Has anyone purchased the 'official' Poet Fedora from Herbert Johnson?

indytim

Member
Browsing around the internet today I was informed that Herbert Johnson (which has joined Swaine Adeney Brigg) are now selling their own Indiana Jones 'Poet' hat. This sale of the 'official hat' is news to me and I wondered if anyone on here has purchased one.

I have to admit that the photos on the website don't exactly 'wow' me (see here ... http://www.swaineadeneybrigg.com/store/herbert-johnson/poet-hat/poet-hat) and visually I much prefer the look of the Streets of Cairo Fedora by adVintage Fedora (https://www.replix.de/fedora-hats/advintage-fedoras/1311/streets-of-cairo-fedora).

Any thoughts?

swaine_adeney_brigg_-_indy_hat_3-4.jpg
 

Major West

Member
As far as I know they've always been selling it. From the block that was made for The Last Crusade (the Raiders block went missing).

If they are using the same materials then yes, it is 'The Hat'.

I think it's just the price that puts people off and there are many very good cheaper alternatives. As you you've noted versions produced by fans bashed and made screen accurate by fans.

If you buy the Herbert Johnson from replix it seems to not only be cheaper but you can order it bashed into the film style you want.

You could do the bashes yourself with a the Herbert Johnson hat of course.
 
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davidafshar

New member
Herbert Johnson is undergoing a rebirth as a custom bespoke hatter. All handmade. Check out their Facebook for updates. Though they haven't shipped yet, the new Indy hats look much better than the factory made ones they've been offering for years. Much more accurate. So, if you're really wanting an HJ, I'd say snag one of the new ones on pre-order.
 

eazybox

Member
Apparently HJ has found the original Raiders block, which went missing shortly after the film's production and remained lost for many years. Club Obi Wan has an ongoing thread about it.

Jack
 

eazybox

Member
It is a convoluted story, but it all does seem to make sense, and the new hats look very good. You can see some samples on their Facebook page, Herbert Johnson Hatters Piccadilly, and on COW. They're even going to offer the Grey Clipper hat. COW also was authorized to post a photo of the legendary block, which is described (by the HJ hatter who discovered it) as unusually asymmetrical.

Jack
 

indytim

Member
eazybox said:
It is a convoluted story, but it all does seem to make sense, and the new hats look very good. You can see some samples on their Facebook page, Herbert Johnson Hatters Piccadilly, and on COW. They're even going to offer the Grey Clipper hat. COW also was authorized to post a photo of the legendary block, which is described (by the HJ hatter who discovered it) as unusually asymmetrical.

Jack

Excuse my ignorance but what is COW? Another forum?
 

eazybox

Member
indytim said:
Excuse my ignorance but what is COW? Another forum?

COW (Club Obi Wan) is the forum for Indygear.com, a site which focuses on serious research into all aspects of Indy's costume. Steve Delk (who ended up being chosen to make the hats for CRYSTAL SKULL) and John Penman were longtime members and contributors to COW before becoming successful professional hatters. Tony Nowak (who made the jackets for CS) Peter Botwright of Wested and Todd Coyle of Todd's Costumes are among other well-known present or past COW members.

Just to follow up on what was discussed above, I received my new Raiders hat from HJ a couple of weeks ago and yes, it was made on the original Raiders block. Either that, or HJ has managed to produce the most dead-on accurate replica I've seen in many years of looking. ;) For full information and photos, see the thread HERBERT JOHNSON REBOOT on COW.

Jack
 

Glenville86

New member
The fedora looks great but not sure I would pay that much.

I bought a beaver Kingdom fedora from Steve at Adventurebuilt awhile back. Same fedora he made for the movie and the same block as Ford's fedora (same size as mine). The fedora was around 650 USD.

After getting the Fedora, I found myself kind of questioning the price I paid for it. To be honest, I actually like my AdVintage beaver and Northwest Hats Beaver Indy ones better. When ordered, the AdVintage beaver was around 300 USD and the Northwest 225 USD.

I also have a Stetson Fortune and Glory Indy I like to wear. Actually have too many hats.......:D

I guess it just depends on the buyer and how much you want to spend. I went the route of getting the movie fedora from the original maker and found I really was just paying more for the name. Quality was no better than my cheaper ones.
 

eazybox

Member
Glenville86 said:
The fedora looks great but not sure I would pay that much.

I bought a beaver Kingdom fedora from Steve at Adventurebuilt awhile back. Same fedora he made for the movie and the same block as Ford's fedora (same size as mine). The fedora was around 650 USD.

After getting the Fedora, I found myself kind of questioning the price I paid for it. To be honest, I actually like my AdVintage beaver and Northwest Hats Beaver Indy ones better. When ordered, the AdVintage beaver was around 300 USD and the Northwest 225 USD.

