Panama Hat articles from the web

[froguy]

DJH, thanks for the credit. With this one:

Cuenca or Montecristi?

 

[HungaryTom]

Cuenca or Montecristi?

These are Christy, Turlingon




P.S. I think the hats are most probably Cuenca or low count Montecristi

 

[truffaux]

the first hat looks like a montechristi, the second and 3rd look like the same hat - probably a cuenca grade 3/4

 

[-30-]

"the first hat looks like a montechristi, the second and 3rd look like the same hat - probably a cuenca grade 3/4 "
QUOTE: truffaux.

Hat ? What hat? Where?


Regards,
J T

 

[HungaryTom]

MERRY CHRISTMAS!



Article http://www.thisisecuador.com/compon...5-handmade-in-ecuador/108-the-panama-hat.html

http://www.insightguides.com/docs/halo-asset-manager/images/BLOG/2013/Men-dancing-Ecuador.jpg



Billy Zane and Panama hats: http://www.zimbio.com/Film+Celebrit...or+Montecristi+Hat+makes+Hollywood+Appearance

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H1ZUAJP9APo/UpPjMyvl48I/AAAAAAAABsk/ouehPOHFVxY/s400/IMG_1246.JPG

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MVmtAzkgvmw/UpPjM7MtzyI/AAAAAAAABsc/eg5Ee2-G5CQ/s1600/IMG_1271.JPG - The panama hat, when it is not custom made for the customer's head. Good initative though.

The Continuity of state: it is not only individual hatters whose task it is to popularize the panama hat, but the diplomatic network of Ecuador -which has more resources, more people, more time more energy to spend for this goal! Ecuador had an estimated GDP of 80,93 Billion USD in 2012* - more money than any hatter operation has ever seen. More than any hatter can ever divert for panama hats. *Source https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ec.html
One person is frail, a state and its diplomatic network outlives, continues. Ecuador became independent since 1830 - long before the eldest international hatter companies begun blocking
its panama hats. The need for panama hat propaganda therefore can not depend solely on enthusiastic and visionary individuals, it needs to be continuous and global.
Ecuador is not very rich - still it wasted multi-millions of dollars on things like Cenepa War (1995). With this investment of incomparably less money a fine thing has been accomplished. Well done.



Milan?

 

[Genuine Classic Gangster]

I watched this documentary on youtube, called Weaving Life: Discovering The Story of Ecuador's "Panama Hat"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rp8bg451EQo

That is a good documentary, although I often had trouble understanding what the actual words are that the narrator is saying. To me, her way of enunciating makes much of what she says incomprehensible. In my opinion, a different narrator and/or subtitles would make the voice-over narration much easier to understand.

In regards to that documentary, I have some questions:

1. Can the Panama hats that are purchased from high-end hatters who are well-regarded on these forums, like Optimo, Panama Bob, and Brent Black, fold up up into tiny little boxes as do the good Panama hats shown in that documentary?

2. In contrast, how come cheap, low quality Panama hats cannot fold up like that?

3. Does folding up Panama hats into tiny little boxes damage the straw in any way?

4. Do all sellers of new high quality Panama hats sell hats made by the same few weavers?

5. Similarly, do all sellers of new high quality Panama hats use the few specific weavers mentioned in that documentary?

6. Do you think that high quality Panama hats are going to go extinct - as did the Cavanaugh edge - within the next few decades, because they are not economically viable?

 

[TheDane]

1. Yes, if the specific hat is made for rolling up, but the hat will always look like a rolled up panama - rolled out for use.

2. No panama should be rolled. No owner of a very fine/expensive Montechristi fedora would ever roll it

3. Yes

4. No

5. No.

6. Nobody knows, but I don't think so. If economic viability was a serious parameter, I think they already would have been extinct. But I guess, it depends on whether we're talking economic viability for the weaver or the retailer.

 

[Genuine Classic Gangster]

Thanks for the answers, TheDane.

Is that documentary misrepresenting reality when it says that only a small handful of expert weavers are left in the world?

If not, from where do the high-end hatters who use different weavers than the ones who are shown in that documentary find those weavers?

 

[TheDane]

Is that documentary misrepresenting reality when it says that only a small handful of expert weavers are left in the world?

