Stetson Floridian

[jamespowers]

I got this in a week or so ago and the recent talk of the Stratoliner and the Open Road kind of mades me think about how The Floridian here fits into the scheme of things.

It is a cowboy type felt in the fact that it is pretty stiff even now after all these years. The interesting thing is that it is not an Open Road block but a probably a modified sort of Open Road in that the side dents are moved forward while the center dent is still there but not quite the same shape as the Open Road:

The liner shows that it is clearly a cowboy hat and Stetson thought of it as such:

The name on the liner says it all:

Not a bad hat and I have worn it in a few downpours with great results. I think the rain makes the felt better really. Not at all bad for finding a 7 5/8 long oval for $40. :cool2:
Anyone else manage to stumble on one of these lately?

Regards to all,

J

 

[Uncle Vern]

How wide is the brim? It looks wider than the 2.75-inch brim on the later Open Roads. I've seen vintage photos of some Florida State Troopers wearing that hat or one similar without the side dents, and I've seen a few Stetsons on eBay that looked like Open Road-style hats with a wider brim--one was called a "Sherrif's" model. I like that look. I've been thinking about having Peters Brothers make me a Shady Oak with a 5.5-inch crown and a 3.25 or 3.5-inch bound brim.

 

[tonyb]

Nearly 0100 hours here on the left coast. Neighbors gone home drunk and happy. Dewy-eyed bride crashed out on the living-room floor. Happy New Year.
I like that Floridian model. The big side dents moved a little bit forward works better, I think, than the straight-down-the-side ones of the traditional cattleman's bash. Is the ribbon that shiny in real life? I'm guessing that it ain't.

 

[jamespowers]

The brim of the Floridian is 3 inches wide. The ribbon is not a flat ribbon like the Open Road but is a bit wider and has three ribbed sections to it. It really isn't that shiny but it has a little bit of shine to it because of the angles the ribbed sections create.
I am going to keep it this way. If it had the Open Road block I probably would change it. This is just different enough to make a difference for me. It fits perfectly and is a tan color that you can wear with a lot of brown shades. I have it on my hall/umbrella stand. Takes up quite a bit of room on it too pardner.

Regards to all,

J

 

[Uncle Vern]

http://photobucket.com/albums/a192/al1948/th_stetsonsfloridawildlifeofficers.jpg

 

[Uncle Vern]

whoops--
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a192/al1948/stetsonsfloridawildlifeofficers.jpg

 

[Biltmore Bob]

Vern...

Those hats don't have any side dents.

I 'specially like that pear handled hog leg, that one troopers a'wearing...

 

[Uncle Vern]

Ya, but I think it's the same hat. I've also seen photos of a cream-colored version.

 

[jamespowers]

Hmmmm... That is interesting. I snapped the brim down in front because I didn't like it up all around but the dents were already there. I really can't see the ribbon very well either.
What kind of pistol is that BB? An M1917? Kind of looks like it but the part in the holster would tell you more. I'll take two of them to go along witht he hat.

Regards to all,

J

 

[John in Covina]

I 'specially like that pear handled hog leg, that one troopers a'wearing...

*****

I think it maybe Ivory, Mother of pearl would look tacky. Patton corects a reporter about the same in the movie.

 

[K.D. Lightner]

James -- I am curious as to why Stetson named it the Floridian? That certainly does not sound like a cowboy/western hat. I was expecting to see a straw hat before I saw the photos.

It is a neat hat and in your size, too. Great buy!

karol

 

[Biltmore Bob]

Lots of Cowboys in Florida...

Their beef industry rivals Texas...

Those grips look too shiny to be ivory. I new a WV Trooper that had MOP grips back in the day. On closer inspection the grip looks cracked too. Probably MOP.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

I like that hat. William Randolph Hearst wore a Stetson with a similar block, though different ribbon.

 

[Biltmore Bob]

Not the same revolver by a long shot but MOP grips...



Oh, the hat's great too.

 

[jamespowers]

Not the same revolver by a long shot but MOP grips...



Oh, the hat's great too.

Is that the Iver Johnson model? I think I have the same one but with the plastic owl grips and an exposed hammer.

Regards to all,

J

 

[jamespowers]

James -- I am curious as to why Stetson named it the Floridian? That certainly does not sound like a cowboy/western hat. I was expecting to see a straw hat before I saw the photos.

It is a neat hat and in your size, too. Great buy!

Thanks. The funny thing is that I wore it for a walk around the block---looking for run away cat---and it didn't get soaked through. Did I mention it was pouring like crazy? :cool2:

Regards to all,

J

 

[Uncle Vern]

And there's this:
http://photobucket.com/albums/a192/al1948/th_stetsoncreamcustomopenroad.jpg

 

[Uncle Vern]

Whoops again--I'm just getting the hang of photobucket---

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a192/al1948/stetsoncreamcustomopenroad.jpg

 

[Biltmore Bob]

Sweet Vern...

...that'n your'n?

James, I don't know the Model of the revolver, either H&R or Iver...I got the picture off'n the web, t'ain't mine.

 

[jamespowers]

Whoops again--I'm just getting the hang of photobucket---

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a192/al1948/stetsoncreamcustomopenroad.jpg

The ribbon is about the same but the color is much too light. Mine is a tan but a dark brown now after walking around in the rain. The date you have on that one sounds about right too.
I can just imagine having an ex-Florida police hat. That would be nice but I need provenence first.

Regards to all,

J