Wynewood Hat Company

Frailin · Oct 9, 2019

Hi. I'm new here. Picked up two beautiful (1960's?) Wynewood fedoras off Facebook and am now trying to find some history on the company. Seemed to baffle Google (that's a first)! Does anyone have any info they can share? Are they a collectable/desireable hat? They look (and fit) magnificent!

hatsRme · Oct 9, 2019

Frailin said:
Hi. I'm new here. Picked up two beautiful (1960's?) Wynewood fedoras off Facebook and am now trying to find some history on the company. Seemed to baffle Google (that's a first)! Does anyone have any info they can share? Are they a collectable/desireable hat? They look (and fit) magnificent!

View attachment 188561 View attachment 188562

Seems to me I’ve seen one somewhere along. They look to be in super shape. They seem well-made(?) and nicely representative of a 1950s(?) hat.
I found several mentions of Wynewood by Googoo’ing: “wynewood hats fedora lounge”

BTW... probably not collectable, and you should just ship them to me, only for research, of course!

AbbaDatDeHat · Oct 9, 2019

Frailin said:
Hi. I'm new here. Picked up two beautiful (1960's?) Wynewood fedoras off Facebook and am now trying to find some history on the company. Seemed to baffle Google (that's a first)! Does anyone have any info they can share? Are they a collectable/desireable hat? They look (and fit) magnificent!

View attachment 188561 View attachment 188562

New one on me but looks very well appointed indeed.
Should you investigate behind the sweatband for any tags or labels please post pics. That may help ID the hat body.
Very nice.
B

Frunobulax · Oct 9, 2019

hatsRme said:
Seems to me I’ve seen one somewhere along. They look to be in super shape. They seem well-made(?) and nicely representative of a 1950s(?) hat.
I found several mentions of Wynewood by Googoo’ing: “wynewood hats fedora lounge”

BTW... probably not collectable, and you should just ship them to me, only for research, of course!

They won't fit you. I'll get him my address.

They sure are nice looking hats. And in great shape.

Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

Frailin · Oct 9, 2019

Thanks for the feedback! The guy I bought them from was in his late 70's. These hats belonged to his "unca" Bill who was known as "great dancer" and (especially) a "snazzy dresser." He apparently had quite the wardrobe which included multiple hats. Unca Bill died quite a while back (60's?) and aunt Eleanor cleared out most of his clothes when he passed ("gave 'em all to the Goodwill"). She found these two hats in a back closet and figured they were something Bill had bought new and never got around to wearing. I don't think they ever came out of the boxes (I got those, too). There's nothing on them... not even lint. They're stiff and crisp to the touch. I was so excited about finding them I wore one around the house the first day.

PS - I'll check behind the sweatbands for clues AbbaDatDeHat.
.

hatsRme · Oct 10, 2019

Frailin said:
I'll check behind the sweatbands for clues AbbaDatDeHat.
.

Don’t forget to do the google search, read what you find!

Frailin · Oct 10, 2019

Most of the older Fedora Lounge threads (back to 2004) were people commenting "have you heard of this company?" Nothing new to add... yet.

suitedcboy · Oct 10, 2019

There were so many private brand hats along the way. Beaver Brand, Lion, and a couple of others out of that company used size tags like that one but the size tag could have come from a supply company and that may not mean a thing. I do surely agree that they look great and unworn. I can't shed my huge affection for bound edge wide ribbon fedoras, basically any of them along the lines of Whippets (not that the Stetson Whippet was the originator of that design)

Frailin · Oct 10, 2019

I’m sorry to report there’s nothing under the sweatband. No additional clues. There are pencil marks on the back of the size tag. But nothing else.

Oh, the leather is still supple and unblemished. My prying behind left a crease that I later watched disappear.

These hats were never touched.

AbbaDatDeHat · Oct 10, 2019

^^^^too bad no more evidence. Seems odd an unworn hat with no labels or tags behind the sweatband or under the liner. Just to be clear, when folks refer to behind the sweatband, they/me are assuming under the liner as well.
Enjoy the mystery hat.
B

Frailin · Oct 10, 2019

I’ll investigate the boxes.

Frailin · Oct 10, 2019

Found some interesting box candy... including a price ($7.50) and date (1956)! Unfortunately, nothing new on the company. Pic attached.

1967Cougar390 · Oct 11, 2019

Frailin said:
Hi. I'm new here. Picked up two beautiful (1960's?) Wynewood fedoras off Facebook and am now trying to find some history on the company. Seemed to baffle Google (that's a first)! Does anyone have any info they can share? Are they a collectable/desireable hat? They look (and fit) magnificent!

View attachment 188561 View attachment 188562

Those are two really good looking hats. Enjoy every minute of your research and wearing them.
Steven

Frailin · Oct 11, 2019

Ok, hat fans. Another newbie question. Can a hat be "too nice" to wear?

