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Hopkins Baltimore

Alex

Practically Family
Messages
643
Location
Iowa, US
Just acquired a vintage Hopkins Milan Straw. Already posted this in the New Hats thread, but I was hoping to get some info on this company. I haven't been able to find much about them. Sorry if it's been covered already, but I haven't be able to come up with any results.

Found a pretty interesting article, which is where I got part of my signature from:p

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/20...0508_1_straw-hat-day-paca-lombard-hat-s-crown

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hutch

Familiar Face
Messages
54
Location
California Bay Area
I am not familiar with this and I haven't done any research on it but man, I like the looks of this straw. May I ask where you acquired it?
 

Alex

Practically Family
Messages
643
Location
Iowa, US
I got it from a woman that was probably in her 40s. She said it belonged to her grandfather. He had a small collection of hats. I picked only this one. It definitely stood out to me.
 
Messages
10,485
Location
Boston area
Welcome aboard, @michael78! Great lid, sir! Your homework assignment is to pensively peruse the pages here about dating hats by the Union Label, which seems to be the best indication available from what you've provided. My guess is the late 1950s, but you should be able to be more precise with what you'll find in the various Union Label threads, listed here.

Nice find, and enjoy the search!
 
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Messages
12,384
Location
Albany Oregon
Welcome Michael, and what a wonderful hat to debut with. Nice rich brown, great lines and looks to be in great shape. As I tell everyone who is new to the fold, read, read, read. There are thousands of posts that will only reinforce your new addiction.
 

michael78

One of the Regulars
Messages
169
Location
United Kingdom
Thanks Red, Yes! its immaculate, the brim is 2 3/4" and crown at pinch 4 1/2". the Liner cover is not the usual plastic, but seems like oily paper-ish, if thats a word.
 

michael78

One of the Regulars
Messages
169
Location
United Kingdom
Hi Guys, having done a little research i believe the hat dates from the mid to late forties, and was custom made for H. Tooey Mercantile Company based in Brookfield, Mo. I found a scrap of info listing them in 1941, but nothing else.

Here's some better Pics

Mike

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Messages
19,164
Location
Funkytown, USA
Thats interesting, Fruno, i'll have a look.
Cheers!

I just gave them a call. The information I have will not help us nail down the hat's age, though. Tooey's today, while not in the original location, is still in business and is currently being operated by a descendant of the original owner. I did not ask the lady's name. The only information she could provide was that, if it had the H. Tooey Mercantile Company name, it was after 1902.

I think a better way to date it is from the Union label and the re-order tag. I can't remember which is which, but I think there is a demarcation date on whether the Union lablel's "bug" is slanted or not. That's the little imprint above the red "50" on the label. I think the non-slanted ones are older. The re-order tag also seems to have more in common with 40s tags than later ones.

See the Professor's website here.
 

michael78

One of the Regulars
Messages
169
Location
United Kingdom
I've seen the article regarding the union labels, the label on hat has the "bug" straight, (ie its not slanted). Does that give us a date of Forties?
 

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