About Men's Vintage Cowboy Hats
There is a saying amongst cowboys about their hats: "It's the last thing you take off and the first thing that is noticed." The cowboy hat is considered an icon of the American West, though it is now worn around the world. Its longevity has to do with the notion of man amidst the elements and also with the fact that cowboy hats were immediately very useful for protection against harsh elements. Vintage cowboy hats carry the character and folkloric frontier spirit of the American West, even though collectors typically refrain from wearing them. Does this Spark an idea?
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History
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Most people attribute the beginning of the cowboy hat to a now-famous man named John B. Stetson. He was on a hunting trip and decided to fashion a head-covering made of fur to amuse his companions. He then fashioned a hat with an enormous brim, and everyone noticed how it shaded their eyes from the sun. The brim was a great protection not only from the harsh sunlight, but also from rain and gusts of wind carrying dirt. By 1865, he manufactured the hats for the public, and people snapped them up. Although he definitely popularized cowboy hats, Stetson's creation did not appear out of thin air. Ranchers in both Texas and Mexico were in the habit of wearing a fur-felt hat with a wide brim that they called sombreros.
Types
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Men's vintage cowboy hats come in different materials and styles. They are most commonly made of felt, which may be made of beaver or rabbit fur, or a combination of them. Vintage cowboy hats also come in straw or wool. Depending upon their condition and their style, vintage cowboy hats may cost a collector anywhere from five to $4,000. Some classic brands are Bailey, Donhoy, Resistol, Eddy and, of course, Stetson.
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Features
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The features of men's vintage cowboy hats are what make them collectors' items. Everything from the tag to the band to the hat box is an object of interest for collectors. There may be a classic Resistol model with markings that attribute it to Circle Q Bar None and give the city of manufacture and the size. A hatband can be a plain strip of leather or it might have hand-hammered sterling silver medallions, called conchos, adorning the band. Some hatbands are sewn ribbon, and others are braided, beaded or embroidered. Some hats come with a "stampede string" to help clamp the hat to the cowboy's head while in the midst of a fast ride.
Expert Insight
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David R Stoecklein is a photographer that has made a career out of capturing iconic images of the West and of cowboy culture. He is the author of "The Cowboy Hat: History, Art, Culture, Function," a 144-page tome filled with color and black-and-white photographs of vintage cowboy hats. He says, "A hat is first and foremost an essential tool for the jobs they do, but it can also be a personal statement of style." This book, as well as many others to which he has contributed, are part of his ongoing effort to preserve the cultures and traditions of cowboys.
Warning
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True collectors never wear the vintage cowboy hats they procure. While some collectors who are a little less strict may try them on when their hair is clean and the weather is right, nobody takes a classic cowboy hat out in the rain, snow or harsh wind. If a vintage cowboy hat should happen to get wet, reshape it by pushing out any dents or creases and then dry it on a platform. Use a soft brush to dust the hat every so often. If there is a stain, try using a bit of sponge or foam rubber to pull the soil away from the fabric's surface. Clean your hands before touching the hat. Pick it up from below the brim to retain its shape. Keep the hat on a hat stand or block and avoid resting it on a flat surface, which could destroy the pitch of the brim.
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Comments
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this is cool..........
