Club Obi Wan

Satipo wrote:Just a thought, but doesn't Herbert Johnson also have a history of supplying/producing military hats? If so, then could this and the Australia/British Commonwealth connection be the reason HJ had such a hat?

Excellent point, Satipo!

Regards! Michaelson

Kt Templar wrote:Been playing with the Streetview thing on Google...

Check it out (clicky!)

I did also check out Hornets Hats, Lock & Co and other interesting locations... man I miss London!

Satipo wrote:Just a thought, but doesn't Herbert Johnson also have a history of supplying/producing military hats? If so, then could this and the Australia/British Commonwealth connection be the reason HJ had such a hat?

That's very true although I'm not sure they used to sell the military hats in the very same shop in Old Burlinghton street... but that can be checked out I'm sure!

Michaelson wrote:

Satipo wrote:Excellent point, Satipo!

Regards! Michaelson

Thank you, my friend. Just happy to shed a little light.

That's funny. Any time I hear "Satipo" and "shed some light" together, images of flying spikes comes to mind.

That's why I always stand to one side when replying to our friend here.

Regards! Michaelson

Erri, I don't think that hat inspired her. I think it was a tall crown and wide enough brim for her to work with. The hat came from her.

Sorry I'm not sure I get what you mean Oak, doesn't that hat have a tall crown and wide brim too? (I'm not saying that THAT's the hat but I'm guessing something very similar)

Yes I know. What I'm saying is the slouch hat didn't inspire her just a hat that had enough material for her to work with to get what she wanted.

Ah yes, I got it now. And it comes into my mind that it was a supposition that what she spotted was slouch hat, by the description she gave that's what a few of us guessed. That's why I'm saying somebody should show a few different "australian-looking" hats to her and say: "was it this one? Was it this one? Was it this one?" (in the style of Donkey from Shrek)

Michaelson wrote:That's why I always stand to one side when replying to our friend here.

Regards! Michaelson

A wise move, especially if I'm drinking water.

Erri wrote:Ah yes, I got it now. And it comes into my mind that it was a supposition that what she spotted was slouch hat, by the description she gave that's what a few of us guessed. That's why I'm saying somebody should show a few different "australian-looking" hats to her and say: "was it this one? Was it this one? Was it this one?" (in the style of Donkey from Shrek)

I think of what she said in the interview any slouch hat ( or any hat) would have worked for what she wanted as long as it had enough material to work with.

The maker of this hat, W.A. Hatton, was in business for at least 250 years in the town of Atherstone, England. There were 4 major hat companies located in the town, the last went out of business in 1999. Here's a fairly awesome video, made when the last company was down to producing wool felt hats. http://friendsofatherstone.org.uk/hattingvideo.htm The seller of the hat has an extensive ebay vintage military store. He thinks this is a Gurka (India) issue hat. He mentions the diamond with the letters "WD" below the size tag. I take this to be a military cartouche, maybe "War Department"?.. I don't know yet, if this hat will have less taper than an Akubra slouch, but it looks like it has a soft felt, unlike an Akubra. ..Erri, I'll get those open crown pics for ya, or just tell you there's too much taper to bother with pics.

False alarm, dang it. Got the W.A. Hatton slouch and there's Lots of front and back taper. --- Next time I want a hat on ebay, I'm going to try and pay five bucks for pictures that will show me exactly what I'm getting first!

Steve - being that you are now part of a small and kick ### group (a real Indy hat maker) do you not think that you could easily make contact with Deborah Landis in a way that she might even enjoy?

She ain't gonna respond to the rest of us nuts and we KNOW she has been quizzed on this topic ad nauseum.

Shoot - it'd just be fun to get her opinion of your work.

But true too - I'm not one for bugging people either if I think they just want to be left alone.

Just a thought.

I'm thinking that HJ, when they switched companies after Raiders, just called some "close enough" block at the new company their Poet instead of shipping all the old ones over from who they worked with prior.

????

I second that, darthjones! And I think he would be welcomed by Vic Armstrong to get a look at his Raides hat.