The Open Road Guild

[K.D. Lightner]

I have two Borsalino Allesandrias, found one in an antique shop, the other in a vintage shop. They were identified by two hatters as being about 50 years old. One has a marking in it of 4/58. They are soft and wonderful.

I now have a vintage Open Road I got on Ebay, and it, too, is a soft and wonderful fedora. I don't know enough to make comparatives, they all seem like great hats to me.

I bought a couple of Borsalino Allesandrias in the early 90's at Village Hat Shop that looked just like the older ones, but they were not as soft and the quality was not as good. They are made of 100% wild hare.

karol

 

[Mr. 'H']

Chinatown was set in 1937 and John Huston wears an Open Road style. It would be unlike Richard Sylbert to use a prop or costume that was not period accurate.

Are you sure...? I love the movie too, but....

Excerps from imdb:

Goofs for Chinatown (1974)

Anachronisms: Police cars use the higher-pitched style of siren commonly heard from the 1960s onward, not the lower-pitched style characteristic of the 1930s.

Anachronisms: In the scene at the old people's home a 1970s-style car drives by in the background.

Anachronisms: When Jake gets home after following Mrs. Mulwray and his phone rings, it is clearly not the sound of a 1937 telephone. The sound of his placing the receiver on the cradle is authentic, but the ringer is no earlier than the sixties.


Anachronisms: Among the items in Ida Session's pocketbook, which Gittes rummages through is a social security card which is 1970s style with blue and red ink, not the 1937 style which had only one color, and a different look.

:cool2: :fedora: :cool2:

 

[jamespowers]

Love the Mallory ad but the side dents are not at all like the Open Road block. They are the predecesspr to the Open Road just as the hat FDR wore with side dents but the dents are too high, not deep enough and do not run front to back on the crown. They are just near the top and slightly forward.
However, you could shape a soft felt anyway you wanted with a little steam and a steady hand. Someone could easily have altered on of those and got the right look. The Open Road is more of a culmination of the side dent block from previous periods.
Let's look at it again and compare:

Regards to all,

J

 

[jake_fink]

Comparison =

Now the Open Road looks all squashy like a pancake.

Thanks guys. I like reality.

 

[jamespowers]

Now the Open Road looks all squashy like a pancake.

Thanks guys. I like reality.

Hahahahhahah! Good one.

Regards,

J

 

[PutALidOnIt]

Variety is the Spice...

Hmmmm...

Let's see, I seem to have this chocolate brown Mallory Dallas, and over here a navy blue Dobbs Westward, and that light fleshy-tan Borsalino (??Ludonea...), and a cadet gray-blue Stetson StratoRoad (or OpenLiner) no model but sure looks like a love-child of a Stratoliner and an OR...

That's only 4 imitators... Can I get in, honorary or not, can I, huh??? :cheers1:

Of course, I don't know if I would admit to being in a club that would have me as a member...

 

[tonyb]

Love the Mallory ad but the side dents are not at all like the Open Road block. They are the predecesspr to the Open Road just as the hat FDR wore with side dents but the dents are too high, not deep enough and do not run front to back on the crown. They are just near the top and slightly forward.
However, you could shape a soft felt anyway you wanted with a little steam and a steady hand. Someone could easily have altered on of those and got the right look. The Open Road is more of a culmination of the side dent block from previous periods.
Let's look at it again and compare:

Regards to all,

J

It looks like all the hats in that old ad (except the one in the middle of the bottom row) are bashed about the same. I'm assuming that was a typical way of shaping a crown back then.
As jake fink's post makes clear, something akin to an Open Road was around long before Stetson came out with its version.
Are the prices in that ad per dozen? My poor old eyes can't make out the small print.

 

[tonyb]

Hmmmm...

Let's see, I seem to have this chocolate brown Mallory Dallas, and over here a navy blue Dobbs Westward, and that light fleshy-tan Borsalino (??Ludonea...), and a cadet gray-blue Stetson StratoRoad (or OpenLiner) no model but sure looks like a love-child of a Stratoliner and an OR...

