Campbell Soup for the Soul

[splintercellsz]

This thread is dedicated to all things that have to deal with Campbell Hats.

If nobody likes the title, let me know, and I will try to change it to something more fitting.

So, without further ado:

1930s/1940s Campbell Deluxe Aqua-Pruf Homburg.

 

[splintercellsz]

I took the liberty of posting Howardeye (Bert's) Campbell! I hope he doesn't mind...

 

[LoveMyHats2]

I vote to keep this thread, as named, really nice hats, thank you!

 

[splintercellsz]

Haha, glad you like it, LMH2!!

Aren't there any other Campbells lurking in the dark?

 

[bowlerman]

There must be! I know I've heard of this brand before.

 

[splintercellsz]

This is a 1950s/1960s Campbell that is listed on Etsy.

 

[splintercellsz]

The info in this article comes from here. I just re-worded some things.

Factory and Business

The Campbell Hat company began in 1921 as a successor to the Waring company. Their factory was at 117 Stanley Avenue. The principal owner and CEO was William V. Campbell. Campbell's son Pierre, who was in his 20s in the 1930s, was brought into the business as the manager of the company's factory outlet stores. After the 40s, the store management passed to another man, but in 1967, long after the factory had closed, Pierre Campbell returned to manage the store.

Feb. 28, 1953. The factory had closed. An article about the factory is below.

117 Stanley Avenue is still standing, but is now residential.

The Campbell Hat company was active in the New Deal's NRA, a program that authorized businesses to form what would otherwise be unlawful cartels to maintain wages and prices. Front page article July 29, 1933.

Campbell's creditors tried to push the firm into bankruptcy, claiming that Campbell Hats was insolvent and was juggling its payments in favor of some creditors. The case must have been dismissed or settled, because Campbell Hats survived under Campbell family ownership. Here is an article from Feb. 9, 1934

From a full page multiply sponsored advertorial, this is a photo of Campbell father and son. Circa Nov. 29, 1937.

Another picture of Pierre, from a feature article about a field day type competition between Yonkers aldermen and businessmen. Circa Sept. 22, 1939.

Compressed account of company history. Apr. 22, 1967.

 

[splintercellsz]

Continued from the post above.

20 Warburton Avenue Store

1902 & Present

I am unsure if Campbell Hats owned this store in 1932, or if they bought it at the time when Pierre became its manager, which occured a few years later. It does seem to be a factory outlet store of some kind, and by looking at the top of the building, it seems to say "Grant" or something along those lines.

Dec. 17, 1934. Pierre is listed as manager, though his father was not finished grooming him.

Very long paper-length ad. Mar. 25, 1937.

Sorority sisters model Cambell hats, May 5, 1939.

4 Hudson Street Store

In 1940, Pierre moved the store to one of the storefronts of the Philipsburgh building on Hudson Street. The Hudson Street store dealt only in men's hats and gradually became less of an outlet store and more of a general hat store that happened to favor its own brand.

Oct. 13, 1944. Aqua-Pruf (a water-repellent felt treatment) is heavily promoted during the next several years. Also, Pierre is no longer the manager, and did not return until 1967.

 

[randooch]

Cool stuff, Splintercellsz. I love how the horse-drawn wagon becomes a minivan.

 

[m0nk]

I agree, very cool stuff. It's neat to see how buildings were and how they are now, too.

 

[howardeye]

Nice job Justin on the interesting info. I knew nothing of their history but they did make a great Homburg. Thanks

 

[Joshbru3]

Great research, Justin!! :eusa_clap:eusa_clap

 

[Chepstow]

Justin, great contribution, very interesting. A good job.

 

[Joshbru3]

Here's the 40's Campbell Homburg that Garrett got off of ebay last year. It was a conversion project that he sent to me.

After the conversion

 

[Chepstow]

Josh, great job! You have the right feeling for that!

 

[splintercellsz]

Wow Josh, that is a great conversion!!!

Thank you for the compliments fellas! I am trying to find more Campbell hats at the moment. They are pretty hard to locate, even on the web, haha!

 

[splintercellsz]

A Campbell from one of Delectans's older posts.

 

[splintercellsz]

1960s? (Not mine, will state if I do aquire another)

 

[bowlerman]

that's a neat little guy there.

The brown homburg is remarkably similar to my belamey.

Also, splintercellsz, your inbox is full.

 

[splintercellsz]

!!! sorry about that, just cleaned it out!