The Open Road Guild

[deadlyhandsome]

Thanks! I have been looking on e-bay and posh quite a bit. Any other tips on finding them?

Here’s my tip for finding them: make 200 saved searches on eBay for every possible iteration of the hat(s) you are looking for and check the results a minimum of five times a day. Do this for as long as it takes, but be prepared to go a year or more depending on the size and rarity of the hat. If you don’t like the “hunt” then you’ll rely on blind luck or be willing to pay a lot more for them.

With ebay and the like it’s rarely a matter of looking there and finding them. It’s about searching regularly and often and doing it for a long time…particularly if you’re picky and/or have a large hat size.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

I am looking to buy my first open road. I like to reshape and bring old hats back to life. What would you consider the holy grail as far as felt goes on these? I

I am looking to buy my first open road. I like to reshape and bring old hats back to life. What would you consider the holy grail as far as felt goes on these? I am not all that familiar with the different levels of quality on these hats. Any that I should avoid?

The OR probably falls 2nd only to the Stratoliner in numbers available on the secondary market. Any 3X OR is a fine hat. No need to go OCD on the OR.

 

[Frunobulax]

^^^^What he said.

 

[Bamaboots]

Yep.

 

[Vintage Sunburst]

I picked this up on Ebay for $195, free shipping. Not sure if I overpaid. It looks great except for 3 moth divots on the top of the brim, but they look worse in the photos than they actually are. Brim is 2 3/4" wide. Anyone have any idea when this hat was made? From other threads, it seems like this is from the 1960s. Early, mid, late decade? Also, would this be a Philadelphia made hat? There is a union stamp attached to the underneath of the leather sweatband near the front of the hat (not on the back of the size tag), but there are no other labels of any kind behind the sweat.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Mid 1960s at the earliest. It’s often not possible to be very accurate on when hats were made. Often the same model was made without changes for several years.

 

[Vintage Sunburst]

Mid 1960s at the earliest. It’s often not possible to be very accurate on when hats were made. Often the same model was made without changes for several years.

Thanks! I can't believe no one has come out yet with a book about the history of Stetson. But maybe they have and I just don't know about it.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Thanks! I can't believe no one has come out yet with a book about the history of Stetson. But maybe they have and I just don't know about it.

There’s a book, but we don’t have comprehensive dating guides. A lot has also been lost to history. No one thought at the time to make records of whenever a change was made.

 

[Rmccamey]

Is the union label glued to the hat? Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I question whether that tag goes with that hat.

BTW, very nice looking OR.

 

[Vintage Sunburst]

Is the union label glued to the hat? Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I question whether that tag goes with that hat.

BTW, very nice looking OR.

I can't really tell. There is stitching thru one side of it, but it looks like it has glue as well.

 

[Teej]

I posted recently about the mystery mid-ribbon, bound-edge OPS era Stetson that I purchased while hunting for a Silverbelly Open Road. Well, right after receiving the first hat, I found what I had been looking for.

Photos were rough, but I am very happy after a thorough brushing, sponging, and a light steaming. Only quibbles are a single black dot directly on the front that won’t budge and which perhaps looks more prominent after cleaning the rest of the felt, and I sure wish it still had the wind trolley. C’est la vie!

Supple leather, felt is much denser and heavier than the mystery Stetson but still creases easily by hand without the aid of steam. It’s a Royal Deluxe model, and I assume mid 50s or early 60s from similar boxes and sweats I have seen elsewhere? There is a plastic liner cap, which I associate strongly with the 60s, maybe errantly.

Edit: the bashed photo at the end is post-cleaning, with the others being just after a brush. Nearly all discoloration came out in the end!

View attachment 539111 View attachment 539112 View attachment 539113 View attachment 539114 View attachment 539115 View attachment 539116 View attachment 539117

What a beauty! Congratulations!

 

[PDXHAT]

Someone once posted a Stetson ad for an OR "City Style" that had a stingy brim. I can't seem to find that ad. If that's you, would you mind reposting?

 

[Teej]

Someone once posted a Stetson ad for an OR "City Style" that had a stingy brim. I can't seem to find that ad. If that's you, would you mind reposting?

Not I.

 

[Dick McKool]

Press or Storage to keep brim flat?

Does anyone use a type of press or storage to keep the brim of their open road flat? I just got a Pure Open Road and I have a straw Open Road as well and like the flatness of the brim of it that the pure just doesn't have. My wife says I look like a park ranger but I like it. I was wondering if anyone has found any commercially made holder that keeps the brim flat but allows the edges to come up just slightly like the straw OR. I have a travel case that seems to work somewhat but not perfect. I almost was thinking about making a custom holder like Drill Sargent's have for their hats but not have the edge of the brim in it.

 

[BobHufford]

Does anyone use a type of press or storage to keep the brim of their open road flat?

Lay it on a clean flat surface and put a corn-bag or two on the brim, but not the edge. You can even heat them if that helps.

https://www.amazon.com/Corn-Bags-Microwavable-Arthritis-Headaches-Menstrual/dp/B07H1M6JCY

 

[Sean66]

Hi!
I’m new to the forum and the OR Guild.
I just purchased a vintage 1950’s Stetson Sovereign 20 OR over at EBay. Thought I’d share some before and after re-blocking pics.

 

[Sean66]

Hi!
I’m new to the forum and the OR Guild.
I just purchased a vintage 1950’s Stetson Sovereign 20 OR over at EBay. Thought I’d share some before and after re-blocking pics.

Here’s some pics of the interior:

 

[DougC]

Great looking hat!

 

[Mighty44]

Hi!
I’m new to the forum and the OR Guild.
I just purchased a vintage 1950’s Stetson Sovereign 20 OR over at EBay. Thought I’d share some before and after re-blocking pics.

Terrific job on that one—beautiful hat, enjoy!

 

[M Hatman]

Here is another addition to the Guild. A mid-50's Royal Stetson Open Road. Price tag of $10 indicates before 1956 when the price jumped to $10.50 it seems (Then around April 1956 price went from $10.50 to $10.95). Has plastic tip cover so 1953 or later.....it also has the black lettering which was used for a short time. Crown 5 3/4", brim comes in at 2 5/8" as advertised for this model at that time (4 3/4" in front as creased). Felt is VERY thin (think Borsalino thin) and you can blow a crease into it. Has a great feel which I was not entirely expecting. AND it is a nice light GREY!!!!

Sold at "the White House" El Paso. I have a few hats sold at a "White House" from Michigan to California...was this a sort of chain?

The liner Tip......

And finally the price......

I did not look behind this textured sweat as it is thin and I do not wish to damage.....
Am pretty happy to add this to my collection.

Edited for added info on the price changes in 1956....