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The Bowler or Derby Hat

Messages
18,401
Location
Nederland
A nameless bowler. Importé d'Angleterre, so an English manufacture. We'll call it Angleterre from here on.
Size 56 and a lovely lightweight and unlined bowler or chapeau melon as the French would say. Brim at 5cm and crown somwhere around 12 cm (always a bit tricky measuring bowlers). Weighs 90 grams and quite a bit of age to it by the looks of it. There is a label inside, but that isn't getting us anywhere. Some damage to the brim binding, but that is to be expected for hats of this age.

angleterre_01-jpg.309429
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angleterre_07-jpg.309435
angleterre_08-jpg.309436
angleterre_09-jpg.309437
angleterre_10-jpg.309438
 
Messages
18,401
Location
Nederland
Woodrow Amylyte Burlington bowler in grey. The size is 58, but it runs smaller than that. Colour is called radium. Brim at just shy of 5cm and crown 12cm. Another very lightweight bowler hat at just 98 grams. Grey bowlers are difficult to come by, so a pity it's not my size. It's post-war because it mentions the queen. Pre-war would mention the king.


woodrow-grey-bowl_01-jpg.309440
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woodrow-grey-bowl_07-jpg.309446
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woodrow-grey-bowl_10-jpg.309449
 

Rmccamey

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,838
Location
Central Texas
Other than the extra staple holes, the sweat looks NOS, Stefan. Love the color, too.

Woodrow Amylyte Burlington bowler in grey. The size is 58, but it runs smaller than that. Colour is called radium. Brim at just shy of 5cm and crown 12cm. Another very lightweight bowler hat at just 98 grams. Grey bowlers are difficult to come by, so a pity it's not my size. It's post-war because it mentions the queen. Pre-war would mention the king.


woodrow-grey-bowl_01-jpg.309440
woodrow-grey-bowl_02-jpg.309441
woodrow-grey-bowl_03-jpg.309442
woodrow-grey-bowl_04-jpg.309443
woodrow-grey-bowl_05-jpg.309444
woodrow-grey-bowl_06-jpg.309445
woodrow-grey-bowl_07-jpg.309446
woodrow-grey-bowl_08-jpg.309447
woodrow-grey-bowl_09-jpg.309448
woodrow-grey-bowl_10-jpg.309449
 
Messages
18,401
Location
Nederland
If we start off looking at French hatters, there's no way around this picture, where they are all named. It is certain however that more than a few of these sourced their hats from several manufacturers. I still need to find myslef a Léon hat (working on it) and up until now Motsch was also missing. Here's the E. Motsch however. The E stands for Eric.

grand-chapeliers-jpg.309634


E. Motsch bowler in black. Size 56 with the brim at 5cm and the crown at around 12 cm. The felt on this hat is magnificent, on par with the Penn Craft bowler that Stetson used to introduce that hat to the European market. The hat is also quite heavy at 190 grams. The Angleterre bowler and the Woodrow bowler weigh less than half that. Looking at the sweatband it is not intended as a riding bowler though (those are usually heavier). Unusual is that the brim curl opens up at the front and back of the hat instead of remaning curled inwards. It came in it original box as well. Almost certainly a pre-war hat.

motsch_01-jpg.309635
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motsch_03-jpg.309637
motsch_04-jpg.309638
motsch_05-jpg.309639
motsch_07-jpg.309640
motsch_12-jpg.309641
motsch_13-jpg.309642
 

johnnycanuck

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,008
Location
Alberta
A lot of these bowlers are OLD. The Stetson I recently picked up is at least 90 and maybe 100 years old...but still in very nice condition. Like it hadn't been used much at all over the years.

Would you wear a hat that old or just add it to the collection on the shelf?
I have own one vintage bowler and by wearing it the brim started separating from the crown. Love the look and history of the hat but can’t see buying and wearing another vintage. I would probably go modern custom if I was to go for another. Probably from North West hats. I still have my Robert hall to scratch that itch when it comes up. Not the greatest example but it fits the bill.
Johnny
 

Rmccamey

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,838
Location
Central Texas
Thanks Johnny, I do love the bowlers.

Like all my vintage hats (except a couple of beaters I wear for working or in bad weather), I wear bowlers a lot and have never had any issues. I don't have the experience of our resident experts @mayserwegener @Steve1857 @steur but bowlers don't seem to be any more susceptible to problems than any other vintage hat. I take a bit more care not to dent the top, of course, but that's not been a real problem. I did have an old banged-up Stetson beater bowler and the brim stitches and leather finally gave up but the felt/wool never gave me any problem.

Bowlers are great hats, even the old ones, and deserve to be worn. And as a bonus, I'll get complements on my bowlers 10:1 over any other hat I wear!

Of course, I highly recommend Mike at Northwest Hats if you are interested in a modern bowler.



20200817_154734.jpg 20200817_155036.jpg 20200817_155506.jpg 20200817_154945.jpg

A lot of these bowlers are OLD. The Stetson I recently picked up is at least 90 and maybe 100 years old...but still in very nice condition. Like it hadn't been used much at all over the years.

Would you wear a hat that old or just add it to the collection on the shelf?

That is one of the nicest modern produced bowlers I have seen.
Wear it in good health
Johnny

I have own one vintage bowler and by wearing it the brim started separating from the crown. Love the look and history of the hat but can’t see buying and wearing another vintage. I would probably go modern custom if I was to go for another. Probably from North West hats. I still have my Robert hall to scratch that itch when it comes up. Not the greatest example but it fits the bill.
Johnny

I’d wear it! Maybe not to clean the gutters.
 
Messages
18,401
Location
Nederland
A lot of these bowlers are OLD. The Stetson I recently picked up is at least 90 and maybe 100 years old...but still in very nice condition. Like it hadn't been used much at all over the years.

Would you wear a hat that old or just add it to the collection on the shelf?
Wear it of course. No reason to let it collect dust on the shelf and I actually have the idea that just letting them sit there does more harm than good. A lot of good vintage bowlers can be found for a very reasonable price so no reason to treat them like museum pieces.
 

Steve1857

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,829
Location
Denmark
Super find, Stefan. The new owner is a lucky man indeed.

Woodrow Amylyte Burlington bowler in grey. The size is 58, but it runs smaller than that. Colour is called radium. Brim at just shy of 5cm and crown 12cm. Another very lightweight bowler hat at just 98 grams. Grey bowlers are difficult to come by, so a pity it's not my size. It's post-war because it mentions the queen. Pre-war would mention the king.


woodrow-grey-bowl_01-jpg.309440
woodrow-grey-bowl_02-jpg.309441
woodrow-grey-bowl_03-jpg.309442
woodrow-grey-bowl_04-jpg.309443
woodrow-grey-bowl_05-jpg.309444
woodrow-grey-bowl_06-jpg.309445
woodrow-grey-bowl_07-jpg.309446
woodrow-grey-bowl_08-jpg.309447
woodrow-grey-bowl_09-jpg.309448
woodrow-grey-bowl_10-jpg.309449
 

Steve1857

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,829
Location
Denmark
Thanks Randy. I'm loving the photos of you rocking your Bowlers.

It's pretty cold here too, but I think I'll settle for our low temperature when I compare them to yours.

Stay warm and safe, my friend.

That is a great portrait, Steve. Quite the handsome young man in that ensemble! Stay warm. I'm looking at 4F tonight with -20F wind chill.
 

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