Picked up my Borsalino, help me date it! (pictures!)

[The Wingnut]

My guess is late '30s. Brim measures 2 1/2" with a Cavanagh edge, crown is about 5 3/4" unbashed. The paper label under the sweatband reads:

911 BIS('BIS' stamped in separately at an angle, in a very dark purple) 33882
Avai(fades out...then in el Assah GORASGU
To the right of the rest of the text, 7 1/8 is stamped in a light purple.

...I didn't take a picture of the paper label as the sweatband is loose and I couldn't flip it out of the way without making it worse. The sweatband is about 3/5 loose, the rest of the stitching actually seems to be holding and the hat is wearable.

The store stamp on the opposite side of the brand stamp says, 'Imported by the Highbee Co., Cleveland.

 

[Kentucky Blues]

Date is not important. You have one of THE BEST lids on the entire lounge. Make sure you enjoy it well Though I must say, I think it's 40's

 

[indycop]

:eusa_clap that thing is gorgeous!!

 

[John in Covina]

Superb Borsalino!

 

[besdor]

Thats a good hat my friend! Definately from the 1940's , maybe early 1950's. I wish that Borsalino still made hats like that. The Cav edge is what will help the hat last. It's a shame nobody today can copy it .



Steven

 

[The Wingnut]

Thanks for the compliments! It needs some stretching as I'm a long oval. Right now it sits a bit high.

I'm waiting with bated breath for jpdesign to post that his new(to him) sweatband sewing machine is ready to use so I can get the sweat on this one re-sewn.

 

[LEUII]

And, it has that 'crinkly' bash.

Nice hat. Really, nice hat.

 

[scotrace]

Nothing quite as sliky as those old Borsalino liners. Very nice hat.

 

[DOUGLAS]

Beautiful!! Congratulations:eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[The Wingnut]

Here's an interesting tidbit about The Higbee Company from Wikipedia:

The Public Square flagship store was known for its tenth-floor Silver Grille restaurant and was prominently featured in the 1983 movie A Christmas Story. It closed in January 2002. The Main Floor, second and third floors were restored in 2007 to house the new offices of the Convention & Visitors Bureau pf Greater Cleveland and the Greater Cleveland Partnership, while the Silver Grille was restored and is now used for special events.

The Terminal Tower building, the Higbee Company in the left wing:

 

[Matt Deckard]

I'd say 40's as well by the crown and brim. Borsalino is an odd duck as they kept their liners and sweatbands pretty consistant through the 20's through the 60's. You find some early ones without the oval, though Borsalinos are hard to date. I've seen high crowned short brims from the 60's that look like their ones from the 30's.

 

[bolthead]

That is a beaut Wingnut :eusa_clap What color is it?

I can't wait 'til mine arrives.....

 

[Marc Chevalier]

True about that odd duck business. I have a Borsalino fedora from 1978 (it's dated) and the liner, sweat and size tag are virtually identical to those of the '30s ones (for the American market).

.

 

[J.T.Marcus]

I'd say it was made sometime in the twentieth century!

 

[RBH]

:eusa_clap SWEET:eusa_clap