Churchill Beaver 100 Vicuna

[alanfgag]

This Churchill western was sold through Neiman-Marcus in the 1950's. I came across this hat shortly after it was listed with a BIN option. It arrived last week and I had a chance to take some photos today.

The felt quality is quite extraordinary. I was reminded of JTL's post for his Dobbs 100 - opening the box and picking it up for the first time gave a rush that the hat lovers here can appreciate.

It shares many of the qualities of the Stetson 100, but it is softer, smoother and lighter than my early 1960's Stetson examples. The 2 3/4 raw brim and 5 1/2" open crown seem just right for a dressy western.

The hat appears to have been worn little if at all. There are no stains or indications that a cattleman crease or any other crease had been applied. I gave it a simple center dent with pinches for these photos. The brim has none of the stiffness of my Stetson 100.

The liner is a simple raw silk. You wouldn't think twice about it unless you touch it.

Sweatband is thinner and softer than my Stetson 100.

 

[Tomasso]

That is one sweet lid!

 

[Lefty]

Very nice.
ETA: Love the comparison shots and the shots of the case. That's quite a find.

 

[alanfgag]

A few comparison photos to the Stetson 100:

Churchill:

Stetson:

The case is very well made with quilted satin inner lining and satin lined hat form with vinyl collar:

A very fine piece of 1950's hatmaking that survived the decades in great shape.

best,
Alan

 

[monbla256]

This Churchill western was sold through Neiman-Marcus in the 1950's. I came across this hat shortly after it was listed with a BIN option. It arrived last week and I had a chance to take some photos today.

The felt quality is quite extraordinary. I was reminded of JTL's post for his Dobbs 100 - opening the box and picking it up for the first time gave a rush that the hat lovers here can appreciate.


It shares many of the qualities of the Stetson 100, but it is softer, smoother and lighter than my early 1960's Stetson examples. The 2 3/4 raw brim and 5 1/2" open crown seem just right for a dressy western.


That hat appears to have been worn little if at all. There are no stains or indications that a cattleman crease or any other crease had been applied. I gave it a simple center dent with pinches for these photos. The brim has none of the stiffness of my Stetson 100.


QUOTE]

THAT is the PERFECT crease for that hat!! Beautiful !!

 

[HatsEnough]

What a beauty!

Thanks for posting and man are you lucky.

Also that case is much classier than the Stetson cases, I have to say.

 

[RBH]

That is a great looking hat Alan!

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Wonderful!


And if it had been made with 100% vicuña, this hat would have been designated a Churchill 500 ... because that's how incredibly valuable vicuña was (and is even more so now).

 

[fluteplayer07]

Just purely incredible! Congratulations on that great find...

 

[BR Gordon]

Beautiful hat, I hope you enjoy wearing it.

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Great hat Alan the total package is just perfect.

 

[Happy Jack]

Beautiful!!!!

 

[mayserwegener]

Super find!

 

[DJH]

That is an incredible hat, Alan. I was aware that a couple of companies made a "100" model, but never seen a Churchill one before.

Very impressive how you conjure so many nice hats out of that rather muddy (e)Bay!

 

[randooch]

A breath-taking find, Alan.

Now that this thread exists, I'm sure other examples will be added.
So who else has one of these?

 

[Tomasso]

Any idea what that hat sold for back then?

 

[Lefty]

From the Churchill thread, it seems that the highest end Churchills were primarily (only?) sold at NM. Maybe this was Byer-Rolnick putting the high end of the country folk Resistol line in the hands of city folk. The box does seem to resemble the Resistol box posted in the ebay thread yesterday.

 

[jimmy the lid]

Now there's a lid that can bring a guy back out of the woodwork!

Absolutely amazing find, Alan. Extraordinary lid. That has to be quite a thrill!

Good for you -- Congrats!

Cheers,
JtL

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Any idea what that hat sold for back then?

Um, 100 dollars? After all, it's called a Churchill 100. (Or were you being cheeky with me again? )

 

[monbla256]

From the Churchill thread, it seems that the highest end Churchills were primarily (only?) sold at NM. Maybe this was Byer-Rolnick putting the high end of the country folk Resistol line in the hands of city folk. The box does seem to resemble the Resistol box posted in the ebay thread yesterday.

At the time that that hat was sold it would have ONLY been sold at NM. Up until the mid 80's when the store was bought by a larger Dept. store company and they sold stock in the store, they had an agreemant with ALL suppliers of goods they sold that their products were sold EXCLUSIVELY at Nieman's. Churchils were ONLY sold thru NM at that time.