The BORSALINO BROTHERHOOD

[belfastboy]

View attachment 396975 View attachment 396976 View attachment 396977 View attachment 396978 View attachment 396979 I keep seeing you guys with vintage Borsalinos with white tags with Borsalino written across the tag indicating from the years 1936-1953 and I kept wondering where you find them. Tonight one popped up on auction just as I was looking, so I bought it. Here are some photos. View attachment 396975 View attachment 396976 View attachment 396977 View attachment 396978 View attachment 396979

Nice score!

 

[Blare]

View attachment 396975 View attachment 396976 View attachment 396977 View attachment 396978 View attachment 396979 I keep seeing you guys with vintage Borsalinos with white tags with Borsalino written across the tag indicating from the years 1936-1953 and I kept wondering where you find them. Tonight one popped up on auction just as I was looking, so I bought it. Here are some photos. View attachment 396975 View attachment 396976 View attachment 396977 View attachment 396978 View attachment 396979

Ohhhh. Very well done. Congratulations

 

[Pkyoakum]

Ohhhh. Very well done. Congratulations

As you know ~90% of the time when these treasures come available they are for sizes 7 1/4 and under, so when I saw one my size 7 1/2 that fits like a 7 3/8, I jumped on it as soon as I could--LOL. I have three with labels that indicate made between 1954-1965, but nothing earlier with Borsalino written sideways on the label. I now can see the difference in quality from the 60s and under to more recent ones, even though the more recent ones are also nice (no idea how the ones made since bankruptcy are). But there is something extra special about many made years ago that make them sought after.

 

[Blare]

As you know ~90% of the time when these treasures come available they are for sizes 7 1/4 and under, so when I saw one my size 7 1/2 that fits like a 7 3/8, I jumped on it as soon as I could--LOL. I have three with labels that indicate made between 1954-1965, but nothing earlier with Borsalino written sideways on the label. I now can see the difference in quality from the 60s and under to more recent ones, even though the more recent ones are also nice (no idea how the ones made since bankruptcy are). But there is something extra special about many made years ago that make them sought after.

Definitely a shared opinion of many here… there just seems something special about the old felts. Though I think I have seen Daniele remind us from time that quality is quality regardless of the decade of production. To me though there is the added nostalgia of the older hats… the way the sweat imprints look the liners ect. Congratulations on the wonderful addition. I echo Brent’s thoughts regarding Doc. A fine gentleman with an outstanding collection. You can rest assured you will receive a fine hat.

 

[steur]

View attachment 396975 View attachment 396976 View attachment 396977 View attachment 396978 View attachment 396979 I keep seeing you guys with vintage Borsalinos with white tags with Borsalino written across the tag indicating from the years 1936-1953 and I kept wondering where you find them. Tonight one popped up on auction just as I was looking, so I bought it. Here are some photos. View attachment 396975 View attachment 396976 View attachment 396977 View attachment 396978 View attachment 396979

That's a nice find. Interesting little tidbit of information is that it once was a homburg. The Mula 40 1/2 on the label is the model name and it's a homburg model specifically.

 

[steur]

Borsalino homburg in potassio colour. Didn't have one of those yet. Size 56 with the brim at 5,5cm and the crown at 10cm at the center dent. Qualitá Augusta made especially for JS Meuwsen of Amsterdam.

 

[Pkyoakum]

That's a nice find. Interesting little tidbit of information is that it once was a homburg. The Mula 40 1/2 on the label is the model name and it's a homburg model specifically.

Thanks for this information. That helps explain the look that seems a bit different than most. I wonder how they got the edges to lay flat. Also, the one you picked up is very nice.

 

[steur]

Thanks for this information. That helps explain the look that seems a bit different than most. I wonder how they got the edges to lay flat. Also, the one you picked up is very nice.

Thanks for the like. Can't help you with the details on the conversion I'm afraid. A few members here do conversions, but I'd imagine te brim edge gets wetted and then ironed to take out the homburg curl. After it gets flattened it will likely get flanged to a fedora brim.

