Current HJ question

[knibs7]

Ok, so my parents are in London right now and asked if I wanted them to get me a Herbert Johnson (Poet) Indy hat. Do they still make them just like the originals or would it be better to get one from Magnoli or Todd?

Kyle

[BendingOak]

Ok, so my parents are in London right now and asked if I wanted them to get me a Herbert Johnson (Poet) Indy hat. Do they still make them just like the originals or would it be better to get one from Magnoli or Todd?

Kyle

The best one to get is the Mag. You have Steve Delk re-working this with a better block, better ribbon and he stables the felt.

[Mulceber]

Agreed. If your parents want to get you something while they're in England, I'd recommend something else, like a Wested. -M

[Forrest For the Trees]

It's my understanding that an HJ purchased from a retail shop in London would be ridiculously over-priced. So, that's a really sweet offer from your folks, but the money would be better spent on an HJ from Magnoli, or you could get a hat from Christys', which is virtually the same as the HJ and a lot less money. Just my thoughts...

[Johnny Fedora]

How did I miss this question? I'm slipping I am. I've become too obsessed lately with what would be the "Mags HJ" of 1966 Command Tunics (shout out to rhboyd ), but that's another topic and another franchise...

Anyway, the hat you want is a Magnoli Herbert Johnson fedora made by AdventureBilt.

Even Herbert Johnson (Swaine Adeney Brigg) themselves, can't produce a replica of their own poet hat the way Fedora does for Magnoli. And the reason is that a Herbert Johnson hat made by SAB, is simply not the same hat as what they provided Harrison Ford with all those years ago. Over time they lost the block, went with a cheaper felt, lost the proper ribbon, and basically forgot how to make a hat like Indiana Jones' hat. That's one of the reasons why it's an AdventureBilt on Harrison's head in Crystal Skull instead of a HJ. Steve however, gets unfinished Poet hat bodies, liners, and sweat bands from HJ. He then repounces the felt to a better finish stabilizing the felt against premature taper, adds better weather proofing, blocks (not reblocks, but blocks a fresh body) on his new Raiders block, hand sews in the sweatband above the brim break, turns the hat properly (if you wish) tacks on the original vintage ribbon and bow (that neither HJ, Todd nor Christies has, only Steve and Marc and John Penman have sourced, and use the proper vintage ribbon), and finally tack in the original HJ liner. You take all of that and what do you get? A Magnoli Herbert Johnson Fedora, the closest truly accurate replica of the hat worn by Harrison Ford in Raiders of the Lost Ark (or any of the original three films). Even the AdventureBilt is a close second in complete screen accuracy (although it is THE ONLY hat now for Crystal Skull ), as it is made of beaver and not rabbit. ;-)

Cheers!
Johnny

[Indiana Jeff]

Even the AdventureBilt is a close second in complete screen accuracy (although it is THE ONLY hat now for Crystal Skull ), as it is made of beaver and not rabbit. ;-)

Cheers!
Johnny

How do you figure. You said yourself Steve blocks the Mag HJs on a block of his own design using materials that are not the same as they were when the hats were made for ROLA. Steve uses the same felter (and same felt within a reasonable definition of "same"), the same blocks and sews with the same hands he used in KotCS. The only thing different from the screen used hats is the liners. In my mind that puts Steve's hats as the most accurate you'll ever get to any of the movies.

Regards,

Indiana Jeff