The Cavanagh Club

[Aureliano]

Al that is one awesome hat. I'm glad you left that sweet crease!

 

[Brad Bowers]

Fantastic hat, and I dig that crease, delectans! It's great you've got such good provenance for it. It looks like it might have the Carter Sweatband that we talked about on the previous page. Does it have the metal badge on the sweatband instead of a bow?

Brad

 

[alanfgag]

I like it even better on this thread!... great provenance.

 

[hatophile]

Super hat, del, once again.

 

[delectans]

Steve, I appreciate your kind remarks, especially since you are the 'Homburgmeister!

Alejandro, thanks, I rather admire Mr. Appleton's handiwork, and would not want to alter it in any way.

Brad, thank you for the kind words and for your wealth of knowledge which has helped all of us better appreciate our hats! I do not think my hat has the Carter Sweatband, as it does not have the metal studs. It has the silk bow at the rear of the sweatband, and not the metal badge. Ergo I was thinking late '30s to early '40s for the date of the hat, but hopefully I will have a more specific timeframe for the hat from the family.

Alan and hato, thank you once again, gentlemen, for your indefatigable enthusiasm and generous comments.

 

[Brad Bowers]

Good to know. In one of the photos it looked like there was a small gap between the reed and the felt, which usually indicates a Carter sweatband, since it rides looser than a traditional sweatband. I've seen them on several Hat Corporation of America hats from the '30s into the early-'40s, but not beyond. Many of the Cavanagh Homburgs from 1936-40 feature that metal badge, but not all. Is the sweatband seam taped or stitched? Taped, then it's safe to say '36-'40, stitched, then it's post'1940. I'm looking forward to hearing what the family has to say.

Brad

 

[delectans]

Thanks for the additional information, Brad. As always it is sincerely appreciated!

Was the metal badge an optional upgrade over the silk bow? If not all of the homburgs from the '36-'40 period featured them, then it would appear that it was an option the buyer could choose at the time of purchase, or placing the order. Could it be a distinguishing feature between different grades of Cavanaghs?

The sweatband seam on my homburg is stitched, and so I think the early '40s timeframe is most plausible for a date on the hat. The single line liner tip address dates the hat to '36-'45, correct?

I will post any additional information I can gather from the family.

 

[DRB]

Fantastic find in amazing condition!!

Agreed!

 

[Dreispitz]

Agreed!

I concur! Great colour combimation!

 

[Brad Bowers]

Was the metal badge an optional upgrade over the silk bow? If not all of the homburgs from the '36-'40 period featured them, then it would appear that it was an option the buyer could choose at the time of purchase, or placing the order. Could it be a distinguishing feature between different grades of Cavanaghs?

This is one of those mystery areas where we have just enough information to think we can see a pattern, but not enough to prove it.

I'm not sure if it was an option that the customer could choose, or if it came with a particular grade of hat. We've seen several different versions of the badge, the only difference being the wording. At least one we've seen had the Cavanagh retailing associate's name - I think it was Neiman-Marcus, but don't remember off the top of my head. One thing we've found is that all of the examples we've gotten from eBay were all Homburgs. That may mean something, or it may not.

The sweatband seam on my homburg is stitched, and so I think the early '40s timeframe is most plausible for a date on the hat. The single line liner tip address dates the hat to '36-'45, correct?

'45 is good. The change is sometime in the mid- to late-'40s.

Brad

 

[Dreispitz]

Brad, by the way, are there any records of Cavanagh export hats? I once showed a Cavanagh hat to a late friend of mine who had a hat shop. She never heard of the brand, nor the edge.

 

[Brad Bowers]

Brad, by the way, are there any records of Cavanagh export hats? I once showed a Cavanagh hat to a late friend of mine who had a hat shop. She never heard of the brand, nor the edge.

To the best of my knowledge, no. I've run across mentions of individual export orders here and there, such as hats sent to the Vatican, but nothing to indicate Cavanagh had overseas Associates, or was interested in an overseas market. We know Dobbs hats were exported, as well as licensed for manufacture overseas in later years, but nothing on Cavanagh.

As far as I can remember, the only non-U.S. hats I've seen having a Cavanagh Edge were Borsalinos. I don't think I've seen any English or French hats with them, and I can't remember any German hats with them. It seems to be mostly a U.S. thing.

Brad

 

[delectans]

Thank you, Dennis and Dreispitz!

 

[alanfgag]

Cavanagh folding top hat

Must have been stored flat... took a lot of careful steaming to smooth the wrinkles...

stain on the liner (from an adhesive price sticker in a vintage shop, I bet), otherwise in very clean conditon.

 

[zetwal]

Brad should find that one interesting.

 

[navarre]

Thats a pretty awesome score! You did a great job steaming, it looks great

 

[delectans]

Nice, earlier Cavanagh topper, Alan, and your steamer skills are prodigious!

 

[alanfgag]

Thanks... it was surprisingly inexpensive and I'm happy to have it, though my B.Altman silk topper looks somewhat better on.

 

[Brad Bowers]

Brad should find that one interesting.

Indeed, I do! I was watching that auction. Great catch on the Cavanagh Opera Hat, Alan. It's in beautiful condition, which is really hard to find.

Brad

 

[alanfgag]

Thanks Brad... it was my birthday present to myself! Any sense on the vintage of this? I noticed a few have been posted at the lounge over the years... I seem to remember the logo showing the traditional Cavanagh colors?