Trying to date my great grandfather’s Borsalino Fedora-PLEASE HELP!

[Kristinalmurray]

Hi, I was recently given a beautiful hat that belonged to my great grandfather, it is a Borsalino Alessandria, I am trying to date when it was made. We know for sure it is at least 65 years old but our family thinks it may be older. I would appreciate any help! Pictures included below.

 

[BobHufford]

1961 - 1965?

The BORSALINO BROTHERHOOD

Thanks Stefan. I agreed with you about quality in modern Borsalino production. Always they have in the catalogue two or three hats I would like to have ;) These I bought were not so well preserved even if they were in the original boxes :rolleyes: What I can do and try to intercept one on the...

www.thefedoralounge.com

 

[Daniele Tanto]

Hi, I was recently given a beautiful hat that belonged to my great grandfather, it is a Borsalino Alessandria, I am trying to date when it was made. We know for sure it is at least 65 years old but our family thinks it may be older. I would appreciate any help! Pictures included below.

I agree with Bob. It came from the Sixties. It is a 6 (french way to define size) so a 59 centimeters. Qualità Suprema is the definition of the type of felt and above all of the value of the hat. Lupo (Wolf) is the color. Some pictures of the hat could be more usefull fo the dating

 

[steur]

Hi, I was recently given a beautiful hat that belonged to my great grandfather, it is a Borsalino Alessandria, I am trying to date when it was made. We know for sure it is at least 65 years old but our family thinks it may be older. I would appreciate any help! Pictures included below.

Agree with the others. This type of label was used from 1961 until 1972. Further pictures of the hat could give us some clues to narrow it down a bit more.

 

[Kristinalmurray]

I agree with Bob. It came from the Sixties. It is a 6 (french way to define size) so a 59 centimeters. Qualità Suprema is the definition of the type of felt and above all of the value of the hat. Lupo (Wolf) is the color. Some pictures of the hat could be more usefull fo the dating

Thank you for this information, I added some photos of the actual hat, any additional info you have would be great! How do you date the production? Is there a trick to it or some way to tell based on style number?

 

[Kristinalmurray]

Agree with the others. This type of label was used from 1961 until 1972. Further pictures of the hat could give us some clues to narrow it down a bit more.

Thank you for the label info! I added some other photos of the actual hat, any additional info would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Mighty44]

Snap the brim up in the back and down in the front—that’s how it was meant to be worn. Cool hat—hope it fits you!

 

[carouselvic]

Your family dating is close, no older than your thinking…uncroped photos may tell a little more about the hat…not made for the American market…needs a good cleaning…go easy on vintage ribbon, it is easy to damage. Nice hat in n a popular size.

 

[Kristinalmurray]

Your family dating is close, no older than your thinking…uncroped photos may tell a little more about the hat…not made for the American market…needs a good cleaning…go easy on vintage ribbon, it is easy to damage. Nice hat in n a popular size.

Thank you, do you recommend finding a professional hat maker to have it cleaned? I live near Carmel by the sea, California and they have some high end hat stores, I thought about calling and finding out if they know someone who could clean it. How do you know it is not made for the American market? I am trying to find out as much information as possible to tell my dad about his grandfather.

 

[Kristinalmurray]

Snap the brim up in the back and down in the front—that’s how it was meant to be worn. Cool hat—hope it fits you!

Definitely already wearing it!

 

[jlee562]

Thank you, do you recommend finding a professional hat maker to have it cleaned? I live near Carmel by the sea, California and they have some high end hat stores, I thought about calling and finding out if they know someone who could clean it. How do you know it is not made for the American market? I am trying to find out as much information as possible to tell my dad about his grandfather.

I don't know of anyone in NorCal that does a full hat cleaning (as in, take apart, clean, rebuild). Baron Hats in LA could do the work, but I'm not aware of their current pricing. If you have a hand held clothes steamer, grab a horse hair shoe brush (more or less the same as a proper hat brush) and you can spiff if up by steaming and brushing. Don't let the steam hit the leather though. Go counter clockwise on top and clockwise on the underside of the brim. The steam will help get out some of the dust and should also reactivate the stiffener a bit. The hat will "set" however it is shaped when you're done steaming, so just be mindful the crease is not lopsided (unless you want it to be of course).

In this case, your hat has punti sizing, which is different than American hats, hence not for the American market.

 

[Kristinalmurray]

I don't know of anyone in NorCal that does a full hat cleaning (as in, take apart, clean, rebuild). Baron Hats in LA could do the work, but I'm not aware of their current pricing. If you have a hand held clothes steamer, grab a horse hair shoe brush (more or less the same as a proper hat brush) and you can spiff if up by steaming and brushing. Don't let the steam hit the leather though. Go counter clockwise on top and clockwise on the underside of the brim. The steam will help get out some of the dust and should also reactivate the stiffener a bit. The hat will "set" however it is shaped when you're done steaming, so just be mindful the crease is not lopsided (unless you want it to be of course).

In this case, your hat has punti sizing, which is different than American hats, hence not for the American market.

Thank you very much, I will look into a hat cleaner and if not I will try it myself.

 

[Daniele Tanto]

The Borsalino was sold in Sampierdarena a neighborhood of Genoa - Italy. The hat shop was called Tortarolo and you can see the complete address. It is indicate that before to be Tortarolo hat shop, the previous owner was Pieragostini. I think, from the pictures you show the hat was made at the end of Sixties or beginning of Seventies

 

[carouselvic]

Thank you, do you recommend finding a professional hat maker to have it cleaned? I live near Carmel by the sea, California and they have some high end hat stores, I thought about calling and finding out if they know someone who could clean it. How do you know it is not made for the American market? I am trying to find out as much information as possible to tell my dad about his grandfather.

I did not recomend the pros just yet…

I would start with a canister vacuum cleaner, stay away from the ribbon. Next go to an orange sponge for cleaning hats or a brissleshoe brush (new)…looking down from the outside top of the hat clean in a counter clockways direction (Both the brim and the crown. The underside of the brim go in a clock way motion. Take baby steps in cleaning, least is best.

 

[steur]

Thank you for this information, I added some photos of the actual hat, any additional info you have would be great! How do you date the production? Is there a trick to it or some way to tell based on style number?

The number upper left is the model number. We know this from the single catalog we have seen from Borsalino we could compare to hats members here own. The number upper left is the order number as far as we know. Save for a few years in which a specific type of label was used and the order number would also say something about the production year, there is no rhyme or reason to it. Well, there probably is, but we haven't found it. The dating of the various label types comes from examples that carried a date stamp or could otherwise be dated. So far the theory holds up.

 

[Kristinalmurray]

I did not recomend the pros just yet…

I would start with a canister vacuum cleaner, stay away from the ribbon. Next go to an orange sponge for cleaning hats or a brissleshoe brush (new)…looking down from the outside top of the hat clean in a counter clockways direction (Both the brim and the crown. The underside of the brim go in a clock way motion. Take baby steps in cleaning, least is best.

Thank you, that is very helpful!

 

[Kristinalmurray]

The number upper left is the model number. We know this from the single catalog we have seen from Borsalino we could compare to hats members here own. The number upper left is the order number as far as we know. Save for a few years in which a specific type of label was used and the order number would also say something about the production year, there is no rhyme or reason to it. Well, there probably is, but we haven't found it. The dating of the various label types comes from examples that carried a date stamp or could otherwise be dated. So far the theory holds up.

Wow, you are a wealth of information, you for your help!