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Messages
18,477
Location
Nederland
I have a confession to make: I generally don't like Tonak hats and I tend to avoid them. I think this has to do with the fact that most of the time I find them they date back to the period from about 1968 to 1990 when their output was geared toward eastern Europa (under communist rule) and their hats display a certain joyless lacklustre quality.
Enter this one: Tonak Antilope in brown. Size 57 with the bound brim at 5,8cm and the crown at 10cm at the center dent. Unlined and a lovely lightweight hat at just 85 grams. The hand of the felt is incredible. Now why is this a size 57? Damn commies!
tonak antilope_01.jpg
tonak antilope_02.jpg
tonak antilope_03.jpg
tonak antilope_04.jpg
tonak antilope_05.jpg
tonak antilope_06.jpg
tonak antilope_07.jpg
tonak antilope_08.jpg
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tonak antilope_10.jpg
 
Messages
17,524
Location
Maryland
I have a confession to make: I generally don't like Tonak hats and I tend to avoid them. I think this has to do with the fact that most of the time I find them they date back to the period from about 1968 to 1990 when their output was geared toward eastern Europa (under communist rule) and their hats display a certain joyless lacklustre quality.
Enter this one: Tonak Antilope in brown. Size 57 with the bound brim at 5,8cm and the crown at 10cm at the center dent. Unlined and a lovely lightweight hat at just 85 grams. The hand of the felt is incredible. Now why is this a size 57? Damn commies!
View attachment 190438 View attachment 190439 View attachment 190440 View attachment 190441 View attachment 190442 View attachment 190443 View attachment 190444 View attachment 190445 View attachment 190446 View attachment 190447
Stefan, Super! What is the second number in Týden?
 
Messages
17,524
Location
Maryland
Steve, thanks. Fairly certain it's 62. Would that be the year of manufacture?
Stefan, Yes that is the year. I have some hats from about the same time period. I wore this Tonak "Jubilant, 1799-1959, 160 Years" at the Tonak 220 Year celebration last month. There isn't a photo of the paper label but I checked a while ago and the Týden second number is "59". Tonak added the year sometime around the mid 1950s.

https://germanaustrianhats.invision...at-find-may-2016/?do=findComment&comment=1505
 
Messages
11,730
New stock seems to be trickling into the vintage shops again (jay!). Found a couple of them.
Princeton Hat Co in brown. Size 56 with the bound brim at 6cm and the crown 10cm at the center dent. Says Boston on the liner, but I highly doubt this is an American made hat. Finishing, proportion, label and the retailer (Konen of München, still in existence) point towards a German manufacture. There was a tendency among manufacturers and/or retailers in the fifties in Germany to use fancy English/American names for their hats. Liner is still stitched in, so I'm guessing mid to late fifties for this one. I like the colours on it and it has a nice sleek look with a shallow flange.
View attachment 190423 View attachment 190424 View attachment 190425 View attachment 190426 View attachment 190427 View attachment 190428 View attachment 190429 View attachment 190430 View attachment 190431 View attachment 190432

That is a beautiful hat


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Messages
17,524
Location
Maryland
New stock seems to be trickling into the vintage shops again (jay!). Found a couple of them.
Princeton Hat Co in brown. Size 56 with the bound brim at 6cm and the crown 10cm at the center dent. Says Boston on the liner, but I highly doubt this is an American made hat. Finishing, proportion, label and the retailer (Konen of München, still in existence) point towards a German manufacture. There was a tendency among manufacturers and/or retailers in the fifties in Germany to use fancy English/American names for their hats. Liner is still stitched in, so I'm guessing mid to late fifties for this one. I like the colours on it and it has a nice sleek look with a shallow flange.
View attachment 190423 View attachment 190424 View attachment 190425 View attachment 190426 View attachment 190427 View attachment 190428 View attachment 190429 View attachment 190430 View attachment 190431 View attachment 190432
Stefan, Fantastic! Great color combos and form. Very unique. I have to do some comparing with the paper label.
 
