NOT an Adventurebilt OR a Herbert Johnson etc, etc... BUT...

Mitch LaRue · Post by **Mitch LaRue** » Sun Aug 03, 2008 10:38 pm

I didn't wast Fedora to think I was trying to hijack his post so (since it's kind of a new subject THIS post picks up where the one begun on his "My Raiders Vintage Stetson 10x" began...)
On that post I told the following story:

I'm on vacation this week and decided to use the time to clear out a storage space in my house filled with boxes and shelves...
Beyond (behind) all that clutter was my goal... a closet - blocked for years and years - that held 2 items that were hidden away untouched for years: my David Morgan Bullwhip and my J.J. Hat Center "Royal DeLuxe" Stetson Fedora (both of these items bought about 16 years ago and packed away for the last 12)
Like many gearheads here, the perfect Raiders fedora became a bit of an obsession for me beginning many years ago... As time had gone on (and the sequels came out) I'd also noticed the differences in each hat that appeared in each movie... But was I the only one who noticed - or cared - about such things? (Keeping in mind, of course, that this was well before the INTERNET helped everyone to find each other and share their stories...)
So, back in '92 I tracked down - the old-fashioned way - a hat shop in New York called J.J. Hat Center.
They carried a number of styles (each one trying to tap into that Hat-Seeking Indy Fanbase out there): "The Temple", "The Crusader", etc... But none of them quite captured what I was looking for... Instead, I ordered up an altogether different fedora from them, the "Royal DeLuxe" Stetson. I remember thinking that the hat color, brim & style were "close enough"... or, at least, close enough for me to work with, as that's what I'd decided to do...)
So, when the hat arrived - and with absolute IGNORANCE as my co-pilot - I went to work on what I thought (at the time) to be a ground-breaking endeavor: Here I was, just some guy who knew next to nothing about how a fedora was constructed and before you knew it I was using an X-Acto blade to give the brim what I would later learn was called a "dimensional-cut", re-shaping the top using a spray bottle of warm water & clothes-pins and even replacing the ribbon with the hat band off of a pork-pie hat I used to wear in high school.
The end result was... something I thought was pretty good, but still left me wanting to find the kind of skilled craftsperson who could create the authentic thing... Never stopped wanting that. And, of course, never stopped being an Indy fan.
The hat, as I said, eventually went in the closet and only came out a few days ago and if I sound a little nostalgic and sentimental (or just mental), you'll have to forgive me... ah, the memories...
And by the way, yes, both the hat and the whip are in PERFECT, useable condition... haven't changed a bit.
Now, thanks to all of you and everything I've quietly been learning from reading your posts, I can now see how far from Screen Accurate "perfect" (in color, style, block, bash, pinch & taper) this hat IS... it's not a perfect Indy hat - by far... but you know what? It's a pretty darn good hat.

Indiana G was find enough to show some interest so now I'm posting:

Okay, looks like I got the Avatar thing figured out...
Here's my attempt at the photo links. We'll see...
I took about 20 photos but I'll just post 6 for now, 'cause I'm pretty sure that's all I'm allowed in one go.
I think I re-sized them okay, but if I'm way off in that regard, apologies to the powers that be in advance.
The first and last photos are with no flash and even though the first is a little dark, I think they more properly capture the color of the hat than the carmel/coffee color that appears in the ones with the flash: That is to say that the hat is somewhere between a soft tan color and a shade of grey (the exact kind of color that - if it WAS the exact color of his hat - would have helped cause even more confusion a few years back when a lot of us thought that maybe Harrison WASN'T wearing a grey hat on the plane... maybe it WAS just the lighting...) THAT kind of color.
Anyway, if you get a chance, let me know what you think...
(Fingers crossed)
MLR

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e38/M ... 0_6852.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e38/M ... 0_6857.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e38/M ... 0_6859.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e38/M ... 0_6861.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e38/M ... 0_6865.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e38/M ... 0_6876.jpg

Tron7960 · Post by **Tron7960** » Sun Aug 03, 2008 10:45 pm

That's a fine looking hat.

Thanks for digging it up and sharing it with all of us.

Kentucky Blues · Post by **Kentucky Blues** » Sun Aug 03, 2008 10:58 pm

That's a truly beautiful lid. I hope the hat I get that won't really be screen accurate looks that fantastic

-KB

Mitch LaRue · Post by **Mitch LaRue** » Sun Aug 03, 2008 10:58 pm

Well whuddayaknow...
It actually worked! That was far easier than I expected...
And since it was, here's the other photos from a few other angles (see how quickly I overstayed my welcome?)
And thanks for the kind words, TRON7960
MLR

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e38/M ... 0_6879.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e38/M ... 0_6882.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e38/M ... 0_6883.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e38/M ... 0_6891.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e38/M ... 0_6893.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e38/M ... 0_6896.jpg

Mitch LaRue · Post by **Mitch LaRue** » Sun Aug 03, 2008 11:03 pm

Thanks KB!

