The Bowler or Derby Hat

[mayserwegener]

Interesting! Maybe someone will find one. Manfred's Rehfus & Cie ZEPHIR Melone has a 70 grams (2.5 ounces) listed on the liner but I think it weighed out around 115 grams.

 

[ofcoursemyhorse]

Yea its unfortunate that while manufacturing exhibited a far higher level of standard of quality in earlier times, accuracy in advertising however I guess will forever remain unchanged.

 

[mayserwegener]

I believe with the Rehfus & Cie ZEPHIR Melone the weight applies to just the hat body (not finished with ribbon, sweatband, liner). By the way my old Negretti Melone is also around 115 grams.

 

[Chepstow]

I believe with the Rehfus & Cie ZEPHIR Melone the weight applies to just the hat body (not finished with ribbon, sweatband, liner). By the way my old Negretti Melone is also around 115 grams.

Right! That is what I believe too, Steve. It means only the felt weight!

 

[Denton]

Old Stetson

I hate to see the bowler / derby thread languish, so I am going to post photos of the bowlers that I wear. The pictures are not going to be much good.

This is an old Stetson.






I'm not sure exactly how old. The sweatband has "John B. Stetson Co. / Grand Prize 1900 Paris" embossed in gold letters, so it's after 1900. According to the thread on dating Stetsons by size tag, the circular size sticker with wavy edge indicates that this hat is "old." Sometime between 1900 and 1920, I guess?

The crown is rather tall, six inches, and the brim curl is dramatic. People notice when they see this hat coming.

It shows some signs of mild wear, but it's in pretty fantastic shape overall. The textured Flexible Conforming sweatband is very comfortable, and the oval is a good fit for me. I wear it on special occasions.

 

[splintercellsz]

Wow! Your dating is correct. I would assume pre-1915, due to the Panama–Pacific International Exposition, and yours has the marks from the Grand-prize Paris 1900. So, one can assume that that one is over 100 years old. I really like it!!

 

[alanfgag]

Looks like a great hat! We do have a nice representation of Stetson marks in various threads on the lounge. It would be helpful (and enjoyable) to see close-up photos of the marks in the hat. When stiff hats were a fashion imperative, many styles were offered concurrently and tall crowns commingled with shorter ones in the same time period. Round size stickers for Stetson were used into the early 1930s, I believe. The larger stickers with scalloped edges are generally earlier variants.

You might hunt for the LOTXXXX stamp on the back of the sweatband and add it to this thread. There is a nice accumulation of examples that form an interesting (if perhaps imprecise) timeline.

 

[mayserwegener]

Beautiful Derby!

 

[Denton]

I didn't think this webcam could take recognizable photos of the sweatband markings, but I have done some experimenting this afternoon, and these pictures came out with enough detail that I think they are worth posting.





Illegible on my monitor, this sticker reads 7 3/8:





I have done some tentative searching behind the sweatband, but unfortunately did not find a lot number, and I am wary of handling this sweatband too roughly.

Thanks, everyone, for the encouraging words about my old Stetson. I intend to post a few more pictures of bowlers this week, and I apologize in advance for the pictures that look like indistinct dark blobs.

 

[splintercellsz]

Great photos, Aaron! What some use, is a small handheld mirror to peek beind the sweat. I really like that one! I have been very fond of those 1900s, but have yet to nab one, haha! If you can make out the block number, you should post it here: http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?62324-Stetson-block-profile-numbers/page6

 

[Denton]

Wormser Standard of Excellence









A compact and elegant hat made by Wormser. The seller thought 1930s, which seems possible, but I have not been able to find any useful clues to help with dating.

 

[Denton]

Addendum to previous post. There is something distinctive about the way the sweatband is attached (apart from the fact that a number of the stitches are loose). Very thin textured sweatband, and there is a layer of stitching, a kind of reticulated stitch, behind the reed. Actually it looks braided. I tried to take a picture:

 

[Denton]

Knapp-Felt

Knapp-Felt. NRA tag. Sold on October 31, 1941.





Damaged on one side. Two round holes, and a long gash.

 

[Denton]

Almost forgot. The Knapp-Felt is a stiff felt, but relatively light and flexible. I assumed it was my lightest bowler, but I was wrong. It weighs 137 grams, whereas my old tall Stetson weighs 136. No real competition for some of the lightweight and featherweight hats seen on this thread.

 

[Tommy]

probably not vintage, but in good shape and it fits...

 

[scottyrocks]

The insides say not vintage.

 

[ofcoursemyhorse]

Herbert Johnson Brown Bowler. Formerly owned by Chicago visioneer Arthur Rubloff.

 

[ManofKent]

^Nice shape to that HJ

 

[Sprinkles]

Just got this bowler from my grandmother. It belonged to her grandfather (so my great-great-grandfather). He died in 1941 and judging by the union stamp it is pre-1934. It is a Mallory in rough shape, missing sweatband, ribbons all tattered. But the most important part, the felt, is in absolutely pristine condition! It is pretty big (way too big for me) probably a 7 3/8 or 7 1/2. Some of the other sticker, with the block number, was in there but the photo didn't turn out so good.

 

[splintercellsz]

OCMH, very nice!

Sprinkles, that is a keeper. Hold on to that one. There are many places hat can replace the sweatband and ribbon. I do hope to inherit my grandfathers hats one day (He also has some that belonged to my great-great grandfather). My uncle has them now, so the odds of me recieveing them are slim, but I shant stop trying!!