The BORSALINO BROTHERHOOD

[Pkyoakum]

I'm thinking of maybe picking this up off eBay as it seems a decent price, and I've cleaned and refurbished hats to decent effect in the past. I got a Borsalino off eBay before labeled 7 1/4 [58], and it was too small despite that being my usual size (head circumference is 58.3cm). So I think this 7 3/8 should fit.

I contacted the seller, and it's my preferred brim width (hard to find), but it doesn't say any of the "Antica Casa" or "Original House" or anything other than what is pictured. In the description they say it might be a pocket hat.

Is the only thing that makes it a women's hat the fact that the bow is on the wrong side? If so, that's a non factor, as I plan to replace the ribbon with something slightly wider (1 ½" or 1 ⅝") anyway.

Do you guys think this would be a decent hat? Price is good, but it needs fixing up. As long as it's not wool and not really modern, I think it sounds good.

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The modern size tag and having New York on the head band would give me pause. I see they want $40. After postage and insurance, it would be more. I would offer $20 and take a gamble if I felt I could restore enough I would want to wear it. It's my size as well, but it looks too trashed for to take a gamble unless it was like $15.00.

 

[steur]

I'm thinking of maybe picking this up off eBay as it seems a decent price, and I've cleaned and refurbished hats to decent effect in the past. I got a Borsalino off eBay before labeled 7 1/4 [58], and it was too small despite that being my usual size (head circumference is 58.3cm). So I think this 7 3/8 should fit.

I contacted the seller, and it's my preferred brim width (hard to find), but it doesn't say any of the "Antica Casa" or "Original House" or anything other than what is pictured. In the description they say it might be a pocket hat.

Is the only thing that makes it a women's hat the fact that the bow is on the wrong side? If so, that's a non factor, as I plan to replace the ribbon with something slightly wider (1 ½" or 1 ⅝") anyway.

Do you guys think this would be a decent hat? Price is good, but it needs fixing up. As long as it's not wool and not really modern, I think it sounds good.

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It's the sweatband in particular that has me wondering if this one is perhaps one of the Borsalino hats made under license by Bolmann. They held the license for a while. I have no experience with one of their hats, but they don't get good reviews.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

It's the sweatband in particular that has me wondering if this one is perhaps one of the Borsalino hats made under license by Bolmann. They held the license for a while. I have no experience with one of their hats, but they don't get good reviews.

Sadly, I have experienced a couple of those Bollman made Borsalino. I’m pretty sure I cried. If I ever buy another it will be to burn it to do my part to restore the great name of Borsalino!

 

[Pkyoakum]

Sadly, I have experienced a couple of those Bollman made Borsalino. I’m pretty sure I cried. If I ever buy another it will be to burn it to do my part to restore the great name of Borsalino!

Exactly, I am seeing a lot of Borsalinos on Ebay that look like of inferior quality. You can tell by the texture, headband, and liner.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

This hat came from Adrian via eBay. Knowing the source, I knew there wouldn’t be any condition issues. I wasn’t completely sold on the hat until Stefan said he didn’t have a homburg in this color and I’ve wanted one in the similar mirtillo for a long time.

Qualita Superiore “Romero” in colbalto blue. Size is 7 3/4 or 62cm and in typical Borsalino fashion it runs a bit small. The felt is easily dry creased and is it an intermediate weight. It fits me great and it has been de-feathered since the photos. I’m thinking 1970s production, but I’d appreciate the more knowledgeable sharing their opinions.

 

[Pkyoakum]

This hat came from Adrian via eBay. Knowing the source, I knew there wouldn’t be any condition issues. I wasn’t completely sold on the hat until Stefan said he didn’t have a homburg in this color and I’ve wanted one in the similar mirtillo for a long time.

Qualita Superiore “Romero” in colbalto blue. Size is 7 3/4 or 62cm and in typical Borsalino fashion it runs a bit small. The felt is easily dry creased and is it an intermediate weight. It fits me great and it has been de-feathered since the photos. I’m thinking 1970s production, but I’d appreciate the more knowledgeable sharing their opinions.

