Bradford Ltd. - a mystery? Where are the Bradford hats?

[DaveProc]

 

[aniBlue]

Here is what I know about Bradford hats. They was indeed sold through out Texas, and at least one Texas hat company in Brownwood, Texas that sold hats to Texas Rangers as well as the Texas Department of Safety aka State Troopers. The hats also came in several different styles and colors, as I have one that belonged to my late Father. Bradford Hats could be bought in both Straw and Beaver Felt, and possibly rabbit felt just like any other brand of hat. The thing to know is that most hat makers used whatever, box they on hand. So a Bradford hat may come in a Resistol box, or it might be placed in another brands box. The one I have came in a Resistol box, but the Bradford Straw hat my father had came in a Bradford Brand box. I will try to get a photo of that box, as that hat resides at my mothers house, but here are some photos of the Brass color Felt hat I have that belonged to my late father.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Here is what I know about Bradford hats. They was indeed sold through out Texas, and at least one Texas hat company in Brownwood, Texas that sold hats to Texas Rangers as well as the Texas Department of Safety aka State Troopers. The hats also came in several different styles and colors, as I have one that belonged to my late Father. Bradford Hats could be bought in both Straw and Beaver Felt, and possibly rabbit felt just like any other brand of hat. The thing to know is that most hat makers used whatever, box they on hand. So a Bradford hat may come in a Resistol box, or it might be placed in another brands box. The one I have came in a Resistol box, but the Bradford Straw hat my father had came in a Bradford Brand box. I will try to get a photo of that box, as that hat resides at my mothers house, but here are some photos of the Brass color Felt hat I have that belonged to my late father.

As I recall, Michael Ray had a few Bradford’s & had researched them, before moving on as the FL changed.

 

[aniBlue]

@Hurricane Jack that maybe, as that was before my joining this form. But I am also doing a little research on Bradford hats, even though I’ve known about these hats since the 1970’s. As these hats have a very unique link to my family, since Bradford was my grand father’s middle name. And that my father preferred these hats because they had a more oval shape to them, which fit his head better then Stetson and Resistol hats. But I will add a little bit of perspective to the value of these hats, since I am also going to add some more photos that also include 1970’s pricing. $35 in 1970 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $279.93 today, an increase of $244.93 over 54 years. So a $35 dollar Bradford Stagecoach straw hat today, would be $279.93 today if you could buy a new one.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

@Hurricane Jack that maybe, as that was before my joining this form. But I am also doing a little research on Bradford hats, even though I’ve known about these hats since the 1970’s. As these hats have a very unique link to my family, since Bradford was my grand father’s middle name. And that my father preferred these hats because they had a more oval shape to them, which fit his head better then Stetson and Resistol hats. But I will add a little bit of perspective to the value of these hats, since I am also going to add some more photos that also include 1970’s pricing. $35 in 1970 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $279.93 today, an increase of $244.93 over 54 years. So a $35 dollar Bradford Stagecoach straw hat today, would be $279.93 today if you could buy a new one.

I’ve owned/own several Bradford hats. They were once part of the Byer-Rolnick family. The hats were good quality, but not great. Later, the new owners of the Resistol name used the Branford branding for cheap hats.

I’ve never found them to be longer ovals than the other brands. Like their Resistol litter mates, they were available in long and extra long oval, but I really doubt that Bradford used different blocking than Resistol.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

@Hurricane Jack that maybe, as that was before my joining this form. But I am also doing a little research on Bradford hats, even though I’ve known about these hats since the 1970’s. As these hats have a very unique link to my family, since Bradford was my grand father’s middle name. And that my father preferred these hats because they had a more oval shape to them, which fit his head better then Stetson and Resistol hats. But I will add a little bit of perspective to the value of these hats, since I am also going to add some more photos that also include 1970’s pricing. $35 in 1970 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $279.93 today, an increase of $244.93 over 54 years. So a $35 dollar Bradford Stagecoach straw hat today, would be $279.93 today if you could buy a new one.

The Stagecoach line started in 1978 and ended in 1983. The adjusted for inflation price would be $109 to $166.

 

[aniBlue]

The Stagecoach line started in 1978 and ended in 1983. The adjusted for inflation price would be $109 to $166.

