Post New Hats Here!

deadlyhandsome said:

Stetson 3X Beaver Open Road. I suspect this hat is from the later 1960s through the 1970s. Packaged with the care I’m sadly getting used to.

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What....thrown in a box is not good enough??????
I have been finding even packed with great care the postal service is getting more and more determined to squash or otherwise damage every package it touches lately.......
The following image is taken with official postal test equipment!!!!!!

TheOldFashioned said:

Wolfbrae, courtesy of TFL's own @belfastboy:
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This came to me as an exchange for the Boegel's Milan that was listed in the Classifieds. Having never gone the custom route before it was a very fun process and working with @belfastboy was extremely easy. The felt is a brown heathered Tonak and the ribbon is vintage stock from Art Fawcett's sold off collection. I still haven't decided how I want to shape it yet, but the open crown is starting to grow on me as is.

A unique opportunity to get a custom made hat. Thanks @belfastboy!

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Very nice. Good looking hat!

Well, it's been a while since I've found something worth mentioning, but here's one.
Vimenet Frivol 65 gramm, size 57 with the bound brim at 6cm and the crown at 10cm at the center dent. Shark gill bow. There's a bit to tell about this one, but first the pics. The brim is curved a bit awkward because the stand is too wide for the hat (broke my previous stand).


The model is called Frivol 65 gramm, but the hat weighs more than that, with 78 grams on the scales. Still a very lightweight hat. There's only been posted one of these before, by @alanfgag a few years nack. This one:
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/post-new-hats-here.28145/page-1700#post-2280856
The hats are of Belgian make.
Alan believed his hat to be 1940's or 1950's, while the seller thought it was 1930's. I think the seller was right. Cliffhanger for part II.

steur said:

Well, it's been a while since I've found something worth mentioning, but here's one.
Vimenet Frivol 65 gramm, size 57 with the bound brim at 6cm and the crown at 10cm at the center dent. Shark gill bow. There's a bit to tell about this one, but first the pics. The brim is curved a bit awkward because the stand is too wide for the hat (broke my previous stand).
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The model is called Frivol 65 gramm, but the hat weighs more than that, with 78 grams on the scales. Still a very lightweight hat. There's only been posted one of these before, by @alanfgag a few years nack. This one:
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/post-new-hats-here.28145/page-1700#post-2280856
The hats are of Belgian make.
Alan believed his hat to be 1940's or 1950's, while the seller thought it was 1930's. I think the seller was right. Cliffhanger for part II.

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Beautiful lightweight hat. Love the ribbon!

Vimenet part II

The hat was sold by Witteveen of Leeuwarden, The Netherlands. The shop existed from 1926 until about 1961 (can't find any mention of them after that date).
Here's their shop in probably the late fifties or early sixties.


They advertised a similar hat in 1938:


Apparently Stetson was on the upper side of the market; the other hats are all priced lower. The shop's emblem is exactly the same as the one on the hat, but they held on to the emblem until 1951, after which date it no longer appears. The "Leeson" hat mentioned in the advert is likely T&W Lees, of Stockport, which they advertised for in 1935. Oddly enough the light weight Vimenet was priced at the lower end.

Now Vimenet was actually called "Peausserie et Couperie Belges" and fully with the addition "Sociéte anonyme pour la préparation des matières premières de la chapellerie". All of which means they were a company for the preparation and cutting of hides for the hatting-industry. Located in Brussels.
Here's one of their stock certificates.


First mention of them I've found is this Dutch newspaper of 1893 under the caption "De toestand in Belgie", where the Factory is mentioned as subjected to workers' strikes (or at least that the workers considered striking). It's mentioned that they employ 1400 workers and are named a hat factory. It's also mentioned that the management take a lenient stance towards the strikers. Similar newsclips can be found in 1912 and 1913, periods of substantial social unrest.


Here's a mention of the company in the publication "Revue de chapellerie" of 1912 where de name is now "Société Anonyme Vimenet.


