Re: Supplier for Petersham ribbon? /HJ news

Posted by Greg from kenn001b-p1-211.cybertours.com on August 04, 1999 at 19:25:30:

In Reply to: Supplier for Petersham ribbon? /HJ news posted by ...whiskey? on August 04, 1999 at 15:17:21:

: Hi all,

: I just received my HJ fedora and was dismayed to find that the ribbon was not nearly as dark as the hats pictures on Indy's diggs and Indygear. Actually, there's two different Indy hats pictured on Indy gear, the top has 4 photos and the petersham and below (next to the picture of the shop) is another hat with what looks like the ribbon I got. Very much the TOD/LC style ribbon. I was really trying for the Raiders style hat (which Mr. Swales pinched that way)

: Now, unfortunately my hat was also too big (my fault) so I had to send it back anyway but now I need to decide what to to about the ribbon. Also, they are out of the hats till early Sept so I have a little time.

: According to Mr. Swales...after the first movie they ran out of the original Petersham (which he said was about 30 years old at the time)
: And they used the closest thing they had for TOD and LC. That;s the ribbon I recieved. It's a dark brown but not what you would call "almost black" like I keep hearing. This is what he says they offer right now, NOT the original Petersham.

: I'm torn between asking for a black ribbon or sticking with the brown.

: There's one other option I suppose...I could order some Petersham ribbon somewhere, send it off to Mr. Swales and have him use that. Has anyone ever ordered the ribbon before? If so, where from and do you have a color name or style #?

: I'd love to hear some thoughts...HJ Brown? HJ Black? or try to find the right Petersham? Anyone have experiences with any of these?

: THANKS

The new dark brown ribbon from HJ is supposed to be a reproduction made in Spain from a scrap of the old ribbon that Mr. Swales originally used. (At least this is the story I received from him). I like the looks of it on my hat and for my money, comparing it to the hat ribbon on the one in the Smithsonian (LC one of course), it is dead-on accurate). As far as what the original ORIGINAL ribbon looked like, I am certain it was different, and I think the best dark brown petersham ribbon available is from Catherine Delaney:

Catherine Delaney
Unit 006 The Chandlery
50 Westminster Bridge Road
London
SE1 7QY
ENGLAND

It is the 39mm Petersham-darkest brown she carries, but test it for colorfastness. You must right to her only and she doesn't accept credit cards (she is just a small-operation milliner) so you have to get an international money order if you don't live in the U.K.

Another option for Petersham is Hyman Hendler and Sons in New York City (can't seem to find their address or phone number right now-just do an internet yellow pages search.

I have done an immense amount of research on this whole ribbon issue-spent about six months hemming and hawing, called over 50 hatters across this country and the U.K., called about 10 ribbon and textile companies, and have ordered samples from several of them. Only about 5 people I encountered in those six months knew what Petersham ribbon was; James Locke in London had only black Petersham, which I bought; Hyman Hendler's is OK (they only sell 10 yards minimum for phone orders though)-I bought the 10 yards and used some, shared the rest with Hatworks in Norfolk, Virginia, and a few other Forum users; I then ordered 4 meters or so from Catherine Delaney, and was most happy with that but never ended up putting it on either of my hats. I have retained it for future use in case it becomes difficult to find. Then, in a phone call to Herbert Johnson's, Richard Swales told me about the 39mm dark brown ribbon identical to the LC ribbon, and he was kind enough to send me two lengths of it (since he knew I had two HJ hats), and I sewed one on my newest hat using the photos from the Smithsonian as reference for the bow, etc. This is the short version of my discoveries (kind of long still, huh?). Anyway, I finally gave up when I got the HJ ribbon, as the LC look is what I was shooting for anyway. I realized that it was going to consume me if I didn't just let it go and accept what I had. Hope this rambling helps.

Greg

Follow Ups:

GREG----Hyman Hendler's Petersham ribbon Q... ...whiskey? 23:37:49 8/04/99 (1)
- Re: GREG----Hyman Hendler's Petersham ribbon Q... Greg 15:03:07 8/05/99 (0)

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: : Hi all,

: : I just received my HJ fedora and was dismayed to find that the ribbon was not nearly as dark as the hats pictures on Indy's diggs and Indygear.  Actually, there's two different Indy hats pictured on Indy gear, the top has 4 photos and the petersham and below (next to the picture of the shop) is another hat with what looks like the ribbon I got.  Very much the TOD/LC style ribbon.  I was really trying for the Raiders style hat (which Mr. Swales pinched that way)

: : Now, unfortunately my hat was also too big (my fault) so I had to send it back anyway but now I need to decide what to to about the ribbon.  Also, they are out of the hats till early Sept so I have a little time.

: : According to Mr. Swales...after the first movie they ran out of the original Petersham (which he said was about 30 years old at the time)
: : And they used the closest thing they had for TOD and LC.  That;s the ribbon I recieved.  It's a dark brown but not what you would call "almost black" like I keep hearing.  This is what he says they offer right now, NOT the original Petersham.

: : I'm torn between asking for a black ribbon or sticking with the brown.

: : There's one other option I suppose...I could order some Petersham ribbon somewhere, send it off to Mr. Swales and have him use that.  Has anyone ever ordered the ribbon before?  If so, where from and do you have a color name or style #?

: : I'd love to hear some thoughts...HJ Brown?  HJ Black? or try to find the right Petersham?  Anyone have experiences with any of these?

: : THANKS

: 
: The new dark brown ribbon from HJ is supposed to be a reproduction made in Spain from a scrap of the old ribbon that Mr. Swales originally used.  (At least this is the story I received from him).  I like the looks of it on my hat and for my money, comparing it to the hat ribbon on the one in the Smithsonian (LC one of course), it is dead-on accurate).  As far as what the original ORIGINAL ribbon looked like, I am certain it was different, and I think the best dark brown petersham ribbon available is from Catherine Delaney:

: Catherine Delaney
: Unit 006 The Chandlery
: 50 Westminster Bridge Road
: London
: SE1 7QY
: ENGLAND

: It is the 39mm Petersham-darkest brown she carries, but test it for colorfastness.  You must right to her only and she doesn't accept credit cards (she is just a small-operation milliner) so you have to get an international money order if you don't live in the U.K.

: Another option for Petersham is Hyman Hendler and Sons in New York City (can't seem to find their address or phone number right now-just do an internet yellow pages search.

: I have done an immense amount of research on this whole ribbon issue-spent about six months hemming and hawing, called over 50 hatters across this country and the U.K., called about 10 ribbon and textile companies, and have ordered samples from several of them.  Only about 5 people I encountered in those six months knew what Petersham ribbon was; James Locke in London had only black Petersham, which I bought; Hyman Hendler's is OK (they only sell 10 yards minimum for phone orders though)-I bought the 10 yards and used some, shared the rest with Hatworks in Norfolk, Virginia, and a few other Forum users; I then ordered 4 meters or so from Catherine Delaney, and was most happy with that but never ended up putting it on either of my hats.  I have retained it for future use in case it becomes difficult to find.  Then, in a phone call to Herbert Johnson's, Richard Swales told me about the 39mm dark brown ribbon identical to the LC ribbon, and he was kind enough to send me two lengths of it (since he knew I had two HJ hats), and I sewed one on my newest hat using the photos from the Smithsonian as reference for the bow, etc.  This is the short version of my discoveries (kind of long still, huh?).  Anyway, I finally gave up when I got the HJ ribbon, as the LC look is what I was shooting for anyway. I realized that it was going to consume me if I didn't just let it go and accept what I had.  Hope this rambling helps.

: Greg

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