Indy Jones Fedora from Herbert Johnson

[Paladin]

A couple of years ago, I had an Indy Jones fedora done for me by Herbert Johnson, the original movie hatter according to my research. I was surprised by the stiffness of the beaver when I received it, thought it would be much more supple, but hung it in my library as a piece of movie memorabilia and occasionally wore it as weather permitted. (I also had a leather jacket done by Wested, the originally makers of the movie jacket for Harrison Ford.)

After about a year, I happened to notice that the crown is off-center from the brim! In otherwords, the pinch of the crown was not aligned with the center of the front brim. Very strange. I was wondering if anyone here has heard much about HJ's work. I was on someone's web site devoted to Indywear and he bypassed them when getting a hat. I also noticed another post here about Gladhatter being a great source for an Indy hat.

Firstly, anything you've heard about other experieinces with HJ. And secondly, any suggestions on what I should do about my belated descovery?

 

[Dalexs]

Check your email!

Welcome aboard.

Dalexs

 

[MK]

Wow. I thought Howard Johnson just had hotels.


Now.....Herbert Johnson in London used to make nice hats many moons ago......but those days are long gone. They have very high priced, mediocre hats now. On the up side....they have excellent umbrellas.

Joe jr. of Peter Brothers hats in Texas has done miracles reblocking old HJ's....but alas....he has left the company.

 

[Paladin]

I must have been hungry when I posted "Howard" instead of "Herbert" Johnson .....

I'm sorry to hear Joe Jr. left Peter Bros, he actually did an Indy fedora for me back then, before the HJ. The thing about their Indys is that their beaver is the same as a regular western hat, so it's stiff as a rodeo rider's. Very well done, but just about like wearing a "cowboy hat" rather than a fedora. Only the shape is different.

Speaking of umbrellas, I also own a beautiful Swaine Adeney Brigg umbrella I had made through Sterling & Burke LTD in DC. A full-piece hickory shaft, brass bespoke nameplate--just a thing of beauty. http://www.classicluggage.com/GENTLEMEN!S_UMBRELLA26629.html Here in the US we are used to buying umbrellas we can stash under a car seat and toss if needed. But a fine British umbrella, next to a bowler, is one of the true gifts England has given us. I'm sort of an Anglophile as well. Never take a business trip to London without picking up some toys. (BTW, I had a Brigg umbrellla made for one of my top employees on his company anniversary a few years ago, an older gentleman who was very old-world. It was such a unique gift that went right to his nature that it almost brought him to tears--think of that, just with an umbrella! There are so many potentially creative moments we bypass in life just because we're moving so fast!)

Now don't get me talking about shaving.....

 

[Zane]

Hello, and thank you for your post. I would like to address the stiffens issue about your hat and Reblocking it as well. I am not sure if Fedora is able in terms of time to do a reblock as I do not know him well but he seems to do great work. Art on here also turns out some beautiful restoration work.

Stiffener is just shellac and while it is difficult and near impossible to remove from a hat, it can be mellowed or actually not re activated after a blocking.

I have seen so many over my past come in for a western hat and say gosh that body is no good as it is as limber as one of his appendages. The stiffener would be already in the hat and they would not know it or you may say it was like a viscous liquid inside the felt type of feel. I would stick it on a steamer for a minute ( not a Jiffy that does not produce enough steam for a vaporizer) but a true steamer and then do a quick press on the flat iron for 3 seconds and they would drop their jaw to find a hat that was already stiff as a board now and then got even stiffer in minutes as it dryed.

In all my reading on all the forums I have never yet met any one that really understands the stiffening process nor how it is really activated or the mellowing process that removes stiffener.

Gladhatter makes some really fine hats in many grades if you contact him and ask. To be fair there are a number of oter hatters that are more endorsed on this forum that satisfy many.

I endorse Gladhatter as I have known him personally since chilhood and think him a great hatter and a great friend.

 

[Zane]

All I know about umbrellas is that I never seen one sold in America that was any good. I once spent a year looking for one for a gift. Can you please direct me as to where I can buy a rally good one?

 

[Paladin]

Zane--So are you saying that, just as stiffener can be re-activated in felt, it can de-activated as well? That would mean if I sent both my HJ and Peter Bros Indy fedoras to the right blocker, they could de-activate the stiffener, give it back its natural suppleness, and fix the crown/brim blocking error from HJ?

