1920s pinches (Prohibition)

[KingTigerII]

You make good points about the difficulty of finding a size proper to you. Frankly, even if you did manage to find a 20's style hat in a 7 3/4 on ebay, the price would likely be somewhere in the $400 range due to the fact that people nowadays tend to have larger heads and there's a great demand for really vintage hats. :eusa_doh: You're better off contacting someone like Art Fawcett or Tumwater Hat Co. It will be expensive (somewhere in the $300 range), but you'll be getting EXACTLY what you want in EXACTLY your size and the hat will last a life time. I'm not as much of an authority as many of the people here, but I've handled and worn hats from some of the best craftsmen in the business and these beauties are worth the expensive price tag. -M

*drools at that thought*

Bookmarked. I will be ordering a custom Fedora, hands-down, from one of those two. Light Grey, with a Dark Graphite Ribbon (if they have it!). Tumwater's prices and product look too darn good to pass up. Not to mention with either company - the hats are made in the USA (Which makes me feel more vintage ;0) )

1920's Pinches here I come

Thanks Mulceber!!!!!!!

 

[jlee562]

*drools at that thought*

Bookmarked. I will be ordering a custom Fedora, hands-down, from one of those two. Light Grey, with a Dark Graphite Ribbon (if they have it!). Tumwater's prices and product look too darn good to pass up. Not to mention with either company - the hats are made in the USA (Which makes me feel more vintage ;0) )

1920's Pinches here I come

Thanks Mulceber!!!!!!!

I'd also recommend checking out Black Sheep Hat Works, and The Penman Hat Co., both fine custom hat makers who I can vouch for personally.

 

[Mulceber]

Agreed - I just checked out BSHW's website recently and they've definitely got some nice ones. And they're improving, to boot. And of course Penman's always done good work. Oh and we can't forget Optimo. The advantage with Optimo is you're getting one of the best hats in the world from an honest-to-goodness hat store in Chicago. The downside is 1) the price, which is more than double what Tumwater charges and 2) having looked at Optimo's hats and owned a couple, I find that most of their hat blocks are more of the 40's-50's variety, meaning that their hats tend to be a bit more tapered than the 20's styles you're looking for. Graham does wonderful work though and he could probably make a less tapered hat if you wanted.

Thanks Mulceber!!!!!!!

No problem - also, one word of advice: when ordering from any of these fine gents, email them some pictures of yourself and a description of your build. It'll help them advise you on finding a hat that is not just accurate to the 20's, but also suits your build and face shape. -M

 

[Woodfluter]

I think both Alan F and Monbal256 make very good points. To that I'd add:

(1) I have and like four Akubra Feds. If you want a side dent, I'd suggest steam. Not cooking your hat, just a light application to render it supple. Some favor soaking and I used to go that route way back, but honestly can't see anything to recommend about that. Steam will do the same faster and with less drying time! Don't over-apply heat, just a few seconds per area will suffice.

(2) Vintage hats seem a different story to me. I'm old enough (and have peculiar memory qualities) to vividly recall handling gentlemen's hats in the 1950s, while a little kid, and those memories match my better vintage hats plus what I see in old movies. Those weren't over a few years old at the time, so I don't think it can all be explained by aging of the felt.

As a random example, I have a brown narrow-ribbon Dobbs at hand...it has front pinch right now but if I want side dents, I can do that instantly and there's no visible remnant of front pinch showing. If I leave it that way a few days it will want to return to that shape, a bit, but otherwise it's completely flexible. They just don't make 'em that way anymore as far as I've seen. No steam required, no hassle, just shape it as you like it. Quite amazing if you've only seen modern hats.

The Prohibition series was mesmerizing and I did spend a lot of time studying (and wishing I could freeze frames) all the clothing and hats in those photographs. Burns always does a great job.

- Bill

 

[mayserwegener]

Prohibition but not hat related. I have a copy this photo hanging in my house.

"Breakfast in the Free State!, 1927 H.L. Mencken"

 

[mayserwegener]

I put side dents on a recent old Austrian Velour.

 

[TCMfan25]

Beautiful Velour Mayser!!

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Hat's for Ken Burn's Prohibition

I have been slowly watching this new Ken Burn's documentary. An if you love hats you should watch it. Also if you love Boardwalk Empire you should really watch.

Here are some screen shots of the hat's

Love these caps!

will be watching more good shots.

 

[Esme]

Wait, did you say those were screen shots or mug shots? LOL
My husband would love this show. Must have a look for it.

 

[EggHead]

Cesare Lombroso would have a field day with these angel faces.

I like the hat in the first photo, left guy.

 

[HatsEnough]

With that thread title, I thought youw ere saying that were my hats... you know Hat's hats.

Anyway, I love them even if I don't own them. Great photos.

 

[hatophile]

Great shots, Ed, thanks for posting those. I intend to get the set of videos from Amazon, I love Ken Burns'
stuff.

By the way, the closeup shot of the guy with the dark narrow brim upturned hat is Johnny Torio, one of Al Capone's predecessors. He is one of the few gangsters to die of "natural causes".

 

[Tomasso]

Johnny Torio, one of Al Capone's predecessors. He is one of the few gangsters to die of " natural causes ".

Sure, because he decided to retire after getting all shot up and then doing a stretch in the pen. Would Capone's death be classified as 'natural causes'?

 

[hatophile]

Sure, because he decided to retire after getting all shot up and then doing a stretch in the pen. Would Capone's death be classified as 'natural causes'?

Maybe someone paid one of the "working girls" to infect him with syphilis? It's not as quick as a bullet to the brain, though.

 

[John in Covina]

It's a great show that's for sure. Neat to see the hats of the era, medium brims with high crowns are apparent in a few shots. Many have very straight crowns little or no taper.

 

[1961MJS]

Hi

I just finished a new book on Bonnie and Clyde. Clyde wore his hats in a VERY stylish manner. Couldn't rob a lemonade stand successfully, but he could sure drive the getaway car.

Clyde wasn't exactly huge, but his hat is in the picture below:
http://www.enidbuzz.com/bonnie-clyde/

I also like Ted Hinton's Hollywood brim in the picture at the bottom of this page:
http://www.censusdiggins.com/bonnie_and_clyde_2.html

Different bunch, same era. I hope it wasn't wrong to hop on here.

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Great shots, Ed, thanks for posting those. I intend to get the set of videos from Amazon, I love Ken Burns'
stuff.

By the way, the closeup shot of the guy with the dark narrow brim upturned hat is Johnny Torio, one of Al Capone's predecessors. He is one of the few gangsters to die of "natural causes".

Yes, that is Johnny Torio Love seeing the real faces of the Boardwalk Empire.

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Here are some more hat's.

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Still have the last episode to watch yet. Hope to see more hat's there.

 

[hatophile]

Hi

I just finished a new book on Bonnie and Clyde. Clyde wore his hats in a VERY stylish manner. Couldn't rob a lemonade stand successfully, but he could sure drive the getaway car.

Clyde wasn't exactly huge, but his hat is in the picture below:
http://www.enidbuzz.com/bonnie-clyde/

I also like Ted Hinton's Hollywood brim in the picture at the bottom of this page:
http://www.censusdiggins.com/bonnie_and_clyde_2.html

Different bunch, same era. I hope it wasn't wrong to hop on here.

"Go Down Together"? Great book. They really weren't very successful bandits, but interesting characters. I love the pic of the "laws" in their hats.