The hats we sell at Lost Art Press are likely the dumbest corporate self-promotional item ever.
We don’t have our company’s name on the hat. Nor our web site’s url. Catchy slogan? Nope. The only thing on the hat is a set of embroidered dividers taken from Joseph Moxon’s “Mechanick Exercises.”
Heck we don’t even make much money selling the hats. They’re premium caps from Adams – the same brand that Thos. Moser uses.
But I love my hat. It saved me $200.
Let’s back up a couple months. During a nasty snowstorm I pulled my wife’s Honda into our driveway and put it into park as I was still sliding a bit. The car’s shift interlock went haywire. Bottom line: The transmission was jammed in “park” and wouldn’t budge.
Thanks to a little trick from the Honda people I bypassed the lock and was able to get the car into “drive” and took it to the dealer. They recommended replacing a solenoid and a few other routine maintenance things I’ve been putting off. Price: $300.
So I sat my hinder down in the lobby as they worked on the truck. An hour later the service manager fetched me.
“The bill was $300,” he tells me. Then he lowers his voice. “But seeing as how you’re in the brotherhood, the bill is $100.”
I’m bewildered, but I’m not not so stupid as to ask questions. I pay the bill. I drive home.
I told my wife the story and she figured it out: It was my Lost Art Press hat. The dividers are part of the traditional Masonic symbol. The service manager assumed I was a Mason and cut me a deal.
Sweet!
Next up: Lost Art Press T-shirts featuring the logo of the Trilateral Commission.
— Christopher Schwarz
P.S. If you want to buy one of our “money hats” visit the Apparel section of our site. The hats are $16.
The Masons are cool, but do NOT mess with the TriLats. They can bring down your bank in a heartbeat! (Hey, wait a minute. Maybe a couple of years ago they were upset you didn’t use their logo for your hats…)
$16 bucks seems a bit steep… Any discounts if you’re "in the brotherhood?"
A $16 hat that can save you $200 the first time you wear it is too steep?
This hat will SAVE you money. And we have these super-absorbent towels, too.
Chris
Chris,
Had a similar situation involving one of your hats. Unfortunately for me though, it didn’t involve any money savings.
I was having breakfast and reading the paper at a local spot, and a complete stranger came walking up to my table and asked: "So exactly what does a guy have to do to become a member?" My wife and I had discussed the symbol’s "other use" earlier so I immediately sensed what he was asking. I slowly finished chewing my mouthful of toast, looked up to him and said "Not much really, just enjoy working with your hands." The bewildered look on his face was worth twice the price of the hat!
Chris & John
What about the next Tee having a #4 smoother with with the lettering underneath "clothes officer"
Plain Clothes Officer 😉
jeff
LOL @ super absorbent towels…….this past winters snowstorms were indeed a blessing to me as well, i finally scored a period american william & mary gateleg table. How? because collectors could not get online to bid, who cares about some old table when you are in the dark, cold and with very little to eat in the house.
Can these hats help me score period american furniture pieces? if so, i might order several.