That's only 4 imitators... Can I get in, honorary or not, can I, huh??? :cheers1:

Of course, I don't know if I would admit to being in a club that would have me as a member...

Could you post some photos, Lid? Sounds like you have some rare ones there.

 

[PutALidOnIt]

Masochists!

With my ugly mug??? My avatar isn't nasty enough???

No, seriously, I will post some tomorrow evening EST since it is late here on the right coast and I need my beauty sleep!!!

You may find some of them in my earlier threads - I haven't been on the lounge for a while.

I'll put on my best mug and pop a few tomorrow for all of you masochists!:cheers1:

 

[PutALidOnIt]

P.S.

Oh, I should mention that I have re-shaped (I can't say blocked because I'm a teakettle steamer) all of them to the sharp pinch - peaked fedora shape that I favor. I have one actual cowboy-style Dobbs that has the western-tri-dimple crown, but that's not pertinent to this thread...Is this heresy???:icon_smil

 

[John in Covina]

Welcome & get comfy!

Hmmmm...Let's see, I seem to have this chocolate brown Mallory Dallas, and over here a navy blue Dobbs Westward, and that light fleshy-tan Borsalino (??Ludonea...), and a cadet gray-blue Stetson StratoRoad (or OpenLiner) no model but sure looks like a love-child of a Stratoliner and an OR... That's only 4 imitators... Can I get in, honorary or not, can I, huh??? :cheers1:Of course, I don't know if I would admit to being in a club that would have me as a member...

*******
Yes of course!

 

[John in Covina]

Give us the High Sign!

Okay! Next we need a Secret Hand Shake!:cheers1:

 

[Bud-n-Texas]

How about a finger to the side of the nose, like was used in "The Sting". Make that an index finger.

 

[John in Covina]

A wink is as good as a nod, to a blind man!

:eusa_clap

How about a finger to the side of the nose, like was used in "The Sting". Make that an index finger.

*****
Sounds Classic!

 

[WNNFL]

Another request for charter memebership.

I have two ORs. One is a vintage 25 with a wind cord in excellent condition. The only "problem" is the small metal cowboy figure that is attached to the bow-which I can't remove withpout damaging the ribbon. I have shaped this with a c-crown and a front pinch. Great hat!! The other is an OR from the late 60's early 70's. The felt on this hat is stiff and has a lot of wrinkles. I use this one as my work/knock around hat and therefore have left the orginal cattlemans crease though I have "swooped" the front portion of the brim. I wear this hat everyday. Unfortunatley I don't have a digital camera so I can't provide pictures.

 

[J.B.]

How about a finger to the side of the nose, like was used in "The Sting". Make that an index finger.

Dammit! No matter how many times I practice that movement -- It just doesn't seem to work for me?!

Okay! Next we need a Secret Hand Shake!:cheers1:

This would work out better for me, I'm sure...

 

[John in Covina]

Doesn't it hurt?

Dammit! No matter how many times I practice that movement -- It just doesn't seem to work for me?!

This would work out better for me, I'm sure...

*****
Showing a failed suicide attempt?

Can I use a hankie?:fing28:

 

[RBH]

In for a tuneup!

Well I've sent my OR to 'Fedora' in Mississippi for a tuneup. I'm sure it will be hitin' on 8 when I get it back. I'll be sure to let ya'll know about when it gets home.

Member ORG '06

 

[Not-Bogart13]

By the way, Not-Bogart, that hat looks just right on you.

Thanks, Tony. It's my favorite.

 

[PutALidOnIt]

You Asked For It!

With my ugly mug??? My avatar isn't nasty enough???

No, seriously, I will post some tomorrow evening EST since it is late here on the right coast and I need my beauty sleep!!!

You may find some of them in my earlier threads - I haven't been on the lounge for a while.

I'll put on my best mug and pop a few tomorrow for all of you masochists!:cheers1:

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a327/surfnjoe/Fedoras/DobbsWestward.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a327/surfnjoe/Fedoras/Mallory.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a327/surfnjoe/Fedoras/BorsoTan.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a327/surfnjoe/Fedoras/StetsonStratoRoad.jpg

Self-portraits deserve another Guinness...:beer: