Post New Hats Here!

[jeffgarf]

C. G. Wilke "Haar Special", 57 cm, Fur Felt, 150 grams, possibly 1930s. This is the finest C. G. Wilke Guben Stiff Felt I have come across and it's in excellent condition. The Black Felt has a very nice smooth finish. The one inch Band works really well with the sharp looking Bow design. All the Components are of high quality with the Sweatband being exceptional. Overall great workmanship.

The Off White Reeded Piping creates a pleasing contrast with the Light Brown Sweatband.

Natural Light

Great to see another Wilke here!

 

[mayserwegener]

Great to see another Wilke here!

Jeff. Thank you!

 

[jeffgarf]

I have received the last of my European purchases for now and with the final one, I think, I can make an interesting contribution to the knowledge of French hats (also posted in that thread).

This is a Mossant, likely from the 40's or 50's, in what appears to be a homburg style. I believe, based on the tag under the sweatband, that this was also a style from a particular region of France, the Auvergne style hat. Lille, where the hat was sold, is in this region. The style of the hats are usually indicated by a lower crown and a fairly wide brim. At just over 3.5" in the front and under 5" at the height of the crown, I am venturing a guess that this was a homburg made for a retailer using that style. The seller was Lalieu of Lille, France.

 

[Judgmentalist]

My last Optimo came today. I think I have all the Optimo hat's I'll ever need, unless I stumble across a really good deal or something super interesting.

I don't know what this thing is meant to be. Stiff brim, bound brim, relatively stiff felt, definitely a fedora, doesn't feel like it wants to take a pinch, doesn't feel like it wants to snap down. I don't see any fedoras on their website that don't have side dents. I'll do a little more digging. I'm happy to have this color. There are a couple minor moth nips, but nothing that bothers me too much. Tagged 60 but fits a little more snug.

I will probably take all my Optimo hats to Chicago this summer and do a little show and tell, recon, and possibly a little refurb or reblock work. It would be nice to have more information. This one doesn't have a label or any production markings on the interior that I can find.

Maybe one day I'll remember to take the dang earbuds out of my ears. Probably not.

 

[Rmccamey]

Another real beauty. One of these days, when you are in a moment of weakness, I'm going to talk you into selling one of those bowlers.

C. G. Wilke "Haar Special", 57 cm, Fur Felt, 150 grams, possibly 1930s. This is the finest C. G. Wilke Guben Stiff Felt I have come across and it's in excellent condition. The Black Felt has a very nice smooth finish. The one inch Band works really well with the sharp looking Bow design. All the Components are of high quality with the Sweatband being exceptional. Overall great workmanship.

The Off White Reeded Piping creates a pleasing contrast with the Light Brown Sweatband.

Natural Light

 

[Judgmentalist]

Another real beauty. One of these days, when you are in a moment of weakness, I'm going to talk you into selling one of those bowlers.

Man, I’ve thought the same thing about every hat, but I assume hats go in but they don’t come out. lol

 

[Rmccamey]

Looks nice as-is. Leans toward a Homburg in my view. You might pull the side brims up and see if you like something that leans western.

My last Optimo came today. I think I have all the Optimo hat's I'll ever need, unless I stumble across a really good deal or something super interesting.

I don't know what this thing is meant to be. Stiff brim, bound brim, relatively stiff felt, definitely a fedora, doesn't feel like it wants to take a pinch, doesn't feel like it wants to snap down. I don't see any fedoras on their website that don't have side dents. I'll do a little more digging. I'm happy to have this color. There are a couple minor moth nips, but nothing that bothers me too much. Tagged 60 but fits a little more snug.

I will probably take all my Optimo hats to Chicago this summer and do a little show and tell, recon, and possibly a little refurb or reblock work. It would be nice to have more information. This one doesn't have a label or any production markings on the interior that I can find.

Maybe one day I'll remember to take the dang earbuds out of my ears. Probably not.
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[Rmccamey]

Steve is a true collector and historian. Thankful for us, most of his hats are part of the larger story of German and Austrian hats. And you are correct, not many hats come out of his collection!

Man, I’ve thought the same thing about every hat, but I assume hats go in but they don’t come out. lol

 

[Pellie]

My last Optimo came today. I think I have all the Optimo hat's I'll ever need, unless I stumble across a really good deal or something super interesting.

I don't know what this thing is meant to be. Stiff brim, bound brim, relatively stiff felt, definitely a fedora, doesn't feel like it wants to take a pinch, doesn't feel like it wants to snap down. I don't see any fedoras on their website that don't have side dents. I'll do a little more digging. I'm happy to have this color. There are a couple minor moth nips, but nothing that bothers me too much. Tagged 60 but fits a little more snug.

I will probably take all my Optimo hats to Chicago this summer and do a little show and tell, recon, and possibly a little refurb or reblock work. It would be nice to have more information. This one doesn't have a label or any production markings on the interior that I can find.

Maybe one day I'll remember to take the dang earbuds out of my ears. Probably not.
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Nice Optimo. Do you wear it the wrong way (bow on the right side) or is it just the 'mirrorview' from your camera?

 

[Judgmentalist]

Nice Optimo. Do you wear it the wrong way (bow on the right side) or is it just the 'mirrorview' from your camera?

The picture is just flipped. Tag in the back

 

[mayserwegener]

Dobesch Wien "Novo", 58 cm, possibly mid to late 1950s. Dobesch Wien are not so common and are of high quality so I was very much happy to find this Homburg. The Brown (shade very much changes based on light source) Felt has a well executed Finish and is pliable but i kept the small front Side Dents. This is how Homburgs were often worn in Germany and Austria. Its wider Brim and taller Crown makes it really stand out. The seller was from Germany but there is no store / shop marks so possibly purchased at one of Dobesch's retail outlets in Vienna.

