Club Obi Wan

Well I said cow but I actually meant before the internet. I mean which indy hats were out there before the internet really broke and how did you get them? I know nowadays its easy to find out HJ made the originals due to the DVD etc. But how did most of you know before that was released?

I first saw Raiders when I was a kid back in the mid-80's when we were living in Germany (my dad was stationed at Hahn AFB), and I just went crazy for Indiana Jones. So my parents ordered me the Stetson Temple of Doom fedora from the base Christmas catalogue, and I thought it was the greatest thing in the world. That was really all I had gear-wise in those days, so I had to use my imagination to fill in the rest. But I had many adventures against the Nazis in the heart of 'The Lion's Den' under that old hat, and I always cherish those memories.

I started looking for a fedora like Indy's right after Raiders came out in 1981, but my search was pretty much limited to local western stores, vintage clothing stores, and advertisements that I ran across in magazines. I can't remember when Stetson came out with their “official” Indy inspired fur felt fedora, but that was the first one I remember seeing. I was in college at the time and the $40 or so price tag it carried was well beyond what I could afford back then. Plus, I never really thought it looked much like Indy’s hat. When I was in graduate school, I was walking by some stores one afternoon and saw a great old brown Mallory fedora hanging on a hat stand in the window of an antique shop. It was a perfect fit, and if I remember correctly I paid $5 for it. Until I got my first Federation, that's was the hat I considered to be my Indy hat - and I just happened to stumble across it.

Scott

Prior to the Temple of Doom Stetson that whip mentioned above (the first official Stetson version that came out in 1984), Broner made one they called 'The Raider' in '82-'83 that was a stiff fur felt blend one could purchase at shopping malls that only came in small, medium or large sizing.

The first REAL 'player' we worked with was Miller Hat Co., and they produced an 'Indyesque' version that was a decent hat, but after a few wettings tapered something terrible.

Regards! Michaelson

Adventureland at Disneyland. Real close to Completely Inaccurateland
and the same zip code as Close-enough-when-I-was-in-middleschool-and-didn't-know-any-better-land.

Russ

I bought my first fedora long before Raiders. It was a ventage Melloy. I also bought fedoras at haberdashers, not easily found these days. In Europe I found fedoras readily available.

Mike

Thanks people for the great stories, Well prior to COW and knowing about Indy hats I bought a Akubra Snowy River thinking it would be just like Indy's! After that I went into a hat shop and they pointed me to a lower crowned wide brimmed fedora as their Indy model. The price was roughly the same as a Christy's adventurer and the was made of WOOL

alphared6 wrote:I bought my first fedora long before Raiders. It was a ventage Melloy. I also bought fedoras at haberdashers, not easily found these days. In Europe I found fedoras readily available.

Mike

Well, if you're talking about our fedoras BEFORE Raiders, mine was a J. C. Penney's 'Marathon' from the mid 50's.

Regards! Michaelson

I wasn't alive before Raiders, but my pre COW fedora was a Stetson Official, that died some years ago, then I wore other hideous monstrosities which when I see them today, I flinch.

Randy

Stetson made a model of their fedora called "The Ark". I picked one of these up from an ad in the Brigade Quartermaster catalog (pretty sure that's where it came from). I still have it and it has seen more than its share of abuse. I'd love to have it reblocked just to get it as a wearable hat again. It will never see anything close to Indy ever again.

Mike

I've had 4 hats made by Smithbuilt in Calgary here, and the last one is as close to right as i will probably get from them, it's pretty much a CS hat with a raiders bash, next hat i get will be an AB Henry.
I've learned one thing in all that, never buy wool again, ever...

I was a huge Indy fan and put together my costume out of odds and ends (think ball cap, leather belt as a whip, vinyl jacket). We were in a shoe store when I saw the Stetson official Temple of Doom hat and begged my mom for it. I thought that hat was the greatest thing ever and thought it was completely the real deal. I didn't have any idea that Indy's hat didn't have a tear drop crown.

I have a 'Raider' by somebody for the early '80s. I still wear it. It's still the only Indy-esque hat I have. It's not bad really: it's very stiff, the color is too light (it's probably faded too), the ribbon is definitely too light and the brim is 2-1/2" all the way around, but it gives the general impression. Here are some photos:



Anybody recognize this?

I'm saving for a Penman to replace it. Getting close.

Best, Bill B.

Michaelson wrote: Well, if you're talking about our fedoras BEFORE Raiders, mine was a J. C. Penney's 'Marathon' from the mid 50's.
Regards! Michaelson

I hear you. I've still got a black and a brown J. C. Penney's 'Marathon' fedora that I bought in the 70's and 80's respectively. Nice hats.

Best, Bill B.

I came on board with the Indy hat late. Probably did not see the first Indy film until after TLC was out on video tape. But once I saw that hat, I went looking. The pickings for me were pretty slim. I shopped locally at first, and could not find one that even looked close at my local ancient Men's Store. I lucked up at an Outdoor Sports store and found an Indy 500, made by Bee Line Hats. It was 2 sizes too large, so I mostly just stared at it. When a hat hits your ears and covers your eyes, it doesn't become you much. But this 40 dollar hat was so close to the film hat. (Raiders) I wish I still had it.

My next step was to order from a catalog. Can't recall who it was. They had a picture with Indy on the bridge in TOD as the promo for the hat. It was made by Mallory, and looked nothing like an Indy fedora. Tear drop top crease. Wool.

I then found the Stetson Temple at a local Western Store, and bought several of these. It was a great TOD hat. I got the guy to order me a Stetson Nostalgia and I bought several of these. And this was as close as I got to a Raider fedora until I bought my first Miller.

All of these hats would shrink and taper so fast, that you had to keep buying em. I would wear one for a few months until it was a cone, and then buy again. I can well recall the time before COW when the Indy fedora offerings were kinda slim. And what you could find were costume quality products. I don't want to go back to those days. Fedora