Fortune & Glory Coalition {Adventurebilt}

[RBH]

If you are a true adventurer or even just a spectator, post your Abventurebilts here,
I think most of us loungers have our AB's here already but please repost them so they will be easier to search.

Here I am ready to brave the cold tonight [ at our local Christmas parade] . My AB has the Indy turn, I am a Raiders fan but think the AB has that classic 1930's look and style to it. So even if you dont want that
'' hey its Indiana Jones'' remark, the AB has alot to offer.

 

[WEEGEE]

Adventurer!!!

RBH,


Steve makes a great looking hat and you wear it well!

 

[HLSheppard]

Mine is on the way in a few months - for now, just the Akubra!

Actually, I went a little outside the norm and ordered in Gray with a black band. (as in the one on the right).

 

[Hemingway Jones]

Here's one of mine...



...At the top of The Empire State Building. It is a great hat with a great swooping brim.

 

[rcinlv]

I'm giddy with excitement

Great hats, all!

My AB should be here sometime in the next 7-10 days... Although I have been on a "hatting spree", the two hats I'm most excited about are an AB Deluxe "Aviator" (that I already have, should post, will post, with pictures) and the AB.

Can't wait till it gets here!

RC

 

[Fatdutchman]

I just ordered an AB. And I REALLLLY want one of those cool Hughes hats, man!!!

 

[Jack of Clubs]

Why

These are nice looking hats and all, but why not pay the few extra sheckles and have Art make you a custom one insted. Or is it just that no collection is complete without one?

Gary

 

[Fatdutchman]

BLASPHEMY!

The Adventurebilt is THE "Indy hat". If you want the perfect block, the perfect brim, the perfect ribbon, this is the hat to get. People will go nuts with their bashes. Reproducing every last minute detail from their favorite scene in the movie (and by "movie" I mean Raiders of the Lost Ark, and ONLY Raiders of the Lost ark...the hat(s) in Temple of doom pretty much mostly suck, and while the Last Crusade hats are much better, they're still not the Raiders hat! )

I personally am not one of those that has to have a "screen accurate hat". I love the movie and love the style of the hat. My hat will be "new"...I can beat up and abuse the hat all on my own, thank you! I want my hat to look like the one Jones might have held in his hands standing in the haberdashery where he made his fedora purchase in 1935! It's just a really nice '30's fedora.

By the way, are we chartering a club here? Sign me up.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

The one above...

... is a "Last Crusade!"

 

[Not-Bogart13]

The Non-Indy Answer

These are nice looking hats and all, but why not pay the few extra sheckles and have Art make you a custom one insted. Or is it just that no collection is complete without one?

Gary

If you're not an Indy Fan... or if you are but don't want an "Indy" fedora, there is still good reason to go for an AB. I wouldn't be able to choose who makes a better hat; Art or the AB guys. Both are top notch in my book! I own one of Art's hats, and I have seen several AB's and recently bought one second hand (sadly, too small ). They are fantastic, luxurious, and do not have to be turned or blocked Indy Style. They are simply great hats, made by people who want their customers to be happy. Personally, I think BOTH an AB and an Art Fawcett should be in every serious hat-wearers collection. All of the reasons you'd want an AB are the same reasons you'd want an Art Fawcett.

Does that answer your question, Gary?
NB

 

[Not-Bogart13]

Moving-Picture Perfect

The city, the lid, the suit, the beauty at your side! Hem, you are the poster-boy for vintage style! :eusa_clap Bravo!

...At the top of The Empire State Building. It is a great hat with a great swooping brim.

 

[rcinlv]

These are nice looking hats and all, but why not pay the few extra sheckles and have Art make you a custom one insted. Or is it just that no collection is complete without one?

Gary

Just like in the "Golden Era", there are many hatmakers out there, all of whom are interested in creating hats of the highest quality, and furthering their artform- and it is an artform. They are all different, and yet all connected. Part of the joy of this forum for me has been the rapidity with which I have been able to acquire vast knowledge of hats in general. The result is that I have been able to create a very nice collection in short order. We could spend weeks debating who is the greatest hatmaker of them all. I applaud your allegiance to Art (who, by the way, is one of the links on the AB website ). He is, by all accounts, a great ARTisan. But to suggest that we should spend a few more sheckels for his hat, as opposed to any ANY other denigrates the hard work and craftsmanship of all of them. Art makes a great hat. So does Optimo. So does (fill in your favorite). So does Marc. And, despite the recent falling out here, so does Fedora.

