Here is a New “REX” Borsalino (1970s-1980s) Gray Fedora, size 7++ to 7-1/8, currently is a size 7++, we know the tag states 7 but it’s just a fraction under a perfect size 7-1/8, read below. This is NOT made the Borsalino HARE (English Rabbit) but is made from Beaver (Read below).
With a coat trolley string is you’d like? Read below and write to us if you’d like it? This can be left as just a decoration or actually any decent tailor can sew it on. It’s very elastic and has plenty of length to have it sewn to the hat or just trim off the end of the elastic string if you just want it for a decoration? Dad has quite of few of these coat trolley strings that are listed here on eBay for sale. If you need one look through his listings. It just adds a nice bit of class to any hat!
Dad just placed this on the hat stretcher, it can take days to get it stretched so the stretch remains in the leather sweatband memory and does not shrink down afterwards. You will need to write to us so we can tell you the current size, if you can’t wait This could easily be stretched to a perfect 7-1/8 with an inexpensive $14 Amazon hat stretcher.
This hat appears to have never been worn, it’s perfect! Leather sweatband is perfect, NO MOTH BITES, No stains, just an excellent fedora! The price tag was one of those that was “anti-theft” ones that they started using back in the 1970s to prevent theft. You can see the tag was removed from the leather sweatband. We added a picture where it was removed from. It let a very tiny nick on the leather sweatband but nothing that will effect the hat at all. We tested it out and it is perfect.
Thanks to one of our hat collectors for contacting us to help identify the dating on this Borsalino fedora and the material. It NOT Rabbit but made from Beaver with some mix of Hare (English Rabbit).
Dad cleaned (horsehair brush) & this needed very little Steaming to make that perfect shape teardrop - pinched crown into this hat.
We don’t know why it doesn’t come out consistently in all the pictures? It’s all the same color, Light GRAY. The picture of the whole underside best reflects the actual color.
When we say Hare, that refers to the English Rabbit that Borsalino uses in many of their hats. Borsalino also made many hats years ago made from Beaver.
We took out dad’s collection of Borsalino hats. Their Beaver and Hare (English Rabbit) This best matches the Beaver and not Hare (English Rabbit). It’s not as soft and fuzzy as the Rabbit, nor does it have the rabbit fiber hairs that you find in the Borsalino Rabbit hats sticking out. There is a difference! One of our collectors says this has a bit of Hare mix with the beaver but not significant enough to notice other than the softness. This is very very soft and thick and so easy to work with. When you work on a hat, any felt hat, it’s is so easy to determine the material at that time. Depending on how it reacts and shapes and feels while working on it you get a very good idea what material you’re working with. This is definitely Beaver!
We took out dad’s 1950s Stetson Beaver hats to compare this to: 3X, Ten, Fifteen, Twenty and TwentyFive. This was an easy match to the Beaver Fifteen. So soft and pliable and holds the shape perfectly. If can easily be reshaped if you wanted? But why? It’s perfect. Perfect teardrop crown and dip in the front brim.
NOTE: The collector who saw this hat before it was listed wanted to buy just the Borsalino hat box for one of his hats so he and dad came to an agreement and it has been sold. These do come up on eBay for sale too though. So NO a hat box is included.
We actually measure the hat 3 times to determine the size, tagged or not, and it is and measures to a size 7++ at 22-1/4 inches, that’s an 1/8 of an inch smaller than a perfect 7-1/8 at 22-3/8 inches, this agrees with the Tilley Hat Sizing chart.
This is a size 7++ Or 22-1/4 inches or 56.7
Length 12 inches
Width 10.25 inches
Height 4.9 inches, at the tallest point
Matching Grosgrain Ribbon 2 inches
Wide Brim 2 inches
Dad has added a coat trolley string, see pictures. If you’d like a coat trolley string? Dad has a collection of 1960s old dead stock. He has these listed here on eBay in his listings. These are very elastic and any decent tailor can sewn it to the hat or it can be left as a decoration. If you’d like to add this coat trolley string for another $10 please write to us and let us know.
Take a look at dads other great vintage hat he has listed, we try and list couple each week. If you have any additional information or corrections, please write us.
This is just a really great hat!
Local pickup is always free.
Ship with Fedex or USPS priority mail, whichever arrives quickest. Both costs a couple dollars more but they are very reliable and they do not crush or damage boxes, also much faster shipping. I
Please see our 100% Ratings and very excellent feedback.
Dad has collected hats for a lifetime and there are 100s of them, on shelves, stacked in closets and spare bedrooms.
We are slowly listing these special hats weekly.
We stand behind the eBay garentee and have NEVER had and issue with returns. We ask you to verify your hat size before you buy and we supply the maximum amount of pictures but if you need anything please write and ask. No Smoking - No Pets
Thank You