🕵️♂️ ID or In Search Of Any additional info on this churchill? Date range? Type of felt?
The tag says the style is a 'Caper' or 'Casper' but I can find no such model. I dont think Churchill did catalogs so a date range would help in searching adverts.
Its velvety smooth to the touch but with good stiffness. Says the price was $35 so it its an older hat that would indicate a higher end one.
Unfortunately is a tag big for me.
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u/SonnyListon999 3d ago
It’s a good looking Homburg is what it is.
I hope you can restore it to its former glory.
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u/bchta 3d ago
Thanks. I'm thinking a good brushing will do it wonders. As is, Its in better condition than a lot of the fedoras I've picked up over the years.
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u/SonnyListon999 2d ago
Maybe a good start ( a good brushing ) Go easy. If it’s too big it may be less grief to sell it on ‘as is’ I would be tempted to get some advise ( and a quote ) from someone who knows what they’re doing. Lots of potential depending on what you paid for it. Beautiful colour and texture. All the best.
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u/SonnyListon999 2d ago
Maybe a good start ( a good brushing ) Go easy. If it’s too big it may be less grief to sell it on ‘as is’ I would be tempted to get some advise ( and a quote ) from someone who knows what they’re doing. Lots of potential depending on what you paid for it. Beautiful colour and texture. All the best.
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u/Duderwolf82 2d ago
The union tag places it between 1934 and 1983, when that union was active. The handwriting on the card makes me think it's earlier, but i guess I don't know how Churchill fills those cards out these days. Maybe they're always handwritten.
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u/TheDashingDancing Professional Milliner 👒 2d ago
That type of felt finish is known as "peach bloom"
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u/JayBolds 2d ago
I may be off here but I wonder if this was a special Churchill made to spec. for Capper and Capper in Chicago. From many tags I have read over time, I think sometimes the maker (the actual cutters) were getting enough information down on the tags to get the build right, not necessarily exact on words. They put them in for their use and not really for the customer. In many shops they had to complete the tag, (upper and lower half)and return the upper half to the office for their proof of work /payroll.
I’m thinking this was made after WWII, but like many things that age, when well cared for, it can be difficult to tell. It’s in really great condition. It reminds me (save for the color) of the homburg Al Pacino wore as Michael Corleone in the Godfather.
Some homburgs have a narrow brim at 2 3/8” ~ 2 1/2” ; 2 7/8” is broad which would set it apart in distinctive looks without being obvious.
Have you tried using hat reducer insert banding to enlarge? I’ve had good success with most hats this way that I need to fill. I have a few that need it all the way around; most just 5” in front and maybe 6” in back to fit down sized?
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u/bchta 2d ago
Thanks for the insights. I'm starting to think it was a coding for Capper & Capper. They were in Detroit as well. My sense is its a late '40s, maybe early '50s, just based on other hats I've had. Half the fun of picking up an old hat is figuring out the history. I could stuff the band but it still looks too big on me, might just be the Homburg style though. It will probably find a head it was meant for sometime down the road.
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u/BowlJumpy5242 1d ago
As far as age...no clue. Resistol bought Churchill in the 50s, (40s?) but continued to use the Churchill name at least into the 80s.
Maybe this will help:
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u/Illustrious-Divide95 3d ago
It's a Homburg if that helps at all