Nutria-cious!

Ringing in the new with something old.

These three old Stetson cowboy hats from the 1920s/1930s are made from nutria… a charming name for a somewhat less than attractive rodent, originally from South America - now quite a nuisance in the southern United States. The nutria’s fur made a very soft and durable hat and became a popular felting fur as beaver became scarce and expensive in the early 1900s. 

The latest addition is this black furry Stetson with a 7” tall crown and 4”brim.

Here’s how I have it bashed:

This is the softest of the three hats with a very flexible brim. The ribbon is in good shape… the frayed edge of the bow is original.

The sweatband is soft and bears a mark “orange peel sheepskin.”

Originally purchased in Cheyenne, Wyoming, the hat spent most of its well cared for life in Woodstock, Vermont…

and is now moseying comfortably in Buffalo, NY.