Boater faction!

[Edward]

Not had the weather for it here yet, alas.

 

[Vampyre Master]

Hi all bought this one recently love it never thought i'd ever wear one but I am trying to id the maker any thoughts

regards
VM

 

[alanfgag]

boaters four

I have five boaters... these are the four that fit comfortably and receive regular wear. I love them. All have been posted to this thread in greater detail, but I thought you might enjoy seeing the variation in materials and weave side by side.

 

[Shangas]

First photo: One on the extreme left on top of the "STETSON" box. I really like the ribbon on that one...

 

[alanfgag]

Thanks... That's the one I just replaced. The ribbon is from a 1960s era Dobbs milan. Not a perfect meld of decades, perhaps, but i like it too.

 

[jbucklin]

Right after buying this 1950's Dobb's boater, one of my son's "friends" decided it would be funny to knock it off his head onto a tile floor. This is the result:
http://i771.photobucket.com/albums/**359/fedoradude/934f4eba.jpg

Is there any way to repair it, restoring it to its original beauty?

 

[dhermann1]

Short answer: no. I think you could glue the edge, and maybe fill it in with some sort of stuffing, like maybe cornflakes (only kidding), but it will still look pretty obvious. I think you need to extract the cost of replacement from that little piece of I better not say it who destroyed your hat.

 

[Shangas]

That's the problem with boaters, they're very fragile...

 

[alanfgag]

Knox straw bowler/boater

A puzzler!

Constructed like a straw boater, but with a domed crown. Ribbon bow on the opposite side - Donna didn't think a woman's hat would have the size tag in this manner. Era unknown. Nicely made in excellent condition.

Copper foil imprint on soft leather sweat.

 

[Grizzly Adams]

Wow! I love that hat, Alan.:eusa_clap Just my size too! LOL

 

[BR Gordon]

Alan, Interesting hat. I'm not 100% sure that if qualifies for the boater faction. Maybe it belongs in the derby section. I've never seen anything like it.

 

[DNO]

Looks like I can finally join the boater faction. I was taking a short cut through the toy section at a local thrift shop, enroute to the hats and scarves when I spotted this beauty sitting on a shelf....in the toy section. It's size 57, so too small for my bulbous head but I couldn't just leave it there! It was in excellent shape and I just had to rescue it.

No idea at all of the age. Now, if I could just find one that fit!

 

[randooch]

That's a beauty, DNO. Interesting attitude Harrods had toward the use of apostrophes.

 

[DNO]

Thanks Randall. The same thing occurred to me. "Mans shop"...mmmm.

 

[Alive'n'Amplified]

Alan, I love that Buffalo boater!! I never thought I liked boaters, but after checking this thread they are definitely growing on me!

 

[alanfgag]

Alan, I love that Buffalo boater!! I never thought I liked boaters, but after checking this thread they are definitely growing on me!

Thanks! When you get one that fits well, it's a pleasure.

 

[Alive'n'Amplified]

What I never really liked is how low they are. It looks like it would sit on your head, and I don't like it when my fedoras do that. What would be considered a standard crown height?

 

[alanfgag]

A typical crown height on a vintage boater is 3 1/2" When it fits well, the hat is supported from the sweatband and though the inside of the crown does come just about to the top of my head I'm not aware of it. Most are very light and comfortable. I have found that sweatbands from the early ones do not hold up well to sweat, so you need to be careful on very hot days.

The crown on the Knox bowler-boater is about 4 5/8" at the highest point.

 

[Alive'n'Amplified]

Do any specific hatters make custom boaters? VS, BSH, Tumwater, FPH, etc?

 

[Rabbit]

Late to the party...
Alan, I'm glad the Knox bowler-boater fits so well. I was thinking of you when I saw it on ebay.

Do any specific hatters make custom boaters? VS, BSH, Tumwater, FPH, etc?

Not that I know of. Making Boaters requires a straw-pressing machine; to my knowledge, there is only one contemporary mass producer, located in Italy.