Want to buy or sell something? Check the classifieds
  • The Fedora Lounge is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.
Does anyone know anything about the (Stetson?) Big Four Hat?

In trying to find info on the Goralnik Hat Company (of Fall River, Mass.) I ran across this law suit. Note that "Big Four" was a common name for western hat models.

1652823026471.png
 

carouselvic

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,903
Location
Kansas

Attachments

  • 001.JPG
    001.JPG
    3.8 MB · Views: 52
  • 002.JPG
    002.JPG
    3.9 MB · Views: 52
  • 003.JPG
    003.JPG
    4.3 MB · Views: 46

ILB Frank

One of the Regulars
Messages
180

I went through all of the Miller-Stockman thread. This ad from 1931 claims the Big Four was around since 1891 (40 years) and was also referred to as the Big Cord.
Big Four 1931.png
No real idea when this style disappeared as I don't know how complete the catalog postings were for the years in the thread. The last year I saw this style was the 1938 catalog.

@carouselvic do you know what year your posted ad was from?
 

Mighty44

One Too Many
Messages
1,687
Hello all—

I’m super sorry to see the end of felt season and pushing it as long as I can.

In the meantime I pulled my lone straw hat out of the closet—a modern woven hemp Stratoliner I bought last year and wore all summer.

The brim seems to have curled up over the winter—as if the binding is pulling it up all around. I tried steaming and pressing flat with my hands with no improvement. Is there a next step? Could I iron this with a cloth shield and lots of steam? I wouldn’t mind if it was much flatter but don’t want to destroy the hat.

Thanks for any suggestions!

David
Okay—I’m going to answer my own question! I decided the hat looked too ridiculous to wear either the brim curling up front and back so I had nothing to lose. I ironed it with a dish towel and it came out perfect—that slightly flat stratoliner brim with just a little tension in the binding to snap it up and down. Recommended.

David
 
I went through all of the Miller-Stockman thread. This ad from 1931 claims the Big Four was around since 1891 (40 years) and was also referred to as the Big Cord.
View attachment 426762
No real idea when this style disappeared as I don't know how complete the catalog postings were for the years in the thread. The last year I saw this style was the 1938 catalog.

@carouselvic do you know what year your posted ad was from?
I think the refence to the "Big Cord" is for the introduction of the new style band (a six cord) as being introduced in this ad.....so would not mean the hat was ever called that...especially since prior to this it did not sport a cord ribbon.
 

Matt_SFL

Familiar Face
Messages
69
is Raymond Reddington’s hat 60’s or 50’s
 

Attachments

  • CA9D0E9F-09C4-4960-B15E-05C10B11B557.jpeg
    CA9D0E9F-09C4-4960-B15E-05C10B11B557.jpeg
    213.7 KB · Views: 31

Matt_SFL

Familiar Face
Messages
69
To my eyes it is a decidedly 60's era look. With perhaps even a taller, fuller crown than is usual for that period. Earliest would be late 1950's?
Thanks for your reply…I thought so as well but just wanted to make sure, I love 60s style stingy brims and that’s basically all I own but I have hats that are 2.38 brim which is a little bigger than the average 60s hat and just wanted to get some clarity on it since it was bugging me not knowing lol
 
Messages
10,342
Location
vancouver, canada
Thanks for your reply…I thought so as well but just wanted to make sure, I love 60s style stingy brims and that’s basically all I own but I have hats that are 2.38 brim which is a little bigger than the average 60s hat and just wanted to get some clarity on it since it was bugging me not knowing lol
Hat nomenclature is an inexact science. A 2 3/8" is in no man's land. Def not a stingy, bordering on a Fedora, but more in Trilby territory. But if you want to start an argument broach this subject. Also the pure 60's hats had a fair bit of taper to the crown and they were also lower. The entire profile of the hat was demure.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
107,029
Messages
3,026,696
Members
52,533
Latest member
RacerJ
Top