That would be accurate for inflation in 2023, and is not off by much for 2024. Least not enough to argue about. But I was not aware of when the Stagecoach line of Bradford hats was introduced or ended, which would help me in narrowing down the date of my late father’s hats. As that would mean he probably acquired his hats right around the same time I acquired my old brown Resistol hat. Which was blocked to mimic the hat wore by Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones Riders of the Lost Arch movie. As for them having a longer oval than others, that is not what I said. I said that they had a more oval shape that “fit my father’s head better”. Kind of like how the Stagecoach line of Bradford hat, has an oval shape that fits my head better then the dark brown felt hat that was my father’s hat does. By the way thank you for the info on the Stagecoach line of Bradford hats. But like most things in life, the quality, fit, and comfort of a hat is more a matter of personal preference. As I personally prefer 7x beaver felt Resistol over a Bradford beaver felt hat, as I find it too stiff for my liking. But that’s probably partly due to the fact that my dad never wore his Bradford hats near as often as I wore my old brown Resistol, which was softer, more flexible and comfortable to wear while working with farm animals.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

That would be accurate for inflation in 2023, and is not off by much for 2024. Least not enough to argue about. But I was not aware of when the Stagecoach line of Bradford hats was introduced or ended, which would help me in narrowing down the date of my late father’s hats. As that would mean he probably acquired his hats right around the same time I acquired my old brown Resistol hat. Which was blocked to mimic the hat wore by Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones Riders of the Lost Arch movie. As for them having a longer oval than others, that is not what I said. I said that they had a more oval shape that “fit my father’s head better”. Kind of like how the Stagecoach line of Bradford hat, has an oval shape that fits my head better then the dark brown felt hat that was my father’s hat does. By the way thank you for the info on the Stagecoach line of Bradford hats. But like most things in life, the quality, fit, and comfort of a hat is more a matter of personal preference. As I personally prefer 7x beaver felt Resistol over a Bradford beaver felt hat, as I find it too stiff for my liking. But that’s probably partly due to the fact that my dad never wore his Bradford hats near as often as I wore my old brown Resistol, which was softer, more flexible and comfortable to wear while working with farm animals.

I’m not sure what you mean by “more oval shape.” More oval than round? That would be taken to mean a longer oval as none of the hats were round. If you didn’t mean a longer oval when you said “more oval” then it would be helpful to know what you meant.

 

[Frunobulax]

That would be accurate for inflation in 2023, and is not off by much for 2024. Least not enough to argue about. But I was not aware of when the Stagecoach line of Bradford hats was introduced or ended, which would help me in narrowing down the date of my late father’s hats. As that would mean he probably acquired his hats right around the same time I acquired my old brown Resistol hat. Which was blocked to mimic the hat wore by Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones Riders of the Lost Arch movie. As for them having a longer oval than others, that is not what I said. I said that they had a more oval shape that “fit my father’s head better”. Kind of like how the Stagecoach line of Bradford hat, has an oval shape that fits my head better then the dark brown felt hat that was my father’s hat does. By the way thank you for the info on the Stagecoach line of Bradford hats. But like most things in life, the quality, fit, and comfort of a hat is more a matter of personal preference. As I personally prefer 7x beaver felt Resistol over a Bradford beaver felt hat, as I find it too stiff for my liking. But that’s probably partly due to the fact that my dad never wore his Bradford hats near as often as I wore my old brown Resistol, which was softer, more flexible and comfortable to wear while working with farm animals.

I think you're referring to a wider oval, not a longer oval, no?

 

[aniBlue]

Neither! As I am wording this the way my 76 year old mother explained it to me! Which is because I honestly cannot tell you if my father had a longer or wider oval, or if he had a head that was shaped like a square egg. Which would not surprise me, as he was a unique person that could be hard to describe. What I guess I am trying to convey, is that due to the shape of his head, Bradford hats fit him better than anything else. But it is hard to describe when you have no point of reference to compare it too.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Neither! As I am wording this the way my 76 year old mother explained it to me! Which is because I honestly cannot tell you if my father had a longer or wider oval, or if he had a head that was shaped like a square egg. Which would not surprise me, as he was a unique person that could be hard to describe. What I guess I am trying to convey, is that due to the shape of his head, Bradford hats fit him better than anything else. But it is hard to describe when you have no point of reference to compare it too.

Fair enough.