Bradford Ltd. - a mystery? Where are the Bradford hats?

[Joao Encarnado]

The only Bradford hat I have is a wool made by Resistol with a Staples store logo.

 

[T Jones]

Terry I'm one of your "followers"
Some of your conversion are real well done, others are gems.
It is a pity you are so far......I could be your "client"

Thanks buddy. I really appreciate that.

 

[Mountain Skinner]

I found this little gem at an estate sale in Springfield MO last month (Dec 2018). It was marked at $35, but I was there on the last day of the sale and got it for $17.50. I can post more pics, but thought I would start with one as this is my first post here at FL. I just wanted to contribute a little in return for all the great reading I have found here.

The union label has "129" right above the union logo. I was able to track this to the Hatters Local in Garland TX which lines up with this being a Resistol / Byer-Rolnick product. Tener's is still in business in OK City. The hat came in its' original box. The hat appears unworn and has 4 small moth nibbles. I am very happy with it!

I have never seen a crown like this before and am open to any speculation as to production date. I am guessing early 60's.

Thanks!

 

[Mountain Skinner]

I found this little gem at an estate sale in Springfield MO last month (Dec 2018). It was marked at $35, but I was there on the last day of the sale and got it for $17.50. I can post more pics, but thought I would start with one as this is my first post here at FL. I just wanted to contribute a little in return for all the great reading I have found here.

The union label has "129" right above the union logo. I was able to track this to the Hatters Local in Garland TX which lines up with this being a Resistol / Byer-Rolnick product. Tener's is still in business in OK City. The hat came in its' original box. The hat appears unworn and has 4 small moth nibbles. I am very happy with it!

I have never seen a crown like this before and am open to any speculation as to production date. I am guessing early 60's.

Thanks!

I found this little gem at an estate sale in Springfield MO last month (Dec 2018). It was marked at $35, but I was there on the last day of the sale and got it for $17.50. I can post more pics, but thought I would start with one as this is my first post here at FL. I just wanted to contribute a little in return for all the great reading I have found here.

The union label has "129" right above the union logo. I was able to track this to the Hatters Local in Garland TX which lines up with this being a Resistol / Byer-Rolnick product. Tener's is still in business in OK City. The hat came in its' original box. The hat appears unworn and has 4 small moth nibbles. I am very happy with it!

I have never seen a crown like this before and am open to any speculation as to production date. I am guessing early 60's.

Thanks!

I found this little gem at an estate sale in Springfield MO last month (Dec 2018). It was marked at $35, but I was there on the last day of the sale and got it for $17.50. I can post more pics, but thought I would start with one as this is my first post here at FL. I just wanted to contribute a little in return for all the great reading I have found here.

The union label has "129" right above the union logo. I was able to track this to the Hatters Local in Garland TX which lines up with this being a Resistol / Byer-Rolnick product. Tener's is still in business in OK City. The hat came in its' original box. The hat appears unworn and has 4 small moth nibbles. I am very happy with it!

I have never seen a crown like this before and am open to any speculation as to production date. I am guessing early 60's.

Thanks!

 

[BobHufford]

Welcome to the Lounge @Mountain Skinner ! Great looking Bradford. Looks to be a "brick" or "lazy square" crease with a mule-kick in the front at least. Love that look.

Not sure on the date as I don't think we've pinpointed the use of the Glyco-Tite Process. The font used on the box looks almost 1970s to me, but that would be a guess.

Are we neighbors? Tell me you're not a 7-1/2 or 7-5/8 size.

 

[Mountain Skinner]

Welcome to the Lounge @Mountain Skinner ! Great looking Bradford. Looks to be a "brick" or "lazy square" crease with a mule-kick in the front at least. Love that look.

Not sure on the date as I don't think we've pinpointed the use of the Glyco-Tite Process. The font used on the box looks almost 1970s to me, but that would be a guess.

Are we neighbors? Tell me you're not a 7-1/2 or 7-5/8 size.

Thanks Bob! My family is all over the Ozarks, but I am in Colorado now. Glad to say, I am 7 1/8 and this hat is true to size. The brim says 7x, Hand Creased.

 

[BobHufford]

The brim says 7x, Hand Creased.

