Want to buy or sell something? Check the classifieds
  • The Fedora Lounge is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

Ask a question, get an answer

pavementends

pavementends

New in Town
Messages
16
Location
Mississippi
Has anyone got any information on Hutt & Wasserman hats? I have an old felt hat marked service felt od. I did find a reference where they were named in a legal dispute between the John B. Stetson Co. and the Stephen L. Stetson
 
Alexander Sommerset

Alexander Sommerset

One of the Regulars
Messages
118
Location
Kenosha, Wisconsin
I wonder how many companies made a "100" full beaver hat. On these pages I've seen a Churchill 100, a Stetson 100, a Resistol 100, and a Knox 100. Do we know any other companies that made a 100? Did Lee? Or Champ?
 
B

Brad Bowers

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,187
Hat Corporation of America made One Hundreds in their three big brands, Dobbs, Cavanagh, and Knox. It's also possible that their second tier-hats, Crofut & Knapp and Dunlap, also received the One Hundred treatment. The rest of their brands did not. Champ was always a lower-tier brand, even after they acquired a controlling interest in the Hat Corporation of America, so they most likely did not produce a One Hundred. I'll not say never, but it's unlikely.

Brad
~The Hatted Professor
 
bwchase

bwchase

Familiar Face
Messages
64
Picked up a Stetson Champion 10x nos today in silver belly. Can't find much information.
Is this the same as the Shasta?
Looks identical to my eye.
 
T

TheMelon

New in Town
Messages
1
Hi all,

I recently bought a montecristi panama that fit perfectly. I wore it in some very hot, dry desert weather for a few days, sweated a lot and had to put it in a hat box for a plane ride home. When I put it back on two days later, it was too tight to get on and the straw seemed very brittle. Is this the kind of issue that can be fixed by leaving it in the bathroom during a shower? That's the only advice I've been able to find on this forum. Might I need to have the leather band replaced?

I'd hate to think I somehow damaged the hat. It's custom and brand new.

I appreciate any help you can offer.
 
belfastboy

belfastboy

Messages
10,392
Location
vancouver, canada
I have decided (for about the third time) to stop collecting hats or at least chasing vintage and will focus on adding a few more bespoke hats. My question; I have 3 hats from Mike at NW Hats, and one from Falcon Park. I love Mike's hats and think for the $200 a great value for money. My Falcon is a nice hat, different in its way but not much nicer and they now charge almost twice that of Mike. For the more experienced collector here in the Lounge what is your opinion on NW Hats and Gannon hats compared to the more expensive ones offered by BlackSheep or VS? Would I be better served saving my pennies and buying a Gannon or bite the bullit and spend twice the amount for a Black Sheep or VS? I know there is no definitive answer but I really welcome your opinion. Thanks, bob
 
jlee562

jlee562

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,055
Location
San Francisco, CA
I've never seen a hat from NW hats or Falcon Park in person.*

That having been said, you're gonna have a tough time persuading me that there's many better hatters than Bob or Art. Both gentlemen have a deep appreciation for fine hats. Art has a particularly fine stash of ribbon and his bows are very unique. Bob is kind of a like a hat alchemist. He'll dye a ribbon for you if he feels the shade isn't just quite right. I don't think you'd regret spending a bit more for a hat from either. You might also consider that VS offers lightweight felts, which aren't found everywhere, and Bob offers heather and longhair finishes which aren't done by many hatters either.


*(I of course do not mean to imply anything negative or derogatory of those two makers, quite the contrary, I think they both make lovely hats)
 
belfastboy

belfastboy

Messages
10,392
Location
vancouver, canada
I just received a reply from Bob at Black Sheep, his wait length is now up to 7 months.....that is a consideration. He is just a few hours down the I5 so could visit to get the fitting and choose the felt, VS/Art is a 12 hour drive and would need be done by distance. My question is, if I were to purchase just one or two more hats would it be worth it to spend the money and the wait for the pricier ones. I have an order with Leon Drexler as I wanted one of his homies so will see what the value proposition is like with his hats but will have to wait for his Oct delivery.l
 
jlee562

jlee562

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,055
Location
San Francisco, CA
Well, the neat thing about getting a hat from Art, is that he has his own conformers. Of course if you care to go in person, that's always a better experience. But that conformer is real nifty and ensures a perfect fit. He can also make you a band block, which is cut to your actual headshape. I now rotate my band block from Art into all of my hats, it's a nice extra and well worth it.

But if you really want me to sell you on Black Sheep, I can do that too. Ostrich leather sweat? He can do that. Perforated sweat? He can do that too (and does it by hand!). He's got some very cool brocade liners or can also do tip liners. He's always gone above and beyond to make sure I was pleased. My most recent custom from Bob is one of his heather felts and it's just an amazing hat.
 
TheDane

TheDane

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,670
Location
Copenhagen, Denmark
belfastboy said:
My question is, if I were to purchase just one or two more hats would it be worth it to spend the money and the wait for the pricier ones. I have an order with Leon Drexler as I wanted one of his homies so will see what the value proposition is like with his hats but will have to wait for his Oct delivery.l
Click to expand...
The Fedora Lounge is populated by very different people - with just as different focus when it comes to vintage hats. Some like one model from one brand, but not some other models from same brand. Others would prefer a whole other brand, and so on.

The same goes for customs. The different hatters have different focus, and that focus should be as much in sync with yours as possible. It's not that one hatter is a whole lot better than the other, though differences in quality also exist. It's a little more complicated. Who was the best guitarist back in the 70s, Hendrix or Clapton? No easy answers to that question, either ;)

Personally I never fancied Bob's (or any other's) ostrich sweat. It resembles me too much of my pimpled forehead during my puberty. I also (as one of the few) don't like Art's ribbon bows. He's draping (or turning) the "slack" in the center of the bow upward under the knot. All other hatters and factories, that I know of, turn(ed) it downward, which makes the upper edge of the bow drape a whole lot nicer to my eyes.

Things like that are personal preferences, that you can discuss with the hatter and find solutions for. On top of that there're differences to how they treat the felt, etc.

Whether one hatter is better than the other depends a lot on your personal set of preferences, and what the hatter has to offer. Peeled and cooked potatoes - hashbrowns - fries? It's all up to you :)

All that said, Drexler, Bob and Art are all very competent hatters - and in my mind among the best. I would anytime prefer them (and one or two more) over the cheaper custom hatters. But that's again based on very personal views :)
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Members online

... and 9 more.
Total: 5,297 (members: 59, guests: 5,238)

Forum statistics

Threads
107,273
Messages
3,032,770
Members
52,737
Latest member
Truthhurts21
Top