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You know the white stickers with the two numbers in the right hand corner followed by a dash indicates the date. So it is 1978. They only provided this for the few years 1976-1981 according to what has been shared previously. It looks nice. How about a couple of photos you wearing it. That tells much more how it looks being worn.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

You know the white stickers with the two numbers in the right hand corner followed by a dash indicates the date. So it is 1978. They only provided this for the few years 1976-1981 according to what has been shared previously. It looks nice. How about a couple of photos you wearing it. That tells much more how it looks being worn.

I’ll add photos of it being worn in the Homburg Nation thread the next time I get dressed up. I’m all for folks wearing their homburgs with casual attire but I usually only wear them dressed up.

 

[Blare]

This hat came from Adrian via eBay. Knowing the source, I knew there wouldn’t be any condition issues. I wasn’t completely sold on the hat until Stefan said he didn’t have a homburg in this color and I’ve wanted one in the similar mirtillo for a long time.

Qualita Superiore “Romero” in colbalto blue. Size is 7 3/4 or 62cm and in typical Borsalino fashion it runs a bit small. The felt is easily dry creased and is it an intermediate weight. It fits me great and it has been de-feathered since the photos. I’m thinking 1970s production, but I’d appreciate the more knowledgeable sharing their opinions.

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Fabulous Brent

 

[Ken David]

I been looking around at pics of some Alessandria's and was wondering if anyone could provide any general info on the top version (missing the "REG.U.S. PAT. OFF." and "Made in Italy By" is the top version most likely a modern hat vs the below being vintage? Is there any date range for the top sweat or is the only info is that it was not made for the US market? Just really trying to get a feel for the age of the top one. Thanks.

 

[steur]

This hat came from Adrian via eBay. Knowing the source, I knew there wouldn’t be any condition issues. I wasn’t completely sold on the hat until Stefan said he didn’t have a homburg in this color and I’ve wanted one in the similar mirtillo for a long time.

Qualita Superiore “Romero” in colbalto blue. Size is 7 3/4 or 62cm and in typical Borsalino fashion it runs a bit small. The felt is easily dry creased and is it an intermediate weight. It fits me great and it has been de-feathered since the photos. I’m thinking 1970s production, but I’d appreciate the more knowledgeable sharing their opinions.

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I think it's a glorious hat, Brent and a great find. By the time Borsalino used this label they weren't using the model names for a longer time, but judging by the pictures I'd say it's their Gulaela homburg model. Made in 1978, so still the "old" Borsalino. Congrats. I'm going to keep a Mirtillo or Cobalto homburg on my search list.

 

[steur]

I been looking around at pics of some Alessandria's and was wondering if anyone could provide any general info on the top version (missing the "REG.U.S. PAT. OFF." and "Made in Italy By" is the top version most likely a modern hat vs the below being vintage? Is there any date range for the top sweat or is the only info is that it was not made for the US market? Just really trying to get a feel for the age of the top one. Thanks.

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Interesting question. I don't think you can date a Borsalino reliably by the sweatband (if they can be dated reliably at all). The American market Borsalinos I own all have the patent and "made in Italy" on the sweatband, but all of them are vintage. So I'm unsure if the modern ones have the "plain" sweatband.

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

I think it's a glorious hat, Brent and a great find. By the time Borsalino used this label they weren't using the model names for a longer time, but judging by the pictures I'd say it's their Gulaela homburg model. Made in 1978, so still the "old" Borsalino. Congrats. I'm going to keep a Mirtillo or Cobalto homburg on my search list.

Don’t forget Pervinca.

 

[Just Daniel]

Ken,

My looking on this thread has led me to the conclusion that the Borsalino's with writing in the swoosh under the name are post-WWII. There are one or two on here that have OPS (Office of Price Stabilization) stamps.

