Post New Hats Here!

[BobHufford]

Stetson Nutria Quality

Love it Joe! And your pic with the "stink-eye" ...

 

[Blare]

Love it Joe! And your pic with the "stink-eye" ...

Thanks Bob! HAHA. If can’t muster up your inner “stink eye” look in this hat... nothing will!

 

[Snowman]

Not an amazing rare vintage hat, but a good story.

My boss and good friend gave me this hat today.
He recently lost his mother, and as he was going through his parents things in preparation for his father moving in with him, he came across this hat. He said he immediately thought of me, because he knows I like hats.
It’s not fancy, but I appreciate it, and I will find a use for it.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Gannon in 100% nutria fur felt in the color natural. My first western Gannon, and already a favorite.

More in the Gannon thread.

 

[Blare]

Not an amazing rare vintage hat, but a good story.
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My boss and good friend gave me this hat today.
He recently lost his mother, and as he was going through his parents things in preparation for his father moving in with him, he came across this hat. He said he immediately thought of me, because he knows I like hats.
It’s not fancy, but I appreciate it, and I will find a use for it.

I love when a hat has a story... even better when it’s of meaning to you. Enjoy!

 

[Blare]

Gannon in 100% nutria fur felt in the color natural. My first western Gannon, and already a favorite.

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More in the Gannon thread.

That looks awesome Brent

 

[Just A Hat Rack]

Stetson Nutria Quality

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Stetson Nutria Quality - Black ‘Western Derby’
Early 1950s OPS Era
5 1/4 Firm Open Crown
3/8 grosgrain western style ribbon
2 3/4 front 2 1/2 sides brim with pencil curl

I am very pleased and relieved this beautiful hat has finally arrived after being lost in a post office in Tyler, Texas for about the last month. At long last I have finally received this hat that is a Christmas present from my son and came off a well appreciated tip from @BobHufford. I have been really looking forward to it’s arrival and I am ecstatic it has now arrived. Not only am I happy to own my first Nutria Quality... this hat has a styling like no other hat in my collection. I’m sure others could tell me the name of this style hat... but I would describe it is a ‘western derby’. The western style hat features a hard firm derby like open crown that measures about 5 1/4 inches. The pencil curl Brim is dimensional reaching 2 3/4 inches to the curl in front and about 2 1/4 on the sides with no edge binding. In the sellers photos is the original OPS Era price tag stating a selling price of $17 and pinning the dating of this hat to the 1951 to 1953 OPS era. The seller indicated the tag was placed back behind the sweat. However the sweat is getting a bit stiff and brittle from age and on my precursory investigation I have not located it. It’s not worth damaging the old sweat bearing the Stetson Nutria Quality badge with stars shield logo any further so for now I will leave well enough alone. A good brushing out of decades of dirt along with a lint roller really cleaned it up well.. though clearly i missed a bit of pet hair. A little sponge cleaning might fix up some of the remaining dirty spots. Did I mention I’m excited about this one!?!? Thanks again to Bob for this awesome heads up and to my son Riley for this wonderful gift.

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Darn Joe, that's a fine looking hat. You wear it well. I'm impressed!

 

[BobHufford]

The $9.00 O'Farrell arrived. I was planning to sell or trade it, but my wife spotted it, tried it on and it fit! Being the local expert in Native American jewelry (she was in the business for years) she said that the hat band is older hand-made silver conchos and the links are also hand-made. Bonus! I guess @steur will have to wait for his "cowboy hat" ...

 

[Steve1857]

Cool find, Bob. Stefan's loss is your wife's gain. I'm sure he'll accept it with grace like the gentleman he is.

The $9.00 O'Farrell arrived. I was planning to sell or trade it, but my wife spotted it, tried it on and it fit! Being the local expert in Native American jewelry (she was in the business for years) she said that the hat band is older hand-made silver conchos and the links are also hand-made. Bonus! I guess @steur will have to wait for his "cowboy hat" ...

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[Steve1857]

That's a nice present, Joe. Nerve wracking to think it was almost lost in the post.
Is it really as stiff a felt as on a Bowler? The dents look like the crown was pinched in various ways. Or maybe they're dents from use as many a working hat like a Bowler and your Nutria have received over their life on the job.

Stetson Nutria Quality

View attachment 300764

Stetson Nutria Quality - Black ‘Western Derby’
Early 1950s OPS Era
5 1/4 Firm Open Crown
3/8 grosgrain western style ribbon
2 3/4 front 2 1/2 sides brim with pencil curl

I am very pleased and relieved this beautiful hat has finally arrived after being lost in a post office in Tyler, Texas for about the last month. At long last I have finally received this hat that is a Christmas present from my son and came off a well appreciated tip from @BobHufford. I have been really looking forward to it’s arrival and I am ecstatic it has now arrived. Not only am I happy to own my first Nutria Quality... this hat has a styling like no other hat in my collection. I’m sure others could tell me the name of this style hat... but I would describe it is a ‘western derby’. The western style hat features a hard firm derby like open crown that measures about 5 1/4 inches. The pencil curl Brim is dimensional reaching 2 3/4 inches to the curl in front and about 2 1/4 on the sides with no edge binding. In the sellers photos is the original OPS Era price tag stating a selling price of $17 and pinning the dating of this hat to the 1951 to 1953 OPS era. The seller indicated the tag was placed back behind the sweat. However the sweat is getting a bit stiff and brittle from age and on my precursory investigation I have not located it. It’s not worth damaging the old sweat bearing the Stetson Nutria Quality badge with stars shield logo any further so for now I will leave well enough alone. A good brushing out of decades of dirt along with a lint roller really cleaned it up well.. though clearly i missed a bit of pet hair. A little sponge cleaning might fix up some of the remaining dirty spots. Did I mention I’m excited about this one!?!? Thanks again to Bob for this awesome heads up and to my son Riley for this wonderful gift.