And lastly:
(Speaking of overstaying my welcome...)
In the interest of fairness, my wife thinks I should also include these photos that she calls me "putting on a show".
(But hey guys, who DOESN'T fall into character when you're wearing a nice hat, right?)

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e38/M ... 0_6902.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e38/M ... 0_6905.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e38/M ... 0_6906.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e38/M ... 0_6909.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e38/M ... 0_6911.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e38/M ... 0_6889.jpg

All the Best,
MLR

Indiana G · Post by **Indiana G** » Sun Aug 03, 2008 11:26 pm

what a great lid. SA or not, it fits and suits you nicely.

jj hatter, is that the one next to the empire state buiding? if so, i was very close to seeing the shop during my first and only visit to the big apple.....unfortunately, it was closed when i had the chance to go

great hat MLR....and it's officially vintage too

JC1972 · Post by **JC1972** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 12:29 am

That's a nice looking hat, you did a great job with it!

Solent MKIII · Post by **Solent MKIII** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 2:13 am

That was your first hat you ever went all out in modifying?! Holy moly, man - excellent work!
My first and subsequent attempts were nowhere near that good ( not even close, actually )
I leave that work to the pros, now. Once again, nice job! ( and nice hat ) :junior:

Mitch LaRue · Post by **Mitch LaRue** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 7:21 am

Thanks (again) guys for the kind words.

Y'know it occurs to me to ask:
Despite the fact that I - for one - never get tired of looking at photos of a beautiful AB, Magnoli HJ, Penman, Jimmy Pierce, Peter Bros., Keppler, etc(BEAUTIFUL HATS, each in it's own great way)...
I also DO love seeing "close enough" fedoras that have their own quirks and stylistic differences that aren't exactly Screen Accurate but still capture the spirit of IJ and that whole era that we all do our little bit to keep alive and well.

So,
Anybody else out there mind putting up a few photos of themselves wearing their "OTHER" Indy Hats (with all their varying colors, brims, bashes, shapes and... well... "styles")?
I'd love to see some and I'm sure others would too.
Not exactly what we usually find on this board to be sure, but maybe an interesting change-up this one time (although, I'm sure it's probably been done before... but hey, I'm pretty new.)

(And besides, until the wait for my Mag HJ is over this might be some great therapy for me to feel like I'm still in good company, y'know?)

So, let's see some of those ALMOST INDY'S folks!
MLR

Mitch LaRue · Post by **Mitch LaRue** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 2:04 pm

Anybody?

Mitch LaRue · Post by **Mitch LaRue** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 3:00 pm

Okay... well, I guess THAT idea's a dud.

Ah well... I can hardly blame anybody.
Most of you guys already have ABs, ABDlxs, Mag Hjs, JPs (or any one of the gorgeous catalogue of hats Aeris has)...
I don't (yet), but if I did, I guess I wouldn't feel in too much of a hurry to put on my Plan B Hat for a photo either.
I was just interested in seeing how many of you had something like that.
But not this time, I guess.
All the Best,
MLR

scot2525 · Post by **scot2525** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 3:05 pm

That is a great looking lid. I only have two fedoras a DP Indy from my teen years and a recently acquired Fed IV.

As I was going through your pictures though I did notice something. Are you sure you do not play quarterback for the Pittsburg Steelers?

Mitch LaRue · Post by **Mitch LaRue** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 4:02 pm

Heheh...
Yup. Preeetty sure scot2525.
If you put me next to that guy, the size difference would be a lot like Harrison Ford and Pat Roach (his arm being the size of my leg kind of idea)...
But thanks for the compliment... and the next time someone's gonna tackle me I'll try to get into the mindset of a brick wall and act accordingly ('cause that's what I imagine running into THAT guy would be like.)
And by the way, thanks for taking a second to respond... I was starting to feel like the only guest who showed up for the party.
All the Best,
Mitch

mark seven · Post by **mark seven** » Tue Aug 05, 2008 8:57 am

Edited.

Mitch LaRue · Post by **Mitch LaRue** » Tue Aug 05, 2008 9:17 am

NICE hats M7!
Just make sure you don't get any flecks of paint on them!
(I mean, a little dust and dirt can't hurt in giving a hat a little character... but as good as that paint behind you looks, I'd hate to see you get a bright red smear across the brim!)
Seriously though, BEAUTIFUL lids, both!
Mitch

mark seven · Post by **mark seven** » Tue Aug 05, 2008 9:25 am

Thanks Mitch..that's one of my daughters paintings she brought home from nursary-I thought I'd just put 1 or 2 up and now the whole kitchen is covered with them!

BTW,your Stetson is awesome!