Western, anyone?

[Neophyte]

Roosevelt dam ceremony, 1911:

 

[T Rick]

Damn!


Okay, deserves more of a reply than that. Great collection (and great VARIETY) of early 1900's hat styles! Nice find Neo.

 

[Neophyte]

Damn!


Okay, deserves more of a reply than that. Great collection (and great VARIETY) of early 1900's hat styles! Nice find Neo.

Thanks. I posted several links to photos from the same archive some pages back [read: somewhere in p.70-80]. I was a little more patient this time, and I thought this one was pretty cool.

 

[barrowjh]

Couple of recent ebay adventures -
First, this 3X Stetson in a sand color, 3 3/8 brim, from the 40's per JTL's 'dating vintage stetsons by liner' field guide.

Not too bad for $26, $34 delivered (plus a little work) here are some details -
the 3X logo -

'last drop' under oilskin -

oilskin sweatband separator, 'philly tag, liner stitched in -

size sticker showing '1/8' -

oops, forgot the listing - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...in2MUUQ%3D&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK:MEWNX:IT

Will do a separate post for the 2nd recent western

 

[barrowjh]

Here is the 2nd western, won for the stunning price of only $12.84, $23 delivered - the listing - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...in2MUUQ%3D&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK:MEWNX:IT
a Resistol 'Cutter Bill' Beaver 50 in silver belly sold at Cutter Bill Western World in Houston, 3 inch brim -

the 'Cutter Bill Beaver 50' logo, if you can see the small print -

the store logo -

the liner is stitched in -

I hope someone will help me put a time-frame on this Resistol. The quarter-horse 'Cutter Bill' was at his peak in about 1962, and the owner Rex Cauble would have opened the 'Cutter Bill Western World' by mid-60's (1965?). I'm trying to figure out where this Beaver 50 might have fit into the Resistol lineup. It is tempting to think that it was the same niche as the Stetson 7X $50 hat; top shelf 100% beaver felt, but we get that information from catalogs in the 1950's - this hat was a decade 'n half to two decades later, and Beaver 50 at that time might have been more equivalent to Stetson 20 (Sovereign) or Beaver 25 from the 1950's, which was a step (or more) down from a 7X. Maybe someone from Houston, or a Resistol officianado will help us out?

 

[Neophyte]

That's a great one, Barrow. I like the side view of the crown and brim curl particularly! Well done :eusa_clap

On a side note, I just watched The Outlaw Josey Wales last night. GREAT movie with some GREAT hats!

 

[barrowjh]

Thanks, Neophyte. The felt from the 40's (Stetson) is soft as a baby's cotton blanket - holds a shape just fine, but remains soft to the touch. The more recent Beaver 50 is much slicker to the touch, clearly a high beaver content (if not all beaver), and it is finely sanded, dense and initially softer than the 3X Stetson. I say 'initially' because the Resistol has quite a bit more stiffener in it, and has no similarity to a baby's cotton blanket. I believe the Resistol Beaver 50 is far superior felt to the older Stetson 3X, just has more stiffener (sizing) in it. I am thinking the Resistol was a top-shelf hat (or not far below).

 

[warbird]

I love that resistol. I don't think a western suits you. You need to sell it to me immediately and save yourself some grief.

 

[barrowjh]

Yeah, warbird, none of those cavs in the background suit me neither. Someday I'll find the right one . . .

 

[Neophyte]

RBH, here's a picture of me doing my best... "Lamar, I got a dollar that says, I can break your neck before you can get that rig moved a half inch".

Here's member Mark G from another thread. He actually made this hat from a hat blank he obtained, trying to replicate Eastwood's hat in the movie Joe Kidd. It may just be me, but I think this hat just looks stunning! Somehow, it was never posted here .

Wish I hadn't found this, though, because now it's on my wishlist shakeshead...I'm hopeless lol.

 

[warbird]

Here's member Mark G from another thread. He actually made this hat from a hat blank he obtained, trying to replicate Eastwood's hat in the movie Joe Kidd. It may just be me, but I think this hat just looks stunning! Somehow, it was never posted here .

Wish I hadn't found this, though, because now it's on my wishlist shakeshead...I'm hopeless lol.

Yes, it is a very sharp hat.

 

[bowlerman]

Wow, Mark G-- very cool hat. That's the first time I think I've seen it look like it actually fits on someone's head, other than Clint's, of course. You really do it justice! Is it me or do the "Clint" hats often look way too big for people wearing them? Maybe it's just the awful, probably photoshopped sales images...

 

[bowlerman]

I ordered this from Montana Peaks last summer, because I wanted a nice "road-tripping-through-the-west" hat. Living in South Dakota, but having grown up in Southern California, I always over-romanticize heading west and figured I needed some headgear to go along.
Anyway, I love this hat, especially its "mild Packer" brim curl. It was a perfect fit when it arrived, but my inexperience didn't account for it fitting quite a bit tighter in the summer heat. Anyone know if it can be stretched sweatband-in? Or do I need to have it reblocked or something?

[/IMG]

 

[Neophyte]

It depends on how much you need to stretch. But as it's a fairly new hat, I think you'll be fine stretching sweatband-in. In my experience, the Hat Jack sold in stores like DavidMorgan and NogginTops works wonderfully!

BTW, that's a nice-looking hat!

 

[fmw]

Be careful. I stretched on of my old Westerns recently and it put two splits in the sweatband. I think I will probably send it to a pro and have it rebuilt.

 

[Neophyte]

Wow, Mark G-- very cool hat. That's the first time I think I've seen it look like it actually fits on someone's head, other than Clint's, of course. You really do it justice! Is it me or do the "Clint" hats often look way too big for people wearing them? Maybe it's just the awful, probably photoshopped sales images...

Probably the latter. The majority of Eastwood's hats are so basic (telescope crown and flat brim, various degrees of wear) that they'd probably look good on anybody, as long as they have the right size. When you start heading into Pale Rider , Dollars trilogy, and Josey Wales territory, however...

 

[bowlerman]

Pfft....$400 for a poncho?!!! lol lol lol $560 for the hat!!! :eeek:

Aside from the color, though, that hat DOES seem to be close to what I outlined in my description. That price seems unreasonable, and I've heard too many horror stories about Baron Hats to even consider them.

Thanks for the link, though. I recall this hat in particular being the one that got me interested in western hats in the first place, though I was never crazy about the brown color. I've got some thinking to do ! It seems that I'm interested in the Civil War/Old West image versus your standard western.

Ok, so maybe they're a bit difficult, but for all the bad rap Baron gets around here, I went and wore mine the other day and all in all, I think it's a pretty fantastic and unique product. This particular hat was only $200, and does not include the Tito Jackson signature stamp, which is, um, fine.

[/IMG]

 

[bowlerman]

Thanks Neo and fmw-- I imagine I'll do more damage than good myself. I might just call the gal over at Montana Peaks and see what kind of cost that would be.

 

[DanielJones]

I always found these characters good inspiration for western hats...

Waddie Mitchell

Randy Rieman and Bill Dorrance

Don Edwards

Riders in the Sky

Cheers!

Dan

 

[bowlerman]

Riders in the Sky

Yes, with Ranger Doug! I first discovered them through my kids' Barney video-- great hats, and boy are they a tight ensemble!