The BORSALINO BROTHERHOOD

[danofarlington]

I prefer a fedora with a smaller brim and the 2'' brim on the San Remo seems to be ideal. Does anyone here own the current version of this hat. If so, could you offer any input on it?
I would like to get one in Navy Blue but they only come in Black, Taupe and Light Grey.
Which, if any of these colors, would work with a dark blue suit?

My opinion is that gray works really well with navy blue. To me, wearing a blue hat with a blue suit is too much blue. A black hat would probably also work, but would make you look very severe. I don't think the taupe would work well with navy blue.

 

[Dinerman]

 

[Dinerman]

 

[Dinerman]

 

[Aureliano]

Hey Dinerman, is that green Borsalino a modern one?

 

[Dinerman]

 

[Dinerman]

 

[Aureliano]

What a beauty!:eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[danofarlington]

[

Hey, Lewis and Thomas Saltz! Their store was on Connecticut Avenue in Washington near the Mayflower Hotel. Very elegant men's store. About 25 years ago I bought a $500 blue silk suit there, fabulous. It's fitting that a nice hat come from that store.

 

[naelo]

Can anyone please provide any information on this Borsalino Hat...

I purchased this hat from an estate sale in Lake Geneva, WI. The estate was from a huge, majestic mansion along the beautiful shoreline of Geneva Lake...near Chicago. My intention is to sell this hat (on Ebay perhaps), as times are tough. I have tried to do some research on this hat and have read a few things but I am not sure how reliable they are. I did post a thread on The Fedora Lounge under "ASK A QUESTION, GET AN ANSWER" and did get some valuable information but it was suggested that I post the same photos under The BORSALINO BROTHERHOOD. Any information offered up would be greatly appreciated!

I have tried to post as many pertinent photographs as I can to give you the best overall look at this hat. Here is what I think I know (ha ha): This hat is made of grey brushed fur-felt, in excellent, nearly-new condition with a black ribbon band around it. This hat appears to have been rarely worn, if ever. The leather sweat band around the inside is in excellent, nearly new condition. The grey brushed fur-felt is spotless and as you can see. In one photo you can distinctly see the spiral at the top - from the brushing. (It has been brought to my attention that the longer hair fur-felt "velour-type" finish on the hat may not be as desirable.) The hat is stamped with the golden "Borsalino" stamp that I have seen on many other fedoras. It also has a golden stamped imprint of "Diamante" Twenty Five at the back of the leather sweat band and Lytton's -which I discovered is the fine clothing department store that this fedora was purchased from - possibly from the 50's or 60's. This Department Store was located in "the Loop" in Chicago, IL. I believe the store closed in the mid-eighties.

Here are the rest of the photos....My hope is that a few of you will come to my aid with your special knowledge in this arena...and perhaps even one of you will be interested in buying it from me. Thanks in advance!

 

[Brent Hutto]

If I may cheapen this thread with another "modern Borsalino" question...

What models of Borsalino hats tend to have the lightest felts? My Alessandria is light compared to an Akubra or Christy's hat but by comparison with my Astuccio it is definitely heavier and warmer feeling in the summer. I still wear it most days though because I love it!

If I were to get a third hat (as I explain to my wife, you never know when you might grow a third head or something) I'd want it to be really light like the Astuccio but with a standard leather sweat rather than grosgrain and probably with a bound brim since the Astuccio tends to get wavy.

FWIW, I find a 2-1/2" brim to be a real good size for me. As much as I love stingy brims on other fellows I don't exactly rock the stingy look, myself. Of the pictures on the Bencraft site I really love the light-gray Film but don't know where it falls in the felt-weight spectrum. I've got a birthday coming up in a few weeks which is always a great chance to get something that I really, truly don't need. Like a third Borsalino hat!

 

[danofarlington]

If I may cheapen this thread with another "modern Borsalino" question...

What models of Borsalino hats tend to have the lightest felts? My Alessandria is light compared to an Akubra or Christy's hat but by comparison with my Astuccio it is definitely heavier and warmer feeling in the summer. I still wear it most days though because I love it!

If I were to get a third hat (as I explain to my wife, you never know when you might grow a third head or something) I'd want it to be really light like the Astuccio but with a standard leather sweat rather than grosgrain and probably with a bound brim since the Astuccio tends to get wavy.

FWIW, I find a 2-1/2" brim to be a real good size for me. As much as I love stingy brims on other fellows I don't exactly rock the stingy look, myself. Of the pictures on the Bencraft site I really love the light-gray Film but don't know where it falls in the felt-weight spectrum. I've got a birthday coming up in a few weeks which is always a great chance to get something that I really, truly don't need. Like a third Borsalino hat!

I bought a Borsalino beaver hat a few years ago. It's fairly light--lighter than the other Borsalinos I have. It is a 2 1/2 inch brim. Not cheap at $500 or so. I see them at Delmonico Hatter and other places, perhaps Hats.com. If you get one though, consider purchasing one cm up from your normal size, because the one I originally bought was tight on me at my usual size; another size up was perfect. So in my case I am 7 1/8 (57 cm) but in that hat, it was the 7 1/4 (58 cm) that fit me.

 

[buler]

Newspaper ads...

1914:

1921:

1925:

1927:

1929:

1930:

1931:

 

[rlk]

Fuzzy Borsalino

Sticker shows a 1977 date. Silk/Angora finish with stitching running throughout the brim and felt band. An unusually full-size Borsalino. The color is Maroso which translates to a Breaker(wave on the sea)

 

[danofarlington]

Sticker shows a 1977 date. Silk/Angora finish with stitching running throughout the brim and felt band. An unusually full-size Borsalino.

I don't like fuzzy hats, but the overall appearance is elegant notwithstanding.

 

[DRB]

RLK, I really like the fuzzy, long-haired borsalino in grey. Beautiful.

 

[mayserwegener]

Borsalino Allesandria

NOS black Borsalino Allesandria, size 7 1/4, non-reeded with front vent. Very light weight felt.

 

[jimmy the lid]

Nice Alessandria, MW -- great to be able to pick up a unique color in mint condition! :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[cookie]

Export Prohibited ...how did it get exported?

 

[mayserwegener]

Made for the Italian market and purchased in Italy? It only has the Punti size which is the case with continental Euro market Borsalinos.

JTL, Thanks!