Autographed Monte sells cheap

[cookie]

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI...m=360017344405&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=023

 

[HungaryTom]

Cookie,
I have been also eyeing with that hat-and then the cynical part in me decided to ignore it - why?
SIZE:
I did not see the 7 5/8 as hat size[huh]
PHOTOS:
****py ones again - the photos look like they were made with soft focus. Is this the norm for e-bay?
It is really strange to see such messy photos in the age of digital cameras with autofocus and macro functions. I mean if even I was able to post sharp close-up photos about my PHM Montecristi hats just for simple display without being a trained photograper...
A real sharp close-up photo of the the weave would have been informative-like in the case of the Kales panama hat won by Marc Chevalier summer 2007.
TEXT:
Contradictions again: number of weaves and vueltas should have been indicated-the basic info for any Montecristi panama hat…especially if the name Rosendo Delgado is mentioned.
QUOTE:
"The man who gave us this hat to list had 4 people offer him double what we paid on the spot, but he declined. He gave us the hat to help in our efforts to raise funds for a benefit. "
I am still wondering why would anyone sell a magnificient hat for the fifth bidder after getting 4 better quotations previously in a row. And selling something at a 50% discount sounds like somebody was really in deep trouble rather than raising funds for charity - in that case one would go for the highest price for the good purpose instead of cutting the amount by half.
PRICE:
Nice Montecristi hats go even in Montecristi or Ecuador at 500-600 USD - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/graphics/slideshow/hats/montecristo.jpg at the shop of Carlos Elias Barberán. This one went for 224 at the end part, I hope it was worth it.

Anyway GOOD LUCK to the winner.

Regards:

Tom

 

[Panamabob]

Certainly can't count the weave, but it doesn't look superfine and I'd expect an antique hat to darken gold. I asked for pictures, but did not get them.

Rosendo Delgado is the hat finisher/seller, not the weaver. He's our guy Modesto's uncle.

 

[cookie]

Certainly can't count the weave, but it doesn't look superfine and I'd expect an antique hat to darken gold. I asked for pictures, but did not get them.

Rosendo Delgado is the hat finisher/seller, not the weaver. He's our guy Modesto's uncle.

Yes Bob.. the fact his name was mentioned and I seem to remember you mentioning him somewhere on FL that tickled my interest - but not to the extent of buying it. Maybe it didn't turn gold because it was in the box...

 

[Colby Jack]

I have a box similar to that one!

 

[Panamabob]

I'm no scientist, but the hats that I have that stay in a dark closet have a nice patina in a manner of years. I only brought up Don Rosendo because the email I got back from the seller spoke of him as if he was the man who made the hat.

 

[HungaryTom]

Since Delgado is an iconic hat finisher –there is hardly any documentary on Montecristis without him- it should be him and his crew that get the finest woven hat bodies to finish them - he used to scan Pile for nice hats weekly in his heydays.

For people interested in how the straw (like any organic matter) rots by the effect of funghi and their enzymes:

Biodegradation of wheat straw lignocarbohydrate complexes (LCC)
http://www.springerlink.com/content/58305260v1683g67/
„Biodegradability of straw is enhanced by its treatment with hot water” – the Manabi folks sulphur bleach that toquilla so many times for reasons.

Studies on wheat lignin degradation by Pleurotus species using analytical pyrolysis
http://www.sciencedirect.com/scienc...serid=10&md5=aec5d3d637f7ff8768edbeeea682bbfe

Enhancement of rice straw biodegradation by cellulytic and xylanalytic enzymes via genetic improvement of nontoxicogenic fungus Penicillium sp. http://www.cababstractsplus.org/google/abstract.asp?AcNo=20043196265



Once the cogollo is cut down in the forest - the plant is DEAD, thus the yielded toquilla straw is subject to biodegradation - it must be therefore protected from decomposition. All the panama hat films and photography document that process. In any case no straw seems prone to decay – those little funghi and other decomposers lurk in each hat box – much to the luck of straw hat sellers.

The Cuenca way of peroxyde bleaching is a microbiological H-bomb – it also damages the fibers.

The lucky part for us consumers is that the traditional and more time consuming and labor intense sulphur bleaching technique gives the dead straw the chance to decompose with dignity - in a nice golden Montecristi color.

Straw dies anyway - a strong argument for freshly made Montecristi. They have their decades of shelf life still ahead...the surviving vintage specimens were nicely rolled up unused in their tube - safe distance from car backseats and daily beating.

 

[carouselvic]

Panamas

I only own three Panamas. The first one I bought was from Panama Bob. It was Cuenca. I bought it when he was having his end of season clearance sales. Dollar for dollar I don't know how you can beat Robert's price and service. My other Panamas are vintage Montecristi hats. I would guess their age to be a least 50 years old and both in the fino-fino quality. I picked both of these up off ebay. Their patina is the color of a very light honey brown. The smell of sulfur is still very noticeable. I was telling Hungary Tom this AM that I open up those two hat boxes every week just to take in that intoxicating aroma. Someday when I purchase another digital camera I will share these straws as well as a bunch of my felts with the lounge.