Early Hats

[Captain John Jarrett]

Pards,

  Look at the picture OCB posted, now look at the Gentleman facing the camera, standing directly behind the good Dr.

  (who  is seated if ya didn't know). I just purchased a hat from Tim Bender of TP&H Trading Co.

  http://www.benderhats.com/bellcrown.html  this afternoon that looks(in my opinion anyway) quite like it.

  What do you think?

 

Cheers, Capt. John

[Irish Dave]

While I can't cite them right off the top of my head (pun intended) I believe I recall seeing that bell crowned style in several period photos. I want to say they were more from the '50s and '60s than from a later period, but I could be wrong.

To answer your question, though, I agree the one you bought does seem very similar to the one in the picture.

[Lone Gunman]

Since the links to the Butcher photos seems to 'die' I've downloaded a couple of good ones, (these are 2mb files so they probably won't work real great on a dialup connection but it's the only way to get a good look at the details)

In the first one a lot of them are holding their hats so you can see the shapes of the crowns, it's dated 1889:

http://www.lone-gunman.com/Hats.jpg

and this one shows most of them holding their hats in a manner any hat vendor will say to never do, might account for some of the shapes,

http://www.lone-gunman.com/grip.jpg

[Will Ketchum]

George, what were the captions?  These guys in the second picture sure look seedy!  Grubby?   I have always said we all look too neat when we shoot.  We need to try for this type of look.

Will Ketchum

[Delmonico]

Do one a them hats look like the dreaded "Pinch Slope?"  Whoever shaped it did a right fine job also.

[Lone Gunman]

George, what were the captions?  These guys in the second picture sure look seedy!  Grubby?   I have always said we all look too neat when we shoot.  We need to try for this type of look.
Will Ketchum

The 1st picture, "Modern Woodmen of America at Ansley, Custer County, Nebraska" 1889

The 2nd picture, "Large group of men at Black Hills Basin Division Meeting, Mason City" 1905

I'm guessin' most of our hats don't look like the ones we see in period pictures because we don't treat them the way those guys did and  that most of those are probably really cheap wool hats. They just look too floppy for fur felt, and those don't look like the sort of folks that would waste whiskey money on a hat.

[Fox Creek Kid]

My ancient beaver Stetson hat looks like that. Ask Griz as he personally "endorsed" it by calling it a P.O.S. at the convention! 

[Pawnee Bill]

I've been looking at that clearer version of the buffalo hunter picture since I got the "Peacemakers" for Christmas, it's in almost every book about buffalo hunters.  I have decided that they are not really hide hunters, they are skinning it all wrong.  They seem to have cut the hide up the side.   White hide hunters split it up the belly, the Indians split it down the back most times I've heard.

I think they are about to get them some hump for supper and some nice pieces of hindquarter for making some jerky for the trail later.

I like the way they turned the head so it is facing the camera, can't tell if it's smiling though.

You are right those are soldiers with Gen. Crook
Cheers
Pawnee Bill

[Delmonico]

Would have been before they traded the Sharps Carbines for Trapdoors then.  Just goes to show that even soljerrs didn't always look like one.

[Pawnee Bill]

Would have been before they traded the Sharps Carbines for Trapdoors then.  Just goes to show that even soljerrs didn't always look like one.

In that same vein
This is a interesting Image shows a great variety of hats in various states of disrepair
Note not one man wearing anything like a regulation uniform of particular interest is bottom row left old style mounted enlisted blouse with added shoulder boards and on right old style infantry enlisted blouse. Also not a man with stripes on his legs.
Cheers
Pawnee Bill

Title      Maj. Noyes and officers of 2d Cavalry photographed and published by S. J. Morrow, Yankton D. T.
Call Number     X-31745

Summary      Captain Henry E. Noyes poses with six Second Cavalry officers on rock formations, during the Native American campaigns in the southern Black Hills, Dakota Territory. Possible identifications include from the top: Captain Thomas B. Dewees; next man down unknown; officer at center, Second Lieutenant Daniel C. Pearson; bottom, from left, Captain Henry E. Noyes; First Lieutenant William C. Rawolle; Second Lieutenant Frederick W. Kingsbury; First Lieutenant Samuel M. Swigert.
Date      1876.
Creator     Morrow, Stanley J.

[Pawnee Bill]

An other great image of a wide variety of hats note they are all drab no Black.
Cheers
Pawnee Bill

Title      Col. Royal and officers of the Third Cavalry photographed and published by S. J. Morrow, Yankton D. T.
Call Number     X-31756

Summary      U. S. Army Cavalry officers pose on a rock outcropping during the Native American Sioux campaigns, along French Creek in the Black Hills, Dakota Territory. Included are: First Lieutenant Joseph Lawson, Second Lieutenant James F. Simpson, Second Lieutenant Charles Morton, Captain Frederick Van Vliet, First Lieutenant Emmet Crawford, Major Julius W. Mason, Lieutenant Colonel William Royall, Second Lieutenant George F. Chase, Major Andrew W. Evans, Captain William H. Andrews, First Lieutenant Augustus C. Paul, Captain Anson Mills, Second Lieutenant Frederick Schwatka, Second Lieutenant Henry R. Lemly, Captain Charles Meinhold, First Lieutenant Alexander D. B. Smead, Second Lieutenant James E. H. Foster, First Lieutenant Albert D. King, Dr. V. T. McGillycuddy, and Second Lieutenant Bainbridge Reynolds.
Date      1876.
Creator     Morrow, Stanley J.

Collection     Views of General Crook's Expedition and the Black Hills

[Bitterwheat]

Pawnee Bill, Is my esye sight failing> but to me the one sitting on the rock behind the four in front, looks like he is wearing a bib shirt. What do you think?

[Pawnee Bill]

Pawnee Bill, Is my esye sight failing> but to me the one sitting on the rock behind the four in front, looks like he is wearing a bib shirt. What do you think?

Sure look like it to me.
Cheers
Pawnee Bill

[Terry Lane]

Howdy all,
that same gentleman appears to be wearing cavalier boots. Take care.

[Ol Gabe]

Pards, I'm surprised you didn't recognize him, that'd be Jim Boecke by golly!
Best regards and good researching,
'Ol Gabe

[RRio]

Do one a them hats look like the dreaded "Pinch Slope?"  Whoever shaped it did a right fine job also.

Looks exactly like my favorite hat! Thanks for pointing it out, Del!   

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

Do one a them hats look like the dreaded "Pinch Slope?"  Whoever shaped it did a right fine job also. Wink

Del,
Which one??

Bill

[Delmonico]

First one of Lonegunman's pictures, second row from front, in hand between the two guys on the left in the uniforms.

[Pitspitr]

First one of Lonegunman's pictures, second row from front, in hand between the two guys on the left in the uniforms.

The feller at the top of the stairs with the striped wingtip shirt looks like he's got one too

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

Yep, sure does look like several center creased hats, but I don't really see much if any slope in any of them, but the photo did say 1889...my idea of a early hat is anything before 1880, but that just my personal prefference. I would be interested in knowing what the date for the second photo is....

Bill