What I am wearing in the photo is a Stetson Fifteen, 3x Beaver, the $15
price tag is still in it (they made dress hats back then up to the 100
which was 100% beaver sold for $100 and came in a lockable hard hat
case). I would guess it was made in the 1940's. Believe me they do not
use felt like that in new hats. The last new Stetsons I bought about 5
years ago, for $85 each, shrunk in the rain. I had a $120 (discounted)
Gun Club Collection Stetson but the felt in it was so hard you could
beat someone to death with it. In fact I just received a hat catalog in
the mail the other day. Hats similar to the Fifteen (different brands)
but not as good felt (partially due to outlawing the use of mercury I
guess) are listed at $250-300. So 20 times as expensive, yep that would
be about right comparing the dollar then and now.
BTW, the Fifteen was a gift from a guy on another list. I cleaned it up,
and my favorite hat lady at the local western shop reshaped it by hand.
It is a nice soft felt hat.
graywolf
http://www.graywolfphoto.com
"Idiot Proof" <==> "Expert Proof"
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keith_w wrote:
graywolf wrote:
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Stay away from me, Shel.
http://webpages.charter.net/graywolf/meanderings/_images/New-Me.jpg
A man who would eat a classic $15 Stetson is dangerous.
graywolf
$15? What, back in 1874? 1910?
An authentic Stetson today is quite pricey!
keith
