Can I get a little help with a hat: G Howard Hodge

L

lostnowfoundvintage

Registered Guest
Is this 50s? 60s? There is only a small amount of information on this hat maker in the VFG. It is a pretty incredible hat that I'd just like to know more about.

ghowardhat6-1.jpg


ghowardhat11-1.jpg
 
Looks like a late 50s pillbox to me, and it looks almost influenced by Islamic design the way the metal thread wrapping resembles Islamic lettering.
 
How would it be worn on the head... straight on or a little to the side? Is it a hat to go with a suit or a certain dress? Sometimes I look at hats and can see what outfit would go perfectly but I'm just not sure with this hat. I think that the design on the hat is what is making me a little confused.
 
Hi,

That is Quite the eye catching hat! It is 1950's, circa 1955 to 1960, as others have commented, and is a sort of modified pillbox but has more softness to the shaping along the edges. I also see those Eastern Islamic influences in the colors, trims and style.

It is not a tilt hat, and without having it here in my hand, I would think it sat towards the center back of the head. Put it on your head and move it around, and see where if "feels" right. But if you like it worn tilted and it feels comfortably, then surely go ahead and wear it that way. But do not sell it as a tilt hat as that would be incorrect.

It may be custom made to match a suit or evening dress, and is definitely meant for evening wear. I can see it with a blue velvet suit or dress and a matching clutch bag.

Hodge was one of the top milliners and was popular for many decades.

Are the gold parts made of threads...or are they gold disks strung on a cord? Just wondering...

B
 
Those are the most interesting part of the hat.. Not sure what they are called but I had a Harvey Berin/Karen Stark dress that had them on it. There are two different ones on the hat - some are made with wrapped gold thread and the other is a natural colored silk (pretty sure its silk)

Let me see if I can get a close up of them.
 
Originally posted by Rue_de_la_Paix
Hi,

That is Quite the eye catching hat! It is 1950's, circa 1955 to 1960, as others have commented, and is a sort of modified pillbox but has more softness to the shaping along the edges. I also see those Eastern Islamic influences in the colors, trims and style.

It is not a tilt hat, and without having it here in my hand, I would think it sat towards the center back of the head. Put it on your head and move it around, and see where if "feels" right. But if you like it worn tilted and it feels comfortably, then surely go ahead and wear it that way. But do not sell it as a tilt hat as that would be incorrect.

It may be custom made to match a suit or evening dress, and is definitely meant for evening wear. I can see it with a blue velvet suit or dress and a matching clutch bag.

Hodge was one of the top milliners and was popular for many decades.

Are the gold parts made of threads...or are they gold disks strung on a cord? Just wondering...

B
Click to expand...

Thank you for that information. I can close my eyes and picture it better now. One side has a slightly longer "brim" for a lack of a better word so I put it on like a pill box only slightly at an angle and it appears to sit well that way. This picture is the longer side.

While the hat base appears felt, the body is covered with what looks like wool.. it has ribs and so much beading. The beading is what really caught my eye. I love beading.


ghowardhat8-2.jpg
 
Wow! Awesome hat! I'm sure that Barbara and Jonathan have the dating correct, and, as Barbara says, I can see it with a blue velvet suit, or a sheath dress with short jacket, and matching clutch that is adorned with rhinestones. I would also call it a "modified" pillbox, and agree with Barbara's thoughts as to placement. But hats can be flexible on how you wear them, so, as she says, try it some different ways.

Funny, I saw serpents in the coils. I would name this hat "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil," as that is one of the first phrases that came into my head when I saw it.... (Yes, I'm weird, I know.)
 
It sounds as if you are describing a wool knit over the felt base. Now, I am not anywhere near as knowledgeable as Barbara and Jonathan, but I have many, many hats and most (not all) of the ones I have that are knitted wool are from the 60s and later. So I wonder if that might put this more into the early 60s than the mid to late 50s?
 
Hi,

Those Hodge hats on the Flicker link you provided are not WWII era, they are all 1950's and early 1960's hats. The person who posted those is incorrect on their dating.

I assumed (duh) the hat was dark blue velvet, sorry. Can you possibly post a close up photo of the blue ribbed "wool" material. I cannot imagine why ribbed wool knit would have been used on this hat...but if it was custom made to match a suit it is possible.

Now I am really really curious to see a close up.

Barbara
 
I hope you can see this.. I outlined a piece on the hat that separates the top from the bottom that is like piping but the same material as the rest of the hat, then the top, sides, and brim are covered in (I'm pretty sure) a wool sweater like fabric. The interior of the hat is a gold lame like material. Maybe there was a navy blue wool dress with a sweater to match or a wool suit of some kind.

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well.. it is all moot now as I put the hat up for sale this morning and it sold in three hours. I must have had a fair price on it. :) It's off to its new home overseas!
 
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