The company was in liquidation in 1942 under German occupation, because the company was Jewish owned (could not download the full details on that, sorry). But it can be found for those who have access in this publication:
"The Fragility of Law: Constitutional Patriotism and the Jews of Belgium, 1940-1945." Page 209 I believe.
Postwar the company did not start up again and the finishing of the liquidation lasted into the postwar years. It gets mentioned in 1950 in the Belgian Official State publications.



It doesn't get mentioned in any publication after that.
I believe Alan's hat is the earlier one, based on the label, the sweatband imprint and the unreeded sweatband (if I see that correctly). The one I found was likely a later hat: late thirties (because of the similarity with the 1938 advert).

This was all I had to go on buying it:

Looked good and well done shark gill bow. Why not? Seller got it more than forty years ago from the Salvation Army store.
Nice piece of history.

steur said:

Well, it's been a while since I've found something worth mentioning, but here's one.
Vimenet Frivol 65 gramm, size 57 with the bound brim at 6cm and the crown at 10cm at the center dent. Shark gill bow. There's a bit to tell about this one, but first the pics. The brim is curved a bit awkward because the stand is too wide for the hat (broke my previous stand).
View attachment 252024 View attachment 252025 View attachment 252026 View attachment 252027 View attachment 252028 View attachment 252029 View attachment 252030 View attachment 252031 View attachment 252032 View attachment 252033

The model is called Frivol 65 gramm, but the hat weighs more than that, with 78 grams on the scales. Still a very lightweight hat. There's only been posted one of these before, by @alanfgag a few years nack. This one:
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/post-new-hats-here.28145/page-1700#post-2280856
The hats are of Belgian make.
Alan believed his hat to be 1940's or 1950's, while the seller thought it was 1930's. I think the seller was right. Cliffhanger for part II.

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Such great research to go with a great find. You and Spencer might be right with the era. I am always hesitant to throw a pre-war origin on hat for "feel" and never did the looking to confirm an estimate. I think it may be time to set up a dedicated Vimenet thread. There are a handful of postings on the brand (including an odd Vimenet body with a Stetson sweatband) floating around in the archives. Happy to add my white hat below yours!

all the best,
Alan

Optimo Panama hat:



The hat fits true to size and the quality is as expected. The weave is not the finest, but it’s a nice Panama. Unfortunately, the 2 1/8” brim is just too small for me so I’ll be moving this hat on.

Resistol 3X Hi Sierra in cordova as received before any shaping:

Brent, speaking of Westerns - been meaning to post this ancient "Dakota" that @jlee562 was kind enough to sell. All markings point to an early 1900s manufacture.

Garrett said:

Brent, speaking of Westerns - been meaning to post this ancient "Dakota" that @jlee562 was kind enough to sell. All markings point to an early 1900s manufacture.



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Fantastic hat! I think there is a bigger difference between westerns than there is with fedoras when comparing vintage to modern. There are some nice modern fedoras being made, but there is nothing like these old westerns being made today.

Ok......so today I get this "corona care package" from "Big Brother Brent - the Habidasher" (deadlyhandsome). Inside was this nice Knox "Americana" in awesome GREEN!! I wear my green hats a lot actually.......
(I also have a grey Americana too). It will get good rotation as a Fall grab and go.....

And then there was this wonderful 50's Royal with a triple stiched welt!!! I had admired it for some longtime since he posted it......it is absolutly pristine!!!
Really my luck no one else swooped in to buy it before I could. It is a great hat!
Now it looks differant from when it arrived......... as I had been thinking about Joe (blare) and his fun hat crease glove throwdown contest........and picked up the glove and accepted the challenge!! (Really he just posted it, and I could not get it out of my head.)
Here is Joes cool challange hat........

And now here is the Royal Stetson..........

As you can see, I chose to cross the front and back and wonk up the center a bit .
THANKS BRENT........I am having fun with this one!

Found these Beauties today not sure about the trumpeter fedora. The only one I really found information on was the golden coach, said it was from 1968. If anybody knows anything about these ones, I'd like to learn more about them.

