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Going Atomic With Dalton

Messages
19,427
Location
Funkytown, USA
Dalton #2, recently fished out of the Bay, along with it's brother (to follow). This hat came to me as a 7 1/8, but I worked with it (and it's 7 1/8 brother) on one of my blocks over a weekend. Lots of steam cleaned it up and got it to fit my noggin. The color, for wont of a better name, is Sage. It's kind of a grey-green, maybe brown. Open crown at 5 1/2", brim at 2 1/4".

Open crown shots during/after blocking and steaming.

Dalton Sage 6.JPG Dalton Sage 8.JPG

Final shots after putting a crease in it.

Dalton Sage 1.JPG Dalton Sage 2.JPG Dalton Sage 3.JPG Dalton Sage 5.JPG

Dalton Sage 01.jpg
 
Messages
19,427
Location
Funkytown, USA
Dalton #3, part of the same purchase as the above, Sage fedora. This one's the standard blue-grey color you see on so many of the older hats, though a shade or two greyer than the OR clone. Same specs as above, 5 1/2" open crown, 2 1/4" bound brim.

Open crown shots on the block:

Dalton Blue 1.JPG Dalton Blue 3.JPG Dalton Blue 4.JPG

After the crease (a center dent with gentle side creases and a "soft" nose)

Dalton Blue 10.JPG Dalton Blue 11.JPG Dalton Blue 12.JPG

Dalton Blue 16.JPG Dalton Blue 18.JPG Dalton Blue 19.JPG Dalton Blue 20.JPG Dalton Blue 21.jpg


I'm currently awaiting delivery on a fourth Dalton, which will also need a good cleaning and re-blocking. I hope to post pics in a week or so.
 
Last edited:
Messages
10,586
Location
Boston area
What a collection, Fruno!! Super-looking quality, and terrific dusting/cleaning job. You are leading the parade on the Dalton Highway!!
 

besdor

Vendor/Sponsor
Messages
1,727
Location
up north
I'd say Dalton hats are as hard to find as MacLachlan , Emerson and Bailey of California hats. They are out there , but you need patience.
 
Messages
19,427
Location
Funkytown, USA
Patience and persistence paid off in this find, another Dalton purchased on eBay at 7 1/8, and I've worked with it to get my 7 1/4 head into it comfortably. I have a name for this one, courtesy of the store price tag. This is a Waverly, in blue.

Waverly 2.jpg

First, a photo from the listing, then a couple I took right before the bath. The hat was, of course, crushed a bit and pretty dirty, with some staining on the top and front of the hat. Also some light moth grazing on the crown and spot staining on the bound brim.

Waverly 02.JPG Waverly 8.jpg Waverly 4.jpg Waverly 6.jpg

I worked to steam out the spots and clean it up a bit, but that was only moderately successful, so I got out the naphtha and a bucket and threw it in. Note that, even though experience is that the sweat bands survive the bath, I always spend a day or two treating the sweat with Lexol, front and back, just to be sure. I left it in the soup last weekend for about 10 hours, and fished it out to dry in the cool evening air. The bath really cleaned this one up, and made the color pop (and made my wife say, "Wow!"). This weekend, after some Lexol prep on the sweat, it went on the block for some steaming and ironing. Open crown, on the block:

Waverly 25.JPG Waverly 25.JPG

After steaming and ironing on the block (I left it there for ~48 hrs), it was finally ready to play with. Open crown, brim up, on the noggin:

IMG_1245.JPG IMG_1247.JPG

Yesterday I finally worked the crease into it, and today it's accompanying me to the office and points elsewhere:

Waverly 16.JPG Waverly 20.JPG IMG_1265.JPG IMG_1267.JPG

The sordid details:

Crown: 5 1/2" open
Brim: 2 1/2"
Color: Blue with black ribbon and burgundy brim binding.
Factory sized at 7 1/8, resized to 7 1/4.
Originally purchased from Mattei Brothers in Petaluma, CA.
I think this one may be bit older than the OR clone upthread, or at least made to higher quality standards. This one has no oilskin over the liner tip and the logo is embroidered. Any help with dating would be appreciated. I know this isn't a sought-after or well-researched brand, but perhaps the Union tag may give some clue? Thanks in advance!

