60's & 70's Borsalino

[Kevin Popejoy]

I made an attempt at searching the forums but the query is a bit difficult frame without coming up with 2 hits or an avalanche. Can any of you comment on the quality of Borsalino hats from late in their history, the 60's and 70's? It's my understanding the company sold out sometime in the 80's and the quality then declined. What was the actual date of sale on the company and how were the hats in the years leading up to it? Thanks for your attention. I've read quite a bit about the company here but I haven't really seen anything that addresses this.

Kevin

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I have a mid 60s Borsa - soon to go on sale chaps!! - that is as high quality as any of my 30s/40s/50s Borsas. The felt is somewhat thicker, and has the kitten finish. It's different, but equal in quality in my opinion, from the 30s-50s ones but this difference does NOT equate to a quality reduction.

bk

 

[Visigoth]

Oddly, my very best Borsalinos, in terms of craftsmanship, come from the sixties and early seventies. I had a Diamantee II from the early seventies that was *stunning*. They are heavier, thicker hats: the ultra-thin Borsas I have are from the thirties and forties, and they're great for other reasons. But I'd have to say the fit and finish on my sixties Peluche is the finest of any hat I've seen, and the felt is in fact nicer than on my earlier hats.

(I suspect many here will disagree with this assessment; it surprises me, in fact.)

 

[Visigoth]

Interesting -- the Baron posted at the same time as me, and says much the same thing...

 

[Rick Blaine]

This is just hearsay, but...

I seem to recall some significance attached to having the legend "Antica Casa" on the sweat rather than "Original House", this seemed to connote the time at which the Borsalino factory moved from its original site of manufacture to another, more modern facility & some subsequent decline in quality...

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I prefer the earlier borsas for aesthetic style-based reasons only.

Come to think of it, its so long since i actually handled a modern (post anticafication of the house) borsa that i can't really give an opinion on them.

bk

 

[DOUGLAS]

I have several Borsalinos from different periods and the only one that I am not so thrilled with is the Grande Luxe. Low crown, short brimmed and I would say from the Seventies.

 

[squid]

I seem to recall some significance attached to having the legend "Antica Casa" on the sweat rather than "Original House", this seemed to connote the time at which the Borsalino factory moved from its original site of manufacture to another, more modern facility & some subsequent decline in quality...

I think that only works for hats exported to the USA. I have two old Borsalino hats that have foreign store names with "Antica Casa" logos.

I prefer the earlier borsas for aesthetic style-based reasons only.

Come to think of it, its so long since i actually handled a modern (post anticafication of the house) borsa that i can't really give an opinion on them.

I also have a new Borsalino (less than ten years old). It is soft, looks nice, and not very stiff at all. I'm not very experienced, but it looks like a good quality hat to me.