Posted 14 years ago
bgrantland
(1 item)
I collect hats, and have around a dozen by Jack McConnell, my favorite milliner. Most of them are the "Styled by Jack McConnell" red feather originals, but I have a few Jack McConnell Boutique hats too. I've been trying to find out anything I can about him, but have not been able to find out much. In all the research I've done in books and on the internet I have only seen those two labels - the red feather "Styled by Jack McConnell, New York" and "Jack McConnell Boutique."
I just bought this hat on Ebay, and the label says "Its for the Birds, Jack McConnell." His name is in the familiar script. The words are machine embroidered in a pinkish red on a green woven label. See the photo above. The body of the wool felt hat is stamped Lancaster, which I found from internet research to be a company that manufactured hat bodies that were sometimes used by other designers in the 1960s-1980s. There is also a Saks Fifth Avenue label in the hat.
Anyone have any information about this mystery label? Also, I'd like to know more about Jack McConnell. Is he still alive? When was he creating the red feather originals? How long was he still designing hats for Jack McConnell Boutique? I know that the Jack McConnell Boutique label is now owned by a mass producer of hats, and they put out a line of new hats every season. I read on the internet that the red feather sewn under the "Styled by Jack McConnell" label means the hat was a one-of-a-kind creation by Jack himself, and that celebrities often commissioned hats by him. That's about all I know about him. If you know any other facts, or leads to how I could find out more, please let me know.
Brenda
Look's like someone shoved a knife blade throught the Hat.
Please see http://www.shopgoodwill.com/viewItem.asp?ItemID=8140809
I too am looking for info on him. This is a different label style and had a real red feather stuck to it (unknown if by accident or design). The flowers and leaves on this one looked also like the ones on a hat "Moneypenny" wore to the races in the Janes Bond movie- "A View to a Kill" but I have not been able to find out who did the hats for the movie.
I have a black floppy felt hat with ostrich feathers around rim, was bought at garfinkles in nyc. Still in box. says styled by jack connell. have a matching vintage st john evening by saks that matches... where do these need to be sold?
That's funny, Dee Dee - I bid on that same hat. I'm glad you got it. I now have about 13 Jack McConnell hats, and I've gathered some information about him. The "red feather" label that says "Styled by Jack McConnell New York" means it was a one-of-a-kind hat designed by Jack McConnell. Often they were commissioned for particular people. The "Jack McConnell Boutique" label means it was a hat designed by him or his staff that they made a number of copies of. Even though Jack is dead, the Jack McConnell Boutique label (which is owned by another company now) puts out new hats each season, making a large number of each design. For that reason they are not collectible like the red feather label hats. That white bubble toque that Dee Dee bought is from the 1960s, I'm fairly certain.
I have never been able to find out anything about the It's For the Birds label, but I suspect it was very early in Jack's career.
Tammie, if you want to send me a picture of your hat, I might be interested in buying it. Here is my email address: bgrantland1@comcast.net.
I have a photo gallery of Jack McConnell hats on my website, as well as a "Hatalog" gallery of other vintage hats in my collection. See http://brendagrantland.com/gallery.
Brenda
I am looking for info about my recent purchase. It's a gold lame turbin style that has overlapping lame leaves each with a rhinestone tip. It has the infamous red feather under the label. Very glamorous suitable for formal evening or a gala. Would love to know approximate value and any additional info such as period it came from.
Vanderbilt, I'd have to see the hat to give you an idea of the approximate value, but if it has a red feather under the "Styled by Jack McConnell" label it was probably made in the 1960s -1980s. The prices for those hats today range from $100 or so (for the less fancy) to $800 or $950 -- if it is especially beautiful or unusual and some collector really wants it. If you want to see some GREAT Jack McConnell hats, the collection of the late Mrs. Mary Waters of Jacksonville, Florida is being listed on Hatatorium Emporium. Her heir hasn't finished listing them all (she left him about 100) but the ones that are listed already are amazing! Some of her hats were custom made, even rarer and more valuable than the red feather label hats. Here is the link to the Jack McConnells there http://hatatoriumemporium.com/browse.php?id=393
bgrantland,
Recently I have come into the possession of a few Jack McConnell hats, and I was wondering if you could help me find any information on them. Many have the red feather tag and one or two have the boutique tag. They are pretty unique and I have not been able to find very similar hats. I was wondering if you may be able to give me an idea of what kind of value these have? Here is an album of all the red feather hats: http://imgur.com/a/qKkfB
I appreciate your help!
-Zack
Zack - you have some really beautiful hats there. The Styled by Jack McConnell New York "red feather" hats in excellent condition are currently worth $100 to several hundred dollars each. I think they still have the theoretical values I quoted to Vanderbilt above, they are not selling for those prices right now. I've been watching Jack McConnells on eBay and though many sellers price them in the range of $300 - $600 or even $1,200, right now they aren't moving at those prices. Sales of those high end hats seem to be stagnant right now in all venues - probably because of the recession.
Brenda and all hat lovers. George Zamau'l has a website and designs and sells gorgeous and some outrageous hats in all colors that fashionable lady would wear. Go to his website and order to your heart's delight. They are quality. He designed hats for Jack McConnell and was his protege. The Jack McConnell hats currently being made are usually, boring, and dull and unimaginative. I own wear a lot of Jack McConnell and George Zamau'l hats. Everyone should wear a glamorous hat.