So if I'm reading this correctly about this Hoffman Thomas Fedora it is from the 1930s? Which is really freaking cool is it accurate

Ryleemydude said:

Found these Beauties today not sure about the trumpeter fedora. The only one I really found information on was the golden coach, said it was from 1968. If anybody knows anything about these ones, I'd like to learn more about them.
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NICE HAUL!!!!!!!!!

alanfgag said:

Such great research to go with a great find. You and Spencer might be right with the era. I am always hesitant to throw a pre-war origin on hat for "feel" and never did the looking to confirm an estimate. I think it may be time to set up a dedicated Vimenet thread. There are a handful of postings on the brand (including an odd Vimenet body with a Stetson sweatband) floating around in the archives. Happy to add my white hat below yours!

all the best,
Alan

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Thank you, Alan. It is quite satisfying to find some information on a hat. That's certainly is not always the case and I was quite surprised to find this much available on the brand. I think a dedicated Vimenet thread might be a tad too hopeful, but a Belgian hats thread is a long time coming. Working on it.

M Hatman said:

Ok......so today I get this "corona care package" from "Big Brother Brent - the Habidasher" (deadlyhandsome). Inside was this nice Knox "Americana" in awesome GREEN!! I wear my green hats a lot actually.......
(I also have a grey Americana too). It will get good rotation as a Fall grab and go.....
View attachment 252450
And then there was this wonderful 50's Royal with a triple stiched welt!!! I had admired it for some longtime since he posted it......it is absolutly pristine!!!
Really my luck no one else swooped in to buy it before I could. It is a great hat!
Now it looks differant from when it arrived......... as I had been thinking about Joe (blare) and his fun hat crease glove throwdown contest........and picked up the glove and accepted the challenge!! (Really he just posted it, and I could not get it out of my head.)
Here is Joes cool challange hat........
View attachment 252449
And now here is the Royal Stetson..........
View attachment 252451 View attachment 252452 View attachment 252454 View attachment 252453
As you can see, I chose to cross the front and back and wonk up the center a bit .
THANKS BRENT........I am having fun with this one!

Click to expand...

I’m got they arrived on time and unscathed. The post office has been struggling lately. I hope you enjoy them, Mark.

steur said:

Well, it's been a while since I've found something worth mentioning, but here's one.
Vimenet Frivol 65 gramm, size 57 with the bound brim at 6cm and the crown at 10cm at the center dent. Shark gill bow. There's a bit to tell about this one, but first the pics. The brim is curved a bit awkward because the stand is too wide for the hat (broke my previous stand).
View attachment 252024 View attachment 252025 View attachment 252026 View attachment 252027 View attachment 252028 View attachment 252029 View attachment 252030 View attachment 252031 View attachment 252032 View attachment 252033

The model is called Frivol 65 gramm, but the hat weighs more than that, with 78 grams on the scales. Still a very lightweight hat. There's only been posted one of these before, by @alanfgag a few years nack. This one:
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/post-new-hats-here.28145/page-1700#post-2280856
The hats are of Belgian make.
Alan believed his hat to be 1940's or 1950's, while the seller thought it was 1930's. I think the seller was right. Cliffhanger for part II.

Click to expand...

Stefan, Great find!

alanfgag said:

Such great research to go with a great find. You and Spencer might be right with the era. I am always hesitant to throw a pre-war origin on hat for "feel" and never did the looking to confirm an estimate. I think it may be time to set up a dedicated Vimenet thread. There are a handful of postings on the brand (including an odd Vimenet body with a Stetson sweatband) floating around in the archives. Happy to add my white hat below yours!

all the best,
Alan

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Alan, I agree! There are a number of European companies that deserve independent threads!

mayserwegener said:

Stefan, Great find!

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Thank you, Steve.

O me of little faith. I've posted these here before with the seller's pictures because I did not think I'd ever see them in reality. After close to five months in limbo however, they appeared at the post-office yesterday (had to bail them out). And not a beep out of them about where the hell they've been. Prodigals can get away with anything.

Borsalino Ipersca Turchese. Size 7 with the blind stitched overwelt brim at 6cm and tghe crown at 10,5 at the center dent. Very soft felt that was resisting to behave for the pictures. Wears like a dream though. Very lovely blue colour close to a petrol shade (or so I am told). Anyway after dancing a little jig here it is.