An Open Road won!! It has Finally arived!! (Now fortified with pics)

[havershaw]

That Open Road is awesome. I'm jealous in one big way: Pomeroy's is still in business, here in Mesa, in the same building they've always been in, and that's who tailors my suits. How cool is that? I only have one hat that I know the shop it came from, and that's the Ambassador Hotel in LA.

 

[Visigoth]

Which were the top of the line Open Roads? I've found one in my size, a 7x Clear Beaver from 1950 -- is this as good as it gets?

 

[DanielJones]

That Open Road is awesome. I'm jealous in one big way: Pomeroy's is still in business, here in Mesa, in the same building they've always been in, and that's who tailors my suits. How cool is that? I only have one hat that I know the shop it came from, and that's the Ambassador Hotel in LA.

Thanks Havershaw. It's good to know that the shop that originally sold the hat is still in business. This one made a short trip over to Apple Valley California. Between Mesa & there I'm not too sure where it may have gone. If only they could talk. I guess the next time I'm in the Mesa area I'll have to go to Pomeroy's with this lid.

Cheers!

Dan

 

[tonyb]

Which were the top of the line Open Roads? I've found one in my size, a 7x Clear Beaver from 1950 -- is this as good as it gets?

Close to it, I'd guess. What kinda shape is it in? And how did you determine it dates from 1950? I ask because we OR aficionados get stymied on dating our lids, seeing how the sweatbands and liners and bows and even the crown and brim dimensions vary so much, and few of those characteristics seem absolutely definitive of a particular era. Anything you could offer as to no-doubt-about-it-1950 characteristics might help clarify matters.

 

[Visigoth]

Well, in the interest of shared knowledge (and at the risk of losing it to another Lounger), here it is:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8423234364

It has a receipt, dating it precisely to 1950.

I'm still wavering on whether or not to buy it -- seems a touch small for me.

 

[tonyb]

Well, Visigoth, that would seem pretty darned good evidence to me. And I promise, I won't go near it.

 

[Matt Deckard]

One of the more timeless hat styles that doesn't seam to go away. the fact that it doesn't have the LBJ crease and it has a higher crown makes it look 50's, though the liner logo is what I have seen in later models

 

[Marc Chevalier]

A tough decision to make, Visigoth. It has everything going for it except its size.

.

 

[tonyb]

Hey Visigoth, how 'bout editing out that link, at least while the auction is still "live"? We've seen the liner and sweatband, so at least those of us who stumbled on it have a pretty good idea of what a circa 1950 7X OR looks like. You could always post it after the sale is done.

 

[Visigoth]

I've decided to pass on it... so, feel free to pounce!

 

[tonyb]

Hey DJ, I wonder if that liner might have been glued in by some latter-day "renovator." I look forward to seeing the pictures.

 

[tonyb]

Geez, the order of postings is a bit out of whack. At first I thought it was the beer ...

 

[DanielJones]

Hopefully this shows up in the right order...

Here's a few photos after some shaping. I'll have a few later in action.

Sorry about the gorrillas arm in those shots. Those are all I have for the time being. More to come.
The glue looks to be original manufacture. There are just four dollops front rear & the sides to hold it in place. They're about the size of a dress shirt button.
I looked up Pomeroy's Men's Store on line and it appears that it is a missionary supply store. Runned by missionaries for missionaries. Very interesting. Although the hat looks like it was never worn, it may have gone on a mission in a forign country. Like I've said before, if these things could talk the stories they could tell. Some great some not so hot.

Cheers!

Dan

 

[DanielJones]

Here it is...

The 3X Open Road has finally arrived! Sorry, no photos just yet, I had just picked it up from the post office this morning. The box that it was shipped in was in sorry shape, so I was worried that the hat was smashed but it made it through unscathed. It looked like a gorrilla had tried to sneak a peak at what was inside the box and then got mad because he couldn't see anything and then sat on the box just for good measure.
Anyway, the Open Road as you know is Originally from Pomory's in Mesa, AZ and has a $20 price tag under the sweat band. The liner is glued in with a few dabs of glue, so it makes me think this is from either the 60's or 70's. Though I'm probably wrong about this since I don't know when they started gluing in the liners, could very well be from the 50's. Any of our experts care to weigh in on the age of this lid?
The sweatband is a nice thick leather that is very soft and supple. The back side of the sweat band is sueded to feel like a velvet, and has a purple stamp on it that I think reads either JBC or LBC in a little shield. No gold line at the top either.
The felt on this one feels a lot like my Adam Premier. Fairly thin with a velvety texture but with some stiffness & snap. All in all it feels quite nice.
On the back of the sizing tag it is marked with the following: "United Hatters Cap & Millinery W'krs. Int. Union. Registered".
It looks like it has never been worn, like it lived it's life in a box in the back of a closet. Well it is going to get worn now. At 7 1/8 it is a tad snug front to back, but it seems to fit like a snug 7 1/4 on me. So with a little steam & my stretcher I should have a perfectly fitting lid.
Once I get some shape into it I'll post the pics. I think this is the hat I'm wearing to our family's Disneyland trip this next week. Should be great fun.

Cheers!

Dan

 

[DanielJones]

I think I have found my new favorite next to my Adam Premier. Very little stretching was needed for a perfect fit. Considering the age of the hat I thought there would be more stretching needed to get it to fit right. Just goes to show, you never can tell.

Knowing my luck though, the next hat I purchase will probably end up looking like one of Ed Wynn's hats.lol

Cheers!

Dan

 

[DanielJones]

Geez, the order of postings is a bit out of whack. At first I thought it was the beer ...

I think the posting order is back on track again.[huh]

Cheers!

Dan

 

[tonyb]

It's a good-looking OR, DJ, and a good look for you. I like the way you've shaped that crown.

 

[DanielJones]

Thank you sir, most appreciated.

Cheers!

Dan

 

[havershaw]

very very nice, sir!
Looks just like my Open Road (well, it belongs to the highest bidder, now). Mine always seemed a tough gigantic for my face. I'm sure eventually I'll find one more suited to my dimensions.

 

[DanielJones]

very very nice, sir!
Looks just like my Open Road (well, it belongs to the highest bidder, now). Mine always seemed a tough gigantic for my face. I'm sure eventually I'll find one more suited to my dimensions.

Well thank you Havershaw! I think I have seen that one on e-bay, and contenplated putting a bid on it, but with two hats already bought and a trip to Disneyland coming up, well you know how it goes. Must save one's duckets for the trip.
I must say though, those are some beautiful hats you sold, especially that open road, it looked quite soft and luxurious. I believe you had a Stratoliner in that collection too that was quite a gem. Too bad it was too small for my knoggin. Well, I hope that they all went to good homes.

Cheers!

Dan