Panama Hat Thread

[fmw]

Not new, but two of my favorites...bottom is from Gus at Batsakes, and the top from Art, both supplied by Panamabob

They are terrific. I'm particularly fond of the calado.

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Same here the calado is nice love the blue color of the ribbon

 

[monbla256]

A true Panama lovers dream almost 100 years ago Window at Saks & Co. Washington, D.C. in 1919:

 

[T Rick]

Thanks to all you gents. We had a great visit from my sisters. We ate well and had long chats about the old days. My wife enjoyed it as well. Having been raised in Havana until the age of 13, I still miss the place despite what has happened to it. I'd love to visit one day.

A friend from Canada sometimes vacations there- would love for that to be an option myself!.

Not new, but two of my favorites...bottom is from Gus at Batsakes, and the top from Art, both supplied by Panamabob

Outstanding, simply gorgeous hats!

 

[Ordinary Guy]

Absolutely love the calado.....

fmw I wish also for you to get to visit Cuba......

I dont' know why but all my life I wanted to visit Cuba.....I love Spain and Panama and hoped that some day the stupid laws would be changed so that people could go there and visit either family or just travel there...

Let's hope that happens soon....

 

[hatophile]

Felicitaciones, fmw. I was born in Florida, and the guayabera is a standard there with the Cuban gentlemen, especially. Looks great with a Panama!

 

[Herzen]

Not new, but two of my favorites...bottom is from Gus at Batsakes, and the top from Art, both supplied by Panamabob

Both of these are simply stunning.

 

[irfan.wayang]

Semi Calado Montecristi from Panama Bob

As I said earlier on this thread, I've just received the nicest hat I own in the mail from Panama Bob, a semi calado montecristi fino blocked by Gus Miller. Until now, I've owned a couple of Akubra straws (the Capricorn and the Casablanca), and an expensive but not particularly high quality generic "panama" from Strand Hatters in Sydney.

First thing, one of my hobbies and habits is to get up early in the morning and go for a long walk, up to a couple of hours, through the back streets and kampung ("favela") of Jakarta. Jakarta gets hot! and humid! So before eight or nine is the nicest time for walking.

But you still need a hat. And the hat should be designed for hot weather. I've never been to the US, but I guess Miami Keys or North Texas or somewhere like that catches the atmosphere. So, I spent a week or two reading posts in the Lounge here and came across the descriptions of semi-calado. I took the advice of the regulars here to contact Panama Bob. He said he didn't have exactly what I wanted in stock, which was the "goldilocks" semi-calado, the one in the middle, the one just right:

But he could order it, in a month or so. With US blocking, it came in at $360. While I told Bob what type of venting I wanted, we didn't discuss the weave quality specifically. I'm not too fussed, particularly after having received my packet, I trust that Bob will provide me with a product that will not leave me feeling disappointed.

While I was waiting, I saw that he had another, very nice looking semi calado on ebay, at a starting price of $110. That seemed quite cheap for a US blocked fino montecristi. Tempted by the devil, I put in a bid and won.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Montecristi-Semi-calado-Panama-Hat-Fedora-USA-blocked-/330598103181?pt=US_Hats&hash=item4cf92eb88d

I took a few pictures of this hat last night, which I'll try to post:

 

[irfan.wayang]

Incidentally, I had a note from Bob last night:

You'll like the hat that you're still awaiting even better.

 

[delectans]

Welcome, and congrats on a great looking Panama! :yo:

Gorgeously lit photos. I look forward to seeing your Goldilocks.

 

[irfan.wayang]

Gorgeously lit photos. I look forward to seeing your Goldilocks.

Thank you, that was my first attempt at hat photography. I merely took advantage of some errant sun beams coming in through my bedroom window and place the hat on the floor beside them! I'll do some shots of the two Cuenca that Bob sent me tomorrow, when the light is good again. Cheers!

 

[irfan.wayang]

By the way, if I have a criticism of Bob, it is that his website and the images on it really don't do justice to the quality of the hats he sells. Perhaps it's a deliberate policy of understatement, so that his customers are delighted and praise him on forums like this! But the image on display on the ebay posting in no way did justice to this beautiful hat. If you are an opportunistic buyer, you could do well by putting him on a watch list of ebay sellers: I noticed that he was offering a extra fino Cavalier (probably local blocking, the posting didn't say) with a 'buy it now' price of $269.99, and could have gone for less on auction, with a starting bid of $199. Not my size, thank god! but it seemed like it could have been a great deal.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/330599973745?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

 

[Ordinary Guy]

Wow, I like it very much.......nice catch and can't wait to see the Goldilocks

 

[Ordinary Guy]

Another of PanamaBob's hats blocked into a diamond by Tomnperris.

This hat also does not have side dents, something I saw in a Bogart movie that I have always wanted to try.

 

[DudeInBlack]

Another of PanamaBob's hats blocked into a diamond by Tomnperris.

This hat also does not have side dents, something I saw in a Bogart movie that I have always wanted to try.

I think it looks great like that. You wear it well.

Is that your yard? It's gorgeous!

 

[Ordinary Guy]

I think it looks great like that. You wear it well.

Is that your yard? It's gorgeous!

Thank you, and Yes Sir that is my yard......... another Thank You.....

 

[barrowjh]

Recent commerce with PB

I started out to buy one fino Montecristi llano weave C-crown from Panama Bob. These evil hatters that lurk amongst us know our weakness and I fell prey to 3 hats! First the Fino, 2 1/2 inch brim:

While the above transaction was in progress (several months) I just could not lay off of this Semi-Calado wide-brim at auction (nobody bid against me) - and I decided to 'cowboy' it:

Here with an orange pug for tomorrow's game in Knoxville:

PB also teased me with a close look at this medio-fino llano weave from Peru, wide brim. He described it as 'sturdy' and I will second that - its a brick %&#@house of a llano! I liked it and bought it for the same as the semi-cal auction price, but I will have to add some more sizing to get this one to hold my 'cowboy' efforts - it is sturdy, got a mind of its own:

 

[fmw]

Good stuff. You don't have to travel very far in your house to find a hat, do you?

 

[Aureliano]

Nice, John. Could you post a closeup of the brim edge of your Peruvian hat?

 

[monbla256]

Good to see some more of the GREAT hats Bob sells