Frank Olive

C

Colleen

Registered Guest
Hello to Everyone.

I just became a new member tonight.

I found this link thru someone on ebay.

What can anyone tell me about Frank Olive? Believe it or not I found this felt hat in the children' s toys at a thrift. It is felt and I am not sure of the hat style yet(still looking) Who and what is Frank Olive.
Thank You.
 
Hi Colleen and Welcome!
I'm not much help but one of the hat people or horse people (Kentucky Derby folllowers anyway) might be able to give you some more insight.
Frank Olive

Karen
 
Karen beat me to it!

Unfortunately, I'm not a hat person either, but I'm sure someone will be along that can help you Colleen........and Welcome!

Can you post a pic of the hat and the label?

Sue:)
 
Welcome, Colleen! I associate Frank Olive with Kentucky Derby hats. Beyond that, I'm not too familiar with them. I'd love to see a photo or two --- that would help date it and determine its style.
 
I have a Frank Olive Tam and scarf set its marked Franks Girl. Used to be collectors out there for his items don't know if that is still true.
 
I had a great Frank Olive ladies hat that was made for Bonwit Teller - haven't read the link yet on the KD - but make sure to look for the signature pink inner band. (in fact, i can't wait to see what the ladies will come up with this year at churchill downs) Depending on style and look, there is a following for him on ebay, so to get more examples, search for "Frank Olive" in titles and descriptions. I find that they don't always go for tip top dollar, but they always sell.

And BTW Colleen - <BOLD>WELCOME!!!!!!!</BOLD>

Chris
 
I live in Louisville, only a couple of miles form Churchill Downs. Frank Olive hats are very big here at Derby Time. The popular ones are wide brimmed straws that make a big statement.

Mr. Olive used to come and do a style show here most years. I met him once - very nice man, a gentleman of the Old School. The ladies looooved him. Once I was providing vintage looks on local celebrities to punctuate the sections of the show. When one model didn't show I ended up wearing the 1952 black faille coat dress myself. Mr Olive saw me and said - There's Miss New Look!

He passsed away a couple years ago, but his line is still being made. And indeed there was a trunk show here very recently.

Now as to interest in felt or winter hats - that I don't know. He is a name that people recognize and one that I would put in the title of the lisiting. But as to a starting bid - that would be hard to say.

Hollis
 
I don't know if Colleen was necessarily looking to sell it, or was jsut interested in him. No matter what the hat, you can pretty much count on that it is solidly made, nice stuff, no matter what the style is. It's just great.
I personally like the felt hats, etc, because i can actually enjoy them and walk down the street wearing them, and people say nice hat, but it is not anything that would cause a car accident : ) I wore them religiously when i lived up North, but now the only use they get is when i visit the Fam over the holidays. I was so excited by the cold snap we had, but it was still not wool hat weather : (

That was great to have met Mr. Olive himself. Thanks for sharing!!

I am always fascinated by Derby styles. I used to have a pic from the newspaper of a lady a few years back with a model of churchill downs on her bonnet, and another with horses on wires "rotating" around her. That was my favorite one and she had huge "My Fair Lady" esque ribbons attaching the big thing to her head so it would not fall off. If i were to do that, i would have dressed to the nines, but i did see someone with tshirt and jeans...then the outlandish hat like they were merely wearing a cheese head for a packer's game in the fall.

Funny thing...my parents asked me where i wanted to go on vacation if i could go anywhere (at age 8) and I said Churchill Downs. When i was 13/14, or was I 15? they finally took me! It wasn't Derby time, and wasn't even racing season. still got to see it, the KD museum (i started to collect derby glasses from that day forward. I snapped a few up at the museum and at a second hand store there). I wanted to display them somewhere proudly in the house, but right now they are wrapped up until i put something in the office for them. (needless to say, if anyone is cleaning out their house and has some they are yard saling, you know who to call!)
Its more of a casual thing - i grab em when i find em, i don't go to auctions in search of the really old ones, et al.

