Dream hat!

[jamespowers]

That is great Root. I am glad you like it. Not likely you are going to find many of those. I hope mine is as nice as yours but I will see when it gets here.
It should also be noted that long haired beaver hats were made during that time as well. The only way to determine the fur content of your hat would probably not be satisfactory for any of us. Samples of the felt would need to be obtained and sent to a laboratory for analysis. I think the results might surprise many. My old Capper and Capper is a blend.
We should be careful here to diferentiate between hare and rabbit as well. Wild hare makes a much better felt than domestically raised rabbit.
In the end though, rarity determines value more than fur content. For instance, if I saw a Dobbs Palomino from the 1940s in NOS condition; I would be more than willing to spend far more for it than a modern hat of any manufacture. They just do not exist in large numbers in my size or any size for that matter. I can have a modern hat made for me any time I feel like.

Regards to all,

J

 

[Canadave]

...Samples of the felt would need to be obtained and sent to a laboratory for analysis. I think the results might surprise many. My old Capper and Capper is a blend...

Wild hare makes a much better felt than domestically raised rabbit.

Two questions;

Did you have the C&C analysed? Tell us about that process.

Are rabbits that are raised for felt killed for their pelts, or is the fur somehow brushed from them? (I know this may sound stupid, but I'm having this disagreement with a friend.)

David

 

[jamespowers]

No , I don't really have access to a good lab like that. The hat says it is a blend.
Rabbits raised for fur are culled for their pelts but not soley for that. The meat can be used in a variety of ways. I have a friend who raises rabbits in Southern California and if you are invited for dinner you had better be prepared to eat rabbit. Rabbit sausage for breakfast, shepard's pie, steaks, hamburger and a dozen other things I can't remember. So it is not like the rest of the rabbit is thrown away and the pelt kept. They use everything and what they don't use the dog does.
Domestic rabbit pelts used for felt came into the industry later in the twentieth century. They were problematic from the start due to the food they were fed according to Mallory executives. The fur had to be drycleaned before it could be used in the felt process due to excess fat and oil on the hairs making poor felt. Wild Hare have a diet that produces a better fur pelt and thus a better felt hat.

Regards to all,

J

 

[Wild Root]

Hey every one! I do love my new hat and can't wait to sport it with a nice 30's outfit tonight! I'm not sure where I'll be going, but I know it's going to be some where old!

gcollins, you're a good sport. I have been at collecting vintage for some time now and I'm always looking for things that are different and unique. Most I meet here aren't interested in the unique items of the golden era...... yet! The felt is super soft and reminds me of petting the rabbits I had as pets once. Rabbits have very soft fur and since it says "Standard Quality" on the sweat band, I believe its rabbit seeing that it's cheaper.

It's funny, in my diggings for vintage; I seem to find items that were high priced in the 40's cheaper today. The cheaper quality is hard to find because most people used the cheap stuff. In this case, I have seen Ford model A's sell for $35,000 and a 1940's Cadillac for less then $15,000! It seems that the cheaper quality things of the Depression are way more collectable then some of the high priced items. Well that's debatable. Any way it is furry, but that's why it's special to me.

As for the Knox, I haven't gotten it as of yet. I can't wait till that once comes!!! It will be my first 40's Knox! The first vintage fedora i got was a knox but was from the 50's. This should be really cool

Any way, I'll keep all you posted!

Root.

 

[jamespowers]

As for the Knox, I haven't gotten it as of yet. I can't wait till that once comes!!! It will be my first 40's Knox! The first vintage fedora i got was a knox but was from the 50's. This should be really cool

Any way, I'll keep all you posted!

What about that cool Dobbs you got in recently?

Regards to all,

J

 

[Wild Root]

Never mind the "Cool Dobb's".

Root.

 

[Matt Deckard]

Just saw Rob's hat and boy if it isn't out of a silent movie i don't know what is. Short brim and high bucket crown... awsome.

i agree i think it is rabbit because of the softness and the standard quality. beaver tends to be rougher when furry. the hat is a piece of history. Deadstock all the way it is brand new out of the box. If you look at it on his head you can see how much hat styles have changed over the years. I will take some pics of you in the hat tomorrow when we head to Sugarfoot Stom rob!

It has sorta the same style crown as the hat in my avatar though with an inch plus removed from the brim.

 

[Wild Root]

Yes, Matt is right! It's as new as the day it was made! No joke.

I will post those photos I keep tending to take this week.

Root.

 

[jamespowers]

Ok, where are those pictures?
I am glad it is as nice as it turned out to be. Definitely a cool hat even if it were made of monkey fur.

Regards to all,

J

 

[Mr. Rover]

What ever happened to those pictures??
What are the specs of the hat? brim and crown?

 

[Wild Root]

Ok, I know, I dropped the ball on this one. I have the day off and will try and get some photos for you all to see of the 1930 Stetson and the late 40's Knox.

Just hold on every one!


Root

 

[Matt Deckard]

They're coming. Jus tneed to get down there and take them. As for the furry versus smooth... for me it's function over finish!

 

[Wild Root]

Yes, the long hair finish is not a hat to be worn in the rain. Not a hat to wear in the sands of the sahara desert or Amazon jungles! It's a city slicker lid! My kind of lid!

Any way, soon will be some photos seeing as I have the day off and the sun has come out to play for a bit. Thank you so much Sun for showing your self today! Please do, stick around for a wile! I'd LOVE IT!

Root.

 

[jamespowers]

Yeah, we need to see pictures of the Knox, the Stetson AND that cool Dobbs you got.
You don't wear the plush in the rain? I wear mine in the rain. So did the beaver and the rabbit.

Regards to all,

J

 

[Wild Root]

Well, I would if I needed to. I have so many hats I'd rather wear in the rain like the ones with wide brims.

No, since that Stetson is an early Depression hat, it's to me a treasure. Not a work hat at all. Yes, a little rain wouldn't hert it, but the rain we have been having WOULD! I want to keep that hat as nice as I can.

Root.

Photos will soon come!

 

[Matt Deckard]

you need an umbrella for the rain we've been having.It's like sticking a hat under niagra falls

 

[jamespowers]

you need an umbrella for the rain we've been having.It's like sticking a hat under niagra falls

Yeah I forgot about how much rain you have been getting down there. We have had rain up here but nothing like you have there---sort of sporatic, in the area with a lot of BayAirheads, even if it is raining hard. I suppose I might think twice about diving under niagra falls in my plush.

Regards to all,

J

 

[Mr. Rover]

I just bought a hat similar to that one on eBay. It's not a stetson, but it has a long hair finish. It has a 2 1/2" brim and 4 1/2" bashed crown. I'm awaiting it in the mail eagerly! It's a size too small, but some Pecards on the sweatband, a little steam, and the handy ol' hat stretcher should do wonders.

 

[Mycroft]

Looks good, good luck with it.

 

[jamespowers]

I just bought a hat similar to that one on eBay. It's not a stetson, but it has a long hair finish. It has a 2 1/2" brim and 4 1/2" bashed crown. I'm awaiting it in the mail eagerly! It's a size too small, but some Pecards on the sweatband, a little steam, and the handy ol' hat stretcher should do wonders.

Ah yes, the handy old hat stretcher. Quite a tool to make that dream hat a reality.
It has nice dimensions. Should be a good hat for you. What is the brand name?

Regards to all,

J