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[Blare]

Darn Joe, that's a fine looking hat. You wear it well. I'm impressed!

Thanks Ryan! Much appreciated

 

[Blare]

The $9.00 O'Farrell arrived. I was planning to sell or trade it, but my wife spotted it, tried it on and it fit! Being the local expert in Native American jewelry (she was in the business for years) she said that the hat band is older hand-made silver conchos and the links are also hand-made. Bonus! I guess @steur will have to wait for his "cowboy hat" ...

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Awesome. A perfect match. There was a reason it was calling out to you Bob.

 

[Blare]

That's a nice present, Joe. Nerve wracking to think it was almost lost in the post.
Is it really as stiff a felt as on a Bowler? The dents look like the crown was pinched in various ways. Or maybe they're dents from use as many a working hat like a Bowler and your Nutria have received over their life on the job.

Thanks Steve. I would say yes almost. Stiffer than a modern western for sure. Maybe not quite as stiff as an equestrian bowler I have. If you saw my post about the dog landing on it... it got big crushed dents in it and I was able to pop it back in shape. There is a small slightly softer dent in the front (and I think the rear) that does line up with what could have been a center dent. It’s possible the original owner blocked it out open and added stiffener to keep it that way. Bowen has one almost identical and his came with a front pinch.

 

[BobHufford]

Awesome. A perfect match. There was a reason it was calling out to you Bob.

Ha,ha ... thanks Joe. I just thought it was the red liner (and the fact that it was dirt cheap). It's funny -- she has been wearing it off and on all day and shared pics with her friend in Santa Fe (home of the current O'Farrell). When she told her friend the price the reaction had something to do with the "queen-mother of dirty words" and "kidding!".

 

[Blare]

Ha,ha ... thanks Joe. I just thought it was the red liner (and the fact that it was dirt cheap). It's funny -- she has been wearing it off and on all day and shared pics with her friend in Santa Fe (home of the current O'Farrell). When she told her friend the price the reaction had something to do with the "queen-mother of dirty words" and "kidding!".

 

[Steve1857]

Looks like someone maybe tried to give it some kind of a Tom Minks look, perhaps. It's a beauty no matter what, Joe. Congrats.

Thanks Steve. I would say yes almost. Stiffer than a modern western for sure. Maybe not quite as stiff as an equestrian bowler I have. If you saw my post about the dog landing on it... it got big crushed dents in it and I was able to pop it back in shape. There is a small slightly softer dent in the front (and I think the rear) that does line up with what could have been a center dent. It’s possible the original owner blocked it out open and added stiffener to keep it that way. Bowen has one almost identical and his came with a front pinch.

 

[Blare]

Looks like someone maybe tried to give it some kind of a Tom Minks look, perhaps. It's a beauty no matter what, Joe. Congrats.

Thank you again Steve

 

[steur]

The Henry Heath, which I ordered earlier, has not yet arrived,
but I have the brown G. A. Dunn meanwhile received by mail:

The velour felt is relatively short, but really great and super malleable
(though not as outstanding as pre-war JHS). The processing of the interior
(sweat and lining) as well as the ribbon work is as high quality as the "English Velour".
The hat was sold as 40's - the lettering on lining AND sweat is "G. A. Dunn & Co."
which would classify the dating as pre-war by the old commentary.
In my opinion, however, that doesn't match the shape - I think early/mid 50s fits better.
Comments on this!?

1st is seller's foto: best colour - Sorry, my pictures are very dark!

open crown

interiour

label

Looks good, Matt. I wonder if the liner is a replacement liner. Usually these early G.A. Dunn liners were much more elaborate and decorative.

 

[steur]

Buying lots of used hats without specific indications from the seller is always a lottery, you need to have a trained eye and a dose of luck is also good.
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Bowler hat by G.B. Borsalino fu Lazzaro Qualità Finissima size 51/2 or 58 cm or 7 1/4 in the US.
View attachment 300245 The internal measurements are the following: 20x16.5 cm so a full 58.
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This G.B. Borsalino bowler hat is very light and as in the tradition of the hats made by "rebels" Borsalino was finished in a masterly way.
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The conditions in which it arrived in Verona in 2021 are splendid, nothing out of place, everything in order starting from the felt, intact and with a perfect body as well as the ribbons.
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The interior is great, the lining is intact and there is some little stain on the sweatband.
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I spent some time trying to decipher the writing on the paper label that qualifies the type, but I couldn't, I'm sorry. If some have more good eyes, I will be grateful
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I had a good eye and a pinch of luck for a hat that's probably a hundred years old.
It is not my size, so lovers of the bowlers make your plans

A fantastic find, Daniele, especially in this condition. Pity it's not your size, but still: it will make someone very happy I'm sure.

 

[steur]

This Melton velour showed up a while back, but I was away so we just met today. Needs a cleaning and some steam love. Not sure of the age, but based on examples in the Melton thread it appears older (or a special order) as the label is hand-written.

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Excuse the celluloid debris -- there was quite a bit behind the sweat. This pic is pretty accurate for the color indoors. Just a couple of moth nips under the brim and a ring on top of the brim where it moved around in a box for years (I'm guessing). Hope to brush that out a bit.

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Half the size tag fell off when I touched it.

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Post 1934 based on the union label. Not much out there, but the company has been around since at least 1934 as I did find a reference in a New York court case.

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Just a tad small at 7-3/8 so it will live on that old hat stretcher for a while (the wooden thing above ... not me).

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I think we're going to be happy together.

Wonderful hat and a nice find, Bob. Very attractive colours and a shark gill bow to boot; what more could you ask for?