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What is the name of this style

vitanola

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of hat?

It is a soft felt, not exactly a Homburg, but neither does it appear to be
a Trilby.

FranklynBaur-AtDoor.jpg
Franklyn Baur[/QUOTE]

This style appears to have been popular in the last half of the 'Twenties.

Does any firm make such an animal, or is one condemned to search for
vintage in an impossible large size?

Any suggestions, gentlemen?
 
Messages
15,276
Location
Somewhere south of crazy
What it appears to be, is a center dented fedora, with the brim up all around, instead of snapped down. If you look at photos from the 20's, a lot of gents seemed to wear their fedoras with either just a center crease (or bash) and maybe side dents, instead of the C-crown or diamond shape crown that became more popular in the 30's and 40's. Also, the trend seems to be toward wearing the brim up, almost like a homburg, instead of snapped down
like we are used to seeing in the old gangster movies.

That's my opinion/observation only.
 

cybergentleman

A-List Customer
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New Jersey
I agree. These earlier hats also seem to have a flatter flange than later hats that were snapped down. This is my observation from photos.

the deeper flange doesn't lend itself as well to that style

observe:

stetson_v_akubra_2.jpg


I am not endorsing either the akubra fed or stetson nostalgia here; just pointing out a design :-D
 

donnc

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Seattle
You might be able to get that style out of a Beaver custom. The key might be to specify an "untrimmed pencil curl"? Not sure, but this picture might represent that treatment:
E1542-2T.jpg


Better talk to them in person, before committing to a $260 hat!

If their "custom" options don't make it, you could probably give that picture to a real custom hat maker and get something pretty close for ... more, but maybe not an awful lot more.

For example, a gallery shot from one of the custom makers in my area:
steel_thumb.jpg


You were looking at a different crown style, but I think this narrow edge binding might be a better look for the brim than that "untrimmed pencil curl".
 

handlebar bart

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It's just a plain ol' fedora with a hand creased center dent and what looks like an over welt, possibly. Not too hard to find a vintage ebay lid on the cheap like this. The wearer might wear it like that or might snap the brim down when worn.
 

Dinerman

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cybergentleman said:
I agree. These earlier hats also seem to have a flatter flange than later hats that were snapped down. This is my observation from photos.

the deeper flange doesn't lend itself as well to that style

I would disagree. Both were quite common in that time period, and it would seem the flatter brims, like that on the federation, were usually found on narrower brimmed hats. Lots of very curled, yet not quite homburg brims.
The one in the photo looks to have either a cav. edge, overwelt or binding of some sort. It looks like a very standard fedora. High crown, pretty standard brim flanging (not flat like a federation but not curled like the gordon in the pre '40s thread). Shouldn't be hard to get if you go custom. Chances are it would be hard to find something like that off the rack though just because of the tall straight sided crown. You could get an Akubra and have the brim re-flanged and bound (depending on the model)- the crowns on them seem to be close.

Look through the pre-'40s dress hats
and the pre-'40s stetson dress hats threads.
 

rlk

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Evanston, IL
Dinerman said:
I would disagree. Both were quite common in that time period, and it would seem the flatter brims, like that on the federation, were usually found on narrower brimmed hats. Lots of very curled, yet not quite homburg brims.
The one in the photo looks to have either a cav. edge, overwelt or binding of some sort. It looks like a very standard fedora. High crown, pretty standard brim flanging (not flat like a federation but not curled like the gordon in the pre '40s thread). Shouldn't be hard to get if you go custom. Chances are it would be hard to find something like that off the rack though just because of the tall straight sided crown. You could get an Akubra and have the brim re-flanged and bound (depending on the model)- the crowns on them seem to be close.

Look through the pre-'40s dress hats
and the pre-'40s stetson dress hats threads.
Agree entirely-- here's a snapshot of Spring 1930 from a wholesaler which should coincide well with the 1929 photo above(catch up to most recent high style):
http://thefedoralounge.com/showpost.php?p=1085309&postcount=96
 

vitanola

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skyvue

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New York City
hatophile said:
If you look at photos from the 20's, a lot of gents seemed to wear their fedoras with either just a center crease (or bash) and maybe side dents, instead of the C-crown or diamond shape crown that became more popular in the 30's and 40's.

I'm no expert on the hat styles of various decades -- all I know I've learned from the movies and the Fedora Lounge -- but in 1930s movies (of which I watch a dozen or more a month), there are many, many more center dents than c-crowns and teardrops. The opposite is true of 1940s movies.
 

rlk

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Evanston, IL
Dinerman said:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4127/4993628251_93b2c18440_b.jpg[/IMG]

The alpine looks like it's just a homburg, from a time when the word "fedora" was used to describe soft felt hats.

I don't think the hat worn by Franklyn Baur has this style of brim curl. No interest in a historical debate here, but this catalog is keen on mentioning Snap Brim(trendy) but only refers to "Fedora" for this one example(traditional and professional term) while common speech seemed to regard a soft felt with a center crease as a Fedora more generally.

Closer to Samsonian flanging perhaps:
4993629915_07f1a00d57_b.jpg
 

vitanola

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You are probably right, Rik, but the Baur photo was only a good approximation of the hat I seek. The "Alpine" is EXACTLY what I am looking for.

I don't suppose any firm still makes rolled brim hats, though.
 

rlk

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Evanston, IL
vitanola said:
You are probably right, Rik, but the Baur photo was only a good approximation of the hat I seek. The "Alpine" is EXACTLY what I am looking for.

I don't suppose any firm still makes rolled brim hats, though.
Still a common style in both modern and vintage and widely available for reasonable prices(in smaller sizes). It will be described as a Homburg rather than a Fedora these days. Crown and brim dimensions vary with vintage and maker. Custom is always possible for a bit more or you can have the brim re-flanged to your desired curl(roll) on a pre-existing hat.
 

vitanola

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Gopher Prairie, MI
rlk said:
Still a common style in both modern and vintage and widely available for reasonable prices(in smaller sizes). It will be described as a Homburg rather than a Fedora these days. Crown and brim dimensions vary with vintage and maker. Custom is always possible for a bit more or you can have the brim re-flanged to your desired curl(roll) on a pre-existing hat.

Hmmm.

My Homburgs are all much stiffer, almost as stiff as bowlers. Are you suggesting that modern (quality) Homburgs are made of softer stuff?

The brim roll on the only new Homburg that I've tried was not tight enough for my taste, and of course the low crown just didn't cut it.

I wonder whether Optimo does brim rolls in addition to binding?
 

rlk

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Evanston, IL
vitanola said:
Hmmm.

My Homburgs are all much stiffer, almost as stiff as bowlers. Are you suggesting that modern (quality) Homburgs are made of softer stuff?

The brim roll on the only new Homburg that I've tried was not tight enough for my taste, and of course the low crown just didn't cut it.

I wonder whether Optimo does brim rolls in addition to binding?

The pre WW2 Homburgs tend to be softer as are some modern custom. Optimo will do the brim work as can other hatters.
 

cybergentleman

A-List Customer
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331
Location
New Jersey
brim roll

1) I think beaver brand does brim rolling as an option- check in with them.

2) that photo mind you is not a homburg per se it is a felt hat with a straight sided crown and center dent. a homburg, or any modern variation will look different due to the taper inherent to modern hats. plus that hat lacks the obvious brim roll in a homburg.

is you like the tall straight sided crown and want a brim curl like that alpine...then go custom.
 

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