Original Stetson Handy

[Steph]

Hey All,

I've been wading though lots of posts and I have learned a lot. Thank you, all.

Does anyone have any details, comments, resources, or thoughts on the Stetson Handy (below) from Olden Timey days? Character, size, more or less formal compared to other similar bowlers and hats in general, overall impressions? Anything would be appreciated.

"Handy" in the search terms brings back A LOT of results that are completely unrelated to the hat. I'm considering having one made, and I like that look, but more info would be good.

Also, and this may be beyond dumb, but I'm curious about hat etiquette today: Say, you wear your hat out. Do you keep it on? Do you set it on the bar or table? Do you keep it on your knee? I'm not sure I would want to leave my custom hat on a coat hook, or is that just the norm?

Thank you all again!

 

[SurfGent]

 

[SurfGent]

Looks like sheriff Behan from tombstone's hat

 

[Steph]

Thank you, SG.

I think that would be right out. Seems too small to me.

I don't want a pork pie version of a bowler.

 

[Steph]

And some bowler thread rise from the dead!!

Thank you.

 

[Steph]

Whew!

I waded through (at the time of this writing) ninety-five pages of The Bowler or Derby Thread (http://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/the-bowler-or-derby-hat.32818/), and even posted the two that are on their way to me. Thank you again, to all that have posted over the years!

Thus, I have come full circle. Does anyone have any thoughts on where to find details of the Stetson pictured in the first post? That picture is from on of Stetson's hat charts from the late 1800s. Anyone have any insider tips?

Thank you again.

 

[buler]

Which year chart did you get it from? Where did you see the chart. We have some of them posted here in a couple of the threads. The "Stetson Stuff..." , the "Pre 40s Stetson Dress Hats", and definitely in this thread -> http://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/early-stetson-models-ads-pre-depression.49068/

If you don't find the information in one of those, I don't know where it would be. You could go thru the oldest American Hatter on googlebooks. They sometimes mention specific Stetson models and the dimensions.

B

 

[Steph]

Thank you for the tips! I'll take a look.

Frankly, I don't remember where it came from. Far too much research over the past few weeks. My gut says it's from 1878 or 1880. It also had:

The Abbey, No. 5 Stiff

The Drury, No. 4 Stiff

And The Raymond, No. 12 Soft

 

[buler]

Can you point to where you found those charts?

thanks
B

 

[Steph]

Right, I just remembered.

Those pictures came from Gary at the Custom Hatter in Buffalo.

 

[Kirk H.]

I'm no expert on bowler hats by any means, but it reminds me of this hat worn by the stage coach robber Black Bart.

Kirk H.

Hey All,

I've been wading though lots of posts and I have learned a lot. Thank you, all.

Does anyone have any details, comments, resources, or thoughts on the Stetson Handy (below) from Olden Timey days? Character, size, more or less formal compared to other similar bowlers and hats in general, overall impressions? Anything would be appreciated.

"Handy" in the search terms brings back A LOT of results that are completely unrelated to the hat. I'm considering having one made, and I like that look, but more info would be good.

Also, and this may be beyond dumb, but I'm curious about hat etiquette today: Say, you wear your hat out. Do you keep it on? Do you set it on the bar or table? Do you keep it on your knee? I'm not sure I would want to leave my custom hat on a coat hook, or is that just the norm?

Thank you all again!

 

[Steph]

You're right!

They could have just airbrushed Bart out for the poster.

 

[Brad Bowers]

I doubt you'll find the Handy Derby. The majority of hats had names only on paper, in their advertisements. The names are not generally printed or stamped anywhere on the hat, certainly not in that time period. You could find Derbies that look just like that, but the chances of positively identifying it as a Handy are extremely remote.

Brad
~The Hatted Professor

 

[Steph]

Thanks Brad!

I'm not looking for an actual hat (though that would be splendid), but I would like its measurements, possibly for a custom version.

 

[Brad Bowers]

Oh, okay, I gotcha now. It's a fairly square-crowned Derby, but not so square as a Cambridge. It's also a crown profile that had some longevity. I've got some Derbies from the '20s and '30s wth a quite-similar profile. Only the brims are different. It's probably around a five-inch crown, or no shorter than 4-¾". Because of the angle of the artist's view, the brim width front and rear could be misleading, looking shorter than it actually is. 1-⅞" might look all right, but you might have to experiment to see what looks best.

Brad
~The Hatted Professor

 

[Doctor Strange]

Check out makers that specialize in replicating old hat styles. For example:

http://www.riverjunction.com/Mens-Hats_c_177.html

http://www.knudsenhats.com/dress-hats.html

Of course, most of the custom hatters discussed at this site could help you too.

 

[Mm25]

I had never been to Knudsen's website before. Wow! anyone with an interest in western hats has to spend a hour or two looking it over.
Thanks for the link.

 

[Brad Bowers]

You can't get felt to make a proper Derby anymore, but the biggest problem with custom hatters is not a single damn one of them understands a Derby's proper D'Orsay curl, or even attempts to do it properly. And the brim binding is done all wrong. And if they refer to them as Bowlers and they're an American, then they're ignorant of the hat's history and that explains everything. I wouldn't trust any of them to make a Derby.

Brad
~The Hatted Professor

 

[Frunobulax]

You can't get felt to make a proper Derby anymore, but the biggest problem with custom hatters is not a single damn one of them understands a Derby's proper D'Orsay curl, or even attempts to do it properly. And the brim binding is done all wrong. And if they refer to them as Bowlers and they're an American, then they're ignorant of the hat's history and that explains everything. I wouldn't trust any of them to make a Derby.

Brad
~The Hatted Professor

Brad, could you expand on your felt and brim binding comments, please? I'm interested in learning more.


Sent directly from my mind to yours

 

[moontheloon]

Brad, could you expand on your felt and brim binding comments, please? I'm interested in learning more.


Sent directly from my mind to yours

yes please

the Derby is a head piece that I know the least about