Post New Hats Here!

[Redfokker]

I'm a broken record today, but another save by Mike Miller was this early unknown manufacturer Derby. The stitching of the sweat had rotted away, so a new sweat and liner makes this Dunstatter (the store name) Derby a daily driver. Fits like a custom, better than all my other derby collection. The finish and curl on this one was special enough to put some effort into saving. It will get a lot of head time.

 

[FedOregon]

Not a new hat, but really an all new hat, as you will see. I picked up an old Brent OR Clone a while back that came in moth eaten condition. I took it to Mike at NW Hats for a restoration. Wow! A new hat! Even though the moths had their way with this Brent, some magic of a new ribbon and a trimmed brim with a whipstitch treatment made this one a new daily driver. Fits like a custom, and feels "right" now.

View attachment 87301 View attachment 87302 View attachment 87303 View attachment 87304 And... did I mention whipstitch

Wonderful conversion and refurb!

 

[FedOregon]

I'm a broken record today, but another save by Mike Miller was this early unknown manufacturer Derby. The stitching of the sweat had rotted away, so a new sweat and liner makes this Dunstatter (the store name) Derby a daily driver. Fits like a custom, better than all my other derby collection. The finish and curl on this one was special enough to put some effort into saving. It will get a lot of head time.

View attachment 87305 View attachment 87306 View attachment 87307

Really sweet, Red!

 

[KarlCrow]

Great restorations

 

[Perry Underwood]

I'm a new member. Recently, I purchased two Amish hats. The first is a straw hat from Amishcraft.com (http://www.amishcraft.com/amish-hats), and the second I purchased on eBay.

I've included some photos. The straw hat looks very much like the ones mentioned in the blog Pure Country Living (http://amishstorys1.blogspot.tw/2012/07/moses-stolzfoos-amish-hat-maker-with.html). The interesting thing about this hat is that the sweatband was stitched both at the top and bottom, making it impossible to add any resizing material. The hat did fit large on me, so I removed the sweatband and applied two strips of terry cloth that had double-sided tape backing.

If you look at the last hat photo in the blog mentioned above, you will see how the sweatband looked. Also, you will see what appears to be an "l" written on the back of the hat. My straw hat has something similar, with what looks like an "L" in the same place.

The hat from eBay arrived on Tuesday. It says "The Flying Cloud" inside. I've included a photo of how it was shipped, with a box too small and no packing material. This was sent GSP (Global Shipping Program), and I had my concerns when I saw the box. Fortunately, the hat arrived in good shape.

The hat is very stiff. I plan to make a hat stretcher that I can use to reshape the hat. The hat is on the small side, but mostly the hat needs to be a little more oval.

Thanks for looking at the photos.

Perry

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I'm a new member. Recently, I purchased two Amish hats. The first is a straw hat from Amishcraft.com (http://www.amishcraft.com/amish-hats), and the second I purchased on eBay.

I've included some photos. The straw hat looks very much like the ones mentioned in the blog Pure Country Living (http://amishstorys1.blogspot.tw/2012/07/moses-stolzfoos-amish-hat-maker-with.html). The interesting thing about this hat is that the sweatband was stitched both at the top and bottom, making it impossible to add any resizing material. The hat did fit large on me, so I removed the sweatband and applied two strips of terry cloth that had double-sided tape backing.

If you look at the last hat photo in the blog mentioned above, you will see how the sweatband looked. Also, you will see what appears to be an "l" written on the back of the hat. My straw hat has something similar, with what looks like an "L" in the same place.

The hat from eBay arrived on Tuesday. It says "The Flying Cloud" inside. I've included a photo of how it was shipped, with a box too small and no packing material. This was sent GSP (Global Shipping Program), and I had my concerns when I saw the box. Fortunately, the hat arrived in good shape.

The hat is very stiff. I plan to make a hat stretcher that I can use to reshape the hat. The hat is on the small side, but mostly the hat needs to be a little more oval.

Thanks for looking at the photos.

Perry

Very nice! I didn't think I would like the flat crown straw, but your looks just right. I particularly like the variation of colors with the straw.
Are you leaving the felt hat unbashed or is that open crown photo before shaping?

 

[Perry Underwood]

Hi deadlyhandsome, thank you for your comments. I plan to keep the crown open, but I would like to flatten the brim on the two sides. Both sides curl up somewhat. I also need to stretch the hat a little. While the hat fits front and back, there is some clearance on the sides. Because the hat is so stiff, it will not conform to the shape of my head. I believe the hat would fit better if I could increase its "ovalness."

I am beginning to think the hat may be Mennonite and not Amish. The brim is shy of three inches, which I believe is fairly standard for Amish hats.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Hi deadlyhandsome, thank you for your comments. I plan to keep the crown open, but I would like to flatten the brim on the two sides. Both sides curl up somewhat. I also need to stretch the hat a little. While the hat fits front and back, there is some clearance on the sides. Because the hat is so stiff, it will not conform to the shape of my head. I believe the hat would fit better if I could increase its "ovalness."

I am beginning to think the hat may be Mennonite and not Amish. The brim is shy of three inches, which I believe is fairly standard for Amish hats.

