HATCO: look at this Stetson!!

[fedoralover]

Mr. Hatco rep. here is a pic of a vintage stetson that just sold on ebay for $238. It is a great example of what people are willing to pay for a fantastic looking fedora. A wide brim, straight sided high crown (probably around 5 1/2 inches open crown), a gorgeous light elegant gray felt that is felted tight with NO powder and is color fast, with very little felt stiffner. If you guys at Hatco are serious about making quality fedora's again this is one to show your hatters to duplicate.
In my 9 years of buying fedora's off ebay I have seen vintage Stratoliners, Whippets and Open Roads sell for as much and even as high as $530 for one Stratoliner a few years ago. Bringing back these timeless classics with a quality felt would appeal to a whole lot of people.

fedoralover

 

[jimmy the lid]

I'm happy to report that this fedora is heading my way. It is a 3X Beaver, and looks to be in excellent condition. If the color winds up being a light gray, that will be fantastic. Judging from experience, however, I believe that the actual color of the hat may well be that light blue/gray (cadet blue) color that is so gorgeous. I'm keeping my fingers crossed...

Cheers,
JtL

 

[scotrace]

Excellent example fedoralover! I think you and I tend to share the same taste in hats (jackets, suits...)

There is a market for these.

There's a western wear store near Columbus, Ohio that has a big selection of hats, steaming equipment, etc. I've been stopping by there for years - and the styles displayed never change. Ever! The folks there sort of shrug and indicate that western hat business is not exactly hopping. (They sell expensive boots by the trainload, saddles, dusters, etc)

BUT. Every time I'm there, some other customer will invariably follow me around until they get the gumption to ask where they can get a hat like mine. And mine is not a western hat!

So while there might be plenty of people at Hatco and in the hat business to say "there's no market for those old style hats. Western hats are safe." There are people with cash in hand who say otherwise. Of course, after getting slowly burned on fedoras for 40+ years before being forced to completely change business models, I can see the hesitation! lol And I'm not suggesting that fedoras would immediately sell like hotcakes and outstrip western hat sales, but I am saying that I believe, and there's ample evidence here to support it, that there is money to be made and an unmet need to be filled.

Edit: Congrats Jimmy. When that one arrives, please photograph it ten ways from Sunday.

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

Sweet sweet sweet! I've seen a few really cool hats go on eBay lately for some decent money. One can still find a bargain now an again, but I think the demand is out there for the really gorgeous vintage lids.

I'm crossing my fingers now that the black Stratoliner I just picked up won't look as bad as it does in the pictures, or that it'll at least respond to a cleanup. It looked really sad in the pictures, but I didn't see any holes and the sweatband looks OK.

Post some detail pics of that 3X when you get it, OK?

 

[jimmy the lid]

Post some detail pics of that 3X when you get it, OK?

Happy to oblige!

Cheers,
JtL

 

[Tango Yankee]

:eusa_clap Very, very nice! Congratulations, Jimmy!

I was one of the bidders on that hat. I put in a couple of trial balloons, so to speak, before the reserve was met. My second bid was $140, which was immediately topped, and the reserve still hadn't been met. I bailed at that point, in part because my wife had recently let me know in no uncertain terms that I needed to stop my hat buying for a while.

I thought it a breathtaking hat, though, and look forward to your photos, Jimmy! I'm glad a fellow Flounger got it. :eusa_clap

Scotrace, what's the name of and where's that western store? I may want to stop in there some time.

Cheers,
Tom

 

[RBH]

fedoralover and Scot, you both said it better than I could. Well done the both of you!:eusa_clap

 

[scotrace]

Scotrace, what's the name of and where's that western store? I may want to stop in there some time.

Cheers,
Tom

It's on 16 (161?) between Columbus and New Albany. Kieth's Saddle Shop.

 

[jimmy the lid]

:eusa_clap Very, very nice! Congratulations, Jimmy!

I was one of the bidders on that hat. I put in a couple of trial balloons, so to speak, before the reserve was met. My second bid was $140, which was immediately topped, and the reserve still hadn't been met. I bailed at that point, in part because my wife had recently let me know in no uncertain terms that I needed to stop my hat buying for a while.

I thought it a breathtaking hat, though, and look forward to your photos, Jimmy! I'm glad a fellow Flounger got it. :eusa_clap

Many thanks, Tom -- I really appreciate that sentiment. When the Bidder ID's were anonymous right out of the chute, I figured that had to mean that the reserve was set at $200. In keeping with fedoralover's initial post in this thread, however, I thought that the reserve price was fair, in light of the quality of the hat.

Cheers,
JtL

 

[Tango Yankee]

It's on 16 (161?) between Columbus and New Albany. Kieth's Saddle Shop.

Thanks!

Tom

 

[DOUGLAS]

I am more fond of unbound edges but my god that is a stunning hat. I couldn't come up with a finer example of what could be. I would buy that hat in a heart beat.

 

[duggap]

Wow, what a superb hat. I don't think I have seen too many with that wide a binding on the brim. I really like the looks of it. Hurry with the pics.:eusa_clap

 

[fedoralover]

JTL, I didn't know you were the winner of this hat. Congrats, it is a real classic beauty. But where is HATCO, have we been deserted? I'm still hoping for an answer on the Nutria, Nutria Quality thing.

fedoralover

 

[jimmy the lid]

Thanks, fedoralover. Can't wait for it to arrive (which should be tomorrow).

In the meantime, yes -- it appears that HATCO is AWOL. We still need to "clear" a few things up...

Cheers,
JtL

 

[jamespowers]

JTL, I didn't know you were the winner of this hat. Congrats, it is a real classic beauty. But where is HATCO, have we been deserted? I'm still hoping for an answer on the Nutria, Nutria Quality thing.

fedoralover

Here's to hoping: :cheers1:

Regards,

J

 

[J.T.Marcus]

I just sent Matthew Range, at HATCO, a PM. Here's hoping...