Panama Hat Thread

[Benzadmiral]

Is Kim wearing a genuine Ecuadorian panama here, or is this one of those shatung things?

http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/8.../091a4f2c4199e5ea494ed9cba560ce8f8cf5b1a8.jpg

http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/..../660bfd8450d29bf9f69663048a3271b81bd32c6b.jpg

not sure if these links will work, my apologies if they do not.

That hat looks too flexible to be a stiff shantung, I think.

 

[barrowjh]

Yes, that is what caught my eye and drove me to post. The only oddity, appears to have a bound brim edge that does not look very panama-ish.

 

[Frunobulax]

I don't want to run afoul of the Bartenders, so I won't post a link. However, there is a certain site where we can look for and bid on hats that has these two items available:



They are known as Evr-Kool eX-Ray hats. Made by the Superior Hat Company of St. Louis.



Ever seen one of these?

 

[daizawaguy]

optimo by Borsalino

 

[AndyR]

They are known as Evr-Kool eX-Ray hats. Made by the Superior Hat Company of St. Louis.

Not sure I would want a hat with a visor like that, but I really love that distinctive weave/straw. They look like well made hats.

Andy

 

[Frunobulax]

Yeah, I'm not in the market for them. Just piqued my curiosity.

 

[daizawaguy]

optimo by Borsalino

Any idea on what the weave is? This hat is quoted on the net (even Borsalino sites) as *Montecristi*, but according to local sales people at specialist hats shops its not a Montecristi. Borsalino do have 3 other grades of limited editions at high end Japanese department stores like Mitsukoshi, which are the traditional Montecristi look and colors, but this one is lighter, and usually uniformly woven. Clicking on the photo in the original posting above will give a more detailed view. Thanks

 

[alanfgag]

Any idea on what the weave is?

Reply to your other thread.

 

[fedoralover]

I picked up this Monticristi at an Antique show in Portland yesterday. Looks never to have been worn. It has a 3 3/4 inch brim with the pencil curl and a 5 1/2 inch crown. I'm going to have it reblocked to hopefully resemble the one in the other pic. Has a weave count at around 700 wpi.



Here's what I'm hoping to make out of it.


fedoralover

 

[mikespens]

Outstanding body Rich, sure the reblock will come out as you wish.

 

[fedoralover]

Outstanding body Rich, sure the reblock will come out as you wish.

If only it would make me look as young as the guy in the pic.

fedoralover

 

[RJR]

amen!

 

[alanfgag]

Mikado Straw 1920s

The only other example I've found is this very similar one once owned by Robert (RLK). Newspaper ads ($2.95 retail) can be found from the 1920s... the store where this was sold was liquidated in 1930.

 

[mikespens]

Really nice Alan and looks very similar to this one I got from Garrett who got it from a Rick Blaine classifed. It was a tiny raw body finished by BSHW, to see it stretched to my 7 1/4 size was amazing. I suspected it was woven in Japan but had no proof other than a tag sewn onto the body. It just doesn't look like an Ecuadorian body.

 

[mikespens]

Found the original classified:

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/show...teyou-71-year-old-unfinished-hat-body-capline!

 

[alanfgag]

Very interesting Mike - thanks for posting this. It does appear to be the same weave. Brim finishing is the same and the Mikado also has the same two small holes at the top of the crown - a tool mark related to the weaving process, I suspect.

 

[mikespens]

Alan, it's nice to finally know what to call mine, I never was able to translate "Tateyori" on the tag and assumed it was a prefecture of Okinawa. The suppleness of a straw weave this old is amazing to me, it's a real tough hat, I feel no need to pamper it.

Man I love the even patina on yours. I did find reference to straw hats and "Celluloid Finish" here:

https://books.google.com/books?id=z...WF#v=onepage&q=celluloid finish straw&f=false

 

[navarre]

View attachment 31492 View attachment 31493

They are known as Evr-Kool eX-Ray hats. Made by the Superior Hat Company of St. Louis.

I can't lie Fruno, for some strange reason, I kind of want the Optimo one. Not sure why, as they were certainly never more than cheap garden hats. But at $150-250, I keep content with the picture and a laugh.

 

[navarre]

Very interesting Mike - thanks for posting this. It does appear to be the same weave. Brim finishing is the same and the Mikado also has the same two small holes at the top of the crown - a tool mark related to the weaving process, I suspect.

I wondered if it was from the finishing process? Perhaps a small set of prongs to finish or dry the hats bodies on. Stock factory hat liners usually have a set of three small holes that are noticeable and I believe that comes from a stand used to starch them.

Very cool to see the other Mikado, just from the photos of it and handling Mikes, I think they are the same. I will say, working with the celluloid finish was no joke and not for the faint of heart. Mike is right though, somehow that little bugger stretched like you wouldn't believe.

 

[alanfgag]

Interesting straw bodies and I agree, difficult to work with steam. I adjusted the brim but left the crown as it was set. It is great to see the Japanese tag. Mikado must have originated from the marketing value of Gilbert & Sullivan's most popular operetta (in the pre-Linda Ronstadt era). The ads I found from the mid-1920s show a $2.95 retail price which must have been a modest Panama alternative at that time.

Here is how it wears: