Pre 1940s Stetson Westerns

[alanfgag]

No.1 Quality 20s-30s

What, no posts here since July? Time to add more. This one owned has been passed around a bit and though still in nice shape, shows the most wear of any of my old westerns. Color is coffee + 1% milk.

Steam cleaned with open crown

Creased, crown 5 1/4 at highest point, 3 1/2" brim

sweat stained ribbon, a small bit of moth love and some old stretch marks on the sweat... signs of a life well-lived.

I have to restitch a bit of the rear sweatband seam and add an old bow.

 

[Aureliano]

:eusa_clap:eusa_clap Alan!

 

[alanfgag]

:eusa_clap:eusa_clap Alan!

Thanks Ale... I am so not a cowboy, but I really love these old western hats.

 

[BR Gordon]

Thanks Ale... I am so not a cowboy, but I really love these old western hats.

Alan, that is a beautiful western hat. The crease looks perfect with that hat and you wear it like its natural for you. Looks as if you just came out of the barn.

 

[zetwal]

[...] I really love these old western hats.

What's not to love?! Very nice old Stetson ... :yo:

 

[randooch]

Great stuff, Mr. F! I love the crease you gave it: rarin' to move forward.

 

[Aureliano]

Thanks Ale... I am so not a cowboy, but I really love these old western hats.

You look fantastic in it, Alan. You can definitely pull of the westerns.

 

[alanfgag]

Thanks very much guys... happy trails to you.

:llama:

 

[Joshbru3]

:eusa_clap:eusa_clap:eusa_clap:eusa_clap

Beautiful No.1 Quality, Alan!! I love everything about the hat. I love that the ribbon shows some age, it really gives the hat some character. You wear this style of hat so incredibly well. I especially like the coat/hat combo. Great find!

 

[alanfgag]

1930s tiny Stetson No.1 Quality

Black western in incredible condition - tiny 6 3/4 size.

Here, with its twin in size 7.

 

[randooch]

Wow, Alan, that little hat is remarkable. Are you planning to give it the ol' Garve treatment? Maybe tough to justify, what with that nearly-as-nice size 7 cousin in the house.

 

[alanfgag]

No, it's too small to stretch without sacrificing the mint sweatband. I will look for a good home for it.

 

[alanfgag]

1920s-30s Stetson Nutria Fur western

Finally, the holiday company is gone and I've found a few minutes to clean, brush and photograph this nutria fur Stetson western. I hoped to find a date somewhere behind the sweatband, but no such luck... though there are the numbers 28 above the lot number (see below). I suspect this might be a 1920s hat, but it's only a guess. Very soft and thick fur finish... the brim would be floppy without the turned, grosgrain bound brim. Dimensions are large - 7" open crown and 4" brim that extends 3 1/2" to the end of the curl. Overall, it is in very good condition - felt is perfect, light wear to the sweatband and the top edge of the grosgrain edge binding, some stains on the cream colored ribbon.

 

[alanfgag]

The sweatband is soft and supple, marked as "orange peel sheepskin." A few markings are shown below. The taped rear seam is sewn through to the hat body... a later job, which makes it difficult to see the Stetson manufacturing tags. I haven't removed it.

 

[Chepstow]

Very nice old Western Alan, congrats for find this amazing historical Hat.
Looks good on you.

 

[alanfgag]

Three Stetson Nutrias

Each of these Stetson nutria western hats is branded differently. All have a very soft finish. From left to right:

Real Nutria Fur. The two black hats are older than the tan... of the three this is the softest.

Stetson Real Nutria Quality Boss Edge Kettle Finish. The felt is firmer on this hat than on the others... it is most likely 1930s. The detailing on this hat is extraordinary.

1X Nutria with The Fray sweatband. Soft and supple, but less so than the fur finish. The more modest dimensions on this hat wears a little easier and seem to work well with a fedora bash.

 

[alanfgag]

Very nice old Western Alan, congrats for find this amazing historical Hat.
Looks good on you.

Thank you, Manfred... I was happy to get it. In addition to the history, the softness and comfort of these older hats is very different from their contemporary counterparts.

 

[rlk]

Fantastic hat! Better condition than expected and looks good on your head despite the large dimensions.

 

[alanfgag]

Fantastic hat! Better condition than expected and looks good on your head despite the large dimensions.

Thanks Robert. I felt better being the winner when I tried it on. It would have been much too small for you.

 

[randooch]

Beautiful addition to your nutria group, Alan. That's a whole lotta hat to have survived these 90-odd years in such great condition.

(I, too, am glad your company's gone. )