Open Crown

 

[mayserwegener]

Another real beauty. One of these days, when you are in a moment of weakness, I'm going to talk you into selling one of those bowlers.

Randy, Thanks! You will be first on the list.

 

[mayserwegener]

Man, I’ve thought the same thing about every hat, but I assume hats go in but they don’t come out. lol

I do occasionally but I pretty much wear every hat I have. I often wear a few different hats in the same day.

 

[Judgmentalist]

I do occasionally but I pretty much wear every hat I have. I often wear a few different hats in the same day.

Makes sense to me - I’ve been doing the same thing, and I’ve only got like 15 hats lol

 

[Rmccamey]

A list? You have a list? I'm on the list? Woohoo.

Randy, Thanks! You will be first on the list.

 

[Blare]

My last Optimo came today. I think I have all the Optimo hat's I'll ever need, unless I stumble across a really good deal or something super interesting.

I don't know what this thing is meant to be. Stiff brim, bound brim, relatively stiff felt, definitely a fedora, doesn't feel like it wants to take a pinch, doesn't feel like it wants to snap down. I don't see any fedoras on their website that don't have side dents. I'll do a little more digging. I'm happy to have this color. There are a couple minor moth nips, but nothing that bothers me too much. Tagged 60 but fits a little more snug.

I will probably take all my Optimo hats to Chicago this summer and do a little show and tell, recon, and possibly a little refurb or reblock work. It would be nice to have more information. This one doesn't have a label or any production markings on the interior that I can find.

Maybe one day I'll remember to take the dang earbuds out of my ears. Probably not.
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If the brim doesn’t want to snap down it may be more of a camber style brim. They tend to look much the same as a regular fedora snap brim and you can force them down.. but they generally don’t like it and the flange can be a bit pronounced when down. i know I have at least one in that style from the 1940s… it also does not love taking a pinch. Kinda comes off somewhat of a fedora/homburg hybrid with a bit of a shorter crown.

 

[Judgmentalist]

new "beater Borsalino" came in today. The felt is really lovely. For $50 I really like this hat and I'm happy to have it. Not sure if that is a good price by TFL standards; feel free to educate me as needed.

When I bought this hat I thought 1.) cool this will be my first actual Borsalino hat and 2.) this will be a good hat to learn on.

Now that I have it in hand, thinking about the work required to return this hat to a wearable condition kinda makes me tired lol. We shall see how it goes.

...please note the most-definitely-not-a-later-repair-reed-thingy.

 

[Judgmentalist]

Without further adieu... may I present the "White Borsalino!" Featuring the classic and very-much-not-a-later-repair visible reed construction lol.

I had an interesting experience today. The mail lady handed me a package, as I was outside when she arrived. I was very much anticipating this hat, and then when I opened the package, inside was the $50 "beater Borsa" I posted earlier. I never got a notification to expect that one today. Then I get a ding on my phone saying this "definitely not $50" hat had been delivered.

With visions of nation-wide multi-cell hat ****mer rings dancing in my head, I started spazzing out and calling my congressman with little success, then decided it must not have made it onto the truck this morning, and moved on. About 30 minutes later the mail lady swung back by and dropped this hat off.

This is a very nice hat. My immediate frustration upon opening the package came from two things:

1.) The felt is stiff. Stiff compared to the very soft and lovely felt on the aforementioned $50 beater Borsa from earlier. Right or wrong this just gave me an impression of lower quality. Feel free to educate me as needed.

2.) The brim is just a smidge wide for my taste - in this style of hat - at this exact moment. So, I put it on, and imagined my wife (who happens to be out of town at the moment) once again grimacing in my general direction prior to suggesting that I may, in fact, be the world's first actual "not a hat guy". She is coming around. My brims are getting wider bit by bit.

Now that this hat is definitely mine, it is starting to agree with me a little more. You may note that in one of the pictures there is a "61" written inside this hat. This is the third time, across multiple different brands, that I have found sizing information written inside the hat that disagrees slightly with the tag. If anybody knows anything about this, or if I am wrong about something, please let me know.

 

[Frunobulax]

new "beater Borsalino" came in today. The felt is really lovely. For $50 I really like this hat and I'm happy to have it. Not sure if that is a good price by TFL standards; feel free to educate me as needed.

When I bought this hat I thought 1.) cool this will be my first actual Borsalino hat and 2.) this will be a good hat to learn on.

Now that I have it in hand, thinking about the work required to return this hat to a wearable condition kinda makes me tired lol. We shall see how it goes.

View attachment 786777 View attachment 786778 View attachment 786779 View attachment 786780 View attachment 786782 View attachment 786783 View attachment 786784
...please note the most-definitely-not-a-later-repair-reed-thingy.
View attachment 786786 View attachment 786787

Other than a few missing stitches, what's wrong with it?

 

[Judgmentalist]

Other than a few missing stitches, what's wrong with it?

Oh, there are some spots that want to be cleaned. I was thinking of taking it apart and trying that naptha bath thing. The ribbon isn't in the greatest shape. Getting the sweatband put back together would take some work. I might try to do something with cleaning the liner. I don't know really. I'm open to suggestions, etc.

I had also considered sending it to a hat guy to clean it up for me, but that is before I learned that most of the hat guys (as far as I can tell in my limited experience) don't really want to do much refurb work.

Initially the refurb process seemed to me to be fairly straightforward. Then I realized I was dealing with survivor bias... only reading the success stories. Apparently there is a fair amount of risk involved in messing with these hats, and the outcome is not certain. We shall see how it goes.