What the Heck is with this 2-tone Stetson Royal DeLuxe??

[Caryn Cook]

New forum member so I apologize if I shouldn't have started a new thread for this but after some searching I couldn't find any relevent threads to post it to. I am completely puzzled by this awesome, but seemingly rare vintage Stetson Royal DeLuxe. The brim and the crown are 2 different colors - and it is definitely original, not fade or anything weird like that. I've googled like crazy and can't find anything remotely like it. I figured if anyone would know anything about it it would be the members of this group. I have more photos if anyone wants to see something specific. So...anyone seen one like this before?

 

[tonyb]

Pics ain't showing, Caryn.

 

[KingAndrew]

I can't see the pictures, either.

 

[LuvMyMan]

I guess my magic glasses are not working either...no pictures showing up for me either. LOL! DRATS!

 

[Joao Encarnado]

https://www.dropbox.com/s/f85kfxpddvehtc7/stetsonb.jpg
https://www.dropbox.com/s/1mej4463achfr7d/2tonefedora5.jpg

Fixed links.

 

[T Jones]

New forum member so I apologize if I shouldn't have started a new thread for this but after some searching I couldn't find any relevent threads to post it to. I am completely puzzled by this awesome, but seemingly rare vintage Stetson Royal DeLuxe. The brim and the crown are 2 different colors - and it is definitely original, not fade or anything weird like that. I've googled like crazy and can't find anything remotely like it. I figured if anyone would know anything about it it would be the members of this group. I have more photos if anyone wants to see something specific. So...anyone seen one like this before?

So...anyone seen one like this before?

Actually, yes. A few talented Loungers here have done conversions where they sewed the brim from one hat to a different color crown of another hat. Possibly for the purpose of making one good hat out of two damaged ones. But, that's not saying yours was done that way, though.

 

[RJR]

New one on me.

 

[seabass]

Caryn Please post up some more detailed pics of that Stetson as that is not something seen much.

here's my 2 tone
Portis was a pretty bold hat company as most of my Portis hats are wild

I did not want to pull the sweat completely inside out as it is unreeded & has weak stitches up front
but I pulled back on the sides & peeked under the liner & the crown inner is dark like the brim
I cant feel any separate seams or overlap of felt,
I don't feel anything as separate or joints on this Portis
& the tags says hand made & embossing hand-craft.

I have 2 custom Pandoras 1 from Art at VS & 1 from Mike at NW & those are obvious in feel as 2 pieces meeting but that is straw/felt

I got this from rlk a great hat collector here & FL hat educator.
che

 

[1mach1]

I love that Portis, Che! :eusa_clap

 

[mikespens]

Rare and amazing Che, thanks for posting it.

Caryn, these instructions are one way of posting your pixs:

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?52584-Links-To-Important-Hat-Forum-Threads

 

[navarre]

Holy Smokes Mike, best link ever!

Super awesome hats from both Che and Caryn.

That Portis is wicked! I would love to see how that one is put together.

And I am with Che, some more pics of that Royal would be cool to see.

 

[navarre]

Che, does that Portis have yellow stitching on the brim binding? Robert has a match to that hat, but his has a yellow wind trolley. It's one of the hats that I have wanted to reproduce for a long time. One of these days.

 

[seabass]

Hi Bob
I bought this from Robert "rlk" about 2 years ago +
it did not have a wind trolley & the stitching on the brim binding has a grey & mustard tone to it
my eyes are not the best to judge the actual thread color though

with flash indoors underwelt

no flash underwelt

no flash overwelt

2 lousy pics of overwelt is more true to thread color, see the mustard tone..

 

[seabass]

Bob,
As for the body it is 1 piece of felt & it is a custom dye job it seems
I know you are capable of doing this as you custom dye some of your body's & ribbons

the felt is light weight & super soft a chamois feel & super conforming with some nice soft leather

exterior under ribbon

interior

I don't know what this dusty stuff is but there is no mothing on this hat & the oilskin is still soft & flexible
what do you think that stuff is ? I did not want to mess with the sweat & stress the stitching

found this

cant make this out but it is not a backside of any embossing as nothing behind on the surface

popped a stitch on the non reed playing with this, but worth it for you Bob
as far as I know no current hatter can sew non reeded sweats

a beauty of a hat & fine example of old school talent

Now this is what the FL is about education & sharing historic info !

OK Bob you figure out how to 2-tone a Lightweight Body & I will order one from you
che

 

[Mystic]

Not a Stetson but a two toned Knox Foxhound I sold about a year ago. Patent number on sweatband is for the two tone, as per Brad Bowers.

Black brim & grey crown:

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[jlee562]

http://www.google.com/patents/US2844823

Patent was fun reading. Seems like this can easily be done today. Essentially they put a strip of burlap around the bottom of the cone during the beginning of the felting process. The hat starts with a thin layer of light fur fibers. The strip is then removed and the darker fibers are added over the normal size of the cone, which is then felted as normal, during which the lighter fur blends to the top layer. The band covers the area where the two blend, although the patent claims that this creates a more uniform line than dip dying.

 

[RJR]

Interesting.

 

[rlk]

Nice to see the Portis again Che! It did have a wind trolley originally but it didn't survive a cleaning. The Portis and Royal DeLuxe pre date that patent but likely a similar process--check out some of the supporting prior patents for the above

 

[Brother cavefish]

i would love one in two shades of brown

 

[Mystic]

Interesting.

:arated: