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3 Borsalinos: Pocket, Light, and Feather

feltfan

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,190
Location
Oakland, CA, USA
Hi All,

As long as we're posting Borsalinos, here are three that
seem to me different from some of the ones people are posting.

The first carried the designation "Pocket Hat" on the sweat.
Sadly I had to have the sweat replaced because it was crumbling.
I sent it to Optimo for a new sweat, a stretching to my size (it was
a touch small) and a cleaning. I asked Graham to send this one back
open crown. He went on at some length about the awesome quality
of this felt and said it really bothers him when people put in a top dent
that isn't straight. It arrived with a top dent- he couldn't bear to
think that I would put in the wrong dent. I thought it was pretty
funny. This may be the nicest piece of felt I own. Qualita Extra Extra
Superiore.

The picture is not ideal- apologies for the flash reflection:

205045531_eb7c9294f1.jpg


Here's my attempt at snapping the liner logo:

205045563_c06882e0c9.jpg


The next hat on our tour is the Lightweight. I've had this one
for many years (and it could use a cleaning!). I'll horrify you all
by saying I removed the wind trolley. It has an unusual bow, a lot
like the one on my Adam Executive, but I was too lame to snap
it from that angle. Note the "Cavanagh Edge".

205045694_0c3b0f7626.jpg


Don't know if it ever had a lining. It doesn't now. Great stamps
on the sweat, though:

205045744_7d44740e64_o.jpg


Finally, here is the Featherweight. I may add this to the thread
on verifiable Borsalinos (with Visigoth's blessing) because the guy
I bought it from claimed to be the original owner and said he bought
it in 1955 (and kept it in his closet). It was rolled when I got it,
apparently for around 50 years:

205045801_1a249aee31.jpg


That rolled picture might give you the best idea of the color.
Anyway, the thing popped back into shape happily, and does so
every time. It's a great travel hat.

The felt is unbelievably thin and strong. Really unbelievable.
Here it is with flash:

205045855_ac50b3182e.jpg


Here it is without:

205045887_6dd246a410.jpg


Yes, it pops into a nice C-crown. It's hard to tell scale, but
that edge binding is the narrowest I've ever seen. Very fine work.

Here's the sweat (note "Alessandria" on the liner):

205045928_399d414198.jpg


And finally my sorry attempt to photograph the liner:

205045959_6a4879e453.jpg


"Qualita Suprema". It's kinda small- not the biggest crown. It is
clearly meant as a travel hat- of the first caliber.

Here's a goofy picture wearing it in NYC:

81177881_406b7a3c42_o.jpg


That's all for now. Enjoy.
 

DOUGLAS

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Messages
3,777
Location
NYC
WOW,WOW Those are tremendous,what a great selection. I love the gray light weight. Thanks for the show!
 

Mojave Jack

One Too Many
Messages
1,785
Location
Yucca Valley, California
That featherweight is amazing! I can't believe it could be rolled for so long and still pop back into shape. And not just look OK, but look great. I look forward to the day I get a hat like that.
 

Visigoth

A-List Customer
Messages
458
Location
Rome
Stunning -- all of them.

And that travel hat lends credence to the notion that this plasticated liner really is from the fifties. What is the serial number on that hat?
 

feltfan

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Messages
3,190
Location
Oakland, CA, USA
Glad everyone is enjoying these lids

Razzman, the color on that pocket hat is a touch
darker- classic deep chocolate and so rich. Those
colors are part of what makes vintage hats more
appealing than modern. It's not just that they used
dyes that (for good reason) aren't used anymore,
though they were grand colors and that's reason enough.
But also we get to pick and choose many decades of
styles at once.

Johnnysan, I haven't posted my green Borsalino yet!

Mojave Jack, in those photos I unrolled the hat and shot
it- no steam. I did apply a bit of steam when I first unrolled
the hat, but it didn't really need it! I have had to darn the
bow- that seems to be where it gets the most stress.

Visigoth, plasticated? Is that kind of like when Popeye
says "disgustipated"? ;) No idea what that stuff is.
I have the hat open with the sweat
up and these numbers appear: 3L571 11504 F
Size is 6 1/2 (and someone wrote under that 38 1/2)
and this word appears: Dolfosan. On the other side of
the sweat is a tag that could be the original price and
appears to be 5500 (lire one assumes). What do those
numbers tell you? Anyone know what Dolfosan might mean?
 

ideaguy

One Too Many
Messages
1,042
Location
Western Massachusetts
seeing those great hats takes the heat off me trying to buy a lesser hat;
thanks -genuinely- for the education and attitude adjustment. Think
I'll save those photos as examples of great Borsalinos', with your permission?
M:eusa_clap
 

besdor

Vendor/Sponsor
Messages
1,727
Location
up north
I would love to show those hats to the production dept of Borsalino on my next trip to Italy. There is no way those hats could ever be reproduced today . Enjoy those hats !!!


Steven
www.bencrafthats.com
 

Dayonfire

New in Town
Messages
44
Featherweight Travel Hat

Wow. Really love that C-Crown travel featherweight.

Can anyone tell me where I can find such a hat. I desperately need such a fine looking lid for traveling.

Thanks.
 

deanglen

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Messages
3,159
Location
Fenton, Michigan, USA
Now those are the type of fedoras I will buy when I begin to collect them, if "congress";) approves the funding.
But since I won't be able to afford or probably acquire vintage Borsalinos, what is the nearest type in look and accessability to the austerity plan I operate with?
 

feltfan

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Messages
3,190
Location
Oakland, CA, USA
Dayonfire said:
Wow. Really love that C-Crown travel featherweight.

Can anyone tell me where I can find such a hat. I desperately need such a fine looking lid for traveling.

Set your time machine for 1955... or keep searching eBay and
your local fleamarkets.

deanglen, there are still bargains to be had in big names
in hat history. Just keep your eyes peeled. Hopefully your
head is smaller than mine.
 

deanglen

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,159
Location
Fenton, Michigan, USA
Of the four I'd rank them in descending order of preference like this:

FIRST- The Light Brown, golden rust ribbon. (any guesses why?)

SECOND-The Black, of course.(I'm a pastor, I wear black a lot, and that hat
would top off my clerical outfit grandly!)

THIRD- The Grey (Mainly because I prefer clarity in all things!lol Grey smacks
of ambiguity. This rational is admittedly weak.)

FOURTH-The Tan with dark ribbon. Would have preferred a different ribbon color and bow (see other posts for bow style I'd prefer)
 

feltfan

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Messages
3,190
Location
Oakland, CA, USA
deanglen said:
SECOND-The Black, of course.(I'm a pastor, I wear black a lot, and that hat
would top off my clerical outfit grandly!)

This is not a coincidence. Care to guess what
the original owner was studying in Rome when he
bought the hat? I believe he intended to complement
a black outfit himself.
 

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