Western, anyone?

[Steve1857]

Smithbilt in bone (off-white):

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Although best know for their cheap wool Stampede novelty hats, Smithbilt made some nice fur felt hats too. This hat has felt that rivals my best vintage 3X hats with the advantage of being dime-thin. Great hand too. This was a hat that Art Fawcett had acquired and subsequently sold to me after he retired.

That's a Brent hat for sure, Brent. Mr Fawcett couldn't possibly have sold it to anyone else.
A real Western beauty

 

[deadlyhandsome]

That's a Brent hat for sure, Brent. Mr Fawcett couldn't possibly have sold it to anyone else.
A real Western beauty

Thank you, Steve. I got lucky and picked up a few hats, blocks, flanges, steamer, etc. from Art when he retired. I wish him well in retirement, but miss having him as an option. Above all, he was a kind person and a gentleman.

 

[Steve1857]

Thank you, Steve. I got lucky and picked up a few hats, blocks, flanges, steamer, etc. from Art when he retired. I wish him well in retirement, but miss having him as an option. Above all, he was a kind person and a gentleman.

We need more of the likes of Art Fawcett in this world.

 

[Rumad]

Smithbilt in bone (off-white):

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Although best know for their cheap wool Stampede novelty hats, Smithbilt made some nice fur felt hats too. This hat has felt that rivals my best vintage 3X hats with the advantage of being dime-thin. Great hand too. This was a hat that Art Fawcett had acquired and subsequently sold to me after he retired.

Brother, that hat looks more at home on your head than any other hat I’ve seen you wear. Very nice.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Brother, that hat looks more at home on your head than any other hat I’ve seen you wear. Very nice.

Thanks, Alan; that’s quite the compliment.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Montecristi custom:

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Love this big swoopy Walden:

 

[Rmccamey]

That's one big hat.

Love this big swoopy Walden:

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[Blare]

Love this big swoopy Walden:

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That's one big hat.

And some serious Brent vibes! Looking good!

 

[alanfgag]

 

[RossRYoung]

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Excellent Numero Uno, Alan. I'd thought for sure we'd seen your Stetson Western collection in its entirety, but I don't recall this one. Love the contrasting ribbon and edge treatment against the (what looks to be) darker than average felt.

 

[alanfgag]

Excellent Numero Uno, Alan. I'd thought for sure we'd seen your Stetson Western collection in its entirety, but I don't recall this one. Love the contrasting ribbon and edge treatment against the (what looks to be) darker than average felt.

I guess I still have one or two up my sleeve... though it has been posted before I think. It is a dark sand... the color you'll get from a building supply place rather than the ocean sand I grew up with outside NYC.

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

Love this big swoopy Walden:

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Big man...big hat. Looks good!
Tried to think of a “how big is that hat” joke and all i could come up with was:
That hat’s so big the air traffic controller’s union had to start a new local just to land it!
Keep em flyin.
B

 

[Edward]

Checked this one off the bucket list:

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Interesting stuff. I'm always fascinated by how ornate some of this Western stuff is. Shows how limiting today's notions of masculinity can be - I don't imagine for a minute any of this stuff was considered in anyway 'effeminate' back then the way decorations like flowers and such might often be now. Great photos, really enjoyed seeing them!

 

[RossRYoung]

Interesting stuff. I'm always fascinated by how ornate some of this Western stuff is

I’m glad you enjoyed the photos and I completely agree with the sentiment. It could even be argued the opposite, that all the details and colors that were worn were masculine. Actual trail riders and bronc busters were using these items practically, and (most likely) harder than today’s standards. It is interesting

 

[Mm25]

Woomera today.

 

[Yahoody]

I like it, I tend to recrease my hats to variations of the "gus" pinch. This hat came to me as a badly smooshed 1980s Resistol. View attachment 374930 View attachment 374931

I like it a lot. Hope that is not a chemo back ground though.

 

[Yahoody]

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A very fine hat that you look great in Sir!

 

[MisplacedHillbilly]

I like it a lot. Hope that is not a chemo back ground though.

Thanks that hat was in sorry shape when it was given me, but nothing a good soaking and patience couldn't set right. Its a long story about being in a hospital I'll try to shorten a bit. Took my fiance in for extreme weakness that turned out to be guillain barre syndrome. Fortunately that has been successfully treated but in the meantime her nurses found an odd growth near her butthole. THAT turned out to be squamous cell carcinoma! She actually had some ct scans done earlier today to make sure it hasn't spread. For now looks like she'll be home by Wednesday but will start out patient cancer treatments soon. With one dose of chemo and then radiation therapy with one more round of the chemo with the last radiation treatment. Not sure yet how many radiation treatments she's going to get. She's in pretty good spirits overall, she beat breast cancer a few years ago. She actually jokes with her nurses and physical therapy techs by saying she wishes she hadn't said that "cancer can kiss my a$$" looks like everything will be fine except she's really bummed that it looks like the chemo gonna make her hair fall out. At least thats temporary, getting rid of the damn cancer is the important thing. I feel that as bad as it was for awhile the guillain barre syndrome was a blessing in disguise because we found the cancer and now we're working on that.

 

[Yahoody]

Glad she found it early. Give her my best.

Cancer? The gift that just keeps on "giving".

I use to be pretty vain about my hair. Lots of it and brown/blonde. Lost it all, and 60 #, with months of chemo and rad. Eventually the hair came back as some sort of weird fuzz. Didn't have to shave for like 5 years. Finally, 10 years later all back to pretty much normal, a little thinner on top (as am I, still down 45#). But hair is way thicker on my face. Now pretty much anything I grow is snow white. I cut my hair shorter now most of the year, a buzz cut actually, and only wear it long when I am skiing or climbing a lot for the warmth and temp control in winter.

The rest of the year I wear a hat. Not so vain on the hair or much of else after that experience. I best wishes for both of you!

And that is one heck of a nice hat!