The Open Road Guild

[gtdean48]

FWIW...

That is what I based my "packaging/marketing" position from. The Royal Stetson OR & Strat mentioned above had 2 5/8 inch brims, same size crowns & the Strat I currently hauled in from the Bay is a 2 3/4 inch brim. I have had ORs from 2 all the way to 3 inch brims & none except more modern ones had the cattleman crease in them.
Mark is the 2nd new member that has mentioned sending off an OR to have a Stratoliner made from it. Thought I had missed something lately with all the excitement about Monteagle!!! :eusa_doh:

 

[ScottF]

That's the overlap I wrote about.

But, given that we are somewhat in agreement that 'Open Road' and 'Stratoliner' were just marketing gimmicks for hats that could look exactly alike, wouldn't you conclude that it's not an 'Open Road' unless marked thusly?

 

[Lefty]

I still agree that the marking is required, but am always open to being shown otherwise.

The fact that a blocking tag indicates OR does not make the hat an OR to me, as any number of other model Stetsons may have shared a style of block without being the same model. This is certainly true of Whippets; how many Stetson Whippet clones are out there, from the same era as the Whippet, true to Whippet style (with all of its variation), that don't have the identifying mark? Everything about these Stetson clones screams Whippet, but, possibly to market to the guys who just wanted a Stetson and not some dog hat, it's just not a Whippet.

This OR ad indicates that ORs were available up to the $100 price, but that leaves the possibility that Stetson had the OR 100 and other 100s. After all, we've seen the 100s in cowboy styles as well as OR styles.

Without knowing what JtL has up his sleeve, I think that Stetson just needed a $100 price point to compete at the highest level with the other major hat marques, all of whom had one.

 

[gtdean48]

My view is that it may be of the Open Road style but unless it says Open Road or The Open Road on the sweatband or designated as an Open Road model on the tag as modern ones are, it is not an Open Road.
Like Whippets & Stratoliners, it has to say Open Road.
Now, we need to form "The Council" inside of this Guild of the ones that have "The Open Road" as opposed to just Open Road!!!!

 

[Lefty]

You don't want to call it The The Open Road Guild?

 

[gtdean48]

You don't want to call it The The Open Road Guild?

Too much redundancy for me...

Based on this "A guild is an association of craftsmen in a particular trade." is "guild" really appropriate?

 

[John in Covina]

But, given that we are somewhat in agreement that 'Open Road' and 'Stratoliner' were just marketing gimmicks for hats that could look exactly alike, wouldn't you conclude that it's not an 'Open Road' unless marked thusly?

A rose by any other name would still smell as sweet.

 

[Lefty]

Yeah, but I'd just call it a flower.

 

[John in Covina]

I suggest you go see post number one, if you want to co-opt the thread then do so but I won't support exclusivity snobbery. There is a thin ribbon thread that's much more accepting and inclusive.

All I wanted to do was point out what a great hat they are and how most makers had clones because it was so fine a men's hat.

 

[Stan]

Hi,

Well, it doesn't matter all that much to me. I have a few Stetson Open Roads and a few Resistols and other makers that were OR clones from the get-go. I even have a couple custom-made hats, including a VS, that were spec'd as OR clones (with deep diamond creases).

I've always figured that this thread was for real Stetson brand Open Road hats. As noted, there's the Thin Ribbon thread for the others.

Some of my Stetson Open Roads still sport their cattleman creases, but others don't. Some actually say Open Road on their sweatbands. Including the one I'm wearing in my avatar, which is my standard farming hat.

You can still, barely, make out the 'Open Road' on the sweatband, but it's pretty well faded from all the sweat I soak it in on a daily basis. One day soon, it will no longer be readable. Does that mean it's no longer an Open Road once the marking is gone? Heck, you'd not even know it's a Stetson once the markings are gone from the sweat - I don't have the liner in it.

I have a couple other real Open Roads that no longer have their original sweatbands, those being ruined before I got them. Now, the original sweats were marked Open Road, and I kept them, but you'd have to take my word for which hat went with which sweat. Come to think of it, I could no longer tell you which went with which, only that these two hats had these two rotten sweatbands in them when I got them.....

The only hat that bothers me when it comes right down to it is a Stetson Panama thin-ribbon sporting it's original cattleman's crease and thin black ribbon. I thought of that as an Open Road when I first saw it in the eBay listing. It does not, however, sport the Open Road label anywhere on it. The sweat markings vividly point out that it's (a) a Stetson and (b) a Panama. They forgot the (c) Open Road marking, though....

Later!

Stan

 

[ScottF]

I think I'll take my Open Road over to the Stratoliner club and apply for membership.

I suggest you go see post number one, if you want to co-opt the thread then do so but I won't support exclusivity snobbery. There is a thin ribbon thread that's much more accepting and inclusive.

All I wanted to do was point out what a great hat they are and how most makers had clones because it was so fine a men's hat.

 

[Spats McGee]

Wooooowwwww. I was just curious, guys. I didn't mean to start a free-for-all.

 

[Lefty]

Wooooowwwww. I was just curious, guys. I didn't mean to start a free-for-all.

Discussion is good. Probably half of what we do around here is identify and classify hats. After that, there's forty two percent patting each other on the back. Everything left is pure gravy.

 

[Daoud]

Sorry, but I have to call "Baloney!" on the assertion that a hat has to say "Open Road" on the sweatband to qualify as a true O.R. Why do I say that? Because the current model O.R. DOES NOT say "Open Road" anywhere but on the box and on the (easily torn off and lost) paper tag that comes affixed to the inside of the sweat. I have two of these right here right now. No sweatband lettering except "XXX STETSON" and a logo.

These newer hats are certainly not the same hats as the O.R.s of yore, but they are the only O.R.s coming out of the Stetson factory these days, I do believe.

 

[Lefty]

These newer hats are certainly not the same hats as the O.R.s

The current Stetsons say Stetson too, but they're actually Hatco.

 

[jimmy the lid]

The current Stetsons say Stetson too, but they're actually Hatco.

Just ask Paul LaVoie -- eh, Lefty?

Cheers,
JtL

 

[Lefty]

Just ask Paul LaVoie -- eh, Lefty?

Cheers,
JtL

You've been hanging onto that one, haven't you.

Besides, who wants to wear a LaVoie Open Road - besides this guy?

 

[jimmy the lid]

You've been hanging onto that one, haven't you.

I know, it's petty. But, I feel better now...

 

[Lefty]

I know, it's petty. But, I feel better now...

jeez, take the compliment

 

[John in Covina]

This type of discussion comes up in other sections every once in a while. Everybody here comes in as a Newbie, moves on to be an Enthusiast maybe Collector status.

However for some that's not enough, many crave rules and definative facts. They can become over zealous converts, Purists and eventually Elitists or in other words OPEN ROAD NAZI'S! :eusa_doh:

Coming forth with edicts as to labeling, overseeing hat purity and making exclusive enclaves to exclude other hats not pure enough, of improper breeding, those sub classes of Open Road clones. We may yet get to see propaganda films on You-tube expousing the ideals of the Master Hat that is superior to all others in every way. Come brothers take the Open Road oath of loyalty. You must jealously keep safe and cherish it, to forsake all others! Hail Victory! Hail the Open Road! All others will despair it's perfect beauty. :eusa_clap

This has been an important announcement from the National Open Road Party!
:eusa_doh:

If you want to read about Purist elitism and nazi's ranting about stuff not being perfect or pure enough go read the A-2 Jacket threads, these guys are so serious they lose sleep over their responses.lol