If that's the case....then I'll ask who among the blockers here would like to give it a go? I can mail the hats out and give you a project right away!

 

[Zane]

YES! I am saying this. Please do not confuse being deactivated as removed how ever. The stiffener will remain regardless. you can mellow a hat with a mellowing machine or just by hand or wearing it a lot for that matter. Shellac is an extract from the body of the Argentinean beetle. It is all made by the Monsanto Chemical company. Refined shellac is a powder it is further treated then to become everything from hat stiffener to apple or fruit wax polish even to pigmented "paints" that are specially designed to cover hard to cover stains. Now on dark hats typically the shellac is pigmented also and boiling it out can and usually does reduce hat color. You cannot replace hat color with regular dyes on a professional level as it requires a pressure dying vat and an Aniline type dye specific to fur felt. You can do a sandwich dye on beaver hats and a fair job of dying hats with less beaver using regular dyes and lots of table salt or other fixatives. Dying its self is a complex side of body making however and requires more that I know and an expert that not only understands the processes but other things like correct Ph in the solution that is adjusted with Sodium Tetra Borate and Sulfuric acid.

If you choose to mellow the hats you simply work and kneed them in your hands. Now a hat of highest quality beaver can take this and come right back out with a little attention but a Rabbit fur hat will require a substantial amount more work and possibly reblocking to remove the wrinkles.

Nothing will ever remove the stiffener completely but it will not activate if the blocker does not use a crown iron and will let it dry for days on block and not in 15 minutes under a crown iron. As for brim as it will need ironed after it has been blocked you have to dry iron it with as little mist or steam as you can or you will reactivate the stiffener if it you work the hat while it is wet and get it hot.

I cannot advise you on whom may consider your reblocking job for you but there are many competent part time hatters on here and you could actually become one of them with some practice.

We never done simple reblocking when I was working at making hats . We would take on a full restoration as the hat had to be dissembled to do either properly we believed and so we only tried to do restorations for old customers as the price was generally prohibitive as you are really almost making new hat.

I am positive some one of the afore mentioned hatters can help you.

 

[MK]

Originally posted by Zane
All I know about umbrellas is that I never seen one sold in America that was any good. I once spent a year looking for one for a gift. Can you please direct me as to where I can buy a rally good one?

Brooks Brothers makes a decent one. If you want top of the line you can find them in Manhatten. The is a smoke shop a block down from The Waldorf on fifth avenue that has Brigg umbrellas.

 

[Zane]

MK, I really thank you for the post . You may or may not know that I am not a worldly person and have limited means. Do you have any contact information for these folks. I would need to order by postal mail or have a friend do it by internet for me.

 

[rick5150]

A couple of years ago, I had an Indy Jones fedora done for me by Herbert Johnson, the original movie hatter according to my research. I was surprised by the stiffness of the beaver when I received it, thought it would be much more supple, but hung it in my library as a piece of movie memorabilia and occasionally wore it as weather permitted.

Was this a special order? I though the HJ's were rabbit or a rabbit blend? Was it a Poet? I am very curious! Also, Swales was not known for his precision Is the pinch uniformly off center or is it crooked? Did you get the dimensional cut? Hint: A picture paints 1,000 words

 

[Paladin]

Rick--I'd be happy to post pics here of the HJ. I've never been able to figure out how to do that though. Can you provide instruction on how to upbload a couple of pics?

Zane--as for umbrellas, here's the link to Sterling & Burke that I posted a couple up from here in this topic: http://www.classicluggage.com
You can't go wrong with a Briggs umbrella. And I believe they'll have one that you might be able to afford, they're at different levels. And they'll do business with you via internet. They're nice people. A Briggs umbrella is a fine work of art. If you can swing it, and it's a friend you would do this for, invest in a solid handle and shaft. It's something they'll hand down to future generations. Plus, it keeps the rain off the head too.

Oh, almost forgot your question, Rick. It was a special order.

 

[Canadave]

Originally posted by Paladin
...Now don't get me talking about shaving.....

Get started, my friend. I'm going for my first "barber shave" tomorrow! (What timing.)

Any advice???