Oooh ... I hear these are quite nice. I think member @T Jones has one or two and raves about the felt.

 

[Michael R.]

I think I have 2 or 3 , but only 2 my size . My Favorite is a Forest (Moss) Green 3X Bradford Quadril

I have changed the cease now .

No 2 is a Nice Hat , but the quality markings have worn off , looks like the color is mink ...

the other was a 7X in a smaller size I think .

 

[DaveProc]

Maybe 1950s ? Bradford. Other than being little dusty it is appears to be in almost new condition

 

[JamesG]

Hello all, I am new and I joined the group because of some hats I found at a garage sale last year. This one is The Westerner by Bradford. Never heard of the name until I came across your thread. Can you offer some details about it?

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Hello all, I am new and I joined the group because of some hats I found at a garage sale last year. This one is The Westerner by Bradford. Never heard of the name until I came across your thread. Can you offer some details about it?
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Cool hat. I like the three cord “ribbon” and I always like bound brims. The sweatband is toast and will need to be replaced. I’m not sure what you want to know about the hat. Are you looking for something specific?

 

[JamesG]

Just it's history. I understand Bradford was before Resistol? How old it is? etc...

 

[DaveProc]

I have found ads for "The Hub" from the 70s and 80s. I am going to venture a guess that it is from the 60s or early 70s

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Just it's history. I understand Bradford was before Resistol? How old it is? etc...

It certainly wasn’t “before Resistol.” It was one of Resistol’s brands, but I don’t know if it was ever a stand-alone brand that Resistol bought or if it was just a line that Resistol created. It’s been put forward by some as a higher quality hat line; however, it also had lots of cheap wool hats under its name. I think of Churchill as the high end of Resistol’s stable, and Bradford as a later alternative line with a range of quality levels. Of course, it could be that the quality levels represent certain vintages rather than competing quality levels from contemporary hats.

Yours is not a particularly old hat, and certainly no where near as the first Resistols. Often we can’t narrow dates of manufacture down any closer than decades. Your hat is of the type that you don’t have to worry about damaging its value by replacing the ruined sweatband. It’s what I consider a rough-n-tumble daily wear hat. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[Just Daniel]

What a fun find! Brad Bowers a ways back on the thread has what looks like the best info - Bradford as a company started in the 50s.

This hat, with the plastic liner, is certainly no older than the 50s. I looked but can’t find any info on Bradford’s quality levels or original pricing. There are other scattered cites for Bradford hats on the Lounge, it seems guys like the hats.

Good luck!

Hello all, I am new and I joined the group because of some hats I found at a garage sale last year. This one is The Westerner by Bradford. Never heard of the name until I came across your thread. Can you offer some details about it?
View attachment 314434 View attachment 314435 View attachment 314436 View attachment 314437

 

[T Jones]

I have two Bradfords that I converted from Westerns to thin ribbon fedoras. They were Beyer / Rolnick hats, same company that made Resistol. What I can say about the older Bradfords is that I'd love to have more of them. They were quality hats all around...

One of my Bradford conversions, a Westerner...

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Bradford Stagecoach Redding.

 

[JamesG]

I have two Bradfords that I converted from Westerns to thin ribbon fedoras. They were Beyer / Rolnick hats, same company that made Resistol. What I can say about the older Bradfords is that I'd love to have more of them. They were quality hats all around...

One of my Bradford conversions, a Westerner...

Excellent work. Is that something you can do for mine?

 

[T Jones]

Excellent work. Is that something you can do for mine?

Thank you buddy. Yes. It's definitely something I can do. Ive got several Westerns that I converted into thin ribbon fedoras. At this time I'm not doing customs or conversions for anyone until I can collect more things that I need. It's something I plan to do, though.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Bradford 7X Quality Hand Creased. 6” open crown with quite a bit of taper. The brim is 3 7/8 to 4 inches wide with wide binding. Aside from some surface dirt, the felt is clean and has a great hand. The sweatband is toast and the liner is MIA.

This hat is off to Canada for some refurbishment. I think the felt compares favorably to mid-1950s Stetson 3X western hats and there isn’t a plenty of brim to allow for it to be sized up 3+ sizes.