The BORSALINO BROTHERHOOD

Chepstow · Jan 30, 2014

Mrcairo, very nice hat looks good on you!
A heartfelt welcome here. You are on the right Place .

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ManofKent · Jan 30, 2014

Ole - Borsalino felt was excellent quality right up to when they moved factories. I'd have no hesitation in ordering a 60's/70's Borso.

McCairo - great entrance to the forum!

hatsRme · Jan 30, 2014

Mr. Cairo you have duly arrived, Sir! The Borsa is magnificent, and more important, you ROCK that hat! Perfect proportions. The photo, IMHO has a great stylization quality. Welcome, and please come back often.

Question about the ribbon/bow... is the photo reversed (as in a mirror) of is the bow actually on the right side of the hat?

MrCairo · Jan 30, 2014

hatsRme -- very well spotted: it is indeed a shameless mirrorshot. In reality, the bow is on the left side. Thank you for your warm welcome! I am indeed very delighted with the hat, as you can well imagine.

Richard -- appreciated! I'd been wearing a variety of caps but only recently went the fedora way, so it seemed like a good time to join

Manfred -- danke sehr, herr Nachbar! Sehr froh hier zu sein!

Chepstow · Jan 31, 2014

MrCairo said:
Manfred -- danke sehr, herr Nachbar! Sehr froh hier zu sein!

MrCairo, habe erst jetzt gesehen das wir Nachbarn sind haha!

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jskeen · Feb 1, 2014

Looking for a little extra information on my newest hat, and first Borso. Traded with another Lounger for it and it showed up today! I'm going to borrow a couple of his photo's plus one I tried to make a bit more legible. I'm looking for any info the brotherhood cares to share, but mostly confused as to the various terms and titles I see attached to Borso's here in the interwebz. Is Alessandria a reference to the City? Is it a model or style designation? Or something else totally? How about a rough vintage on this one?

And the one I tried to reshoot with limited success. The emblem is pretty smudged but does say "Borsalino Alessandria Italia" under the tip protector. Said protector doesn't feel plastic , I"m curious what they used at the time and if it was relatively clear when new and yellowed over time, or if it was made that color and hasn't really had time to change much.

I"d never seen a liner stitched in at the top but not around the bottom (although those stitches may just be gone) Is that normal practice?

Thanks for the feedback!

alanfgag · Feb 1, 2014

Alessandria is the city - it was also imprinted as a model designation on the sweatband of some models, generally a thin ribbon wide brimmed Open Road style. Your hat model name is Cecospo, the color is Rutenio (ruthenium) from the Borsalino metallic element palette. The dash between the color and model name indicates a ribbon that matches the felt. If it were a contrasting ribbon, the color of the ribbon would appear here. If the manufacturing label as the Borsalino logo running up the left side of the mfg. tag, the hat would date from the first half of the 1950s. If there is no logo, the hat is likely mid-1950s or later... give or take a grain of salt. The crown protector is onion skin paper.

It looks very nice!

TheDane · Feb 1, 2014

alanfgag said:
The dash between the color and model name indicates a ribbon that matches the felt. If it were a contrasting ribbon, the color of the ribbon would appear here

New to me, thanks Alan. "Onion skin paper" translates into "Oil treated silk" in some languages, I guess

I've got a lightweight 50s Borsa in Rutenio color. An extremely versatile gray with brown undertones. Congratulations ... beautiful!

alanfgag · Feb 1, 2014

It could be a fabric covering, but from the photo it looks like the amber tissue paper that was used to protect the crown liner on many European hats of that era. When it tears, you know it's paper.

Annixter · Feb 2, 2014

alanfgag said:
When it tears, you know it's paper.

One of those damn! moments that gets you thinking if you should have worn the thing so much. In the end, I always continue to wear them.

Orangegrad · Feb 2, 2014

A modern Borso, but one I enjoy wearing nonetheless.

TheDane · Feb 2, 2014

alanfgag said:
It could be a fabric covering, but from the photo it looks like the amber tissue paper that was used to protect the crown liner on many European hats of that era. When it tears, you know it's paper.

Ooops! I stand corrected! I haven't seen the paper version ... so far. Yet another great excuse to buy more hats. Thanks, Alan

Miamibruno · Feb 5, 2014

I have three Borsalinos, but I didn't feel quite right asking to join "The Brotherhood" till I found the kind of Borsalino I felt deserved such an honor. I have two Rapallos, one Brown from '62 and one Gray from '75, and a beautiful wide brim velour "30" from the 50s. Now, however, I have found - for me - the epitome of what a Borsalino should be (and I understand it is only in my mind and everyone has their own vision of what that means). I don't have it in my hands, yet, but I should be getting it in the next week. So without further ado, I petition the members for acceptance into the Brotherhood.

ManofKent · Feb 5, 2014

That looks a beauty

mikespens · Feb 5, 2014

ManofKent said:
That looks a beauty

+1

Miamibruno · Feb 5, 2014

Thank you, Richard. And I loved the wider brim you wore the other day and agree with your premise about the size of brim and face construction. A great hat is a great hat.

Thanks, Mike.

ManofKent · Feb 5, 2014

How does the fit of vintage Borso's with silk sweats compare to those with leather?

alanfgag · Feb 5, 2014

Do you mean this type of sweat? I have worn only one, but it is sized normally and is very comfortable to wear. This is a Borsalino Pocket hat from the late 1950s. It is very light weight.

ManofKent · Feb 5, 2014

Thanks Alan - I think from RMRs vague descriptions that's the sort!

MrCairo · Feb 5, 2014

Andy - your grey Borso looks fantastic - especially in the snow. Why 'nonetheless'? I also (only) own a modern Borso and find it an absolute joy to wear, besides the fact that it looks nice. Granted, I have never tried vintage ones so perhaps I know not of what I'm speaking. Still, I assume the Brotherhood welcomes both new and vintage; young and old.

Miamibruno, looks like a great find, stunning!

The BORSALINO BROTHERHOOD

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Familiar Face

I'll Lock Up

One of the Regulars

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One Too Many

My Mail is Forwarded Here

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One Too Many

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