David

 

[Zane]

Paladin, I sure do thank you. I not only found the Umbrella that I have sought but passed the information along to Gladhatter and am understanding he is having special hat luggage commissioned by the same company that informed him they had previously made a 3 hat piece of luggage for a lady in Ireland.

I would like to doubly thank you as your link alone seems to have provoked some new interest and possibly will find me a position with the company once again. I suppose there are many functions that are needed in a hat company and I may well find one that I am qualified to do.

 

[Paladin]

Zane--I am so pleased that my one link has opened up so much for you. Hey, I just made my first post yesterday in this forum, and already I've done some good for someone. You've made my day! Be sure to let me know how it goes. That company is first class. Perhaps now I should commission Gladhatter to do a fedora for me just as someone else recently did (I forgot who, but there were some beautiful photos of the silver belly).

Canadave--I'm glad we hooked up on shaving before you went into your barber shave. I've had several barber shaves in London at Taylors of Old Bond Street and at the Art of the Shave in NYC. I've actually learned (or re-learned) how to shave under the wing of one of the two shave experts in the country Charles Roberts. He happens to be here in Austin, Texas. I've done actual shaving sessions with him personally, and buy all my shaving products through him and throught a British web site. 99% of all men do not know how to really shave. All that gel nonsense and shower-shaving is doing bad things to men's faces. What I think I might do is start a separate topic post for anyone interested in "shaving science". It's truly old-world and once you've learned, you'd be amazed at the consistant quality of the shave. Here are the links for both Charles Roberts' web site and the British Gentleman's Shop. Charles has several articles on his shaving science on the web site, I'd encourage you to read them--and it's free!

http://www.enchanteonline.com/

http://www.gentlemans-shop.com/info.aspx?ref=ourshop

BTW, where are you having your barber shave? I'm going to start the topic on shaving brand new--just need to find out where a topic like that should be posted here--any suggestions?

 

[Canadave]

Originally posted by Paladin

BTW, where are you having your barber shave? I'm going to start the topic on shaving brand new--just need to find out where a topic like that should be posted here--any suggestions?

The Men's Salon at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto. It was a gift from my wife.

I'm not sure where to start a new topic on shaving...The Observation Bar?

David

 

[Nathan Flowers]

There's quite a few in the General Attire and Accoutrements.

I go to a barber in my wife's hometown for a shave about once a month. It's terrific. Pictures of the shop are here.

http://fedoralounge.skyblueproductions.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=490&highlight=barber

 

[Paladin]

Seems like a good place to start. I'll peruse through the topics on shaving and post something later today. It's a busy night, though. The Yankees are playing the Mets on satellite tonight.

 

[Canadave]

Hey, no-one answered my question...Is there anything I should know, do, prepare for, sleep on, wash with - before tomorrow's shave?

David

 

[Zane]

Thank You Paladin, Yes in fact it was profitable trip and I will be working part time and blocking and pouncing the lesser expensive hats. I will not work directly for The Gladhatter but will work independently and have more frequent contact.

I have some experience with the old type shaves. I used to frequent weekly a Barber shop in Norton Va back when I had money. I would get a weekly shave and so enjoyed it. The gal that shaved me said she learned using a balloon. It was a real treat to go under the straight razor.

Some Pinuad Clubman talc and just a little toilet water and man you are felling good.

Then back on with the suit jacket and your nice hat and off to Mosbys to have some fine dining.

Those was the days.

I did not see the Silver belly but only the pictures that Rayk posted and it sure was a grand hat. I did see a Silver belly today that was equally nice and actually got to meet Charlie's lovely wife that I only got to see in passing last time . She is the artist and stylist for The Gladhatter. While I cannot take back any thing I have said about he quality of work and experience that Charlie himself has, his wife is the real artist.

I feel like a plug for her is the only proper thing. I am not sure how the old Goat attracted such a beautiful young wife but he surly has a treasure. She reports to have studied art all her life and is a jeweler by trade but you would not know she has not been a hatter for her known life. Her attention to detail and the fineness of her stitching is to be marveled at. She is currently doing all the fine finishing and They 2 of them work together with such a tension that brings out works that should be called more than a hat.

I do not know the proper words here, but bespoke commissions may be a good starting point for the labors of love they are producing. I suppose that words alone may not be enough but the picture of hats like that Silverbelly you referred to certainly do speak volumes.