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Going Atomic With Dalton

astaire

One of the Regulars
As previously mentioned, we do not see this hat brand very often. I thought I would share with you a sample specimen from the old Dalton Hat Company with this thread.

I bought this hat from OFAS a couple of months ago and just had it flown here a few days ago. It was on a BIN option for $49.99.

IMG_1628.jpg


The color is light cream with a dark brown ribbon. It has the Cavanagh edge and the wind trolley. I am a real sucker for these two features.

Being a very light colored hat, I was pleasantly surprised at how clean it was.

IMG_1632.jpg


It has very thick and dense felt. It's not floppy like the Borsalino felt, but very supple nevertheless. I would rate it as high as the Knox and Dobbs Twenty hats.

When it arrived, straight to the tea kettle it went. It immediately took a diamond bash very easily.

IMG_1634.jpg


In short, this is one of the nicest hats I have in my small collection. It's a very "Vintage-American" hat. I would recommend it to everyone any time.

I hope all of you enjoyed this thread.
 

Yohanes

One of the Regulars
Messages
287
Location
Indonesia
Wow, Pak Astaire, that's excellent! lol Edan, that's just great! Normally you won't get such hat at less than USD 50 ... what size are you BTW?
 

astaire

One of the Regulars
Thanks Yohannes. I'm in between 7-1/4 to 7-3/8.

Yes, I was lucky to get it for only that much :) This one fits like a dream too.

The seller was very honest, he mentioned of a couple of moth divots. I see only one minor one which is on the inner side of the Cavanagh edge (where the thinner felt meets the thick edge). It's at the back of the hat if you can see it.
 

HatsEnough

Banned
Messages
1,142
Location
Cincinnati, Ohio
Last edited by a moderator:

nebo

New in Town
Messages
3
Location
Washington
where to find?

I am the great (great?) grandson of William Dalton who founded the company and I am looking for a Dalton hat. Any idea where to look?
 

besdor

Vendor/Sponsor
Messages
1,726
Location
up north
They are very hard to locate. The company was located in Yonkers NY. They closed shop in the late 1940'd I believe.
 

bowlerman

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,292
Location
South Dakota
Occasionally they turn up on Ebay. I saved this photo from an auction about a year ago-- one of the purdiest homburgs I've ever seen! Dalton "Cavalier:"

daltoncavaliercopy.jpg
 

nebo

New in Town
Messages
3
Location
Washington
Glad to have you join us!
Maybe you can let us in on a few Dalton tidbits.
Anyway, this is the place to find info and hats at!!!
WELCOME!!

Thanks. Just snagged my first World's Finest Dalton from Ebay last week.
Not too much is know about Dalton Hats in my family. The story goes that my ancestors lost out on a big military contract and then folded.
From what I have been able to put together (much of it led from this site and some from old newspapers from Yonkers, NY), it looks like they might have sold the Dalton Hat factory or the name - there is a mention in the April 17th, 1952 Herald Statesman from Yonkers that Harry Siegelbaum sold the company to "Men's Hats" of Baltimore, MD (http://bit.ly/OmoD7L). This same Harry Siegelbaum is listed on a patent in 1936 along with Dalton Hat for a process for brim construction (http://1.usa.gov/QupGkB).

I am not sure if the current Bailey Dalton Fedora and the Resitol Dalton 4x Fur Felt Hat are named for the hats produced by this company.

I will let you know more as I learn more.
 
Messages
19,093
Location
Funkytown, USA
I have discovered that I really like Dalton hats, based on my somewhat limited experience. At the risk of drumming up interest in a hat brand that I've been investing in very affordably on eBay, I can say that the three hats I have are all very nicely constructed, excellent felt, and easy to work with. My first Dalton is an OR clone that I picked up as a project hat back in the spring. As it came in a size too big for me, I decided to take it to Gus Miller at Batsakes, who cleaned it up and re-blocked it for me. I'm not certain, but this may be my oldest hat, and I believe it dates from the mid to late-40s. I would like to hear any feedback from our other Lounge Members regarding my dating guesses. Please weigh in.

Dalton OR 4.JPG Dalton OR 3.JPG Dalton OR 1.JPG

Dalton OR 6.JPG Dalton OR 10.JPG Dalton OR 11.JPG

The hat came with some felt damage. It looks to me as though it got caught on something that almost ripped it. It's not mothing.

Dalton OR 12.JPG
 

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