Want to buy or sell something? Check the classifieds
  • The Fedora Lounge is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

The Official Stetson Nutria Quality Thread

Tonio

A-List Customer
Messages
445
My first Stetson Nutria. Any guesses on dating it? Sweatband is too fragile to turn back where needed.

image.jpeg
image.jpeg
 

ScottF

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,755
Just received this 1910 Clear Nutria campaign hat this morning. It doesn't have any pre-punched Stetson holes, so it's basically a 2.5" brim Fray with pre-WWI military accoutrements: 1901-10 artillery pin with 'CIB', red artillery cord and a chin strap that was jury-rigged to fit the hat. Under the sweat has a $5 price tag from Colman's, San Francisco.

I bought it because to me it looked like a Boss of the Plains Clear Nutria that had been purchased by someone who wanted a high-end campaign hat, and I planned to remove the military stuff which I assumed post-dated the actual hat; however, it has a stamp under the sweat of 'May 14, 1910', a 1901 to pre-WWI pin and correct artillery cord so now I hate to mess with it. I have photographed everything in detail and will probably still take it apart as I think it will display better without the military items, and it can be put back together with little effort. I have had these before (Clear Nutria pre-wwi campaign hats), so they are not incredibly rare. I have no idea what 'CIB' stand for (it is not 'Combat Infantry Badge' :) ), as this is a Coastal artillery hat.

20180510_170030.jpg
20180510_170048.jpg
20180510_165847.jpg
20180510_165949.jpg
20180510_170006.jpg


20180510_165855.jpg
 

jlee562

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,103
Location
San Francisco, CA
Well, I think Alan and I might have the same hat? Same block number anyway, perhaps a different felt grade, given that the sweatband imprints are different.

thumbnails link to full size:












I just brushed and steamed it. Seems like it had two Tom Mix creases at some point, one deeper than the other. Definitely the clay like felt that shapes super easy. I was trying to prop it up on a roll of paper towels, but the crease kept popping out! The moth nibbles aren't horrible, and already look less so after a brushing. Hat sponge is next.

I did a little googling of the store imprint, it turns out The Golden Rule stores were founded by J.C. Penney, and were the predecessor to his namesake company. JCPenney was incorporated in 1913, so that would seem to suggest this hat is very old!

Credit to carouselvic for this 1935 Miller Stockman page which depicts a hat with the same specs, which describes the 7" crown and 4" brim as "conservative proportions."
image140i.jpg
 
Last edited:

jlee562

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,103
Location
San Francisco, CA
Just received this 1910 Clear Nutria campaign hat this morning. It doesn't have any pre-punched Stetson holes, so it's basically a 2.5" brim Fray with pre-WWI military accoutrements: 1901-10 artillery pin with 'CIB', red artillery cord and a chin strap that was jury-rigged to fit the hat. Under the sweat has a $5 price tag from Colman's, San Francisco.

I bought it because to me it looked like a Boss of the Plains Clear Nutria that had been purchased by someone who wanted a high-end campaign hat, and I planned to remove the military stuff which I assumed post-dated the actual hat; however, it has a stamp under the sweat of 'May 14, 1910', a 1901 to pre-WWI pin and correct artillery cord so now I hate to mess with it. I have photographed everything in detail and will probably still take it apart as I think it will display better without the military items, and it can be put back together with little effort. I have had these before (Clear Nutria pre-wwi campaign hats), so they are not incredibly rare. I have no idea what 'CIB' stand for (it is not 'Combat Infantry Badge' :) ), as this is a Coastal artillery hat.

View attachment 118396 View attachment 118397 View attachment 118398 View attachment 118399 View attachment 118400

View attachment 118401

Googled the store because, well, SF, and an interesting profile from a 1922 edition of the American Hatter profiling Mr. Colman.
https://books.google.com/books?id=U_xYAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA10-PA75&lpg=RA10-PA75&dq=colman's+store+san+francisco&source=bl&ots=ErgY8Y9vXc&sig=0HBq95x7SQE2_S0-dNzwVJKIMbI&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiR3aCo9_zaAhUGAXwKHUuCB2M4ChDoATADegQIAhAB#v=onepage&q=colman's store san francisco&f=false

1909 listing shows the two stores at 780 Market st (now a Starbucks) and 343 Montgomery which seems to have been absorbed by a Bank of America building.
https://books.google.com/books?id=CU8zAQAAMAAJ&pg=PT373&lpg=PT373&dq=colman's+store+san+francisco&source=bl&ots=mMh6vlRQwj&sig=AV7oB4f6igUtg61SIajs3osHLFw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiR3aCo9_zaAhUGAXwKHUuCB2M4ChDoATAGegQIBhAB#v=onepage&q=colman's store san francisco&f=false
 
Last edited:

ScottF

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,755

Thanks for those resources. I also can't resist googling the stores from the sweatbands, but I stopped after finding the American Hatter article. I hoped the fact that it originated in SF might shed some light on what 'CIB' meant, but no luck. I photographed the pieces and can put it together if needed, but I bought it because it was a pre-1920 Clear Beaver Fray western, so here's what it looks like now. Steaming had no effect so I soaked it and it got back most of its shape. I might steam it again at some point, but I like the way it currently looks. Just a bit small (small 7 1/8).

20180511_090532.jpg
 

ScottF

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,755
My Apologies - put this 'Clear Nutria' post in a thread that Lefty clearly indicated was for 'Nutria Quality'.

Sorry about that!
 

Lefty W.

One of the Regulars
Messages
205
Location
Austin, TX
So my local Public Broadcasting System station aired an episode of the "Independent Lens" series last night entitled "Rodents of Unusual Size." The episode focused on how the nutria was responsible for ruining the coastal barrier islands of southern Louisiana, and on how various folks were trapping them for the bounties.

http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/films/rodents-of-unusual-size/

Perhaps someone should look into using their fur again for hat bodies.
 
Messages
11,374
Location
Alabama
Messages
19,001
Location
Central California
I heard about that documentary too, but didn't get a chance to see it. California is also experiencing a resurgence in nutria that aren't supposed to be here.

https://www.sfgate.com/g00/bayarea/...6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8=&i10c.ua=2&i10c.dv=6

I’m aware of a farmer in the San Joaquin Valley who trapped a few and built an elaborate enclosed habit for them. California Fish and Wildlife was not impressed and euthanized the animals and warned the farmer that any additional keeping of nutria as “pets” would result in big fines.

I’d love to see nutria readily available for hats.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 

AbbaDatDeHat

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,850

Forum statistics

Threads
109,246
Messages
3,077,156
Members
54,183
Latest member
UrbanGraveDave
Top