Messages
17,524
Location
Maryland
The hat arrived a couple of days ago and it was a gamble ... but a winner.
Difficult to understand through photographs of the seller and his information, but the appearance of this Borsalino was to be taken into consideration and so I tried a purchase.
Honestly I thought I had an interesting hat in my hand but the usual measures of ancient hats: that is small.
It was ready to leave and go to the lands of northern Europe, when the package was opened the surprise arrived
View attachment 190370
Borsalino Qualità Superiore size 6 1/2 or 60 cm 7 1/2 US
The color is "M. Gris fer" which means iron gray with black ribbon
View attachment 190371
Probably produced in the thirties and sold in Domodossola, on the border with Switzerland
View attachment 190377
The paper label was the "double" with size tag stucked on the main
View attachment 190376
Felt is magnificent and the percentage of wool that makes it feel velvety to the touch, the stiffnes is low on brim and medium on the crown. The ribbon is very beautiful, but alas it has some points of wear and it will be changed.
The interior is perfect, even if the paper label under the sweatband has come unstuck
View attachment 190374
The dimensions are: raw brim at 6 cm, open crown at 14 cm. and the ribbon is 5 cm.
View attachment 190375
It has been placed in a steam bath, brushed and cared for in every detail, but needs some retouching to be worn.
It is one of the rare Borsalino, sold in Italy, which is, personal opinion, a produced between the two world wars :)
Daniele, Super find and major congrats! It's a real beauty! Love to see the older European hats!
 

Pellie

One Too Many
Messages
1,691
Location
Enschede, Netherlands
I have a confession to make: I generally don't like Tonak hats and I tend to avoid them. I think this has to do with the fact that most of the time I find them they date back to the period from about 1968 to 1990 when their output was geared toward eastern Europa (under communist rule) and their hats display a certain joyless lacklustre quality.
Enter this one: Tonak Antilope in brown. Size 57 with the bound brim at 5,8cm and the crown at 10cm at the center dent. Unlined and a lovely lightweight hat at just 85 grams. The hand of the felt is incredible. Now why is this a size 57? Damn commies!
View attachment 190438 View attachment 190439 View attachment 190440 View attachment 190441 View attachment 190442 View attachment 190443 View attachment 190444 View attachment 190445 View attachment 190446 View attachment 190447
Great colour!!
 

Daniele Tanto

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,256
Location
Verona - Italia
New stock seems to be trickling into the vintage shops again (jay!). Found a couple of them.
Princeton Hat Co in brown. Size 56 with the bound brim at 6cm and the crown 10cm at the center dent. Says Boston on the liner, but I highly doubt this is an American made hat. Finishing, proportion, label and the retailer (Konen of München, still in existence) point towards a German manufacture. There was a tendency among manufacturers and/or retailers in the fifties in Germany to use fancy English/American names for their hats. Liner is still stitched in, so I'm guessing mid to late fifties for this one. I like the colours on it and it has a nice sleek look with a shallow flange.
princeton_01-jpg.190423

I have a confession to make: I generally don't like Tonak hats and I tend to avoid them. I think this has to do with the fact that most of the time I find them they date back to the period from about 1968 to 1990 when their output was geared toward eastern Europa (under communist rule) and their hats display a certain joyless lacklustre quality.
Enter this one: Tonak Antilope in brown. Size 57 with the bound brim at 5,8cm and the crown at 10cm at the center dent. Unlined and a lovely lightweight hat at just 85 grams. The hand of the felt is incredible. Now why is this a size 57? Damn commies!
tonak-antilope_01-jpg.190438
Very nice both!
I like colors and combinations with ribbons on both the hats. Belli!
 
