Post New Hats Here!

[Michaelshane]

this hats not new to me ive had it over 25 years but it is new to the lounge.

my Mad Bomber. The salesman didnt know what kind of fur it is and so far no one ive met is really sure.

My guess is coyote.

 

[rlk]

Adam Panama with Puppy Pug'

ebay photo:

The measurements for the head opening must have included the full leather of the sweatband,so this hat is about 1-1/2 sizes smaller than the measurements listed on ebay would indicate--about 22-1/4"+.

 

[Aureliano]

Hmm... when I was in school, in Ecuador and Buenos Aires we studied a bit of zoology.
If you Google "nutria de rio" you'll get pictures of otters (river otters) just like the one on the sweatband. The animal feltfan posted, the one being "huged" by the guy in the mic. we call nutria rata (nutria rat) because they look more like them. If you Google that you'll get similar images. Hats, from my knowledge of hat making in Ecuador (natives of the Andes make their own hats, mostly wool, some nutria de rio and alpaca) just my humble 2 cents.

 

[ScottF]

Hmm... when I was in school, in Ecuador and Buenos Aires we studied a bit of zoology.
If you Google "nutria de rio" you'll get pictures of otters (river otters) just like the one on the sweatband. The animal feltfan posted, the one being "huged" by the guy in the mic. we call nutria rata (nutria rat) because they look more like them. If you Google that you'll get similar images. Hats, from my knowledge of hat making in Ecuador (natives of the Andes make their own hats, mostly wool, some nutria de rio and alpaca) just my humble 2 cents.

Thanks Aureliano - the pic feltfan posted IS a nutria rat. I was raised in SE Texas where they are common; in fact, I had a nutria rat skull on my bookshelf. The first time I saw references to nutria fur, I was really astounded, but delved further to discover that they were not referencing the giant rat that I was familiar with.

 

[Aureliano]

Thanks Aureliano - the pic feltfan posted IS a nutria rat. I was raised in SE Texas where they are common; in fact, I had a nutria rat skull on my bookshelf. The first time I saw references to nutria fur, I was really astounded, but delved further to discover that they were not referencing the giant rat that I was familiar with.

You're welcome, Scottf. fftopic: here and some of you might be grossed out but I had Nutria rat for lunch once.

 

[Mr. Paladin]

Mr. P. I am sooooo jealous. You have made a couple of wonderful purchases there and must be sporting pretty much the best dressed noggin in town :
:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

btw, how do you make that cattleman's crease???

Woody

Thank you sir!

I make a cattleman's by steaming the top of the crown thoroughly and making the center crease first. You can shape it flat on the base or bring it to a point. This one is a point on the front and a flat on the rear. Keep the center crease flat on the inside with your knuckles or an object. Re-steam one side and gather the felt tighter than you would for a fedora dent, pinch its length, giving it the length and depth you want, being careful not to let the dent taper down the side of the crown. Keep it high and shape it from the inside with your hand to be/remain high on the crown. Then repeat the other side. Check it from the front, rear, and top to ensure it is even and correct as needed.

 

[Mr. Paladin]

Excellent, Mr. P. Congratulations! Both of those are beauties! I need a Shady Oak to join my lonely 7X CB.

Thanks Bob! It is a very nice hat and probably the rarest in my collection except for the Obama Pinnacle.

 

[feltfan]

My understanding is that when Stetson used the word 'Nutria', they were talking about an Otter that Mexicans referred to as a 'Nutria'.

I'm conjecturing that the word 'Otter' on my derby is referring to what Stetson calls a 'Nutria'.

I might be wrong, and it doesn't really matter, but I'll blame Stetson for confusing us in the first place by not simply using the word 'Otter' to begin with, since they were making their hats way up in Philadelphia, not in Mexico.

At the risk of beating a dead rat, compare this animal to the
pictures I posted:

It's an otter, not a nutria. Being our only physical evidence, I'd go with that. Your hat, though.

BTW, Aureliano, nutria meat is sold in butcher shops in Louisiana,
though I didn't try any when I was down there. Too busy eating
turducken.

 

[Aureliano]

I've always wanted to have turducken!
Also: yes the animal on the sweat is indeed an otter or "nutria de rio" (translates to river otter) in spanish.
the other one, the one I ate and the one on your picture being held by the dude with the microphone is called, in spanish, "nutria rata", rat otter (is that even the name of the species in the USA?[mole rat otter?][huh] ). maybe a distant familiar?

