Nice Hat...circa 1860

[Shotgun Steve]

Title Hiram McKnight Burton
Call Number X-19667
Summary Studio portrait (sitting) of Hiram McKnight Burton. He wears a cowboy hat and suit.
Date 1860.
Notes Title supplied.
Hand-written note pinned to velvet facing reads: "This picture of Hiram Burton was taken in Denver in 1860. Hat of fine long nap beaver[,] coat fine camels hair cloth. Not a cow-boy suit."
Ambrotype is mounted in latched leather-covered wood case with decorative metal frame and velvet facing.
Case hinges are broken.
Photo Materials 1 photoprint : ambrotype ; visible oval image 7 x 6 cm. (3 x 2 1/2 in.) in case 10 x 8 cm. (4 x 3 1/2 in.)
Condition Condition: backing of ambrotype is cracked.
Copyright Copyright restrictions applying to use or reproduction of this image available from the Western History/Genealogy Dept., Denver Public Library.
See Also Burton, Hiram Knight.
Men 1860-1870.
Portrait photographs.
Ambrotypes.
Imaged.
Photograph cases.
URL http://photoswest.org/cgi-bin/imager?10019667+X-19667

[kflach]

Wait a minute! This is another one of those stereotype-busters, isn't it?

I keep reading that the highly turned up sides on cowboy hat brims were a 20th century thing.

[Tjackstephens]

kflach, Don't think that hat is really turned up that much, more the way it is setting on his head and tilted back. Looks like a fine hat, matter of fact I have one very much like it made by custom hat maker O'farrell in Durango. It was custom made for a cowboy, not me but I came up with it in a trade. Tj

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[Texas Lawdog]

It looks like a dress hat, rather than a every day hat. The guy is dressed up with no place to go.

[Tjackstephens]

Texas Lawdog, Hey pard how's it going in Texas? Cold and lots of snow here in Kentucky.
 You know in that day and time of the photo, having his picture taken was a place to go and didn't happen many times. Tj

[Delmonico]

Wait a minute! This is another one of those stereotype-busters, isn't it?

I keep reading that the highly turned up sides on cowboy hat brims were a 20th century thing.

Don't believe everything you read, do more research.  That and other things you read about a lot of hat styles are often written by folks who don't like this or that style of hat.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

It may have not been widespread until the 20th century (so 3 hat-wearers could sit side-by-side on the bench seat in their pick-em-up truck) but I'll bet you can't find a style of hat shaping that wasn't tried back then.


This is my opinion, not something I've researched, but I've formed this opinion after talking at length with numerous fellas who DO  know hats and hat lore: Delmonico, Terry Lane, Mr. Rand, and other knowledgeable pards.

[Delmonico]

Jeff, the only one I've never seen is that squared off in front brim like George Straight and most others wear today.  Of course my favorie one is this guy back in the 1880's waitin' to go to a Brooks and Dunn concert.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Jeff, the only one I've never seen is that squared off in front brim like George Straight and most others wear today.  Of course my favorie one is this guy back in the 1880's waitin' to go to a Brooks and Dunn concert.

 


Yep!  I fergot about the squared front on/and those plastic (lookin') hats.  Hate 'em!    Yeah, I know that I could prolly eat for a month with what most of them Country stars spend on those plastic - ok, heavily varnished hats, but I don't gotta like 'em.

That hat in the picture Shotgun Steve posted is fine with me.  Long nap beaver hat and camel hair cloth suit notwithstanding.  (Which, by the way, ISN'T apparent in the picture, without the hand-written note!)
 

[Texas Lawdog]

I have a old Black hat much like the one in Del's picture that has the Cattleman's crease. I had it restored by Peters Bros. Hats in downtown Fort Worth. They have been the Hat business for about 80 years.