I Hit the Jackpot!

[2D]

I recently acquired some real treasures I just have to rant about...

I recently purchased 14 hats that are from the 60's & 70's. They're all too small (6 7/8 - 7 1/4) for me so they'll be for sale soon. I need to clean (brush and dust) and reshape several of them. I really need some help with two of them - I don't know what they are.

1) The gem is a 60's Disney, pencil rolled brim, Homburg (7 &#188 in the original box. It’s a one owner (HG intials on sweat band – Herbert Goldstein)! Overall the hat is in nearly mint condition. The sweat band is in good shape and has Twenty on it as well as Disney Reg’d New York and John David Fifth Avenue New York. The box shows wear but is intact.

2) I need help on this one. It’s an excellent quality beaver felt fedora by Borzio (7 1/8). Does anyone know about the manufacturer? I can't find anything. Originally, I thought I had read something about them being in the same area and a competitor (or family factory for) Borsolino but I can't find that piece.

3) Another I need help with is the chocolate brown Venuti (7 1/8) fedora sold by Kova Quality Hatters of Brooklyn, NY. The felt’s in good shape but the outer hat band needs to be replaced due to fading on the side and back. It could also use reshaping.

4) There's a black Dobbs Fifth Avenue (size 7) model L 0205 JET 707 (commemorating the Boeing 707) that is in nearly new condition save for a little reshaping and a good dusting off. It's still a current model but I would guess this one is significantly older. Maybe the 70's. Can anyone dial the date in for me?

5) There’s another Dobbs Fifth Avenue (6 7/8) that’s in great shape except there’s no feather (if there was one). This one is slate grey and seems a little newer. As with the others, it needs a little reshaping.

6) I have a black Stetson Homburg ( 7 ), No model info in the crown logo and no plastic crown liner but appears to be excellent quality beaver felt. In true Homburg style, no feather.

7) A black Knox Twenty (7 1/8) with wind cord and button. The sweat band in this one is fragile and has a crack but what a great hat.

8) There's a medium brown Macy's Supre (7 1/8) fedora that seems to be about 40 years old that needs reblocking and could use a new hat band. Rather unique that Macys would have a store branded hat. It seems to be very good quality felt and the felt is in excellent condition.

And there are 5 good quality straw fedoras (Stetson, etc.) I’ll detail next post. They’re all in good shape and various colors and manufacturers. I'll try to get some pictures up too. The 14th is a grey cloth “rain” fedora – no manufacturer info on this one.

Any help on the Italian hats and comments or corrections on the others would really be appreciated.

- Doug

[Jay]

Congrats on the first post. I can't wait for the pictures...

[bolthead]

can't wait for pics, and welcome to this great forum.

[Zig2k143]

Welcome and we will all be waiting to see these beauties...

[Undertow]

Wow, sounds like you found a good haul. I'd be interested to see some pictures. Too bad you don't have anything in my size!

So how did you come about this group of hats?

[besdor]

Hi 2D. The Borzio is a hat made by Goodwear hat Co from Atlanta GA . The hat dates from the 1960's -1970's . We used to carry a similar hat called the "Antonelli" .
I would sell them on Ebay individualy. You would be suprised at what people will pay for hats.




Steven
www.bencrafthats.com

[2D]

Hi everyone. Thanks for the great feedback. Especially you Steve. Thanks for enlightening me on the Borzio, and here I thought it was Italian. These came from the estate of Herbert Goldstein and I bought them from his daughter in lower Manhattan, NYC. She told me there was one more straw hat that was so brittle that it broke when they handled it and then the kids "had fun" crumbling it all over the house. What a shame.

Anyway, here are the straws that survive...

1) Stetson 7 1/8 homburg center dent style, light to medium brown w/ gold tones in great condition. It has a two inch tan and brown striped hat band. Sweatband is still supple. It doesn't look like it was worn.

2) Stetson medium grey fedora style, size 7 (56) with a 1 1/4 inch light grey with thin dark grey striped hat band. It's in excellent condition. The sweatband is soft and has venting at the front. This one has the Stetson label in the crown.

3) Dark grey Worth and Worth fedora 7 1/8, with a 1 7/8 inch black, lt grey and deep red hat band. This must have been his favorite as the thicker than average, still flexible sweatband shows a fair amount of wear. Despite the wear in the sweatband, this hat is also in excellent condition.

4) A gold highlighted 7 1/8, tan Stetson with the logo stamped into the slightly brittle (with some slight cracking beginning to show), vented sweatband. A very handsome hat that needs a bit of professional care. It has a very attractive, four color 1 5/8 hat band. The hat and the hat band have a small dark smudge on the front so a bit of cleaning needed too.

5) The final entry is a dark, almost charcoal grey hemp Homburg style by Deflex (7 1/8) hat. The label in the crown claims it is rain resistant and that it is made from imported Milan hemp and it is made in the USA. The very thin leather sweat band is in great condition though it seems to be starting to get a bit stiff. I think a bit of proper conditioner on the band is warranted. The 1 5/8 inch hat band is primarily a dark grey that blends with the hat color. It has center stripes of white, gold, black and a brick red that create a nice effect.

Fortunately all the "straw" is in very good condition. Despite their age, none of the hats show any damage or wear to the hemp or straw.

I'm still trying to find my camera. Pics yet to come. Can I upload them here or do I need to put them somewhere and link to them in a post?

- Doug

[Feraud]

Welcome to the Lounge.
You can use photobucket to create a free account to host your photos.

I'm still trying to find my camera. Pics yet to come. Can I upload them here or do I need to put them somewhere and link to them in a post?

- Doug

[bolthead]

It seems the only (1) you have in my size is the " Dobbs Fifth Avenue (6 7/8)". I was hoping for one of those vintage straws. It sucks having a small, bald head.

[GentlemanFarmer]

So sad. Not a one of them my size. Probably for the best as I promised the missus to "stop with the hats already!". That meant I could start back up on the vintage western buckles.