The BORSALINO BROTHERHOOD

rlk · Jun 3, 2010

Ephraim Tutt said:
Any idea what age this old Borsalino is? I think the style, extra-wide unreeded sweat, logo (though they did use that one for quite a while) and the old Rogers Peet logo puts it pre-WWII. But I'm open to suggestions.

If you can look under the sweatband for the factory stamp I can give you a better idea of the date. If it does not have Borsalino written in script vertically along the left side it is from the 1950's or later. Your cloth size tag was most commonly seen on 1950's hats. Nothing about it in the photos gives any definite pre 1950 dating. I think Rogers Peet lasted into the 1980's. They still use unreeded sweats too and the Pre-war ones are more likely to be reeded instead. Very nice hat in any case.

danofarlington · Jun 3, 2010

Ephraim Tutt said:
I gotta admit Dano, that I'm not a homburg fan either. This style with its soft, sloping brim puts it in a different category that seems to work quite well.

That's why I like Borsalinos so much. They always seem a notch above. They've got the best modern designs in the world for a production hat company, or maybe of anyone.

gtdean48 · Jun 3, 2010

danofarlington said:
That's just like the Borsalino Alessandria hat I bought from Peters Brothers. It's the same kind of hat that keow11 is seeking for his Johnny Depp fedora. Peters Brothers also sells that hat in "mink" color which looks dark brown, a la Johnny Depp. I may try to fit that into the buying plan for 2010.

I'm sure you wouldn't be saying "just like" if you have held a vintage Alessandria like what Lefty just sold. I have an early 50's one & one I bought in Ft Worth in the late 80s. There is NO comparison, like they were from 2 totally different companies.

mayserwegener · Jun 3, 2010

gtdean48 said:
I'm sure you wouldn't be saying "just like" if you have held a vintage Alessandria like what Lefty just sold. I have an early 50's one & one I bought in Ft Worth in the late 80s. There is NO comparison, like they were from 2 totally different companies.

This is 100% correct. Borsalino made really high quality hats to around 1980. That was longer than any other production hat company other than maybe P. & C. Habig (not sure about Barbisio).

Borsalino captured great market share for their quality and design but there were other great continental Euro hat companies (Flechet, Mossant, P. & C. Habig, Mayser, Hückel, Barbisio, Wegener, Panizza, Cervo, Peschel, ect) that could match them in both quality and design in my humble opinion.

Ephraim Tutt · Jun 3, 2010

rlk said:
Ephraim Tutt said:

Any idea what age this old Borsalino is? I think the style, extra-wide unreeded sweat, logo (though they did use that one for quite a while) and the old Rogers Peet logo puts it pre-WWII. But I'm open to suggestions.

If you can look under the sweatband for the factory stamp I can give you a better idea of the date. If it does not have Borsalino written in script vertically along the left side it is from the 1950's or later. Your cloth size tag was most commonly seen on 1950's hats. Nothing about it in the photos gives any definite pre 1950 dating. I think Rogers Peet lasted into the 1980's. They still use unreeded sweats too and the Pre-war ones are more likely to be reeded instead. Very nice hat in any case.

Click to expand...

Helpful advice rlk. I appreciate it.

marvelgoose · Jun 12, 2010

Customized New Alessandria

My first Borsalino admission into the Brotherhood.

I had the good people at Bencraft to customize a new navy blue Alessandria for me by changing the thin ribbon for a wider one to make it a dressier hat that I would wear with a navy suit.

I took these shots in very bright sunlight so the navy and the details would show online.

Brent Hutto · Jun 12, 2010

Looking good, Goose. The wider band and fairly massive side dents really modernize the look of the hat. I think that suits the navy blue, my taupe Alessandria does fine with the stock narrow ribbon but navy to my eye always better for a big dressier treatment.

colps · Jun 14, 2010

Is this hat 1930s thanks for the help

rlk · Jun 14, 2010

colps said:
Is this hat 1930s thanks for the help

They concealed the part of the factory stamp that would determine it firmly(that would only make it pre-1952). Most of the Augusta hats I've seen were 1960's 70's but with Borsalino they can bring back older labels. If thats a 6" crown I'm 7 feet tall(might get close if you fold it in half). No definite evidence of being older than 1960's though no certainty either that its later. Older than 1975 I'd accept.

colps · Jun 14, 2010

Thanks for the info.

Aureliano · Jun 15, 2010

Verdi...

Got this from Bencraft a number of weeks ago. Stanley, the owner, was kind to cut the brim for me to a perfect 2 1/2 (originally 3")

C.K.Farnsworth · Jun 15, 2010

Requesting permision to join the brotherhood...

This is my early 30s light beige Borsolino with brown ribbon and wind trolly with "Bullocks Store for Men" stamped in gold on the sweat band. I sometimes snap the brim down but always wear the crown in a Homberg bash.

Blackthorn · Jun 16, 2010

Aureliano said:
Got this from Bencraft a number of weeks ago. Stanley, the owner, was kind to cut the brim for me to a perfect 2 1/2 (originally 3")

Man, that's a gorgeous hat, Aureliano!

Aureliano · Jun 16, 2010

Thanks, Blackthorn!

Dreispitz · Jun 23, 2010

Feather Weight

Here is an example of the first Feather Weight Borso, I have come across. Probably 60ies or late 50ies.

Came: like a vergin, brushed for the very first time, like a verherehrhergin ....!

Very light, thin and soft felt, yet not too sloppy. Do note the delicate brim binding. There have been quite a vew hats here on the lounge originating from Salvarore Balbi´s shop in Napels.

Must have been a must go to and buy a hat place in the 60ies. Since most hats from this shop are still in great shape, I recon, it was the thing to get a real Borsalino from Italy, but not to wear it, really, since it was not fashionable, anymore, back home. lol

mayserwegener · Jun 23, 2010

Wow! Fantastic and just in time for summer evenings! :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

Lefty · Jun 23, 2010

Very nice. I've handled two Borso featherweights and couldn't believe how light they were. How do you even know it's up there?

rlk · Jun 23, 2010

Featherweight Balbi too

This one is a double-row stitched overwelt.

Dreispitz · Jun 23, 2010

rlk said:
This one is a double-row stitched overwelt.

So, we can found the Brotherhood of Balbi Resurectors :cheers1:

commanderbond · Jun 29, 2010

Borsalino San Remo

I prefer a fedora with a smaller brim and the 2'' brim on the San Remo seems to be ideal. Does anyone here own the current version of this hat. If so, could you offer any input on it?
I would like to get one in Navy Blue but they only come in Black, Taupe and Light Grey.
Which, if any of these colors, would work with a dark blue suit?

The BORSALINO BROTHERHOOD

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