Messages
18,477
Location
Nederland
Messages
18,477
Location
Nederland
That is a beautiful hat


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Stefan, Fantastic! Great color combos and form. Very unique. I have to do some comparing with the paper label.
Great colour!!
Very nice both!
I like colors and combinations with ribbons on both the hats. Belli!
Gentlemen, thanks for the kind words. I find hats in these proportions and colour schemes hard to resist even though I already have quite a few of them. A suede finished hat of this quality like the Tonak must always come back with me.
 
Messages
11,730
My new weekend arrival. The Dobbs Gay Prince.

I did not know anything about this line of Dobbs hats other than I’ve seen them go for a pretty penny from time to time. So when I had a chance to grab this one for a song because it’s whip stitch thread is unraveling... I had to go for it.

I had asked Dr Max his opinion of the felt on these and he gave them a thumbs up. But I still didn’t know what to expect.

Holy moly. When I opened the box and put my hands on this beauty I was stunned at how thin and light and soft this hat is. I’ve held some fairly nice hats. But nothing has come close to the way this felt feels in your hands.

66f72b30042e8092f3ba69a1ec038a94.jpg


The brim is about 2 3/4 with a gold whip stitch trim and has a matching 3/4” felt hat band with whip stitch trim as well. The somewhat rakish Crown currently sits at about 4 3/4 in front and about 4 in the back.

375daaadc3b78aac580f5da5190c68c8.jpg


Outside of the unraveled stitching on the brim and some foxing on the liner it looks real clean. The felt looks i don’t see any moth bites and the sweat is very clean and soft.

ddc12ea9c256cc63d333a953a733b9fc.jpg


faf3251a8c65b4cabb1056f055a16e7f.jpg




I get the impression from the manufacturer tag... this might be a bit older. Any thoughts on age?

5ce37c8881b04b7f03f0df66f53c353e.jpg




I haven’t had the chance to take my own photos yet.. so these from the seller will do for now.

0cc266db40b45566c380149e76aa97e6.jpg


Best,
Joe


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 

TheOldFashioned

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,182
Location
The Great Lakes
My new weekend arrival. The Dobbs Gay Prince.

I did not know anything about this line of Dobbs hats other than I’ve seen them go for a pretty penny from time to time. So when I had a chance to grab this one for a song because it’s whip stitch thread is unraveling... I had to go for it.

I had asked Dr Max his opinion of the felt on these and he gave them a thumbs up. But I still didn’t know what to expect.

Holy moly. When I opened the box and put my hands on this beauty I was stunned at how thin and light and soft this hat is. I’ve held some fairly nice hats. But nothing has come close to the way this felt feels in your hands.


The brim is about 2 3/4 with a gold whip stitch trim and has a matching 3/4” felt hat band with whip stitch trim as well. The somewhat rakish Crown currently sits at about 4 3/4 in front and about 4 in the back.

Outside of the unraveled stitching on the brim and some foxing on the liner it looks real clean. The felt looks i don’t see any moth bites and the sweat is very clean and soft.

I get the impression from the manufacturer tag... this might be a bit older. Any thoughts on age?

5ce37c8881b04b7f03f0df66f53c353e.jpg


I haven’t had the chance to take my own photos yet.. so these from the seller will do for now.

Best,
Joe


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Congrats on the hat! That one had been (re)listed several times so your patience paid off. Regarding the factory tag, that style is typical of the 1940s. Combined with that liner crest I would say probably late 40s.

I highly recommend checking out this site which was created by a (former) Lounge member:

 
Messages
11,730
Congrats on the hat! That one had been (re)listed several times so your patience paid off. Regarding the factory tag, that style is typical of the 1940s. Combined with that liner crest I would say probably late 40s.

I highly recommend checking out this site which was created by a (former) Lounge member:

Thanks!

That's about what I was thinking on dating.

The professor's site sure is a wealth of info.

Best,
Joe

Sent from my Moto G (5S) Plus using Tapatalk
 

Steve1857

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,876
Location
Denmark

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