That's the kind of statement nobody can dispute. What is "an expert"? There're only a small handful of "expert violinists" (read: Virtuosos), but thousands of musicians are playing the violin for a living [huh]

 

[TheDane]

I notice, that the video was uploaded 6 years ago. In the meantime the uploader hasn't uploaded any other videos. The question is: Does that point toward "Documentary" or "Advertisement"? I can't help wondering what his connection to the subject is

 

[HungaryTom]

I notice, that the video was uploaded 6 years ago. In the meantime the uploader hasn't uploaded any other videos. The question is: Does that point toward "Documentary" or "Advertisement"? I can't help wondering what his connection to the subject is

Hi,

I did the most writing part of this thread a few years back - the hatters hatweavers you see in the clips are either even older or passed away.
Fine hats can be made still, but it depends on the demand. The documentary basically captures everything and is as most peoples activity directly linked with getting a panama hat - getting enthusiastic about the topic and once the need is saturated, they continue with other fascinations.

I frankly believe the German editor of the clip did her mini series (Weaving life 1/3) out of pure admiration of the subjects.
The names she dropped are known to anyone getting into this little closed world with a few actors. So, no advertisment I think.

I also continue this thread out of pure enjoyment - my business was done some 4 years ago by my last Montecristi fino purchase - still the subject fascinates me, so I kept my habit, passing on nice Panama hat pictures and some articles too, if I can find anything interesting on the www.

Once you have waited your time for a hat AND you paid your money you really never want to fold it - I think . Maybe it is possible but it is not decent to smear months of master work - done by at least half dozen of different artisans.

Cheers:

Tom


Interesting story: http://www.hatshop.com/umh/story/a-brother-from-another-mother#.UsyQs_tsKh0

Los Angeles Herald, Volume 34, Number 285, 13 July 1907 http://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=LAH19070713.2.110


http://www.leader.co.za/article.aspx?s=6&f=1&a=1485 "Apart from his well-documented and passionate political allegiance to Zuma, his showy suits, legendary Panama hats - he has 48 - and luxury Umhlanga residence, Cele is known to be a hands-on leader who does get out into communities to connect" 48 panama hats, huh???

Bheki Cele: http://www.sowetanlive.co.za/incoming/article148985.ece/RESIZED/Big/Cele10.jpg
http://www.iol.co.za/polopoly_fs/io..._gen/derivatives/landscape_600/2713762113.jpg


Helmut Berger: http://www.zeit.de/kultur/2012-11/fs-helmut-berger-2


http://www.luxebloom.com/news-post/quality-importing/ Chicago, Roses from Ecuador and a Panama Hat gift.

 

[HungaryTom]

 

[new2hats]

Love it! Thanks!

 

[HungaryTom]

Panama Canal centenary

The Panama Canal, 1870 - 1914

Few photos to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Panama Canal's construction (1903 - 1914), which gave the misnomer to our favourite hat !

15 August 1914, the inauguration




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http://driskydoit.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/hat-2013.jpg









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http://driskydoit.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/hat-2013.jpg

http://www.gq.com/style/blogs/the-gq-eye/charles-5.jpg

 

[Mario]

No web article here. I just watched a 50 min. documentary on German TV (Arte) about Brent Black, Simon Espinal and the making of (mainly) high-end Montecristi hats. The film featured Cuenca as well but much of the focus was clearly on those superfinos made by Simon Espinal, even though the film also showed other weavers (mainly women) throughout Ecuador in great detail. What a surprise it was. I didn't know that Brent Black helped establishing a school for high-quality hat weaving to keep the craft from dying out. Nice film it was.

For those who understand German, the film can be found on YouTube as well (split in three parts):

Part 1:

[video=youtube;WD7Q2Q6SJQE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WD7Q2Q6SJQE[/video]
​

 

[Mario]

Part 2:

[video=youtube;COcf7_avnQ8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COcf7_avnQ8[/video]
​

 

[Mario]

Part 3:

[video=youtube;8hsAIr3nrQk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hsAIr3nrQk[/video]
​

 

[alanfgag]

Thanks for sharing... and good to see you, Mario!

 

[Mario]

Thanks. Good to be here again...once in a while...

 

[Chepstow]

Great Reportage, thanks Mario for sharing that!