" The Great British Hat Makers "

[steur]

That's a real nice find, Stefan. Love it inside and out.

Great ribbon and brim binding contrast regardless if it's due to aging or design.

Thanks, Steve. Yes, it works well and I like it.

 

[Alexwood]

Joseph E Ward homburg in black. Size 56 with the bound brim at 6,5cm and the crown at 11cm at the center dent. This one has a contrasting ribbon and binding, but it's hard to say if that was intentional or that they just lost their colour over time. I like the effect though. Sold by Kioes of Luxembourg. Georges Kioes was the successor of Waldbillig somewhere between 1935 and 1962. So this hat is centrainly before 1962. Late forties or early fifties would be my guess. The brim is still a bit uneven, likely because of the way at was stored.

I really like the two tone, a stellar hat!

 

[Alexwood]

Super find. As Stefan says, lots of Homburgs around, but not many in blue. Strange really as they really do look great in that colour. I have 3 or 4 myself. Hard to catch the shade in a photo.

Yours is most definitely from the 1950s. George VI died in 1952. Woodrow wouldn't still refer to the late king into the 60s.

It was made by J Woodrow & Son of Stockport, one of the Manchester hatmakers.

Thanks for the information, I remember my grandpa used to wear nice fedoras and beautiful wool suits, I wish I had appreciated hats more when I was younger.

 

[steur]

I really like the two tone, a stellar hat!

Thank you. Much appreciated.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

The Tress Hat Company

The Tress Hat Co doesn’t have a thread of its own but is mentioned a few times throughout this thread, so I’ll add this here. Some of this could have been previously posted.

The Tress & Co. was established in 1846 and was finally taken over by Christy’s in 1953. Its hats were sold globally and received prize medals at exhibitions in Paris 1855, 1867 & 1878, London 1862, Philadelphia 1876, Sydney 1879 and Calcutta. It was a huge operation. The main manufacturing base was at Southwark in London, pictured below. The only remaining part of this complex is now the Mad Hatter Hotel on Stamford Street. It also had manufacturing in Luton.

Tress & Co was granted a patent on a stereograph-like process & viewer that they used as a salesman’s catalog, giving their hats a 3D-like quality instead of being just two dimensional on paper. These stereographs are now in a private collection. There could be more out there.

Their Model KK 36 reminds me of the Stetson Congress, a style I like a lot.

 

[steur]

The Tress Hat Company

The Tress Hat Co doesn’t have a thread of its own but is mentioned a few times throughout this thread, so I’ll add this here. Some of this could have been previously posted.

The Tress & Co. was established in 1846 and was finally taken over by Christy’s in 1953. Its hats were sold globally and received prize medals at exhibitions in Paris 1855, 1867 & 1878, London 1862, Philadelphia 1876, Sydney 1879 and Calcutta. It was a huge operation. The main manufacturing base was at Southwark in London, pictured below. The only remaining part of this complex is now the Mad Hatter Hotel on Stamford Street. It also had manufacturing in Luton.

View attachment 555213

Tress & Co was granted a patent on a stereograph-like process & viewer that they used as a salesman’s catalog, giving their hats a 3D-like quality instead of being just two dimensional on paper. These stereographs are now in a private collection. There could be more out there.

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Their Model KK 36 reminds me of the Stetson Congress, a style I like a lot.

View attachment 555221

Fantastic information, Jack. Thanks for posting this. Would love to find me one of these. That KK36 model is indeed an atractive style.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Would love to find me one of these.

I have a small collection of Stereograph cards looking for only 3 subjects. I’ve looked thru boxes full at flea markets but have never seen one of these.

 

[steur]

It's been way too long since anyone posted here.
Lock&Co heather felt fedora. Size 57 with the overwelted and triple stitched brim at 6cm and the crown at 11cm at the center dent. At least partly woolfelt, but how it could and should be done. I have the feeling this one is early, likely pre-war. Not a lightweight felt at 156 grams nor a very refined hand to it, but still. A fine shark-gill bow on it to top it off.
I've been critical of Lock&Co in the past and in a way I still am. They could and did produce fine hats back in the day though.

 

[Steve1857]

It's been way too long since anyone posted here.
Lock&Co heather felt fedora. Size 57 with the overwelted and triple stitched brim at 6cm and the crown at 11cm at the center dent. At least partly woolfelt, but how it could and should be done. I have the feeling this one is early, likely pre-war. Not a lightweight felt at 156 grams nor a very refined hand to it, but still. A fine shark-gill bow on it to top it off.
I've been critical of Lock&Co in the past and in a way I still am. They could and did produce fine hats back in the day though.

Finally, a Lock & Co you like, Stefan. Great find.

 

[steur]

Finally, a Lock & Co you like, Stefan. Great find.

There was one before this one to be fair, but I do like this one above that one. Been going through this thread for no particular reason yesterday; loads of wonderful hats to be seen. Thanks, Steve.

 

[PanosChris]

It's been way too long since anyone posted here.
Lock&Co heather felt fedora. Size 57 with the overwelted and triple stitched brim at 6cm and the crown at 11cm at the center dent. At least partly woolfelt, but how it could and should be done. I have the feeling this one is early, likely pre-war. Not a lightweight felt at 156 grams nor a very refined hand to it, but still. A fine shark-gill bow on it to top it off.
I've been critical of Lock&Co in the past and in a way I still am. They could and did produce fine hats back in the day though.

Fantastic, Stefan! Your recent posts reminded me of the old good days of regular stellar finds

 

[steur]

Fantastic, Stefan! Your recent posts reminded me of the old good days of regular stellar finds

Thanks, Panos. Going through this thread reminded me of that as well. Some sources of those finds have completely dried up though.

 

[the_imperialist]

It's been way too long since anyone posted here.
Lock&Co heather felt fedora. Size 57 with the overwelted and triple stitched brim at 6cm and the crown at 11cm at the center dent. At least partly woolfelt, but how it could and should be done. I have the feeling this one is early, likely pre-war. Not a lightweight felt at 156 grams nor a very refined hand to it, but still. A fine shark-gill bow on it to top it off.
I've been critical of Lock&Co in the past and in a way I still am. They could and did produce fine hats back in the day though.

Great find Stefan! I'm quite taken by the texture and colour of this. I personally quite like the rugged nature of wool felt - provided it's executed as well as your fine example from Lock & Co. Do let me know if you ever tire of it

 

[steur]

Great find Stefan! I'm quite taken by the texture and colour of this. I personally quite like the rugged nature of wool felt - provided it's executed as well as your fine example from Lock & Co. Do let me know if you ever tire of it

Thank you, Wayne. Will do, but I don't think it's going anywhere soon.

 

[BobHufford]

Sold for $50 at auction recently. 15” x 11”. Not mine…

 

[steur]

Sold for $50 at auction recently. 15” x 11”. Not mine…

View attachment 601593

Fantastic! I would have paid $50 for that in a heartbeat (only to be declared insane by my wife afterwards).
Quite a bit cheaper than the €1200 Borsalino mirror (still for sale that one)!