Penney's Marathon Genuine Hopoka

[cmalbrecht]

At a nearby flea market I picked up a nice-looking straw hat for $10. It's a Penney's Marathon with a very fine weave, albeit stiff (says it has been weatherized), and has an imitation leather sweatband. Very good condition since the only one like it that I could locate was a 1943 Penney's ad offering it for $1.49.
My burning question is: what the heck is hopoka? I've never heard of it and surfing the net only tells me that in the extinct Wappo language it means 3. That's not much help.
Surely somebody around the lounge must have heard of this type of material.

 

[Dinerman]

I would guess some kind of bangora. Lots of brand names floating around for the same thing.

Here are some I've had. I have two more which are variations on the one top right, but I don't have decent photos of them. Do these look like what you have?

 

[RBH]

From this '54 ad it would seem a 'straw fabric'.

 

[RBH]

Another from 1943

 

[cmalbrecht]

My Hopoka hat

Thanks. I think my hat fits right in with the photos. Anyway, I like it and it's in good shape. The sweatband was a bit dried out and wrinkled, but I worked some hand lotion into it and cleaned it and it's coming along very nicely. I'm going to wear it a little longer, even though this is supposed to be fall. Fall? Hundred degree weather around Sacramento, but where there are lots of politicians, things are always heated. :eusa_clap