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Mighty44

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,013
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Adam Executive - XLX Strand G
Light Grey Brown - Taupe Felt
Approx 4 3/4 Crown as shaped (about 5 3/4 Open)
2 3/4 Brim with 1/2 Grosgrain Binding
1 7/8 Pewter Grosgrain Ribbon

I received a perfectly timed and much appreciated heads up about this hat from @deadlyhandsome and I was able to lock in a lightning fast Buy it Now for this Super Cool Adam Executive “XLX Strand G”. It has essentially a somewhat bigger proportioned Whippet styling. With a 2 3/4 Brim featuring a full half inch of brim binding. I believe not quite as wide binding as say a Stetson Vogue or some iteration of Stetsonian… but a tad wider than the usual 3/8 on most whippets. A beautiful big full crown at about 5 3/4 open. The hat has a wind trolley that appears to be still tacked into place with a stitch.

I was really interested to see what color this hat would be in person. As the seller listed it as brown…. But the photos were Maybe a silver grey. When I opened the box it presented as a medium tan/grey. As I moved it into more light it appeared a more light tan grey. In full sun… a more light to silver grey. Considering the chameleon like color shifter on the tan grey spectrum… I’m going with Taupe.

It was fairly clean upon arrival.. just gave it an overall brushing and a bit of steam to shape up the crown. Thanks so much from thinking of me, Brent… this beauty has definitely found a home.

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Beautiful!
 
Messages
11,730
In my limited experience with Champs, I'd rather have an Adam.

Yeah on the whole the Adam Executives I’ve seen are the most impressive of the lot - but Blare has shown more than one very nice looking Champ..
In addition to the Champ featherweights which I really do enjoy.. I have found a couple mostly older Champ hats that seem very special to me. But on the whole they are more the exception. It seems to me after Champ was fully absorbed into HCA they start to get unremarkable…. But that was also a sign of the times. By the 60s The brand was mostly a name plate along with Dunlap they could slap on some of their lower end HCA hats.

I believe Adam had their own factory and stores through the heyday of hats and through the 60s long after most the other big names had been absorbed. The savings they were able to pass on in their pricing didn’t come at the expense of quality.

I don’t think I can speak to how the different quality levels ranked from brand to brand. But I just know the Adam hats I have handled have been of great quality… from the 50s on into late 60s. They were making fantastic hats.
 

The Lost Cowboy

One Too Many
Messages
1,699
Location
Southeast Asia
In addition to the Champ featherweights which I really do enjoy.. I have found a couple mostly older Champ hats that seem very special to me. But on the whole they are more the exception. It seems to me after Champ was fully absorbed into HCA they start to get unremarkable…. But that was also a sign of the times. By the 60s The brand was mostly a name plate along with Dunlap they could slap on some of their lower end HCA hats.

I believe Adam had their own factory and stores through the heyday of hats and through the 60s long after most the other big names had been absorbed. The savings they were able to pass on in their pricing didn’t come at the expense of quality.

I don’t think I can speak to how the different quality levels ranked from brand to brand. But I just know the Adam hats I have handled have been of great quality… from the 50s on into late 60s. They were making fantastic hats.
Very useful information Brent, thanks!

Edit: Thanks JOE!! (Dyslexia kicking in…)
 
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moehawk

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,841
Location
Northern California
More of this one in the French hats and makers thread!

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DonR

Practically Family
Messages
557
My second Dobbs Forty. This one is a light tan with brown ribbon. Both of these hats were from the same seller, same store (Hughes & Hatcher), and same owner initials (MM). This was has a few moth bites one of which goes all the way through this thick felt. Thankfully it is on the edge brim near the crown at the rear of the hat. I don't think it will be noticeable while wearing.

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OPS price tag:

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Sister hats:

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Messages
11,730
My second Dobbs Forty. This one is a light tan with brown ribbon. Both of these hats were from the same seller, same store (Hughes & Hatcher), and same owner initials (MM). This was has a few moth bites one of which goes all the way through this thick felt. Thankfully it is on the edge brim near the crown at the rear of the hat. I don't think it will be noticeable while wearing.

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OPS price tag:

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Sister hats:

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This also came in today. A Stetson 3X ME in blue. I wish the 2 1/4" brim was just a bit wider and the ribbon on the side instead of the rear, but the felt and color are nice.

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Some incredible finds, Don!
 

tamz0r

Familiar Face
Messages
82
My second Dobbs Forty. This one is a light tan with brown ribbon. Both of these hats were from the same seller, same store (Hughes & Hatcher), and same owner initials (MM). This was has a few moth bites one of which goes all the way through this thick felt. Thankfully it is on the edge brim near the crown at the rear of the hat. I don't think it will be noticeable while wearing.

