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 Other Open Roads.....

Spent several hours last weekend traveling around to a number of antique malls and didn't find even one decent hat. This weekend, I went to the local indoor flea (trash) market and came away with this near perfect Open Road clone for $3.00.

From what I can find, the maker is Charles Levy & Sons or sometimes Charles Levy's Sons.

View attachment 113734 View attachment 113735 View attachment 113736

WOW....WOW.....$3??????.....for that an extra WOW and a little bit of envy!!!:D
M
 

Tommy-VF51

A-List Customer
Messages
371
37311BH_CH216_MAIN.jpg


The Bailey Collister, which unfourtanely seems to have been discontinued?

I managed to pick this up in a sale, gently trying to push the crease back, though I guess it'll never be a proper open road?

chapeau-feutre-32048.jpg
 

Tommy-VF51

A-List Customer
Messages
371
The fact is there is no one selling a true Open Road in the UK, other than Stetson, for less than £389 + postage.

The one place who used to have them vintage has had no luck for over a year, let alone in my size.
 
Been looking thru this thread for past few minutes and have yet to figure out just what makes an Open Road. Please pardon my ignorance, but could someone share with me what qualifies a hat to be an Open Road? Thanks. o_O

Study these awsome hats of our members.....in the third one....the front hat is an OR clone..........;)
Common dimensions......thin crown ribbon.....thin bound brim edge........often a windcord attached.

M:)
i-6rrpCVG-XL.jpg
7C28E2C6-07FF-4046-8760-AE9B191A4D30.jpeg
15229670954761127317658.jpg
1522974335018117332545.jpg
 
Last edited:

facade

A-List Customer
Messages
315
Location
Conklin, NY
Been looking thru this thread for past few minutes and have yet to figure out just what makes an Open Road. Please pardon my ignorance, but could someone share with me what qualifies a hat to be an Open Road? Thanks. o_O

Open Road was just a Stetson brand name so there will be variations in style based on the year of manufacture. The traditional Open Road is a western styled soft felt fedora with a thin ribbon & edge binding. They usually start their life with a cattlemen's crease. A clone of an Open Road is a hat in the traditional open road style that was made by someone other than Stetson. Or alternately one made by Stetson but not marked as an Open Road.
 
Messages
10,524
Location
DnD Ranch, Cherokee County, GA
....
The Lion Hats model has all the dimensions, narrow bound edge, wind cord....BUT, has a Stetson Playboy type ribbon (I was thinking it was a narrow band)......so does not really count.....but it did photo bomb my pic of the Dobbs:rolleyes:
M;)
That would be a Wanderer clone then = Playboy type ribbon with a narrow bound edge...Wanderer thread out there somewhere!
 
Messages
10,524
Location
DnD Ranch, Cherokee County, GA
Adding models...
Adam Adamajestic
Adam LBJ Style R
Adam Lonestar
Adam Mainliner
Adam Tan Texas (64 L.B.J.K)
Adam Texan
Adam Texarkana
Adam Waco
Akubra Campdraft
Alexander 4x4
Alexander Coronet
Bailey Beaver 20 ??
Bandera ??? (3X, 5X/25)
Beaver Brand River Runner
Biltmore Open Road (Wilderness, Silver Buckle)
Biltmore Calgary
Bonar-Phelps L.B.J.
Borsalino Alessandria
Bradford Ltd Kingston
Byron ???
Champ Ranger
Champ Texan
Chesterfield Adventure
Churchill Beaver 35 ??
Churchill Beaver 25 "Longview"
Courtney ?? ( for Harry Livingston)
Disney Ranger
Dobbs 20 ???
Dobbs Westward
Dobbs West Open Trail
Dunlap 20 ???
Iron & Resin Freedom Fighter
Kenworth Imperial ???
Knox 20 ???
Knox Westlite
LaSalle ???
Lee Corral (JCPenney Marathon, Towncraft, etc.)
Lee Trail
Mallory Dallas
Miller Douglas (Beaver Brand or Biltmore ?)
Park Crest Western
Penney Marathon
Penney Towncraft
Peter Bros Shady Oak Bankers Special
Portis Sterling
Portis Pathfinder
Resistol Dalworth
Resistol Fort Worth/Pecos
Resistol Herdsman
Resistol Saddler
Resistol San Antonio
Resistol The Wide Country
Resistol Waco
Richman Bros Rambler
Schoble Mainliner
Shudde Bros ???
Society Club ???
Stack ???
Stephen L. Stetson Open Road
Stevens Gold Beaver
Stevens The President
Stevens ??? (Imperial & DeLuxe)
Tanbark 1546
Thoroughbred Moleskin Finish ???
Windsor ???
Wormser 3X 10Star
Wormser Texan
Various Store brands (ie Richman Bros, et al)
 

Fivesense

One of the Regulars
Messages
210
Location
Idaho
I'm looking at possibly adding an Atwood Austin in palm leaf. The Austin is Atwood's nod to the straw Open Road. I've got a Hereford in palm and like it, but might want a more moderate brim for casual warmer weather wear. The crown of the Austin is 5". I'm thinking of flattening the brim more than it already is and working a modified Gus into the crown to bring the ratio of crown height in line with the brim. If the Gus doesn't look good, maybe a teardrop or diamond. Thoughts?

atwood austin.jpg
 

crawlinkingsnake

A-List Customer
Messages
419
Location
West Virginia
Open Road was just a Stetson brand name so there will be variations in style based on the year of manufacture. The traditional Open Road is a western styled soft felt fedora with a thin ribbon & edge binding. They usually start their life with a cattlemen's crease. A clone of an Open Road is a hat in the traditional open road style that was made by someone other than Stetson. Or alternately one made by Stetson but not marked as an Open Road.
Thanks facade for the info. I don't think an Open Road would be one of my favorites, but do indeed respect anyone who might wear one. Thinking back now, I can remember an old cattleman friend of the family who wore one.
 

facade

A-List Customer
Messages
315
Location
Conklin, NY
Thanks facade for the info. I don't think an Open Road would be one of my favorites, but do indeed respect anyone who might wear one. Thinking back now, I can remember an old cattleman friend of the family who wore one.

You are not alone in that. Most people here don't seem to like Open Roads either. They change the crease and turn then into Stratoliner clones.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
109,248
Messages
3,077,233
Members
54,183
Latest member
UrbanGraveDave
Top