Vintage Herbert Johnson

[indydude18]

Now I THINK, but I'm not sure that this is a Raiders-era HJ that was blocked on a Raiders block or something similar. I've had this for a few months now, but it's been sitting in a box because I've been so busy. The block shape and ribbon look Raider-ish, and it has the correct address but I really have no way to be sure because I'm not really familiar with the small details, I'll let you guys tear it apart. Check it out.

[Michaelson]

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Base on Steve Delk's post above, your address confirms it could have been made at the time of Raiders, as the address dates from 1971. They moved in 1985 from the address on your hatband.

Regards! Michaelson

[RNomura]

My 1988 made Poet has the 13 Old Burlington address on the hat, as well as the shipping box.

~Ron

[Michaelson]

Was it made in 1988, or SOLD to you in 1988? Could have been old stock left from before they moved, as they did move in 1985 to another address.....that or they used a left over sweatband with the old address when they made your hat.

Regards! Michaelson

[RNomura]

It was ordered and delivered in July of 1988. I suppose the hat could've been older stock and fashioned with an older sweatband but I can't imagine them using a three years obsolete address label, especially if I had to return the hat if there were a problem.

~Ron

[Michaelson]

Well, what other explaination IS there other than it being old stock, since they moved from that location 3 years prior to you receiving your HJ? That move to 30 New Bond Street in 1985 is a matter of public record.

Regards! Michaelson

[Indiana Jeff]

Perhaps not the best business practice in terms of advertising their address, but I wouldn't be surprised if HJ wasn't using old stock sweats after their move or had old stock hats ready made with the old sweats.

Steve still uses the old stock Staff of Ra hat liners in some of his new hats even though he switched to the AB pyramid design years ago.

Regards,

Indiana Jeff

[achi11es]

Michaelson is correct. I bought a hat box from Swaine Adeney just two years ago for a HJ that Steve had made for me. The address on the hat box also read Bond Street.

What you have to remember is that all these hats are factory made, so often stock retaining old address details will still be for sale until it is depleted. Herbert Johnson, as with Bates and Lock all have in stock hats that may even be 5 years old, so for an 88 hat to have details of a previous address is not surprising at all.

A visit to Bates in Jermyn St still shows their old address in some of their hats, even though they moved premises two years back.

[Michaelson]

[RNomura]

Would be nice to think that my poet was five years old when
I purchased it. That would make it a TOD era fedora. . It's
got the blue seal in the liner.

[Indiego Jones]

Would be nice to think that my poet was five years old when
I purchased it. That would make it a TOD era fedora. . It's
got the blue seal in the liner.

Can we see a picture of that liner and sweatband?

[RNomura]

Photos taken but I still haven't learned how to post them...

[RNomura]

[Indiego Jones]

RNomura,
Well, IMO, what you have there it's same felt batch, same block, same ribbon and SAME BOW work!!!, same sweatband, even the bashing, (I don't know about the liner, but most probably that too) of the HJs used in the production of "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom".

That's unique. Amazing, and a treasure.
Congratulations.

[BendingOak]

I have to agree. Either TOD or LC as I believe they were the same.

[LouisiannaJames26]

Nice! Is the ribbon dark brown chocolate or black when you first got it?

[RNomura]

The ribbon was always a dark brown, slightly darker than the felt.

~Ron

[LouisiannaJames26]

Wow it really does look ToD & LC screen accurate but i think the ROTLA film hat have that blue hj crest, the bow creases looks identical to the ToD hat bow.