The BORSALINO BROTHERHOOD

[deadlyhandsome]

New to me Borsalino Genova arrived today. I tried to put in a diamond crease but it wanted a teardrop. Very pleased with the hat and it fits true to size which is unusual in my limited experience with Borsalino.

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[Revilo61]

Hey, I was bidding on that one too I think. Good to see it here. Looks lovely, but as I remember the auction pictures made it look a fair bit darker.

Yep, I think there were quite a few of us interested. I got carried away and spent a lot more than I’d planned. The color was a surprise once I received it. Now that I’ve become accustomed to it, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Yep, I think there were quite a few of us interested. I got carried away and spent a lot more than I’d planned. The color was a surprise once I received it. Now that I’ve become accustomed to it, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

It’s a very good looking hat. I too wouldn’t change a thing. Congratulations.


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[deadlyhandsome]

Hello All, I just received this brown thin band modern Borsalino. The felt is VERY light weight. The crown holds its shape pretty good, but the brim is extremely floppy. There is no model name anywhere that I can find. Brim is 2 1/4" and the crown is 4" at the front, band is 5/8". I like the contrasting colors of the felt and band.

I like it. What I don’t like is having to compete with another 7 5/8 for vintage hats

I’ve had some sizing issues with Borsalino but I haven’t owned one yet that wasn’t at least descent.


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[steur]

Nice looking felt on this Borsalino. Is the dating 1960s? Earlier? The liner looks like it has the oil skin, how long did this last? Very cool hat, taper and all.

Thanks, Mike. The felt is indeed gorgeous. I think it's from the mid to late sixties. These labels seems to pop up from the mid-sixties and onward. After a while the size is no longer stamped on it, but part of the printed label. It looks like the oilskin from the fifties and early sixties, but it's a different material. The original material is like paper and tears easily, as you know. This seems more like plastic. I think they stopped using the original yellow oilskin in the early sixties.

 

[steur]

New to me Borsalino Genova arrived today. I tried to put in a diamond crease but it wanted a teardrop. Very pleased with the hat and it fits true to size which is unusual in my limited experience with Borsalino.

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Nice find, Brent. I like the proportions of this model. looks great.

 

[steur]

Yep, I think there were quite a few of us interested. I got carried away and spent a lot more than I’d planned. The color was a surprise once I received it. Now that I’ve become accustomed to it, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Yes, getting carried away is certainly a risk for all of us. You have a gorgeous hat there anyway for less money than a new one of lesser quality would cost, so who's complaining? The hat dates from the mid-fifties to early sixties, based on the cerrated label without the borsalino name on it, we see in this period. Liner, model and label has me thinking late fifties rather than early sixties. The colour (Biber), liner, bow treatment and suede finish are not all that common for a borsalino. I'd say you've got yourself a winner.

 

[Redfokker]

New to me Borsalino Genova arrived today. I tried to put in a diamond crease but it wanted a teardrop. Very pleased with the hat and it fits true to size which is unusual in my limited experience with Borsalino.

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Ooooh! I like this one. Lovely rich color. The prior owner must have done the stretching for you, it was probably tight for him like Borsalinos tend to be.

 

[new2hats]

I like it. What I don’t like is having to compete with another 7 5/8 for vintage hats

I’ve had some sizing issues with Borsalino but I haven’t owned one yet that wasn’t at least descent.


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Do Borsalinos tend to run larger or smaller? Was thinking about adding one to my collection. Am in between 7 1/8 and 7 1/4, mostly 7 1/4 (58 cm) because I like them a tad bit little loose.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Do Borsalinos tend to run larger or smaller? Was thinking about adding one to my collection. Am in between 7 1/8 and 7 1/4, mostly 7 1/4 (58 cm) because I like them a tad bit little loose.

First, I claim no expertise. I own fewer than ten and such a small sample size is insufficient for making broad statements. Also, all but one of mine were bought used so perhaps that contributed to the sizing issues.

In my experience Borsalinos run anywhere from just a bit to a couple of sizes small. Most are just small enough that they need some time on a hat stretcher to fit right. I’m a size 61 (7 5/8) and I own a Borsalino in size 64 (8) that fits perfectly, but that’s not the norm.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

My recent eBay Borsalinos arrived today. The velour felt is dusty, but undamaged. The hand is exceptional, but the felt is so soft and floppy that I don’t know if it will hold a shape even with copious amounts of steam. Has anyone had stiffeners added to velour?

I’d be interested in any estimations of age if anyone has a guess.

