I'm at work, so I'll have to wait till tonight to post pix, but I had to share this right away. I just received a beautiful black Homburg that I won on Ebay. Nice hat, fits perfectly, etc., etc. But guess what. Inside the ribbon, just peeking over the edge, was something white. I dug it out and what do I find? Two ticket stubs for the Madison Theater, dated February 27, 1940. God knows which Madison Theater in what town. THIS is why we love vintage! Pix later!
AND . . . . (this is SPOOKY!) on the inside of the hat band is imprinted the seller's name: Shinn Clothing Company, Farmer's Bank Bldg, Ashland, Ohio. And tonight at 7PM I have a call back for (are you ready for this?) Music Man at VLOG, and (are you ready for this???) I'm trying out for (this is TOO weird!) Mayor Shinn!!! You can't make this stuff up! Pix tonite!
The Madison Theater was undoubtedly the one in Mansfield, near Ashland in central Ohio. It was an Art Deco movie house designed in 1930 for Warner Bros. by the renowned John Eberson. Unfortunately, it fell to the wreckers sometime around 1980. I'd post a picture, but Google Images shows not a single one. The week of March 2, 1940, the Madison was showing The Marines Fly High, with Lucille Ball and Richard Dix. How the heck do I know that?
Utterly cool. Leave it to the Lounge to fill in all the details. So this guy was wearing a beautiful Stetson Homburg to the movies in 1940? Maybe we could find some DNA evidence on the hat band and get his whole bio! Now, what can we find out about the Shinn Clothing Co., and the Farmer's Bank Bldg?
Farmer's Bank http://www.rootsweb.com/~ohashlan/picture1.htm I really need to get back to work . . . . .
That's super! Little things like that can be major treasures. For years (until I lost it) I had a check from Sears Roebuck for THREE CENTS! Wish I could find it! :eusa_clap
d's hat is turning out to be a postmodern, deconstructionist answer to Proust's madeleine. Remembrance of Things Past, itself, was recently re-translated to In Search of Lost Time, which seems to peg exactly what we're at here. Ellsworth Shinn was a partner in a department store in Ashland, moved to Lima for a long period, then came back to start Shinn Clothing during the 30s. He sold that store in 1946. He lived here until he died in 1962. His widow lived till 1975, having been born, died, and lived most of her life in this one house. My 1940 Conn bass saxophone was sold to me by a man in Ashland in 1999.
Nice house, they messed the porch up with STUCCO. How'd you find the link? I Googled Shinn Clothing Co. You Googled Shinn in Ashland?
New avatar Here it is. I look like Elmer Fudd. But I love it. Now all I need is a wing collar shirt, a polka dot bow tie and a cigar and I'll be you know who!
Winston Churchill! just joshin'. You look dignified. Nay, "Distinguished." btw, Google terms were: ( shinn clothing ashland )
Cat says sadd d m bbbbujgffffffffffffffff[p;''''''' (This is not a comment on your hat. I have a sandwich she's trying to cozy up to.)
What a GREAT thread, guys! It's a little Miss Marple, a little Hammett and whole lotta fun! Keep it up. PS - the Homburg looks great. But you can always add a pinch if you like!
Re: WSC This hat pre-dates Winston's premiereship! In Feb. 1940 he was still First Lord of the Admiralty. The hat had a little pinch in the front, which I pushed out. I'm going to experiment.
Whatever you paid, you didn't pay enough!!! That is an incredible find--nice lid...and a "frozen moment in (someone's) time"! Looks great on you, too.
Great find. It's amazing something like that would last that long in there without someone taking it out.
Nice find! I remember picking up a vintage covert coat several years ago.Looking in the ticket pocket,I found two matchbooks for the Playboy club.The stories that coat could tell............