I also have a Stetson Fortune and Glory Indy I like to wear. Actually have too many hats.......:D

I guess it just depends on the buyer and how much you want to spend. I went the route of getting the movie fedora from the original maker and found I really was just paying more for the name. Quality was no better than my cheaper ones.

Yes, it all depends on your priorities. If you are a collector, you'll want the authentic hat made with the original felt and color on the original block. If you just want a nice looking hat for everyday wear, the lower cost options will do nicely. It is somewhat ironic that the Indy gear hobby started out because people could not find the original hat, and now that the original hat is finally available, there are so many other choices that some people are saying, "Who needs the original?" :)

The Raiders fedora has a very tall crown which does not suit every face. You can shape the crown lower, of course, but you can get the same effect by simply buying one of the lower-cost replicas, most of which come with lower crowns anyway. HJ also has made lower crowns available for those who request them. When you order a hat made on the original Raiders block, you are getting the fedora as it looked new, before being "put through the mill" of making an action movie. The hat seen at the beginning of Raiders, outside of the temple, appears almost new, with little distressing.

There was little consistency in the screen-used Raiders hats, and this is one reason why there was so much confusion and debate concerning it over the years. In some scenes you see the tall crown, in others it is lower. This is probably due to a large extent on the heavy distressing that the screen-used hats underwent.

Jack
 
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Glenville86

New member
Agree 100% if you are a collector or like me wanted a movie fedora made by the same person/company who supplied them. My opinion has nothing against HJ or Adventurebuilt products. I know both offer lower cost (rabbit) options. Original was rabbit anyway.

I have a couple of the Raiders fedora. Height does not bother me. Just never warmed up to the pinch on that particular fedora. I still wear mine every so often but like the bashes on the other movie ones better. :)
 

Major West

Member
If you buy Herbert Johnsons slightly less expensive *factory* Poet you're still getting The Last Crusade version of the hat made with the LC Block.

Good idea, because you can get both versions of the Hat from HJ now.
 

eazybox

Member
Major West said:
If you buy Herbert Johnsons slightly less expensive *factory* Poet you're still getting The Last Crusade version of the hat made with the LC Block.

Good idea, because you can get both versions of the Hat from HJ now.

Apparently the main TEMPLE OF DOOM hat has also been identified. According to the research done by HJ's new production planner, the TEMPLE hat was manufactured by Borsalino, but supplied to that film by Herbert Johnson. I understand it is still available and can be purchased from Peters Brothers as their "Michaelson" model. These are good times for fans of the fedora, as all four original movie hats are now available.

Jack
 

Drones33

New member
Major West said:
If you buy Herbert Johnsons slightly less expensive *factory* Poet you're still getting The Last Crusade version of the hat made with the LC Block.

Good idea, because you can get both versions of the Hat from HJ now.

Is the factory version available from HJ, or is that the one Advintage sells?
 

eazybox

Member
Drones33 said:
Is the factory version available from HJ, or is that the one Advintage sells?

Only HJ would have the original block; the Advantage would be a reconditioned HJ. But the felt on the current HJ Poet is not the same as that which they used for LAST CRUSADE, which was very stiff, almost like cowboy hat felt.

Jack
 

Major West

Member
Drones33 said:
Is the factory version available from HJ, or is that the one Advintage sells?

http://www.swaineadeneybrigg.com/store/herbert-johnson/fedora-hats

I'm assuming it's the 'light Poet' hat on this page, although it's not being advertised as the LC version of the hat.


eazybox said:
Apparently the main TEMPLE OF DOOM hat has also been identified. According to the research done by HJ's new production planner, the TEMPLE hat was manufactured by Borsalino, but supplied to that film by Herbert Johnson. I understand it is still available and can be purchased from Peters Brothers as their "Michaelson" model. These are good times for fans of the fedora, as all four original movie hats are now available.

Jack

That is exciting news!
 
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eazybox

Member
indytim said:

Yes, this is the luxury beaver version. Actually, for complete authenticity, all you need is their less expensive rabbit version, which is made of the identical felt used in the movie. A beaver hat made on the same block as a rabbit hat supposedly looks a little bit different. Don't ask me why, I'm not a hatter. ;) That's what Penman and Delk say, though, and they use separate blocks for beaver and rabbit to compensate for the discrepancy.

At any rate, I don't see how beaver could be that much of an improvement on this rabbit felt. It has the best buttery-soft feel of any hat I've owned, yet retains its shape once bashed to your taste-- though admittedly not quite like the best beaver hats, which are almost as easy to shape as modeling clay.

Jack
 
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