A Homburg? Me? In a Homburg?

[Brad Bowers]

I am joining the ranks of Homburg owners. I found this Resistol Beaver Fifteen Homburg on eBay this afternoon, and the "Buy it Now" price seemed pretty decent, considering that prices on size 7 3/8 hats have been going through the roof.

I'm sure the hat is as old the 1950s, like the seller said, but I'm wondering if this hat might not be from the 1940s. It looks earlier, though I don't know enough about Resistol liner crests to know for sure.

I've been wanting a black fedora, but this Homburg will work for evening wear. I suppose I could always take the curl out of the brim.

I'll have to figure out a snappy comeback to the Godfather comments I'm sure to get.:cool2:

Brad

 

[shindeco]

Ok, I'm biased; I love homburgs but I think that's a very snazzy hat. As for the Godfather comments, just tell them that they made you an offer you couldn't refuse!

 

[Vladimir Berkov]

I a big fan of homburgs. I have a grey 50s one in 7 3/8s I will probably be selling soon (too small for me) it will be posted on the classified section.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

Mr. Bowers,
Congratulations on the hat. I would have paid the "Buy It Now" price as well. Sometimes, it's just easier that way.
I think it is a great hat for any price.
Post some photos once you get it.

 

[adamgottschalk]

Beautiful hat!

I like the hat particularly for two reasons: 1) it's got a flat brim (I'm dying to get a flat-brim homburg), and 2) it looks like the brim is relatively narrow, no? Nice catch.

 

[WEEGEE]

What a catch

BB,


Hat rocks...not as in Kid Rock.

You will look as regal as...no...so much more then Sir Winston...he did not

sport your great stash.

post pics.

WeeGee:cheers1:

 

[epic610]

Get used....

to people always referring to you as "SIR" . . . and never having to stand in line again while wearing your homburg

 

[epic610]

How did you find this hat?

i check ebay all the time and didn't see it. i would have bought it asap.

 

[John in Covina]

Homburgs are no Humbug!

You'll get better service at the bank, restaurants and from both doctors and lawyers, while wearing the Homburg.

It is very nice, I have Homburgs on my hat list, too.

 

[Bud-n-Texas]

Good for you !!!!!!

I saw that hat when it came on last night. Heck of a deal. I just couldnt pull the trigger on it. I am a big fan of Resistol hats. I am waiting on the delivery of my first Homburg so I am not sure if I will like the style on me.:cheers1:

 

[Brad Bowers]

Thanks guys. I will post pictures when it arrives later this week.

It's kind of a gamble for me as to whether I will look good in it. But I never run across hats in my size for a "Buy it Now" I can afford, so I took a chance. Heck, if I don't like it, it will probably be easy to sell it for what I paid.

Stay tuned...

Brad

 

[Mr. 'H']

That really is a fine Homburg. Some of the '50s Homburgs have really low crowns but that one seems to have a nice crown height.

I will look amazing for evening wear.

I know MK has something similar complete with hat can.

I wonder what the felt is like in yours....

 

[BellyTank]

You..?
The third Duke of Hyrum..?
...in a Homburg..?
...with your reputation..?

B
T

 

[Aerol]

Guts and glory

Wish I had the guts to wear a homburg.

 

[Craig Robertson]

It's kind of a gamble for me as to whether I will look good in it.
Brad

I don't think that I look particularly good in a "classic" homburg because I'm too thin to carry it. However, I have a couple I wear with the front "pinched" and it gives the hat a better balance for me. I also block the brim so it drops a little in the front.

 

[maintcoder]

I don't think that I look particularly good in a "classic" homburg because I'm too thin to carry it. However, I have a couple I wear with the front "pinched" and it gives the hat a better balance for me. I also block the brim so it drops a little in the front.

That's close to the way I re-shaped the homburg I posted a few weeks back. I rebashed the crown down the middle, added a side pinch and slightly snapped the brim down in front. And it seems to work quite well that way.

Congrats on the homburg, Brad. I can't wait to see the pictures!

 

[Brad Bowers]

Received the hat today! I'll get photos posted in a day or two, probably on Saturday.

Wow, this is a gorgeous hat. I lucked out again with a NOS hat - so far, all of my vintage buys have been that way. The tags were still in the hat, including the $15.00 price tag, though the glue and paper are brittle and they started falling out when I looked under the sweatband. The hat even still had the "How to Care for Your Hat" guide that came with Resistols. The store logo on the sweat is the Young Men's Store in Washington, Inc. The model name of the hat, I'm assuming, is "Downing St." The hat is actually a 7 3/8 Extra Long Oval, which I suppose makes it the rarest of the rare. To me, it fits like a regular 7 3/8, but it will conform. I still suspect it might be an earlier hat than the '50s.

The Kitten Finish is fantastic, very soft, and very different from my other hats. It's not a particularly thick felt, but there is some stiffener in it, since it is a Homburg. There are no flaws in the hat anywhere. It has a wind trolley, a 6" crown, and the brim, if flattened, would be 2 5/8". The rolled width is about 2".

The hat box is just a plain, brown, round cardboard hat box, though the tissue paper inside was turning brown from age. The seller also had a straw Resistol hat with a really nice Resistol box with strap. I wonder if that box was meant for this hat, instead of the straw. It doesn't matter to me, though.

It certainly is a different look - Nathan Detroit instead of Nick Charles or Sam Spade. I feel really formal wearing it. I put a slight front pinch on it, just to give it my personal touch. It looked too formal with just the center dent. I'll be interested to see how it goes with my different suits, to see if I can wear it during the day without an overcoat, or if I will reserve it for evening wear.

Brad

 

[Brad Bowers]

Here are the photos

Here are some photos.

I received quite a few compliments yesterday on the hat (and the suit), mostly from the young ladies working at the grocery store. Gave me a renewed sense of hope for the younger generation. My wife really likes it on me. It's funny, I don't feel self-conscious wearing my fedoras, but I did a little bit while wearing this hat. Maybe because I could feel the hat, as the sweatband seemed to dig into my forehead, which I thought was odd for an Extra Long Oval. Once the hat gets used to my head, it may be less noticeable.

It's strange, the hat doesn't look that tall in the photographs, but it's got a 6" open crown.

In that last shot, you wouldn't know I had just brushed the hat before taking the photo, but the darn flash will pick up every little speck of dirt on black!

Brad

 

[feltfan]

Nice hat and a good look for you. Surprisingly, less so
with the overcoat than with the suit. The contrast thing,
I guess. Love that wide ribbon. Thanks for showing us.

I may dust off the homburgs and try out a pinch. I tend
to end up looking like a Jewish gangster or something if
I wear 'em with an overcoat. But maybe without...

 

[BellyTank]

Nice one Brad- you always were the Diplomat.

B
T