Someday I hope to own an AF original. Same for an Optimo. If they cost a bit more (or, perhaps even a little less) does that make them better?

Sign me up as a charter member of the AB association!

(As well as the Strat society, Borso brotherhood, OR guild, and Unabashed Fedora Flaunters!!!)

Cheers,

RC

OBTW: Not Bogart- what is the size of that AB that is too small?

 

[Not-Bogart13]

OBTW: Not Bogart- what is the size of that AB that is too small?

I was told 7 3/8, which sometimes fits me, but it must be the lower end of that size. It's like a lance through my heart! :cry: :cry: :cry:

 

[Russ]

These are nice looking hats and all, but why not pay the few extra sheckles and have Art make you a custom one insted. Or is it just that no collection is complete without one?

Gary

The AdventureBilt is a custom hat -- and in pure beaver like Art's. Steve makes each hat by hand according to your measurements, and accepts requests for deviations from the basic Indy hat. My AB is my avatar. I ignored the movies when I bashed it. When I get my hat from Art next month I may have a new avatar. So I'll post the AB here for future reference:

 

[Hemingway Jones]

.

The city, the lid, the suit, the beauty at your side! Hem, you are the poster-boy for vintage style! :eusa_clap Bravo!

Thank you very much, My Good Man. I am just following a trail blazed by others.

 

[RBH]

Thanks everyone for your comments and post. I think Jack of Clubs voiced something that most people think. A 'Indy' style hat is not a real fedora.
Take a look at my hat, I believe it has all the classic style of the fedoras from the 1930's. HL Sheppards gray also has the look as does Heminways AB.Then you have Russ's also styled in a classic way.
But then look closer, none of the 4 hats look just alike.
I chose the AB for my first custom lid for that reason, the old time style that it has.
Hopefully we will have some more pics for all to share...
Hope I made sense, also JofC, I did not mean to pick on you, I just think it is a common misconception about the AB hats and Indy style hats in general.

 

[spiridon]

Here's mine...

....for consideration of membership. The first picture is of an "early" AB which I purchased from another member here....it actually says "Fortune and Glory fedora" on the sweatband. The second photo is of my newer AB, a "Raiders" model. I have actually changed the "early" AB a little from it's original form/bash.....I shaped the crown into more of a teardrop form.

 

[Jack of Clubs]

Wrong Impression

I never meant to sound that I was down grading AB not by any means I have seen a few and they are indeed a nice hat. I was just curious as to the enthusiasm showed toward them. It is a great Indy hat and the pictures shown look good on their owners. I just was curious if something other than the Indy mystique is what motivated you. I also agree a collection is never tied to one artist but to the promotion and preservation of an art itself. I liken it to another of my collections of bamboo fly rods something I collect as well as hand fabricate, so it is easy for me to appreciate the beauty of hand crafted objects again sorry if I offended any of you never my intent. I look at it as just part of my continuing education and interest.

Thanks to all
gary

 

[Speedster]

Bamboo fly rods?

I liken it to another of my collections of bamboo fly rods something I collect as well as hand fabricate.

Thanks to all
gary

Sorry for just going fftopic:, but i would very much like to see some photos posted in The Display Case of your split cane rods. They will fit right in here in the Lounge.

From a sometime in the future AB or AB DeLuxe owner (on my wish-list, not ordered any yet - have to have other higher priority hat first)

 

[Fatdutchman]

There are some who consider the Indy hat an anomaly...they think something like this didn't actually exist in the '30's (I have seen this argument before on occasion). I don't find the Indy hat the least bit unusual. I've been watching old movies, and have seen several hats that were very "Indy like". In fact, not too long ago, I watched a Spencer Tracy movie from 1955 where he wore a hat that was a dead ringer for Indy's hat. Dark color, dark ribbon (though his ribbon was rather wider) TALL crown, and wide brim. Definitely old fashioned for 1955 (ol' Spence was gettin' kinda up in years by that time), but there nonetheless.

My avatar hat is essentially an Indy hat, though a different color and a SLIGHTLY narrower brim.

The hat wasn't created for Raiders of the Lost Ark. It was made from an existing hat of very old (and rather unfashionable at the time) form. I think basically all they did to the hat (other than the turning, and squishing, and distressing, etc.) was to remove the 1 3/4" wide ribbon and replace it with a 1 1/2" ribbon, and trim the brim a bit (it originally was even wider!).

And by the way, I REALLY like Hemingway's gray "LC" hat!!! You're a very fortunate man.