WANTED: 1950's Western/Cowboy Hat

[OliverTwist]

Hi everyone,

I'm desperately searching for a mid-'50s style cowboy hat like Glenn Ford or Audie Murphy would have worn, with a shorter crown and a slight upward curved brim.

I'm a size 7-1/8.

I really need to find something in time for Halloween (!!) and while I would not normally wear a western style cowboy hat day-to-day in the SF Bay Area, I would still prefer to find something that matches my description above, as I'd surely wear it from time to time when travelling through the Northern California high country or visiting the old gold rush town dotting the Sierras. My real purpose is to complete a Halloween costume though, as I'm attending a themed costume party in a historic 1800s restaurant/saloon and so far every other element of my costume is period authentic (I'm going for the 1950's denim cowboy look - picture Tony Perkins in The Lonely Man or Cassavettes in Saddle The Wind and you get the idea!)

Anyhow, I'm having no luck at all and don't even know where to begin looking beyond eBay and Etsy. Are there other resources on the web for vintage hat shopping?

I figured I'd try my hand in the Classifieds section here, in hopes that somebody might have something to offer me.

Perhaps some of you with better knowledge of vintage cowboy hats could offer me some brand and models to search for online in the style that I'm inquiring about? I'm not even certain what it's called.

Something like Ricky's lid here:

Thanks in advance for any help that you can offer!!!

 

[DamianM]

well if its for Halloween then you don't mind this moth damage.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/165187129/1950s-high-crown-cowboy-hat-size-71?ref=shop_home_active

https://www.etsy.com/listing/165185879/1950s-high-crown-cowboy-hat-size-7?ref=shop_home_active

 

[OliverTwist]

well if its for Halloween then you don't mind this moth damage.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/165187129/1950s-high-crown-cowboy-hat-size-71?ref=shop_home_active

https://www.etsy.com/listing/165185879/1950s-high-crown-cowboy-hat-size-7?ref=shop_home_active

Thanks for the links but I don't think you read my post above as that is not remotely the style of hat that I'm looking for. I appreciate any help though!

 

[OliverTwist]

In addition, they are not my size either. As I posted above, I'm a size 7 and 1/8.

They are not the style that I'm looking for. Please see my initial post at the top of this thread.

 

[DamianM]

they are not shaped. they can be shaped. but they are not your size so it over.
I tried to help
I don't believe anybody here is going to sell you a western hat for costume use.
I just dont see it but good luck.

 

[OliverTwist]

they are not shaped. they can be shaped. but they are not your size so it over.
I tried to help
I don't believe anybody here is going to sell you a western hat for costume use.
I just dont see it but good luck.

I appeciate your help very much as mentioned above, but I posted an example of the type of hat I was looking for and specified that it should have a short crown, like something Glenn Ford or Audie Murphy would have worn. If I could find precisely what I'm looking for, then it would not be exclusively for costume as I often do southwestern roadtrips through California and up to the high country, so the hat would get good use in these settings. It's the very reason that I'm posting here instead of just picking up some cheap cowboy hat at a thrift store. I was trying to offer a bit of context by explaining that I would not normally wear a cowboy hat (it's not my style) around town, but if I can find the style which I'm after and that's suited to the look I'm trying to achieve, then I would certainly get more milage out of it then just as an annual Halloween costume. There's at least a handful of ocassions where I could see myself wearing it; however only if I can find this particular 1950's style of western hat. I'm hoping that a forum member here might have one to sell me.

 

[OliverTwist]

This is not necessarily the style of hat that I'm looking for (although the size of the crown is ideal) but I'm just curious if anyone can tell me whether Craig Steven's hate might possibly be the Gun Club western model by Stetson?

 

[OliverTwist]

I do like the above style, although I'm looking more for an adult version of something like this:

Kind of like the Lone Ranger, I suppose.

 

[Lawrence Ullman]

This looks about right, and it's a 7-1/8: http://www.etsy.com/listing/153557018/vintage-stetson-cowboy-hat-3x-beaver?ref=sr_gallery_38&ga_search_query=Stetson+hat&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_order=date_desc&ga_page=0&ga_search_type=vintage

 

[Monte]

I used to wear hats on Halloween too because I loved the style and not because I wanted to make fun of anyone.
I understand you want a western type of hat that you can wear while you're out in the country or just trying to look like you have true grit on Halloween.

I have an old Stetson that you will love. It has a cattleman's crease normally. I would probably accept around $50 plus $13 shipping. I would go higher but it has some tiny green stains from the adhesive that has leaked out of the sweatband. It may have a couple of character building moth nips. If you want me to dig it out of the attic and send it to you, ....
Let me know. (If this is not the style you want, my apologies)

 

[Monte]

Like I said, the shape in the pics was to show a different shape. Normally it has more of a western looking crease.
The brim also snaps up all the way around if that's what you described.

