Western, anyone?

[Who?]

Rainy day. Actually, today is the first day, since I got the hat four months ago, that the rain hasn’t been too little, too late in the day, or a deluge with lightning. Right now it’s drying on my head, and still feels dampish.

 

[T Jones]

Reworking a BR20 Bradford Western. It started out as a way too small size 7. I sized it up to a 7 1/4 on a #51 block. The news channel I watch interviews a lot of Border Patrol agents. The one thing I noticed about some of those CBP agents in the interviews is that they wear some cool looking Western hats. I want to try and recreate this hat into something similar. I'll have more when it's finished....

Before:

Stripped down and on the cook pot:

Reblocked, brim break put in, and the brim ironed out:

The open crown is 6 inches tall with a brim width at 3.5 inches. I'll try to reuse what I can that came original to the hat.
I'll have more when it's
finished.

 

[Who?]

The Four Points Silverbelly 20X Rand...

Made a quick run to the local big box DIY store yesterday for some gardening supplies and, since the weather was tolerable for a change, thought I'd leave the baseball cap at home and wear this.

Have you considered just retiring the baseball cap, and wearing that fine hat instead?

 

[tonyb]

Midnight blue velour finish Ukrainian rabbit fur body, true vintage ribbon, roan sweatband. Just the thing for that Western-themed wedding.

 

[T Jones]

Got the Bradford finished except for reworking the original 6 ply ribbon to make it fit the size up of the hat. Ribbon's not yet sewn on in the pics....

New sweat sewn in:

Cattleman crease with a rolled cowboy curl on the brim...

I'll have more after I get the ribbon sewn on.

A sing along with Hank.....Pick guitar fill fruit jar and be gayo....

A player piano version...

Hank Williams playlist:

 

[Blare]

Got the Bradford finished except for reworking the original 6 ply ribbon to make it fit the size up of the hat. Ribbon's not yet sewn on in the pics....

New sweat sewn in:

Cattleman crease with a rolled cowboy curl on the brim...

I'll have more after I get the ribbon sewn on.

A sing along with Hank.....Pick guitar fill fruit jar and be gayo....

A player piano version...

Hank Williams playlist:

Looks fabulous, Terry.

 

[T Jones]

Looks fabulous, Terry.

Thank you Blare!

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Got the Bradford finished except for reworking the original 6 ply ribbon to make it fit the size up of the hat. Ribbon's not yet sewn on in the pics....

New sweat sewn in:

Cattleman crease with a rolled cowboy curl on the brim...

I'll have more after I get the ribbon sewn on.

A sing along with Hank.....Pick guitar fill fruit jar and be gayo....

A player piano version...

Hank Williams playlist:

Looks great, Terry. I’m glad you’ll be able to keep the six cord ribbon too.

 

[T Jones]

Looks great, Terry. I’m glad you’ll be able to keep the six cord ribbon too.

Thank you Brent. Looks like there's enough material on the bow to lengthen it. So I'm pretty confident that I'll be able to save it. You just don't come across those vintage 6 plies anymore.

 

[BobHufford]

You just don't come across those vintage 6 plies anymore.

Great rebuild so far Terry!

Anyone know when 5-ply ribbons were in vogue?

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

Midnight blue velour finish Ukrainian rabbit fur body, true vintage ribbon, roan sweatband. Just the thing for that Western-themed wedding.

View attachment 453047

Bet that sparkles nicely in the sun, Tony.
Sweet hat!
B

 

[T Jones]

Great rebuild so far Terry!

Anyone know when 5-ply ribbons were in vogue?

Thank you Bob!

5 ply? I don't think I've ever seen one.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Been taking advantage of the veranda as the Fall-like weather comes & goes.

 

[tonyb]

 

[tonyb]

 

[tonyb]

 

[Blare]

Some beauties, Tony

View attachment 453637

 

[tonyb]

 

[BobHufford]

5 ply? I don't think I've ever seen one.

G.W. Alexander Hat Co. made for Wolfe's in Salt Lake City. "Arizona" style in a "San Fran" block. 6" open crown, 3-1/2" bound brim with a 1/2" wide 5-cord ribbon. Size 7-1/4. Not sure on age. G.W. Alexander was around from the 1870s to the 1960s at least. Wolfe's was around from 1920 until the '70s. I get a '40s vibe ... but it's just a vibe.

 

[tonyb]

^^^^^
That 1940s guess seems more than plausible, what with $8.50 (the presumably regular retail price crossed out on the tag) and $4.95 (the sale price) in 1947 money has about the same buying power as $117 and $68, respectively, these days.

Was it that hats — decent ones, made of fur felt or quality straws — were relatively less costly back when there was a larger segment of the population buying the things? I ask because that hat looks to be of a quality that would run $300 or more in 2022.

In the photos the finish seems suede-like. Nice “hand,” I trust?