View attachment 590778

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OPS price tag:

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Sister hats:

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tan hat and light tan hat with same ribbon and dimensions.

it’s comforting and amusing to see someone from ages ago having similar degenerate hat hoarding (ahem i mean collecting) tendencies as myself lol
 

DonR

Practically Family
Messages
557
tan hat and light tan hat with same ribbon and dimensions.

it’s comforting and amusing to see someone from ages ago having similar degenerate hat hoarding (ahem i mean collecting) tendencies as myself lol
Me too. I'd like to see what else was in his collection.
 

Rmccamey

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,877
Location
Central Texas
Knocking it out of the park, Don!

My second Dobbs Forty. This one is a light tan with brown ribbon. Both of these hats were from the same seller, same store (Hughes & Hatcher), and same owner initials (MM). This was has a few moth bites one of which goes all the way through this thick felt. Thankfully it is on the edge brim near the crown at the rear of the hat. I don't think it will be noticeable while wearing.

View attachment 590778

View attachment 590779

View attachment 590780

View attachment 590781

OPS price tag:

View attachment 590782

Sister hats:

View attachment 590783

This also came in today. A Stetson 3X ME in blue. I wish the 2 1/4" brim was just a bit wider and the ribbon on the side instead of the rear, but the felt and color are nice.

View attachment 590786 View attachment 590787
View attachment 590788
View attachment 590795
 

Steve1857

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,876
Location
Denmark
Skoczów/PolkaP.

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A fun looking hat.

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The liner is glued, thus no labels, so inside of the sweat photos

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The brim is 5cm and crown 12cm at the front crease.

The brim felt has a velvety feel to it, while the crown spirals are rough to the touch.

The brim length and crown height difference make this one look a wee wonky

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Steve @mayserwegener has all the historical details of this hatmaker.
 

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Messages
18,476
Location
Nederland
Skoczów/PolkaP.

View attachment 591103

A fun looking hat.

View attachment 591105

View attachment 591108

The liner is glued, thus no labels, so inside of the sweat photos

View attachment 591119 View attachment 591120

The brim is 5cm and crown 12cm at the front crease.

The brim felt has a velvety feel to it, while the crown spirals are rough to the touch.

The brim length and crown height difference make this one look a wee wonky

View attachment 591124

Steve @mayserwegener has all the historical details of this hatmaker.
Certainly an interesting piece. Glad to see it gets some wear and you seem to get it to work for you.
 
Messages
17,524
Location
Maryland
Skoczów/PolkaP.

View attachment 591103

A fun looking hat.

View attachment 591105

View attachment 591108

The liner is glued, thus no labels, so inside of the sweat photos

View attachment 591119 View attachment 591120

The brim is 5cm and crown 12cm at the front crease.

The brim felt has a velvety feel to it, while the crown spirals are rough to the touch.

The brim length and crown height difference make this one look a wee wonky

View attachment 591124

Steve @mayserwegener has all the historical details of this hatmaker.
Steve, Super! I like it! I know that Tonak had / has similar special Felt. I need to visit Polka P.!
 
Messages
17,524
Location
Maryland
Josef Gratzer Hutmachermeister Miesbach, No Paper Label, measures 55cm possibly 1930s. I found the following regarding Josef Gratzer: "1949 their new hat factory. In the same year, Ulrich Rager and Josef Gratzer founded the Oberbayerische Hutfabrik GmbH", so this Velour is probably prior to that because Gratzer was already listed as a hat maker. Miesbach was a German center for Velour and Kohlndorfer was the major producer. It's possibly that Kohlndorfer was the Velour source for this hat. The black Velour has a very soft hand and has high gloss. The nap is fairly long but not quite Soleil. The greenish gold Liner also has very high gloss but is very delicate so it has some small wear tears. I took a chance on this Velour but turned out to be too small. Regardless it's a very interesting find and I learned somethings about Miesbach Hat / Velour production that I need to post.

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Open Crown

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Rmccamey

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,877
Location
Central Texas
Hmmmm...Jack Ruby was wearing a Jas. K. Wilson hat (reported to be a Cavanagh) when he murdered Lee Harvey Oswald.

Stetson Imperial Fifteen with Mode Edge in size 7 ⅛ with a 2 ½” wide brim. It’s not common that I find back-bow hats with these wider brims. The felt is very mellow and easily molded.

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