 

[Pkyoakum]

Just received my earliest Borsalino Trionfo 2 1/2 inch brim. White tag indicates made between 1936-1953. I think I have a new favorite and my size 7 3/8 perfect fit at that.

 

[Mighty44]

Wow—that’s as good as it gets!

Just received my earliest Borsalino Trionfo 2 1/2 inch brim. White tag indicates made between 1936-1953. I think I have a new favori View attachment 398145 View attachment 398146 View attachment 398147 View attachment 398148 View attachment 398149 View attachment 398150 View attachment 398151 View attachment 398152 View attachment 398153 View attachment 398154 te.

 

[Blare]

Just received my earliest Borsalino Trionfo 2 1/2 inch brim. White tag indicates made between 1936-1953. I think I have a new favorite and my size 7 3/8 perfect fit at that. View attachment 398145 View attachment 398146 View attachment 398147 View attachment 398148 View attachment 398149 View attachment 398150 View attachment 398151 View attachment 398152 View attachment 398153 View attachment 398154

Very nice. Looks great on you. Congratulations

 

[Deeeluxe Definitely]

Hi there,

Can anyone guess as to what decade this liner/sweat/size tag indicates?

The seller hasn't replied, but if the brim ends up being wide enough (I wish more sellers would include this information in the listing), I may snatch it up. It's pretty badly misshapen, but it's in my budget. We'll see what he says about the Antica Casa/Original House thing. If it's from the early '70s or before, I'd be interested I think.

Thanks all--

 

[Pkyoakum]

One of my newest from MiamaBruno: a 1950s Borsalino Augusta with a 2 1/8" brim and Cavanaugh edge, 7 3/8 perfect fit. really like a 2 1/8" brim.

 

[steur]

Hi there,

Can anyone guess as to what decade this liner/sweat/size tag indicates?

The seller hasn't replied, but if the brim ends up being wide enough (I wish more sellers would include this information in the listing), I may snatch it up. It's pretty badly misshapen, but it's in my budget. We'll see what he says about the Antica Casa/Original House thing. If it's from the early '70s or before, I'd be interested I think.

Thanks all--

View attachment 398201 View attachment 398202

It isn't. These liners only appear on later hats. Eighties and onwards. That doesn't have to mean it's a bad hat though.

 

[steur]

One of my newest from MiamaBruno: a 1950s Borsalino Augusta with a 2 1/8" brim and Cavanaugh edge, 7 3/8 perfect fit. really like a 2 1/8" brim. View attachment 398307

Very nice.

 

[Blare]

Anyone ever use a professional antique hat stretcher to go up half a size (1/16")? Any tips? View attachment 400037

Is this one yours. It is quite pretty

 

[Blare]

It's coming from Spain. It's expensive, but it's more like a collector's item than anything. They have some on the market that only open on one end and others that open on both, but are not as nice. I had some extra cash from selling other things, so I figured I only live once--LOL.

How cool. Makes a nice display piece anyhow.

 

[Deeeluxe Definitely]

It seems better than today's "hat jack," which I've personally experienced deformity my hats. I think a better solution is removing stitches from the sweatband or cutting the reed, as suggested by T Jones and Kevin from the Hats and Guitars YouTube channel, respectively.

I've just had less than good luck stretching, and don't prefer the bulge it leaves, but this looks better.

 

[Steve1857]

Anyone ever use a professional antique hat stretcher to go up half a size (1/16")? Any tips? View attachment 400037

That is absolutely wonderful. Congrats on the find and buy.

As regards to how to use it, my only advice would be to take it one small step at a time.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Anyone ever use a professional antique hat stretcher to go up half a size (1/16")? Any tips? View attachment 400037

Hat sizes generally go in 1/4 increments, but that’s different from 1/4 of an inch. After some expensive and heartbreaking mistakes, the most I’ll do is just bump a hat that fits but is on the tight side. Some others have had better luck sizing up hats…wish Randall @Randall Renshaw was still active.