Anyway, when i went, John Henry was still alive and I was so psyched to visit him at the Kentucky Horse Park. Of course, my brother (who would have been 8-ish) was just a tiny bit bored the whole time, but had more fun than he admits. as a consolation, we stopped at King's Island in Ohio on the way down, so that gave him no excuse to claim boredom the ENTIRE time.

anyways....a little OT....but derby day is coming up in just a few weeks, so get your hats ready LOL

chris
 
Oh yes- You are right - I forgot to mention his hats are always top quality.

Derby Hats can be ANYTHING! Some are really tasteful and attractive, then there's the show stoppers, the oddballs and then the downright wacky!

Totally OT - I saw John Henry, too - and Cigar. John Henry was a difficult horse to handle- the stablehands had a lot of stories. I also had my hand nuzzled by Real Quiet - he won just a few years ago. And we got to see Seattle Slew - he had had surgery and his owners were actually at the stud farm, walking him around out in a field. They were pretty neat people - said in the paper that everything they had in life came from Slew, and as far as they were concerned he didn't owe them a thing. If he never stood at stud again, that was okay by them. He died a few months later.

Hollis
 
I remember when he died. He was so lucky to have some really classy owners who loved him, that is for sure! I won't even speak about a certain horse whose name starting with the letter "F" that i was horrified to hear of his passing.

They still have the old peeling "Home of Gate Dancer" sign off the interstate up here. they actually have a "horses only" airport around here too, which I thought was very interesting.

anyways, i would be interested if anyone here knows of anyone who will be in attendence at the KD and wearing a hat, or if not, attends any sort of party where the hats will be worn.. i would be interested in seeing some photos posted.

chris
 
Just got back into the boards.

Yes I am going to have to find a picture hosting site. I do not know Html stuff. I do have a digital camera. Any recommendations on a picture hosting site for those of us who are not html literate. I need to find a free class on doing this. I would love to display a picture.

Yes I have around 20 vintage hats in my collection. Just started out. Yesterday I bought one styrofoam head to display them on. Just wanted to see how that would work.
The styrofoam head has eye, ear and nose features just not distinct. The hat look nice displayed on the head. I may have to go buy more of them. They were $2.99 at a beauty supply shop.

Back to Frank Olive. I had never heard of him before. My daughter was looking at the toys in a GW bin and the hat was just sitting there. I paid $1.00 for it. It is beautiful and looks like it was never worn. Dark burgandy felt with outside 3 inch wide navy ribbon. A plain label with Frank Olive and the inner pink ribbon that was mentioned. It is not a flamboyant hat, very classy and tasteful looking. One side of the brim is bent up and secured by a felt shoe string type bow. That is sewed to hold the shape.

I have not found any books on vintage hats in my area. Does anyone have a suggestion of a book on hats for me to buy or get from the library. I really enjoy the history of the labels. I like to read about how they started and ended the business and all that between.

What is the best way to care for vintage hats?

I presently have them in a cupboard in climate controlled room. No sunlight can get to them.

Thank you for all the answers. I will try to do some research on Frank Olive now. Did not know he was connected with the Derby.
Colleen
 
Hi Colleen and welcome to VFG!

Sorry...can't help with Frank Olive. :(

But I did want to let you know that you can get free photo hosting with Village Photos....I think you can store up to 25 pics before you have to upgrade to a paid account (first upgrade is only $3.95/mo). It does resize pics for you which is great if you don't have an editing program.

Village Photos

Good luck!
Christine
 
Hi Colleen, and welcome to VFG! Regarding the milliner Frank Olive, fuzzylizzie has a very nice description right here on VFG's Label Resource section. He was very well thought of, his heyday being ca. 1950s-70s, tho he continued into the 90s.
As far as books on hats go, I've just finished the 2nd edition of Vintage Hats & Bonnets 1770-1970 - over 400 pgs of professionally photographed hats of all kinds and descriptions as well as hat info, which I hope will be helplful to any hat fancier! You can google Susan Langley books to find out where to get the best price, and more info. Sue
 
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