Re: HJ hat Greg

Posted by Greg from kenn012b-120.cybertours.com on May 01, 1999 at 09:32:26:

In Reply to: HJ hat Greg posted by Steve on April 30, 1999 at 20:19:13:

: Hi Greg. Would you kindly give me the height of the crown, open as well as after it is creased? Also the ribbon width and the brim dimensions? Thanks. Steve

The crown is about 4 1/2 inches at the front and about 5 inches high at its peak, as measured up the side from the base of the bow on the ribbon. If you pop the crease out of the top of the hat and drop a tape measure from the inside of the dome hanging down, it is about 6 inches. The brim measures 2 1/2 inches wide at the sides and 2 7/8 inches at the front and 2 3/4 at the back. The ribbon width is 39mm or 1 1/2 inches and is dead on accurate color wise and type. This has been a long-discussed topic (the ribbon), and I think, after researching about 50 hatters here in the U.S. and in England, 4 or 5 different ribboneries, and examining dozens of photo stills from the films, etc., it is now clear to me that there seems to have been two different types of ribbon used on the hats throughout the decade that the movies were made-some of the ribbon used on hats appears to have a seamed or finished edge that is barely perceptible, but appears on the hat at the Smithsonian. This is the ribbon you will get from HJ, but it looks great and is the exact color (a very dark brown that will appear almost black under different lighting). The other kind of ribbon that I can see appears much more like the straight Petersham ribbon (which has a "sawtooth" or unfinished edge) and is best replicated from Catherine Delaney in London, but this ribbon can have a tendency to bleed (the dye), so it is best to get the ribbon redyed with a colorfast dye. I had some of it dyed a very rich dark brown by Hatworks in Virginia, and it looks great. I may have it put on another HJ hat in the future so I can have both styles. I really don't think we can call the ribbon with a seamed edge "Petersham" as has been discussed earlier, as every person I spoke to about Petersham (including the people at Hyman Hendler Ribbonerie in New York) agreed that Petersham has a sawtooth raw edge. Petersham ribbon is sometimes used for waistbanding in pants (inside). This is what I know about hat ribbon (I learned more than I thought I would you might say). If you have any other questions about the HJ hat or hat ribbon in general, please feel free to email me.

Greg

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: : Hi Greg. Would you kindly give me the height of the crown, open as well as after it is creased? Also the ribbon width and the brim dimensions? Thanks.        Steve

: The crown is about 4 1/2 inches at the front and about 5 inches high at its peak, as measured up the side from the base of the bow on the ribbon.  If you pop the crease out of the top of the hat and drop a tape measure from the inside of the dome hanging down, it is about 6 inches.  The brim measures 2 1/2 inches wide at the sides and 2 7/8 inches at the front and 2 3/4 at the back.  The ribbon width is 39mm or 1 1/2 inches and is dead on accurate color wise and type.  This has been a long-discussed topic (the ribbon), and I think, after researching about 50 hatters here in the U.S. and in England, 4 or 5 different ribboneries, and examining dozens of photo stills from the films, etc., it is now clear to me that there seems to have been two different types of ribbon used on the hats throughout the decade that the movies were made-some of the ribbon used on hats appears to have a seamed or finished edge that is barely perceptible, but appears on the hat at the Smithsonian.  This is the ribbon you will get from HJ, but it looks great and is the exact color (a very dark brown that will appear almost black under different lighting).  The other kind of ribbon that I can see appears much more like the straight Petersham ribbon (which has a "sawtooth" or unfinished edge) and is best replicated from Catherine Delaney in London, but this ribbon can have a tendency to bleed (the dye), so it is best to get the ribbon redyed with a colorfast dye.  I had some of it dyed a very rich dark brown by Hatworks in Virginia, and it looks great.  I may have it put on another HJ hat in the future so I can have both styles.  I really don't think we can call the ribbon with a seamed edge "Petersham" as has been discussed earlier, as every person I spoke to about Petersham (including the people at Hyman Hendler Ribbonerie in New York) agreed that Petersham has a sawtooth raw edge.  Petersham ribbon is sometimes used for waistbanding in pants (inside).  This is what I know about hat ribbon (I learned more than I thought I would you might say).  If you have any other questions about the HJ hat or hat ribbon in general, please feel free to email me.

: Greg

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