Thanks, Brent


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[deadlyhandsome]

Additional photos in natural light before their first brushing:

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[Tukwila]

Do Borsalinos tend to run larger or smaller? Was thinking about adding one to my collection. Am in between 7 1/8 and 7 1/4, mostly 7 1/4 (58 cm) because I like them a tad bit little loose.

In my limited experience, they run a tad small. I can usually get away with a 59cm in a vintage Stetson, Champ, Resistol, etc, but need a 60cm in a Borsalino.

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

My recent eBay Borsalinos arrived today. The velour felt is dusty, but undamaged. The hand is exceptional, but the felt is so soft and floppy that I don’t know if it will hold a shape even with copious amounts of steam. Has anyone had stiffeners added to velour?
Hey Brent:
No experience with velours but am doing a hairspray/velour experiment cause well...why not? I’ll have some before and after pics here soon.
Ps: hairspray works good on regular felt so...? We see.
Bowen

I’d be interested in any estimations of age if anyone has a guess.

Thanks, Brent


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[AbbaDatDeHat]

Greetings Brent et al:
Velour/hairspray stiffener experiment results.
Hat: Borsa Colombo XX velour. Maybe alittle less velourful than yours.
I brushed the hat, popped the brim up and down a few times to get a feel for stiffness, did a 4 pass hairspray of the front and rear underside 1/3 of the brim, let dry, inspect.
Each pic is a before then after pic.
Results:
no discoloration nor stickiness.
Very slight loss of velour hand.
Noticeable increase in snap stiffness (moderate at 4 pass spray).
Conclusions:
Little old lady hairspray works well on velour too as a stiffener and does not diminish color and only slightly velour hand. Prob wears off with handling as it gets brushed out of blue hairs.
Your mileage may vary.
That was fun!
Bowen
Ps: kinda messed up pics at the end but you get the idea

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I’m intrigued. Do you spray the hairspray on the inside of the outside? Is there a preferred brand? Being able to do it myself is very appealing.

Brent


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[AbbaDatDeHat]

I’m intrigued. Do you spray the hairspray on the inside of the outside? Is there a preferred brand? Being able to do it myself is very appealing.

Brent


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I spray that brand on the “underside” of the brim itself wherever you want to de-flop. This test was the first time i’ve done more than a 2 pass spray. Thought, what the who, go for it. I do the underside only, less visible in case of problems. I’ve done nice good felt several times. Made “all” the diff on a really old floppy Vita Felt Strat that i first did it on and that’s been over a year ago and still good. I wouldn’t hesitate to use it on any hat save a very long hair after this experiment. Good luck with the Borsa twins. Very cool pair!!
Bowen
Ps: keep in mind ladies brush it out so it should brush out somewhat on a hat as well. Lastly, i do the underside only. Rain...don’t know what would happen if on topside.
B

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I spray that brand on the “underside” of the brim itself wherever you want to de-flop. This test was the first time i’ve done more than a 2 pass spray. Thought, what the who, go for it. I do the underside only, less visible in case of problems. I’ve done nice good felt several times. Made “all” the diff on a really old floppy Vita Felt Strat that i first did it on and that’s been over a year ago and still good. I wouldn’t hesitate to use it on any hat save a very long hair after this experiment. Good luck with the Borsa twins. Very cool pair!!
Bowen

Thanks Bowen, good info. The crown is also very soft so I’ll also be removing the liners and spraying the crown. I better wait until my wife is gone since she already thinks I’m a little crazy with my hats.
Brent


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[AbbaDatDeHat]

Thanks Bowen, good info. The crown is also very soft so I’ll also be removing the liners and spraying the crown. I better wait until my wife is gone since she already thinks I’m a little crazy with my hats.
Brent


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Lol. If those two were mine, i’d use one as a test, steam it, shape it best you can, brush it then leave the liner in and test spray the crown outside, then firm up the brim underside. I bet a couple passes on the crown would do the trick. I’d just experiment, should brush out. I just brushed the one i sprayed. Looks same. I don’t think it will hurt them.
Good luck. B

 

[mayserwegener]

My recent eBay Borsalinos arrived today. The velour felt is dusty, but undamaged. The hand is exceptional, but the felt is so soft and floppy that I don’t know if it will hold a shape even with copious amounts of steam. Has anyone had stiffeners added to velour?

I’d be interested in any estimations of age if anyone has a guess.

Thanks, Brent


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Can you post photos of the paper labels? I tend to think they are 1970s.

Heavy steaming might bring back some of the stiffness.