 

[OliverTwist]

Thank you so much, I really appreciate the offer but it's not exactly what I'm looking for. I would really like to find a very 1950's tv-matinee western looking hat with a shorter crown and these just don't have the right profile.

The good news is that I seem to have found a perfect hat on eBay. It looks like the one Paul Newman wore in Hud. It's 1960's vintage. The seller is a bit of a flake though as he was supposed to adjust the price for me but instead took down the listing and has not been responsive all day. Hopefully it'll be back online tomorrow and I'll post a photo of it. I think it's the closest I've seen so far.

 

[John Galt]

Best of luck Oliver. I also like this look.

Please note that most of the hats you've rejected could easily be made to look like the hat you seek with just a little work. I own several telescope westerns that I've converted from ranch style creases, and the crowns are plenty low. Adding a leather lace whip stitch binding & reshaping the brim would be a simple matter.

For the right price I would do it to this one and sell it to you.

The offer of the 1950's Stetson Royal Deluxe Open Road at $50 was particularly gracious because the hat would easily sell for more, even with mothing.


"Faint hat never won fair lady."

 

[Monte]

Best of luck Oliver. I also like this look.

Please note that most of the hats you've rejected could easily be made to look like the hat you seek with just a little work. I own several telescope westerns that I've converted from ranch style creases, and the crowns are plenty low. Adding a leather lace whip stitch binding & reshaping the brim would be a simple matter.



The offer of the 1950's Stetson Royal Deluxe Open Road at $50 was particularly gracious because the hat would easily sell for more, even with mothing.

Thanks, John. You are right on the money.
As to the WTB, Not sure why the search is so "desperate".....Most of the hats on ebay are 7 1/8. Just did a quick look....you have your pick of hats.

 

[OliverTwist]

Thanks everyone, I really do appreciate the offers!

Monte, it's the specific style and contour that I'm particular about. There are many hats in my size online but I'm looking for something very specific, I suppose.

Here's a photo of the hat that the eBay seller promised me. It's a 1960s Smithbilt...

I'm not sure if I should leave the crown as is or reshape it?

The problem is that this seller removed the listing, promising to offer it to me at a lower price ($40 + s/h) and has not relisted or responded to my messages in 3 days which now has me really worried and disappointed as this really was the one! I hope that he's just been busy, but I'm a bit skeptical.

 

[Monte]

I just googled that brand and your hat popped up....looks like it sold on Etsy. It honestly didn't look '60s judging from the liner pic. I estimate it to be a newer hat...maybe even wool--which you don't want anyway.
I know you want to look great for the party but you should take your time researching the right hat for you, Halloween or not.

 

[OliverTwist]

I just googled that brand and your hat popped up....looks like it sold on Etsy. It honestly didn't look '60s judging from the liner pic. I estimate it to be a newer hat...maybe even wool--which you don't want anyway.
I know you want to look great for the party but you should take your time researching the right hat for you, Halloween or not.

The shape of the brim and short crown looks very 1960s to me. I don't think it's a newer hat as it would be a lot more expensive. It's a heritage label and apparently new hats go for hundreds (some models even thousands) so I don't doubt that it's as advertised. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like I'll be purchasing it as the seller seems to be a dodgy character who removed the listing and is not responding to my messages. I really like the shape of the brim on this hat and the lighter color is great too... sort of 1950s Lone Ranger (color, not shape). I have a powder blue '50s western shirt and black eye mask which would work wonderfully. Kind of like this...

In fact, the '50s western shirt that I bought is almost the identical powder blue color as the LR. I wish I could find the perfect 1950s cowboy hat to match though!

Btw, I noticed the sold Etsy listing as well and the seller on eBay claimed to be the buyer. I was a bit skeptical however as he did not list a size in his listing, despite there being a size listed in the Etsy listing. He used the same identical photos, yet he photoshopped the size tag out of one of the pictures. Maybe it's better that I avoided dealing with him afterall.

 

[OliverTwist]

What do you guys think of this hat?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Ste...042?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item58a631c2d2


I hate the shape of the crown but the color is perfect and it looks pretty authentic. The only thing is that it's a 7 1/4. I take a size 7 1/8 but usually need to roll a piece of newspaper under the sweat band (I generally have it done properly in a hat shop actually) as it's typically a couple of cm too large. I wonder if I could comfortably stretch it out?

 

[OliverTwist]

I like this one even more, but it's 7 3/8:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-PIL...836?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item25840dccb4

I think you get the idea of what I'm looking for. Period authenticity is really important for me, so it needs to be mid century and not 70s or newer.

Would 7-3/8 look ridiculously large if I'm 7-1/8 if I packed the band out to make a tighter fit?

 

[OliverTwist]

Not bad but crazy expensive (would never consider at that price) and the brim needs to be shaped I think...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Resistol-We...406?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4177062036