jonbuilder
My Mail is Forwarded Here
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- Grass Valley CA Foothills
Open Road MilanDobbs
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It's Spring. Show your Straw hats if you have 'em
- Thread starter Crazy Legs
- Start date
GHT
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 9,342
- Location
- New Forest
Got yourself a fine Dobbs there. This thread seems to come up whenever I contemplate a straw. My missus has treated me to a Panama with a number of inter-changeable hat bands.
quikrick
One Too Many
- Messages
- 1,046
- Location
- Bay Area, California
This was a nice score. I frequent a men's vintage clothing shop in my area, I asked the owner if he ever runs into "old hats", He says, "no not really", That's cool, just asking, you never know. I walked in last week and he pulls this out from under the counter, he was holding it for me, he was actually waiting for me! I couldn't pay him fast enough. He then asked me what size I wear (he writes it down on a note pad). I don't know what his sources are, but at least I have another set of eyes. This one is one size too small, so it fits snug. I don't think that I want to mess around too much with stretching it, i'm not familiar with straw.
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johnnycanuck
My Mail is Forwarded Here
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- 3,005
- Location
- Alberta
I find it interesting you find it too small. This must mean you have a perfectly shaped head. All my Panama hats go all wonky with my Offside LO head shape. I like the “swoop” it gives all my hats but sometimes I wish for a perfectly semetrical hat. You are only lucky son-if-a-gun.
This was a nice score. I frequent a men's vintage clothing shop in my area, I asked the owner if he ever runs into "old hats", He says, "no not really", That's cool, just asking, you never know. I walked in last week and he pulls this out from under the counter, he was holding it for me, he was actually waiting for me! I couldn't pay him fast enough. He then asked me what size I wear (he writes it down on a note pad). I don't know what his sources are, but at least I have another set of eyes. This one is one size too small, so it fits snug. I don't think that I want to mess around too much with stretching it, i'm not familiar with straw.
Wear it in good health.
Johnny
- Messages
- 11,912
- Location
- Southern California
You might contact Jared, a.k.a. jlee562. He lives in San Francisco and might know of a local hatter who could stretch it out a bit for you.
GHT
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 9,342
- Location
- New Forest
The battered Biltmore will have to do until the hatbands arrive. I'm taking Jessica out while the weather is clement. No need to worry about which lid to wear, Jessica always upstages me.
jonbuilder
My Mail is Forwarded Here
- Messages
- 3,561
- Location
- Grass Valley CA Foothills
I find Panama Montecristi hats have a tendency to adjust to my head shape if the fit is close try going on a uphill walk on a warm day so you sweat in the hat or maybe a light steaming and wear the hat.
quikrick
One Too Many
- Messages
- 1,046
- Location
- Bay Area, California
Thanks! I'll give that a shot. Sounds too easy!
quikrick
One Too Many
- Messages
- 1,046
- Location
- Bay Area, California
You make that battered Biltmore look good!
- Messages
- 17,579
The Miller Bros 101 Ranch Wild West Show based from Ponca City, OK operated from 1907–1916, when it closed during WWI, & reopened from 1925–1931. This straw hat is among the collectibles I have from the ranch & show.
- Messages
- 18,936
- Location
- Central California
I really like that one, Jack
GHT
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 9,342
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- New Forest
We are enjoying some fine straw hat weather, and today, we are off to Dorchester, Tina likes their antique market. I like the pub there. Result.
Mustang Mike's Hats
A-List Customer
- Messages
- 399
- Location
- Southern California
^^ Such a dapper looking gent!! ^^ 
M Hatman
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 4,364
Jack,
Nice hat!! Is that a replacement sweat? Does not look 1930's....what tags are behind the sweat? Do you know who made it? Can you get a close up of the size tag?
In any event a really cool straw.....pun intended!
Here is a link to a newspaper ad from 1953 showing 101 Ranch Hats, fur felt for $10.00 (the special value ad lower left). https://newspaperarchive.com/independent-long-beach-feb-27-1953-p-16/
Miller also seems to have bought the name at some point...
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M Hatman
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 4,364
And here arrived today a really light German Meyser, it is brand new, so not vintage, but I like it a lot! REALLY nice embroidered tip label!
- Messages
- 17,579
Mark, been gone & just now catching up. I'm going now by memory so dates could be plus/minus a yr.Jack,
Nice hat!! Is that a replacement sweat? Does not look 1930's....what tags are behind the sweat? Do you know who made it? Can you get a close up of the size tag?
In any event a really cool straw.....pun intended!
Here is a link to a newspaper ad from 1953 showing 101 Ranch Hats, fur felt for $10.00 (the special value ad lower left). https://newspaperarchive.com/independent-long-beach-feb-27-1953-p-16/
Miller also seems to have bought the name at some point...
View attachment 165818
Brothers Joe Miller died, then George Miller in 1926 & 1928. Joe's death was ruled accidental but was more likely suicide. Zack Miller closed down the Wild West Show in a effort to save the 100,000+ acre 101 Ranch that was heavily in debt in 1931. Cattle was no longer king on the huge ranches of Oklahoma like the 101, The Cross Bell Ranch & others; it was oil. I'm not sure why the petroleum leases couldn't save the 101 but in 1932 the US Gov't took over 10,000 acres from the 101 in bankruptcy for back taxes & "to protect the oil". The rest of the 101 was broken up. Zack Miller died in 1952 or 1953. Virtually nothing remains of the 101 today except a few foundations of some of the original structures.
During the yrs of the Wild West Show & up until the bankruptcy foreclosure the 101 Ranch was open for tours & had a souvenir shop. The original hats were souvenirs sold thru that shop. I'm unaware of a California connection or how that could have come about unless it was thru the bankruptcy sale.
As I recall on my hat there are no tags behind the sweat, & the size tag is a plain rectangular gold tag. I've never researched the timeline but always assumed the original hats were probably made under private label by some company like Bollman. There is an old thread on FL on these hats.
M Hatman
I'll Lock Up
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Great History Jack.......I sure like the history you contribute!
Yes, I am puzzled by the California connection as well as the obvious sale of 101 Ranch hats well into the 1950's......
My guess is someone either bought the licensing from the family OR at the bankruptcies sales you mention...and continued to sell 101 Ranch hats..........as has happened with other hat brands.
M
- Messages
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I would tend to agree with that. It could be that just an inventory of hats was purchased. The 101 also endorsed & sold other things that are highly collectible today. I have a brass barn lantern & some original stationary with letterhead from the 101.
Nearby was the ranch of Gordon William "Pawnee Bill" Lillie. Pawnee Bill had a short term partnership in a Wild West Show with an aging Buffalo Bill Cody. He went on to have his own Wild West Show, and later as an aging star & neighbor himself, performed with the 101.
- Messages
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Mark, if you enjoy a good mystery along with the history of the big ranch era then research the Cross Bell Ranch & the Mullendore Family Murder. As recently as 1970 E.C. Mullendore III, the grandson of the founder of the Cross Bell Ranch which encompassed most of 5 counties in 2 states (OK & KS), was so far in debt & tapped out of loans from the bank it is believed E.C. III (as he was called) borrowed money from the mafia in Kansas City. Probably required by the bank, E.C. III carried a personal life insurance policy of $1,000,000, the largest policy which had ever been written at the time. He was murdered later that yr & his homicide is still unsolved. Three of the key suspects at the time were he father Gene Mullendore (for putting the ranch in jeapordy of foreclosure), his wife (who wanted a divorce & would later marry her attorney), & his personal assistant/valet/best friend who was a fugitive from the law for many yrs. And of course, the Mafia.