 

[ScottF]

At the risk of beating a dead rat, compare this animal to the
pictures I posted:

It's an otter, not a nutria. Being our only physical evidence, I'd go with that. Your hat, though.

BTW, Aureliano, nutria meat is sold in butcher shops in Louisiana,
though I didn't try any when I was down there. Too busy eating
turducken.

You're not beating a dead horse - you're just not reading what we're writing (where is the 'scratching my head' smiley?)

Sorry, but this is it for me on the subject, so read carefully:

"Nutria" (in Spanish) = Otter (as in the sweatband stamp on my hat)
"Nutria rat" (in English or Spanish) = Nutria rat
"Otter" (in English) = Otter (or "Nutria" in Spanish) (as in the sweatband stamp on my hat)

I'm not going to get into all the various species and genuses because I think the above suffices.

 

[Aureliano]

I'm with you, Scottf. Boring already! lol

 

[Dinerman]

That's very cool seeing an otter hat. Great detailed embossing. Nice to see that the size tag is still present.

Hopefully it's not like the entirely rabbit 3x beaver qualities. I know on derbies it can be a bit harder to tell as the felt is so stiff, but what's the felt feel like? A noticeable difference or step up in quality from the standard hat? Or do you think it was more of a gimmick? (i.e. I have a Borsalino marked that's it's made of pine marten and it just feels like any other borsalino)

Do you have any proof that "nutria" marked Stetsons were actually made out of otter and not nutria? I've just never seen this anywhere else.

If it is the case, why would Stetson mark their hats (for an English speaking market) with a Spanish term for the animal? And why just these hats? Why not a clear castor quality hat? [huh]

 

[Aureliano]

If it is the case, why would Stetson mark their hats (for an English speaking market) with a Spanish term for the animal? And why just these hats? Why not a clear castor quality hat? [huh]

Now, this IS an interesting question!

 

[zetwal]

By the way, no maker would ever admit to making a hat out of rat. Even if it were a nutria rat!

 

[rlk]

Nutria Fur- Sears 1897 Catalog

Read Nutria info upper right of page
http://books.google.com/books?id=pa...s&pg=PA250#v=onepage&q=nutria for hats&f=true

Otter Hat:

 

[Dundee]

Moonstone Fed IV

Just received this last week. It even looks good with a gray sweatshirt.

 

[carouselvic]

Judging from the photos on the wall gray is an old family color.
BTW nice hat

 

[Dinerman]

Read Nutria info upper right of page
http://books.google.com/books?id=pa...s&pg=PA250#v=onepage&q=nutria for hats&f=true

Text from 1897 Sears Roebuck & Co catalog reads:


Nutria Fur Hats
The finest Hats in the World are Made in America, and the Finest Hats are Made from Clear Nutria Fur.
Nutria Fur comes from a small South American animal, greatly resembling the beaver, but much more plentiful. The skins of these animals are imported into this country in immense quantities by manufacturers of Fine Hats. The fur is thoroughly cleaned, combed and pounced, being finally transformed into felt, out of which est hats are made. Nutria fur is particularly desirable for this purpose, as it is very fine soft and silky, and when prepared into felt contains no lumps, impurities or other objectionable matter. A clear nutria fur hat is as soft and smooth as a piece of silk, will retain its shape and color and will outwear any other kind of hat made. Our connections with one of the largest fur hat manufacturers in this country makes it possible for us to sell these Nutria fur hats directly to the consumer at about one-third ordinary retail prices. In ordering always mention catalogue number, size and color desired.

Also interesting is the hat size chart

5-7/8: 18-3/4”
6: 19”
6-1/8: 19-3/8”
6-1/4: 19-3/4”
6-3/8: 20-1/2”
6-1/2: 20-3/4”
6-5/8: 21
6-3/4: 21-1/4”
6-7/8: 21-5/8”
7: 22-1/4”
7-1/8: 22-1/2”
7-1/4: 23
7-3/8: 23-3/8
7-1/2: 23-3/4”
7-5/8: 24”
7-3/4: 24-1/2”
7-7/8: 25”
8: 25-1/4”

 

[gtdean48]

Just received this last week. It even looks good with a gray sweatshirt.

I agree! Looking good Dundee! :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[GallatinHatMan]

Great hat, Dundee. By the way, who are in the portraits in the background?