***SOLD*** 1940's Open Road - 7 5/8

[ScottF]

This is the only 'Royal Stetson Deluxe' Open Road we've seen on the lounge. It's bound-brim, huge (23 5/8"), and in fantastic condition. It has a vintage frayed-edge ribbon, but I'm almost certain that it originally had a thin-ribbon.

In preparing for a move, I'm selling a LOT of my hats - including some like this, that I really love, but just don't (can't) wear. This one will go to ebay Sunday afternoon if not sold here by that time.

Price is $275 shipped (U.S.). I'm sending some hats to Optimo next week, so for U.S. only, I can send this one along and have them add a matching thin ribbon for $20 and ship directly to you (wind cord - $10). I see no need to clean it, but that's also an option (I believe it's generally $35).

 

[RobFedoraField]

hate to do it...

worthlesswithoutpics

 

[indycop]

Ummm, there are pics?!lol I don't see an edit tag either.lol

 

[ScottF]

??? There are nine pictures posted - I can see all of them clearly, but thanks for the heads-up. Maybe there is some issue with the picture viewing? Here are the url links:

http://oldsplice.homestead.com/Hats/OpenRoad40s/OR40sBashed.jpg
http://oldsplice.homestead.com/Hats/OpenRoad40s/OR40sBashedSide.jpg
http://oldsplice.homestead.com/Hats/OpenRoad40s/OR40sUnBSide.jpg
http://oldsplice.homestead.com/Hats/OpenRoad40s/OR40sUnBTop.jpg
http://oldsplice.homestead.com/Hats/OpenRoad40s/OR40sBottom.jpg
http://oldsplice.homestead.com/Hats/OpenRoad40s/OR40sSweatOR.jpg
http://oldsplice.homestead.com/Hats/OpenRoad40s/OR40sSweatLogo.jpg
http://oldsplice.homestead.com/Hats/OpenRoad40s/OR40sBow.jpg
http://oldsplice.homestead.com/Hats/OpenRoad40s/OR40sLnrLogo.jpg

 

[ScottF]

Also, there is at least one lounger who can see the pics, because I'm in contact with him and he's asking questions about them.

 

[Lefty]

They were broken when I looked here last night, but I could see them when I looked in this morning and they're still there.

 

[ScottF]

They were broken when I looked here last night, but I could see them when I looked in this morning and they're still there.

Thanks Lefty - thought I was going nuts.

Well, on par with past classifieds experience (not just hats, but all collectibles), only small nibbles...so it will end up in the bay, floundering about with strange hooks getting tossed at it.

My main motive for putting this one in the classifieds prior to ebay, was that while I thoroughly enjoying refurbishing hats, I hate 'changing' a hat from its vintage characteristics, and I had mixed feelings about replacing the wide black ribbon - thought I'd take the easy way out and let someone else make that decision for me (hate cutting into hat flesh).

Since I'm guessing (hoping) some of you will be bidding when I put this on ebay, anyone have any opinions as to whether or not I should just go ahead and have Optimo replace the wide black ribbon with a thin ribbon and wind cord, since I'm sending a box of hats to them this week?

 

[indycop]

Also, there is at least one lounger who can see the pics, because I'm in contact with him and he's asking questions about them.

I could see them clearly...

 

[ScottF]

I could see them clearly...

This hat seems to be cursed - as unique as it is, the only discussion I could generate on it, other than jtl's input, were people saying the ribbon didn't look original....so, given I'm not going to wear it, I'll just have to change that ribbon to a thin one, and toss it in the bay.

...changing the thread title to 'unavailable', and thanks to the couple of you that I heard back from on this.

 

[Fletch]

It may actually be original, just an early version.

The first, pre-WW2, Open Roads had a conventional - for the time - wide ribbon. Your typical OR fan wouldn't know (or care) about this and would assume the ribbon was a modification.

This one's too rich for my blood but I'll certainly be looking in. It's possible this will appeal to that well-known type, The Serious Collector.

 

[ScottF]

It may actually be original, just an early version.

The first, pre-WW2, Open Roads had a conventional - for the time - wide ribbon. Your typical OR fan wouldn't know (or care) about this and would assume the ribbon was a modification.

This one's too rich for my blood but I'll certainly be looking in. It's possible this will appeal to that well-known type, The Serious Collector.

Thanks, Fletch. When I originally received the hat, given that I could date it to the earliest bound-brim O.R.'s by it's being a 'Royal Stetson Deluxe', I thought it might be a cross-over hat from the earlier wide-ribbons; however, despite the ribbon being period (quality,treatment evidence), the stitching goes through the liner, which I think makes it unoriginal. I didn't get any responses whatsoever to this info when I originally posted (other than the oft-repeated "the ribbon is not original" comment :eusa_doh: ), so my opinions are entirely my own on this, but I think ribbons were always stitched in before the liner was inserted. (I would LOVE to be corrected on this).

But my theory was that the original owner might have been a wearer of the previous wide-ribbon version, and ordered this one with a similar ribbon. But I guess there's no way of knowing, like a lot of stuff involving vintage hat history.

As I read your post, I was sitting here with this hat in my hand, still weighing the options. The hat was actually too rich for me also, especially given that it was also two sizes too large, but I 'needed' to hold it in my hands and examine the construction.

(I would love to have had this discussion in the 'Open Road Guild', but was afraid my talking-with-myself conversation was rendering that valuable thread poisonous.)

 

[J.J. Gittes]

I'd buy it but it isn't my size. I love the wide ribbon on the Open Road, I'd consider doing it if I ever got one.

 

[ScottF]

I'd buy it but it isn't my size. I love the wide ribbon on the Open Road, I'd consider doing it if I ever got one.

I just received an Open Road that I had sent in for a new sweatband and ribbon. I wanted a wide ribbon, but the hatter was out of it. I ended up doing a 7/8" ribbon in same color (light tan), but with the same bow treatment as a traditional thin-ribbon. It was odd at first, but it has really grown on me. At some point I'll post pics in the 'Open Road Guild' thread.

 

[gtdean48]

My custom from Buckaroo Hatters has a wider than typical thin ribbon but with same bow treatment. I initially thought of a Playboy type bow but went this way to be different. I think it is a 9 ligne width. I like it!

 

[ScottF]

My custom from Buckaroo Hatters has a wider than typical thin ribbon but with same bow treatment. I initially thought of a Playboy type bow but went this way to be different. I think it is a 9 ligne width. I like it!

Nice. Mine was actually a surprise - I told the hatter to replace the thin ribbon with a wider one, assuming he would do a standard bow. It was quite a surprise to see the result, but I'm happy with it. I'll post more in the Open Road thread:

 

[gtdean48]

Nice. Mine was actually a surprise - I told the hatter to replace the thin ribbon with a wider one, assuming he would do a standard bow. It was quite a surprise to see the result, but I'm happy with it. I'll post more in the Open Road thread:

I saw it. Looks good!