historic examples of "natural" felt color?

[Joel Tunnah]

The beaver felt color "natural" is my favorite by far. It's not gray, but it's not quite a brown tone either.

But, were there any hats done in this color back in the old days? Any photos or old ads, please post 'em!

Joel

 

[HungaryTom]

Excellent hat

That is what you call applied arts.
Applied arts have a museum.
This belongs there.
Enjoy
:eusa_clap

 

[jimmy the lid]

Joel -- beautiful lid, and superb color!

Here is a 7X Clear Beaver Open Road -- the "clear" designation, to the best of my knowledge, means "undyed." I absolutely love this color...

Cheers,
JtL

 

[AlanC]

Not 'historic', but it will be in a few years. Art's summer felt prototype in 'natural':

 

[Dinerman]

1930s Stetson Clear beaver. It's a bit more grey than it appears in the pictures.

 

[Art Fawcett]

Jimmy, you've got me curious now. I'll have to do some research. Stetson originally used the term "Clear" beaver to denote "pure beaver" which would make it 100% beaver and thus carry at least a 10X. I don't know when that designation changed or if I have misunderstood all these years...back to the books..

 

[jimmy the lid]

Hey, Art --

I always wondered about the term "clear" in this context, but it always seemed to me that "clear" would have something to do with the appearance of the felt as opposed to the content. Snyder's "Stetson Hats" book has a direct reference to the fact that "clear" referred to "undyed" beaver, which seems to bear this out: "In the mid-1940's, a 10X Stetson cost $100 and was the finest hat available. Hats marked by Stetson with the phrase, "Clear Beaver" were also of the highest quality, manufactured from pure, undyed beaver fur."

I'll be interested to see what you come up with.

Cheers,
JtL

 

[Dinerman]

Yeah, mine's 7X as well.

 

[Art Fawcett]

"In the mid-1940's, a 10X Stetson cost $100 and was the finest hat available. Hats marked by Stetson with the phrase, "Clear Beaver" were also of the highest quality, manufactured from pure, undyed beaver fur."

OK JTL, I'll buy that I missed or have forgotten the "undyed" reference ( can we call it a senior moment? ) but what's confusing is that this quote states basically what I said in that "Clear Beaver" mean't 100% beaver or 10X. So, when did the 7X become 100% clear beaver? or when did the terminology meaning change? See the confusion? 7X was never the highest quality Stetson to my knowledge so there must be a terminology transition.

 

[jimmy the lid]

I agree with you, Art -- Snyder's phrase is a bit confusing. The way I parse that language, it means that hats bearing either a "10X" designation or a "Clear Beaver" designation were of the highest quality. So, even though a hat was designated "7X", the fact that it was also designated "Clear Beaver" meant that it was a pure beaver hat.


Cheers,
JtL