A assessment of the designation "Nutria Quality"

[Levallois]

For those interested in what exactly "Nutria Quality" might mean vis-a-vis Beaver hats, take a look at this catalog from 1940:

http://books.google.com/books?id=OM...&oi=book_result&resnum=10&ct=result#PPA152,M1

In the Stetson hat section there are two Nutria Quality hats - the Teton and the Sierra. It appears, based on price, that "Nutria Quality" was just about the same as 3X Beaver and both are a lot more than "No. 1 Quality" hats.

Not exactly the definitive answer but puts these hats into some kind of perspective.

John

 

[PabloElFlamenco]

Mon Cher Levallois,
Thanks your intevention; it provides yet one more angle at the ongoing reconstruction of lost recent history (never knew it could be so difficult retracing something as mythically Americana as Stetson hats!)

Hatwise, my vantage point is at the outer fringe of the milky way. Anything I write can be based only upon the small series of hats I own, and anything beyond that is to be considered "educated hearsay", educated because I grant credibility to others who are enthusiastic about hats, felts and such.

It comes as no surprise to me that the "nutria quality" hat in the advertisement is expensive.

The "nutria hat" I have is, quite simply, the best hat I have. Leaving aside the appearance of the hat (pure 1940 good guy Tom Mix, to most a preposterous piece of kit, definitely not in tune with the times nor the place in the self-promoted "Capital of Europe" incapable of running itself), it is the felt that is so remakable. To me "malleable" is the most important characteristic of that felt. Poke it with your finger, the felt reflects that. Push your thumb and index onto opposing sides of the crown, yep, that's the pinch it takes. Simply incredible: no need for steam at all to give this crown any shape you would want to impart to it! I assume this hat is from the "mercury" era.

Beyond that, the felt is smooth and soft. Not as "surface-soft" as my Stetson 100 (this hat dates back to the post-mercury era). Whilst that Stetson 100 is a wonderful hat, with excellent felt, I rate the "nutria" even higher. And the nutria hat is much lighter in weight, remarkably light.

One day the pieces of history will fall into a coherent whole!

Paul



Admittedly, I do not have any 100% beaver hat to compare with.

 

[Levallois]

Paul,

I appreciate your reply. Your Tom Mix hat sounds interesting - is it "nutria quality" or "clear nutria?" Also, wouldn't your Stetson 100 be 100 percent Beaver?

If you want some place to wear the Tom Mix hat, you could go to a "local" Single Action Shooting Society club shoot and show it off. Unfortunately, I don't think there is a club in Belgium but I think there are clubs in France and Germany that may not be too far away. I don't know what your gun laws are like but you'd have to buy the proper Colt and Winchester clone firearms if you wanted to actually participate in the matches.

John

 

[PabloElFlamenco]

John, it is "REAL nutria quality" (edited this!). About a "100" being all-beaver, quite frankly, I don't know, I should research that, but it could of course very well be the case.
Our gun laws in the same class as out-laws...
but of course there's replicas, I guess with the red muzzle-muzzle and, well, I have a certain interest in "historic" recreation(al) groups, like in "Napoleon" (Waterloo is in Belgium, 15 km from my house) or, quite less sympathetic, German camo (which you don't see much - of course).