WW2 British Slouch / Bush hats

**Jerry B** · 01-28-2014, 03:37 PM

great slouchies mate, good to see them.

**Unionjack** · 02-01-2014, 06:10 PM

Been offered a slouch hat today but the owner doesn't know how much to ask for it, and I didn't know how much to offer for it! Advice would be appreciated.

It's heavy, double thickness brim bound with cloth edging, marked inside on press stud with "CARR AUST", No sweatband inside. 3 vent holes each side, arranged as two uppers with brown metal eyelets and one lower hole without eyelet, the lower hole being covered by the pugarree. Pug is many folded. Below pug is a narrow plaited leather band.
The side press-studed up displays a black rectangle of wool with embroidered Stafford Knot with Prince of Wales feathers above in white, "NORTH STAFFORD" below in red. Shows lot's of age but is in good order.

I'd like an idea of it's age, and it's value please. Sorry I have no photo, but I think I have provided a pretty good description!

**Unionjack** · 02-03-2014, 07:25 PM

Well, from looking at the other slouch hat threads I think it's an Australian made WW2 hat due to the brown eyelets and CARR AUST press stud. I wonder if the khaki bound edge to the brim indicates an early made item or a private purchase item?
If it helps the brim is double layered but where the female part of the press stud fits to it the upper layer is cut away in a square, the stud being fitted within it to the bottom layer only. Hope that makes sense.

**Jerry B** · 02-03-2014, 07:34 PM

Double thickness brims are typical of Gurkha used examples I think, though the flash might not be. Sounds likely to be WWII and obviously Aussie made.

Value is a difficult question to answer, but Aussie used Aussie made tend to be the most expensive to buy, but any with its original flash tend to command a better price than those missing their flash, but condition and missing its liner lowers the value so maybe a wide ballpark of £150-200. To be honest, it is very hard to put a price on it, but most dealers have most examples from WWII in the price range I mentioned.

Also it depends if your buying or selling.

**Unionjack** · 02-03-2014, 07:56 PM

Hmm. Seeing as Gurkha hats don't have the press stud fitting, maybe the stud has been added later, that would explain the small section cut out of one layer of the brim to enable the stud to be fitted.
Parhaps it's merely an Ausie press stud, rather than an AUssie hat.

**Jerry B** · 02-03-2014, 08:00 PM

Or someone added the extra layer for some reason. A shame you can't post some pics.

**Unionjack** · 02-03-2014, 09:20 PM

Sorry, I don't have the hat so can't take any. I've handled it though. I don't think a layers been added, or if it has it was done 70 years ago. Also the edging does not look amateur.

At Stoneleigh yesterday I saw one for £160 and one for £200. They were both lighter 'issue' examples though with war dated sweatbands. To be honest I didn't realise they were worth that much or I wouldn't have shown interest in this one. I don't want to rip the owner off but don't want to pay that much either.

**Ocad** · 02-05-2014, 11:59 AM

by NunoGTI

Hi

That is a beautiful hat, does it still have its sweatband?
Cheers
Nuno

Thanks, I am really happy with it. Unfortunately it doesn't have the sweatband. Would have been nice to date it better and maybe get a name.....

**Ocad** · 02-05-2014, 12:05 PM

John, you have some great examples. It is also interesting what you say about the Gurkha hats. Btw, how is the badge attached to the hat on the 2nd Division one?