The Open Road Guild

[zetwal]

Open Road - History and Brims

OR Brothers

What year did the Stetson Open Road first appear? And is there any correlation between brim size and decade of manufacture? Thanks!

 

[gtdean48]

OR Brothers
What year did the Stetson Open Road first appear? And is there any correlation between brim size and decade of manufacture? Thanks!

This has been hashed around a good bit. Try a search on Open Road & get ready for lots of reading. I seem to recall RBH having a Stetson ad of "Open" Road back in the 1930's. It does seem brim size varies from 2 1/2" up to 2 7/8". I do think I saw one listed at 3" but most common is 2 7/8".... gtd

 

[zetwal]

I haven't had much success searching the lounge for specific bits of information. That's why I asked. I'll explore the advanced search option next. Perhaps I'm not getting the most out of the search engine.

Meanwhile, if anyone can add to what GTD says and/or can point me to a specific thread where this question is address more fully I would appreciate it.

Thanks again ~ E

 

[Lefty]

Go back to page 28 for the earliest OR (owned by Douglas) and the earliest OR ad (posted by JtL) that anyone has come across. As to brim width, it seems that there have been some variations, but I don't know whether the variations correlate to year of manufacture.

 

[RBH]

OR Brothers

What year did the Stetson Open Road first appear? And is there any correlation between brim size and decade of manufacture? Thanks!

The date of 1937 seems right as this was the first ad for a 'Open Road' I found. It was in the Hammond Times in Indiana.
Sept 15 1937

<a href="http://imageshack.us"><img src="http://img56.imageshack.us/img56/7572/or1xa9.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosted by ImageShack.us"/></a>

then from Sept 24 1937

<a href="http://imageshack.us"><img src="http://img56.imageshack.us/img56/1796/0r1aaq6.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosted by ImageShack.us"/></a>

and then an ad with a likeness from April 1 1938

<a href="http://imageshack.us"><img src="http://img56.imageshack.us/img56/626/or2zv5.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosted by ImageShack.us"/></a>

 

[KatintheHat]

Ebay aquisition, arrived today. Came with various slips from Resistol and Kaufman Menswear, either in Great Falls or Missoula MT. Price listed at $25, but there was a sales slip and sale price sticker for $5.97! The dark brown sweat is marked with the store info, Resistol name, and at the front "5X Beaver". There's a trolley.

All the tags are still in the hat. One lists the model, size, price, color and brim size (SAN ANT, 7-1/2, 25.00, 2-5/8) and the other touts the virtures of the Resistol self-conforming floating band. The lining has the Resistol name, crest and underneath that it reads "A Byer-Rolnick PRODUCT".

It seems like new, and I'm almost reluctant to mess up the tags in order to put some Lexol on the sweat. Should I remove them and set them aside, or leave em in and wear it tags and all?

Thanks in advance!

I think 60's, with a $25 price tag. I recently shaped a 50's resistol with a $12 price tag using this thread as a basis of dating ... it's a long and drawn out argument but Stan knows his Resistols>>> http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=33841

 

[zetwal]

Thanks RBH for sharing the very early OR notices ~ interesting ~ E

 

[Caz]

May I join this august group of OR wearers?

Here are my entries for membership qualification for your kind consideration:

The first one is one I bought 35 years ago and wore for years. It has been retired, but somewhere, I have at least one pic of me wearing it "back in the day."

Here is a more modern version of the type...the Akubra Campdraft, which my wife gifted to me a short time ago...

(Yes, I like the brim flipped down all around)

I'll get some more pics of me in it shortly...

I have a four Akubras (Fed IV Del., Campdraft, Bushman and Squatter) as my brother works in a hat shop and I just can't resist...

Now why did these pics go all monochromatic on me??

 

[RBH]

I like that Campdraft!

 

[carter]

Stetson Open Road Twenty-Five

 

[TopGumby]

KatintheHat -

Thanks for the info. I really like that Resistol, and knowing that LBJ wore that brand is kinda cool. I think.

 

[PabloElFlamenco]

Stetson Open Road Twenty-Five

Howdy, Carter. Mmmm... very nice... Open Road...25... yesssssssss! :eusa_clap

 

[PabloElFlamenco]

Variation on Lefty's "stealth" bash...

I could have posted this in "new hats" (because it is, to me), it isn't, properly speaking, an official "Open Road" hat (but has all the characteristics, minus wind trolley). I posted it here, because it fits in the discussion, more specifically in relation to Lefty's 7x clear beaver, and especially the bash.

My new hat, won on eBay, is a Stetson 7x, but there is no mention of any "beaver" anywhere, it's a Silverbelly, said to be 7 3/8 (more a large 7 1/8) "Long Oval", originally sold at Shudde Bros. in Houston.

It arrived a few days ago in a very traditional OR cattleman bash, the central crease very long and deep, and on each side, two shorter smaller creases. It gives the hat a "low crown" look I don't really like. I decided to change the bash, and tried my hand on the basis of Lefty's model. It wasn't easy. After some sponge cleaning with plenty steam, the felt does not easily shape (nowhere near my "Nutria" hat nor, apparently, like Lefty's 7x clear beaver). Whilst the felt is very soft to the touch (much softer than a Campdraft, for instance), it seems to resist changing shape somewhat, but it did, more or less, conform and, luckily, I managed to sponge-clean the hat enough not to show any old (dirty) crease-lines.

I invite Lefty and others to tip me on where the bash needs to be adjusted, as I haven't quite yet managed to get it completely "right". Also, I would wonder about how old this hat might be. The size tag is gold colored, square shaped, with black letters. Seems unusual to me...

 

[Lefty]

Pablo, my crease was completely accidental; there was no skill involved. I put my hat on my head and shaped it while it was up there. I did it without steam, water, a mirror, or input from anyone else. I doubt I could have shaped the hat as I did if I had intended to do so.

I don't have any experience with the 7x non-cb, but I believe that Dinerman has described it as being a bit stiff. You're obviously better at shaping hats than I am and have done quite well with that one.

 

[Lefty]

You should have been a spy. I can't recognize you from photo to photo.
Nice score on the 25.

 

[carter]

Pablo, Nice job on that bash. In the western vernacular, that is known an an Oreanna or "two dents and a mule kick".

The hat worn by Daniel Day Lewis in the fil There Will Be Blood appears to be bashed like this.

In the early part of the 20th century, that, as well as the Montana Peak, even made it's way into some "city" hats.

Here's another old OR rebashed into an Oreanna

 

[gtdean48]

Very cool bash. I've got a 3x that needs a new shape & this is inspiring. Good job Carter.

 

[carter]

gtdean48, Have fun with that bash. The OR in my post is a 4X that had the liner glued in (thus the staining seen in the interior shot). Here's a Montana Peak that I'm still working on. This ones a 3X.

I'd like to have more old OR's to work on. It's a versatile hat.

 

[gtdean48]

Thanks Carter. My 3x is an older one but is a lower crown that some others I have. I'm hoping the peak picks it up some. I'll post a photo or 2 when I get what I am after. Nice job on that one, too.

 

[jimmy the lid]

Carter -- I think you pull off that Montana Peak look pretty darn well! Be sure to show us the finished product.

Cheers,
JtL