were in operation and a few other bits and pieces. Saw an ad from 1895 and an order card published in 1942 for “Victory Hats”. Saw a few writings that they were the first with the Kentucky Derby hats but I’ve found no examples. Nothing beyond the 1942 example. The former hat factory is now the Grady Hotel. A 51 room boutique spot near downtown Louisville. The lounge is called the Wild Swann. The only other hat I’ve found was a Clear Nutria fedora RLK had for sale in 2013.

This particular hat is also in Clear Nutria and is as black as a hole. Dimensions are 3 x 6 OC with a shoestring ribbon. Slight flange. The felt is a western weight that is very dense and fairly thin with a nice smooth finish. The brim is firm but workable and the crown is also firm but has that clay like malleability I associate with 7X CB’s and such.
View attachment 424015 View attachment 424016 View attachment 424017 View attachment 424018 View attachment 424019 View attachment 424020 View attachment 424021 View attachment 424022
cont.
WOW very nice!
 
Messages
18,171
This particular hat is also in Clear Nutria and is as black as a hole. Dimensions are 3 x 6 OC with a shoestring ribbon. Slight flange. The felt is a western weight that is very dense and fairly thin with a nice smooth finish. The brim is firm but workable and the crown is also firm but has that clay like malleability I associate with 7X CB’s and such.
High quality all the way!
 

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