Art Fawcett VS Hall of Fame

Thanks Dave

@ReverbDave this is a wonderful hat.

That’s gorgeous.

ReverbDave said:

Art did this incredible job restoring this Late '30's/Early
View attachment 148038 View attachment 148039 View attachment 148040 View attachment 148041 '40's Dobbs Fedora. My new favorite winter hat.

Thank You, Art!

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Art Fawcett said:

oops, sorry guys, I didn't think of that. Brim is 2 1/4 raw, teardrop crease set to 4 1/8th, 19ligne tone on tone

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Sounds like my new Christmas hat! When will it be up and available?

Bill Hughes said:

That’s gorgeous.

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Thanks, Bill. I think Art worked really hard on this one. I wanted to show his work.

Sorry for not keeping up Gents. DanO, please call me with your size & I can make it happen

Art Fawcett said:

Sorry for not keeping up Gents. DanO, please call me with your size & I can make it happen

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Art,
Great talking to you today,I can hardly wait.

Patience Sir, it's on the way

DanO said:

Art,
Great talking to you today,I can hardly wait.

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Did it arrive? I’d love to see photos of it in the wild.


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It did but didn't fit Brent so it's on return. Turns out DanO is in between sizes

Brent, it looked great just pulled from the box and tried on,realized it would be too tight for wearing. Also the 2 1/4 brim was a little stingier than my other daily hats so Art was kind enough to trade it back for a Chocolate in 61, I guess I will call it my birthday hat for February.

New Signature says it all.

So talking to Art and taking an inventory of my daily wear hats my conclusions on size is still confused.
3- Akubras 2-60,1-59-all good
4-Stetson (3 Strat,1 Playboy) 1-59, 2-60,1-7 5/8(had to shim) 59&60 good
1- Penman Everyman- 2nd owner-7 5/8-good
1- Northwest Hats-2nd owner-only custom owned, 1st owner said 59.3 LO, Mike confirmed, took a chance fits great, my favorite brown hat. so now my signature will read- 59.3LO/60/61

LOL, don't you wish they were more consistent? That's why I prefer going with circumference Dan. Much easier to be correct

This just arrived today. It was originally a 60cm and I'm a 57.5 cm. Art was able to reduce the size and still make it look brand new. How he reduced the size that much - I don't know. I just know it now fits perfectly. It's the old dye black cherry color felt. It looks a bit dark in the pictures taken inside. Outside in the sun it pops. I've waited for many years to find an original black cherry. My wife says this is now her favorite fedora in my collection.

Yes, that old black cherry colour is something special.

Bill Hughes said:

This just arrived today. It was originally a 60cm and I'm a 57.5 cm. Art was able to reduce the size and still make it look brand new. How he reduced the size that much - I don't know. I just know it now fits perfectly. It's the old dye black cherry color felt. It looks a bit dark in the pictures taken inside. Outside in the sun it pops. I've waited for many years to find an original black cherry. My wife says this is now her favorite fedora in my collection.

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That is really a beautiful hat.

That looks great, Bill! The rake is outstanding and the ribbon work, exceptional!

Did you crease it? Wonderful!

Look great, Bill. These pics are dark on my screen and I'm sure doesn't do the hat justice to how it looks in person.

Thank you Gents

In late August this year I went for my normal physical and a few days later I got a call from my Doctor saying I had some tests come back “abnormal” and I needed to see a specialist for a biopsy. Scary stuff indeed. So, a week later I had a biopsy of my prostate and discovered that I had a particularly aggressive form of Prostate cancer and it was to be removed immediately or my life would end in 4 yrs or less. So, on November 5th I had the surgery and am learning how to deal with the after effects. The Doctors are confident they got it all and I’m getting better every day. I’ve been back in the shop for a few weeks now but I am still not up to my stamina level.

Please know, I don’t feel alone in this as SO many guys my age have gone through this and have lived long lives afterward. It does, however, make one face mortality in a very serious way. In that light, I have made some decisions as to my future that I need to share.

2019 will be my last year of hatting and VS Custom Hats is officially for sale. Although I still love making hats and am most comfortable in a hat shop ( mine or others, doesn’t matter) I need to look to the future and plan for what will clearly be my physical decline. I am hoping to find someone with enough resources to take over the entire business, train them if necessary, then move to somewhere easier to live. Living in the woods with wood burning heat is a lot more work than a Condo. If I cannot do that, I will most likely liquidate toward the end of the year or early 2020.

I intend to take on commissions until it is clear I won’t be able to fill all orders by the end of the year so please feel free to contact me with your wishes. I expect to stop taking orders by August or September so please be aware.

Please know that I have been incredibly honored and humbled by all of the support I have been given over the years. Who knew that in only 14 years I would be considered an “old timer” in the business. It seems like yesterday I was the new kid on the block looking to gain orders just to get the practice, You newer guys know what I’m saying, practice makes better. Who could have known that I would have clients all over the world, and have so many friends I will never actually meet. How many of us get regular calls from Europe, Asia, Australia, Middle East? I would never have guessed making hats would be so rewarding and offer so many opportunities to meet and speak with people that are so accomplished in their lives. Humbled is too soft a word but, that and Thank you are the best I can offer.

Here’s to the future and what new adventures it might bring!!!