Hello all, have missed it here! I have some news on a hat I bought here from another member. It arrived safely and as I opened the box, not sure what to expect, I pulled out the softest/floppiest most beautiful Indy hat I have ever seen. It's so soft it will hold any shape you crease into it, it's turned, so now I have the swoop!!! And the fit is indescribable. When I put it on it's almost like the hat gently molds itself around my head for a soft but firm glove fit. And the color is what I saw when I watched Raiders up on the screen. This hat is a Herbert Johnson made by Marc Kitter. It has Herbert Johnson on the liner and sweat, but also The Adventurebilt Hat Company on the sweat and Hand Made. It's 1 of not many HJs hand made by Marc and now I know why Steve and Marc are the BEST. Just handling this hat is pleasurable, it's just so smooth and floppy, it looks very SOC and again the fit is unreal, the hat molds itself around my head in a perfect my head shape. I have gotten so many compliments around town wearing this hat from people that don't know anything about hats, yet they just know by instinct that this is a special hat. I even had one family member of a resident tell me it's my "sexy hat." So it's now known as the sexy hat!!!
Thank you so much for selling me this hat my friend and thank you Marc Kitter, your talent is enormous!!! I never really knew just how different these hats can really be until by now I've handled several. This one is special and yes...MY SEXY HAT!!!
I will post pics when I have some time, this is my weekend off!!!
Last edited by gabrielle on Sat Jul 12, 2008 7:02 pm, edited 3 times in total.
The gentleman I purchased this from on COW told me Marc only made a couple of these, so it's a real treasure!!! I just am in love with this hat to the point I'm thinking of selling all my others. I will keep this one plus I want an Akubra Fed IV because of the toughness and I have an AB on order. I might switch to all beaver only purchasing rabbit if I really love the hat, like this one and the Fed IV...I hope you enjoy the photos!!!
I do have one question, how well does the HJ rabbit felt hold up in tough conditions and rain? I have applied Scout, 2 coats...
BTW, this is my first turned hat and now I'm addicted...the members that told me you can't have the swoop without the turn were right on!!! I have major swoop now...
I really love the hat but (and I hate to be a VP here ) I think it's just a bit of a characture of the hat itself, do you know what I mean? I'm not knocking it, it's just that some of the attributes of the hat are slightly extreme. In the end some people just like it that way which is all good.
Congrats on an great purchase. Marc does amazing work. Since he worked on it so it will be the sturdiest HJ out there. If you like his work on a HJ, wait until you get one of his hats.
I think Agent 5 is politely pointing out that it looks like a cartoon hat. That is just way too much reverse taper. Is that John's old HJ? I would definitely straighten it out a bit.
That "100% Fur Felt - Hand made" thing on the sweat is identical to the one in the Christie's.
Beautiful hat!
As far as the cartoonishness, I kind of agree but I'm guessing it will relax, and as the hat tapers on its own (as we know HJs are prone to), it'll probably end up looking a lot more like the one in the movie.
I am having hat-turning adventures today myself, actually...putting the turn on one of my two Fed Deluxes I've had for about seven years.
Yes this hat is one I just purchased from John, but it was never worn except to take some photos outside. It has been sitting in a box unused and John is selling some of his collection, I fell in love with this hat.
As far as the way it looks I'm in love there too and when I get done kicking it around and generally abusing it I think it will look like a mighty fine SOC fedora all dirty, rumpled and just like the Raider's hat we all adore!!! Just give me time to boot it around in the woods, get it soaked and hike in the dirt and mud, it will only get better!!!
I think since Marc made it even though it's rabbit it should be able to take a beating and I did use Scout on it twice...anyone have any opinions or actual stories on the toughness of this hat???
Oh and thanks for all the love so far on my HJ Adventurebilt...
is that the HJ in your avatar? If so I have to agree with 5 and wiskyman. If this was my hat and how rare it is. I would just wear it an not beat it up. You have plenty of hats to do that with.
I wonder how much of the reverse taper in the picture is actually there. The partial backlight from that window probably makes it look worse than it actually is.
Gabrielle, could you take a picture of the hat while facing a window or with the window to your side? That would also help to see the color of this hat.
Just as I thought: the partial backlighting in the first pictures really accentuated and exaggerated the reversed taper in those first pics. You can see what effect the lighting had when you compare the left side of the hat on Gabrielle’s last pic to the left side of the first one.
gwyddion wrote:Just as I thought: the partial backlighting in the first pictures really accentuated and exaggerated the reversed taper in those first pics. You can see what effect the lighting had when you compare the left side of the hat on Gabrielle’s last pic to the left side of the first one.
Thanks for the pictures Gabrielle and G-MANN.
I think it’s a great looking hat.
Regards, Geert
Thanks Geert! I actually took the photos in front of the window to exaggerate the mushroom. Light and shadow fascinate me ever so much. I have 3 cameras to prove it! 2 digital and 1 Nikon film camera, the N80. My fav is my Nikon D40 though. Photography has been my passion since birth practically. Took these photos with my eBay camera a Canon Powershot A610. My 2 loves photography and fedoras, so of course I photograph my hats!!!
Am presently trying to figure out how to set up a camera adapter on my StarSeeker telescope...
the partial backlighting in the first pictures really accentuated and exaggerated the reversed taper in those first pics.
Okay, now it makes sense. The pics John provided bring the hat back to reality. I have an AB shaped by John and he does a great job at shaping his hats.
pics! can't wait for the pics!
) I think it's just a bit of a characture of the hat itself, do you know what I mean? I'm not knocking it, it's just that some of the attributes of the hat are slightly extreme. In the end some people just like it that way which is all good. 
That's not cool.