The Cavanagh Club

[alanfgag]

Ultra neat. Not often we see a logo from that orientation (upside down or right side up?).

 

[Aureliano]

$25 at local vintage store. Had to bring it home. My size, too. Pristine but very sticky here and there. Guess the shellac.

 

[delectans]

Swell Skimmer, Ale. Your size?

 

[Aureliano]

Swell Skimmer, Ale. Your size?

Yes! I changed the inside photo to show the size tag better.

 

[Brad Bowers]

Nice find at a nice price!

Stiffened with gelatine, actually, as it doesn't color the straw like shellac. But, it's also more susceptible to moisture, water, humidity, etc. Makes it sticky.

Brad

 

[Sprinkles]

Awesome! My size too! My quest for a boater forges on....

 

[Alive'n'Amplified]

Great one! That's a beautiful ribbon!!

 

[Aureliano]

And this, bought during my absence. Marked 6 7/8 but measures 22 1/2 in circumference. Strange. I can't see any evidence of stretching, either. Beautiful frayed ribbon. Not as gray as I would have wanted (a bit of a brownish hue under natural light) but it'll have to do until something else shows to trade this with. Under a strict policy since I left. One hat comes home, one leaves.

 

[Aureliano]

Nice find at a nice price!

Stiffened with gelatine, actually, as it doesn't color the straw like shellac. But, it's also more susceptible to moisture, water, humidity, etc. Makes it sticky.

Brad

No wonder. I'm not going to touch it. I'll leave it for Graham to clean it when I go to Chicago. Thanks, Brad.

 

[Sprinkles]

Nice find at a nice price!

Stiffened with gelatine, actually, as it doesn't color the straw like shellac. But, it's also more susceptible to moisture, water, humidity, etc. Makes it sticky.

Brad

Does that lend itself to easy identification? i.e. all lighter boaters are stiffened with gelatine and all darker boaters are stiffened with shellac? Generally they only seem to come in these two shades "lighter" and "darker".

 

[Aureliano]

Brad, could you estimate a date on my boater?

 

[Brad Bowers]

Does that lend itself to easy identification? i.e. all lighter boaters are stiffened with gelatine and all darker boaters are stiffened with shellac? Generally they only seem to come in these two shades "lighter" and "darker".

Not to my knowledge. All C&K/HCA Boaters were stiffened with gelatine, which was standard throughout the industry at least through the first few decades of the twentieth century. I don't know that anyone used shellac. I don't have my notes with me at work, but the color as I remember was based on any chemical bleaching done to the sennit straw. Some darkening is also probably due to age, as well.

Brad, could you estimate a date on my boater?

1960s, by the lack of address on the tip protector.

Brad

 

[Sprinkles]

Thanks for the info, Brad. You are quite the expert in these matters!

 

[Mulceber]

Brad, could you estimate a date on my boater?

Somebody's got to develop a flow chart for hat age identification...although given how complex it is, maybe a "choose-your-own-adventure" book would be better able to encapsulate the principles. -M

 

[rlk]

Gray Cavanagh Wide-brim in case

https://plus.google.com/photos/1066...ms/5904239480982418593?authkey=CLe9nfLbi7WlSw

5-5/8" x 2-3/4"+.

 

[ManofKent]

https://plus.google.com/photos/1066...ms/5904239480982418593?authkey=CLe9nfLbi7WlSw

5-5/8" x 2-3/4"+.

Very nice Robert

 

[ManofKent]

A bit shorter brimmed than Robert's great find (1 7/8"), but here's my Cavanagh 'Louis':
















Any help with dating would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Brad Bowers]

https://plus.google.com/photos/1066...ms/5904239480982418593?authkey=CLe9nfLbi7WlSw

5-5/8" x 2-3/4"+.

Very cool Cavanagh, Robert. I can't remember, but that may be the earliest '50s Cavanagh I've seen with the "Cavanagh Edge" stamp. Every Cavanagh you see with the "Cavanagh Edge" stamp is usually missing the address in the liner, meaning late-'50s through the 1960s.

Too bad it has a few nibbles.

A bit shorter brimmed than Robert's great find (1 7/8"), but here's my Cavanagh 'Louis':


Any help with dating would be greatly appreciated!

Richard, that's an early- to mid-'60s Cavanagh. Looks good on you!

Brad

 

[ManofKent]

Thanks Brad - It's in near new condition and came boxed. I'm just grateful that not that many people currently appreciate these smaller brimmed hats and the prices can still be remarkably low.

 

[Chepstow]

Richard, excellent! Short brim and higher crown, rare! Looks good on you!