Did you buy that straw from superclarkie on eBay? I've looked at them in the past, but I wasn't sure of the quality and I'm also not sure what I'd do with yet another straw hat. Are you pleased with the quality?

 

[mayserwegener]

Spectacular! That is the perfect dove grey too.
Do you think the side dents were put there by the factory or do you think a previous owner added them?

Thanks! It could be that it was blocked later. Here is another "Derby" (from a similar time period) that I took photos of at the Gotisches Haus (Gothic House) Bad Homburg , Germany hat collection that didn't have such side dents. I think the high forward narrow dents look great.

http://germanaustrianhats.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/6-johann-hückel´s-söhne-hückel-hutfabrik-weilheim/page-10#entry1328

Oh Wow! This is my all time favorite homburg! I am in total lust over this one Steve.

Mike, Thank you! As mentioned I like it too. Congrats on your recent finds!

 

[Perry Underwood]

Did you buy that straw from superclarkie on eBay? I've looked at them in the past, but I wasn't sure of the quality and I'm also not sure what I'd do with yet another straw hat. Are you pleased with the quality?

I purchased the straw hat from Amishcraft.com. That website is run by Jonathan Myer. With regard to quality, I think it's important to remember these are work hats, so the workmanship will tend more toward durability than finery. I think the only aspect of the hat that could be improved was the sweatband. It was made of a type of cloth similar to some athletic shirts--kind of a mesh that had some stretch to it. However, it was stitched to stay on the hat. It took some effort to take it off.

I thought shipping from Amishcraft was kind of expensive, but the correct size box was used (not like my eBay purchase) and there was packing material (peanuts). I had the hat shipped to Michigan where my aunt lives.

Here's a photo I found of more Amish hats. The hat second from the right with the blue sweatband is similar to mine. I should add that the ribbon and bow were included with the hat but not attached.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I purchased the straw hat from Amishcraft.com. That website is run by Jonathan Myer. With regard to quality, I think it's important to remember these are work hats, so the workmanship will tend more toward durability than finery. I think the only aspect of the hat that could be improved was the sweatband. It was made of a type of cloth similar to some athletic shirts--kind of a mesh that had some stretch to it. However, it was stitched to stay on the hat. It took some effort to take it off.

I thought shipping from Amishcraft was kind of expensive, but the correct size box was used (not like my eBay purchase) and there was packing material (peanuts). I had the hat shipped to Michigan where my aunt lives.

Here's a photo I found of more Amish hats. The hat second from the right with the blue sweatband is similar to mine. I should add that the ribbon and bow were included with the hat but not attached.
View attachment 87372

Thank you for the review and all the good info. I get that the Amish are about simple, serviceable, and rugged hats. They tend to be an unpretentious bunch not known for dressing like dandys. I like my finely woven Panama hats, but I also have room for a couple SunBody hats so why not an Amish work hat too?

Keep us informed of how you like the hat with some use under your belt. Cheers.

 

[Joao Encarnado]

A FEPSA box has arrived.
Well, it's not a hat yep but... a WIP.

Massive. Was my first thought.
To compare, the Stetson Big Country with a 5" brim.

 

[RJR]

A FEPSA box has arrived.
Well, it's not a hat yep but... a WIP.

Massive. Was my first thought.
To compare, the Stetson Big Country with a 5" brim.

Anxious to see what it becomes,Joao.

 

[Redfokker]

My new Hückel Chamois arrived yesterday. I was wearing it around the house trying to get it shimmed for daily driver duties. The finish on this one is...chamois like. It feels luxurious to the touch.

 

[steur]

Not a new hat, but really an all new hat, as you will see. I picked up an old Brent OR Clone a while back that came in moth eaten condition. I took it to Mike at NW Hats for a restoration. Wow! A new hat! Even though the moths had their way with this Brent, some magic of a new ribbon and a trimmed brim with a whipstitch treatment made this one a new daily driver. Fits like a custom, and feels "right" now.

View attachment 87301 View attachment 87302 View attachment 87303 View attachment 87304 And... did I mention whipstitch

That is a great looking hat, Mike. Don't know what it looked like before, but I like what it looks like now.

 

[mayserwegener]

Echter Brabant Haarhut, 58cm probably mid 1960s. No paper label / company mark and the German trade mark search came up empty. I have come across a couple of these in the past. It has a classic form for a later Homburg.

 

[Redfokker]

That is a great looking hat, Mike. Don't know what it looked like before, but I like what it looks like now.

The package got the usual Postal Gorilla treatment. The brim was a little wonky, but this wonderful chamois felt weathered it well.

 

[Redfokker]

Echter Brabant Haarhut, 58cm probably mid 1960s. No paper label / company mark and the German trade mark search came up empty. I have come across a couple of these in the past. It has a classic form for a later Homburg.

Beautiful Homburg Steve. The "Sch" initial button is so...German.

 

[mayserwegener]

Mike, Thanks! By the way this hat is from the same owner of the Hückel Weilheim "Derby" (has "H.S." stamped).

 

[Zombie_61]

View attachment 87307

Every once in a while I'll see photos like these and think it's a shame we can't turn our hats inside out and wear them to show off the beauty under the crown.