When I got into this new/recent interest (fedoras), I was wearing non-fedora period hats to my gigs (musician... play Traditional Music on banjo and fiddle). I discovered vintage fedoras, similar to what was worn during the heyday of what I play (1890s-1940s) add nicely to the ambiance of any performance. If you've been watching Ken Burns "Country Music" documentary, it seems every man had one. So I took the leap and started foraging vintage clothing shops here in Minneapolis/St. Paul for a new gig hat. I also bought a couple off eBay. They all are pretty beat up, but cool. Then I scored two pristine "time capsules" (wearing one in pic below - 1950s Wynewood). They've not been touched since 1956. I love them! But I'm afraid to wear them! Knowing I'm not always in control of the environment in which I play (outside apple orchard, festival, farmers market/busking, bar, I'm concerned for their safety against rain, dust, stains, creases, bird poop (etc.). And THAT is the dilemma!

Are some hats just to be collected by those that do such things? Or are they to be worn as intended the day they were made?

PS - My instruments are old. Banjo from 1915 and fiddle from 1899. THEY are meant to be PLAYED... but they're never exposed to harsh conditions. I'm not so sure I want to have to now worry about a hat. :/

Frunobulax · Oct 11, 2019

Frailin said:
Ok, hat fans. Another newbie question. Can a hat be "too nice" to wear?

When I got into this new/recent interest (fedoras), I was wearing non-fedora period hats to my gigs (musician... play Traditional Music on banjo and fiddle). I discovered vintage fedoras, similar to what was worn during the heyday of what I play (1890s-1940s) add nicely to the ambiance of any performance. If you've been watching Ken Burns "Country Music" documentary, it seems every man had one. So I took the leap and started foraging vintage clothing shops here in Minneapolis/St. Paul for a new gig hat. I also bought a couple off eBay. They all are pretty beat up, but cool. Then I scored two pristine "time capsules" (wearing one in pic below - 1950s Wynewood). They've not been touched since 1956. I love them! But I'm afraid to wear them! Knowing I'm not always in control of the environment in which I play (outside apple orchard, festival, farmers market/busking, bar, I'm concerned for their safety against rain, dust, stains, creases, bird poop (etc.). And THAT is the dilemma!

Are some hats just to be collected by those that do such things? Or are they to be worn as intended the day they were made?

View attachment 188873

PS - My instruments are old. Banjo from 1915 and fiddle from 1899. THEY are meant to be PLAYED... but they're never exposed to harsh conditions. I'm not so sure I want to have to now worry about a hat. :/

Hats are functional pieces of clothing. While you might want to have ones for different occasions, I don't think you need to baby them.

Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

Bamaboots · Oct 11, 2019

Frailin said:
Ok, hat fans. Another newbie question. Can a hat be "too nice" to wear?

Is that banjo too nice to play?

Frailin · Oct 11, 2019

No. But it's considerably stronger in a bar fight. Serves two purposes.

Bamaboots · Oct 12, 2019

Frailin said:
No. But it's considerably stronger in a bar fight. Serves two purposes.

Absolutely and a good hat has kept my scalp from getting too skint. Point is: Hats are made to be worn and instruments are meant to be played. If I save my Cavanagh 100 and never wear it then who benefits? Some future hipster? I wear my hats.

If I never play my RI made, Guild dv-6, a mahogany guitar that can beat down a banjo, what's the point in having it?

Frailin · Oct 12, 2019

Point made. I too will wear my hats. But beware of my banjo. It has superpowers.

Rmccamey · Oct 12, 2019

Welcome to the Lounge. While there are a very few rare museum quality hats that need to be put in a glass case, you will find that those of us here buy hats to wear and share!

Frailin said:
Ok, hat fans. Another newbie question. Can a hat be "too nice" to wear?

When I got into this new/recent interest (fedoras), I was wearing non-fedora period hats to my gigs (musician... play Traditional Music on banjo and fiddle). I discovered vintage fedoras, similar to what was worn during the heyday of what I play (1890s-1940s) add nicely to the ambiance of any performance. If you've been watching Ken Burns "Country Music" documentary, it seems every man had one. So I took the leap and started foraging vintage clothing shops here in Minneapolis/St. Paul for a new gig hat. I also bought a couple off eBay. They all are pretty beat up, but cool. Then I scored two pristine "time capsules" (wearing one in pic below - 1950s Wynewood). They've not been touched since 1956. I love them! But I'm afraid to wear them! Knowing I'm not always in control of the environment in which I play (outside apple orchard, festival, farmers market/busking, bar, I'm concerned for their safety against rain, dust, stains, creases, bird poop (etc.). And THAT is the dilemma!

Are some hats just to be collected by those that do such things? Or are they to be worn as intended the day they were made?

View attachment 188873

PS - My instruments are old. Banjo from 1915 and fiddle from 1899. THEY are meant to be PLAYED... but they're never exposed to harsh conditions. I'm not so sure I want to have to now worry about a hat. :/

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