Waverly 04.JPG Waverly 10a.jpg Waverly 3a.jpg Waverly 22.JPG

I now need one more so I can declare Dalton Week and wear one to work every day! Maybe some day I'll actually find one in my size!
 
Messages
19,427
Location
Funkytown, USA
Scored another Dalton off Etsy this week. I've been eyeing it since June, but didn't pull the trigger due to some concerns about the condition, as mothing was noticeable in the shop's photos. This week I said what the heck, and made an offer on it. Got it for $25 + shipping, so I figured, even if it was bad, it could be a yard work hat - which I've been in the market for anyway.

Tan Dalton 9.jpg
Tan Dalton 7.jpg
Tan Dalton 8.jpg

Tan Dalton 10.jpg
Tan Dalton 11.jpg

The critter nibbles are unfortunate, but not bad enough to keep me from enjoying this thing. It's Open Road-ish, except for the lack of a bound brim. Instead, it has a stitched brim. It is unlined, and tissue lite. 3.5 oz on the postal scale at the office. The ribbon is felt, to match the hat.
Tan Dalton 6.jpg
Picture2.jpg


It hails from Black's, in San Bernardino (home of Potato-headed Bobby). I have been unable to pull up any information on this store.
Picture1.jpg
Picture3.jpg
Picture7.jpg


Edit: Forgot the specs
5 1/2" open crown
2 7/8" stitched brim
3.5 oz weight
 
Last edited:
Messages
19,427
Location
Funkytown, USA
Jim you are the Dalton King!

Thanks! It's nice to find a niche. I almost bought a stingy that's not my size that's on the bay right now, but I'm not gonna. If somebody else that's a 7 1/8 is into that, they'll buy a nice hat.

And Dinerman has one up, too, but the critters seem to have gotten to it. Tho it has a stitched brim. I'd like to see that.
 

Bob Roberts

I'll Lock Up
Messages
11,201
Location
milford ct
Patience and persistence paid off in this find, another Dalton purchased on eBay at 7 1/8, and I've worked with it to get my 7 1/4 head into it comfortably. I have a name for this one, courtesy of the store price tag. This is a Waverly, in blue.

View attachment 35195

First, a photo from the listing, then a couple I took right before the bath. The hat was, of course, crushed a bit and pretty dirty, with some staining on the top and front of the hat. Also some light moth grazing on the crown and spot staining on the bound brim.

View attachment 35196 View attachment 35199 View attachment 35197 View attachment 35198

I worked to steam out the spots and clean it up a bit, but that was only moderately successful, so I got out the naphtha and a bucket and threw it in. Note that, even though experience is that the sweat bands survive the bath, I always spend a day or two treating the sweat with Lexol, front and back, just to be sure. I left it in the soup last weekend for about 10 hours, and fished it out to dry in the cool evening air. The bath really cleaned this one up, and made the color pop (and made my wife say, "Wow!"). This weekend, after some Lexol prep on the sweat, it went on the block for some steaming and ironing. Open crown, on the block:

View attachment 35215 View attachment 35215

After steaming and ironing on the block (I left it there for ~48 hrs), it was finally ready to play with. Open crown, brim up, on the noggin:

View attachment 35200 View attachment 35201

Yesterday I finally worked the crease into it, and today it's accompanying me to the office and points elsewhere:

View attachment 35202 View attachment 35203 View attachment 35204 View attachment 35205

The sordid details:

Crown: 5 1/2" open
Brim: 2 1/2"
Color: Blue with black ribbon and burgundy brim binding.
Factory sized at 7 1/8, resized to 7 1/4.
Originally purchased from Mattei Brothers in Petaluma, CA.
I think this one may be bit older than the OR clone upthread, or at least made to higher quality standards. This one has no oilskin over the liner tip and the logo is embroidered. Any help with dating would be appreciated. I know this isn't a sought-after or well-researched brand, but perhaps the Union tag may give some clue? Thanks in advance!

View attachment 35207 View attachment 35208 View attachment 35209 View attachment 35210

I now need one more so I can declare Dalton Week and wear one to work every day! Maybe some day I'll actually find one in my size!
It's nice when the wife sez "Wow!" I'm gonna say WOW too! Is it my size now?
 

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