If you dig around and draw some other conclusions certainly post them; a summary of findings always helps on this chaotic board!

Daniel

I been looking around at pics of some Alessandria's and was wondering if anyone could provide any general info on the top version (missing the "REG.U.S. PAT. OFF." and "Made in Italy By" is the top version most likely a modern hat vs the below being vintage? Is there any date range for the top sweat or is the only info is that it was not made for the US market? Just really trying to get a feel for the age of the top one. Thanks.

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[steur]

Don’t forget Pervinca.

True! I have added it to the list!

 

[Steve1857]

This hat came from Adrian via eBay. Knowing the source, I knew there wouldn’t be any condition issues. I wasn’t completely sold on the hat until Stefan said he didn’t have a homburg in this color and I’ve wanted one in the similar mirtillo for a long time.

Qualita Superiore “Romero” in colbalto blue. Size is 7 3/4 or 62cm and in typical Borsalino fashion it runs a bit small. The felt is easily dry creased and is it an intermediate weight. It fits me great and it has been de-feathered since the photos. I’m thinking 1970s production, but I’d appreciate the more knowledgeable sharing their opinions.

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Nice catch, Brent. Well done on capturing that "Cobalto" colour, too. It's vary hard to photograph, but easy to see in hand.
Mirtillo is even harder to capture a true image of.

 

[carouselvic]

Ken,

My looking on this thread has led me to the conclusion that the Borsalino's with writing in the swoosh under the name are post-WWII. There are one or two on here that have OPS (Office of Price Stabilization) stamps.

If you dig around and draw some other conclusions certainly post them; a summary of findings always helps on this chaotic board!

Daniel

maybe I not following you correctly, I sure don't agree with what I'm reading...OPS prices were user during the Korean conflict...OPA prices were used during WWII

 

[Just Daniel]

Yes, OPS post-WWII, that is after that war. There are more than a couple hats with the text under the swoosh and OPS tags, therefore they at least are post WWII.

In my searching I have not seen hats with that text from before WWII, but the absence of evidence is not evidence of absence…

maybe I not following you correctly, I sure don't agree with what I'm reading...OPS prices were user during the Korean conflict...OPA prices were used during WWII

 

[Pkyoakum]

I been looking around at pics of some Alessandria's and was wondering if anyone could provide any general info on the top version (missing the "REG.U.S. PAT. OFF." and "Made in Italy By" is the top version most likely a modern hat vs the below being vintage? Is there any date range for the top sweat or is the only info is that it was not made for the US market? Just really trying to get a feel for the age of the top one. Thanks.

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Hopefully an expert here will chime in. But that would give me pause. I have seen a number of Borsalinos on Ebay that look cheaper and not up to standard. None say Qualitia Superiore or made in Italy. I know for a time Bollman Hat Co made lower quality Borsalinos in the USA. I would never purchase them. Some sellers just see the name Borsalino and think they have a quality expensive hat and wonder why it doesn't sell at their prices.

 

[carouselvic]

Yes, OPS post-WWII, that is after that war. There are more than a couple hats with the text under the swoosh and OPS tags, therefore they at least are post WWII.

In my searching I have not seen hats with that text from before WWII, but the absence of evidence is not evidence of absence…

You have me totally lost, and yes I own a number of OPS Borsalino hats as well I own an OPA Borsalino too….but I’m at a loss trying to understand what you are saying.

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

Hopefully an expert here will chime in. But that would give me pause. I have seen a number of Borsalinos on Ebay that look cheaper and not up to standard. None say Qualitia Superiore or made in Italy. I know for a time Bollman Hat Co made lower quality Borsalinos in the USA. I would never purchase them. Some sellers just see the name Borsalino and think they have a quality expensive hat and wonder why it doesn't sell at their prices.

I think you’ve heard from some experts already!
All things Borsalino are not known by all experts et al.
I believe the ones spoken previously are referring to “vintage” Borsalino, not modern and definitely not Bollman era.
B