1946: Stetson Acquires Mallory... but then what?

[anon`]

At least, I think this happened in 1946. That's really only tangential to my actual question, which is: did the label or logo or anything else change? Was there ever something like a "Mallory by Stetson" or something to that effect?

Yes, I got a Mallory awhile back, one of indeterminate age. I was hoping that I might be able to shed some light on it based on the stamps in the sweat. No liner or crown sticker can be found to help =/

So yeah. Can a Mallory logo be used to date one, or at least determine if it's pre- or post-Stetson?

 

[billyspew]

Don't know much about mallory I'm afraid, but from experiences you have to use everything - logo, price (if available), dimensions etc.

A good resource can be adverts (look at ebay and google news archive).

Good luck, sorry I couldn't help more.

Regards,

Bill

 

[Woodfluter]

I'm curious also.

I have one that says "Cravinette Processed. Sheds showers" on the sweatband. On the liner: "Est. 1817, Mallory Fifth Avenue, NY" and "for Youthful Smartness, Premier Quality".

A rather old derby I won (wrong size) said similar.

Wondering if and when that changed, or the logo, and what that says about ownership and age.

- Bill

 

[Dinerman]

Some Mallory hats say since 1817, others say since 1823. Any idea as to why or when the switch?

 

[tonyb]

... "for Youthful Smartness, Premier Quality" ...

Gotta love that "For Youthful Smartness" slogan. It's just so of-its-era, you know. It's akin to the catalog art depicting handsome young fellows in their new fall duds, toting briefcases with maybe a slide rule poking out, smoking pipes, etc. Ivy covered halls in the background. Maybe a pennant reading "State U." BMOC.

 

[jimmy the lid]

Gotta love that "For Youthful Smartness" slogan. It's just so of-its-era, you know. It's akin to the catalog art depicting handsome young fellows in their new fall duds, toting briefcases with maybe a slide rule poking out, smoking pipes, etc. Ivy covered halls in the background. Maybe a pennant reading "State U." BMOC.

Gotta love that!

Cheers,
JtL

 

[buler]

Some Mallory hats say since 1817, others say since 1823. Any idea as to why or when the switch?

I've been doing some research into Mallory and this is what I have so far. Unfortunately none of these dates coincide with 1817 or 1823.

Ezra Mallory born in Redding, Connecticut, 1785; ran a small scale hat shop in Great Plain in 1813; died 1845

In 1862 Ezra A. Mallory (son of Ezra) formed partnership with P.A. Sutton under the name P.A. Sutton & Company. Mr Sutton left in 1863 and Mallory continued under his name.

Established E. A. Mallory & Son, Inc. in 1878 with son Charles A. Mallory as partner thru 1883.

Became E. A. Mallory & Sons in 1883 when William E. Mallory (son) was admitted to firm.


Ezra A. Mallory retired in 1897.

H.B. Mallory (son of Charles A.) was taken into the partnership in 1900.


Mallory started advertising in 1906.

Cravenette water-proofing process (earliest ad I've found w/cravenette is 1906)

Front office address: 613 Astor Place, Cor. Broadway New York

Boston office address: 44 Beford Street

August 14, 1946 - Stetson aquired Mallory Hat Company

Mallory Hat Factory was located at Rose Hill Avenue, Danbury, CT (closed by Stetson in 1965); In 1968 Bieber-Goodman of Bethel relocated here as Danbury Hat Company, they closed on 12/18/1987. By 2000, all of the Mallory buildings at the northeast corner of Rose Street and Rose Hill Avenue were gone.

 

[Cigarband]

Was there ever something like a "Mallory by Stetson" or something to that effect?

I have seen quite a few "Mallory by Stetson" on ebay.

 

[Brad Bowers]

Just to throw another wrench into the works...

The trademark applications list January 2, 1895, for the earliest use in commerce. Must be a legal reason for choosing that date, as it's only the term "Mallory" that was registered.

Brad

 

[Atticus Finch]

A while back, after I bought a Mallory Open Road clone, I tried to learn what I could about The Mallory Hat Company. I found that, at one time, Mallory was one of the oldest hat makers in America, being even older than Stetson. Mallory was pruchased by Stetson in 1946 and Stetson continued to make Mallory hats, under the Mallory brand, until about 1965. During at least part of this period, some Mallory hats were branded "Mallory by Stetson". The latest Mallory advertisment that I have found is 1964, so I tend to believe that the brand was discontinued shortly thereafter.

Here's my Mallory.

And here is a close-up of the Mallory logo in my hat. Stetson is mentioned nowhere in the hat, but I can't believe that my hat is older than 1946. I can only conclude that the "Mallory by Stetson" brand was not in all of Mallory's post-1946 hats.

But the "Mallory by Stetson" brand was in some Mallory hats. Here are a couple of examples.

I found this 1964 Mallory advertisment. Note how the font in the word "Mallory" closely matches the font in the word "Mallory" in my hat's liner....yet another reason why I think my hat is no older than the early sixties. The font in the 1946 advertisment (two below) is very different than in the '64 ad. Again, 1964 was the youngest Mallory ad that I could find. I'm thinking that the brand went out of existance shortly after this date.

AF

 

[CRH]

Some Mallory hats say since 1817, others say since 1823. Any idea as to why or when the switch?

I'm only lurking this thread for the education since I have nothing to contribute but - and I don't read every thread, of course - I'm pretty sure this is the first time I've ever read Dinerman stumped - and what! No hats to show with the labels you quote ....


I feel... like, Wow ... ...lol

 

[Dinerman]

"Mallory by Stetson" hats were made by Stetson up until at least January 30 of this year, but it appears that they're redone their website and dropped them from their line. They were wool felt.

It seems that Mallory hats were made at least into the mid '60s simply as Mallory, that Mallory by Stetson started, at the earliest, in the 1970s.

As far as different dates go, here's two 1823s

and an 1817. Anyone with an 1817 liner mind posting a better picture?

 

[buler]

One with 1817:

1823:

More recent (Stetson era):

 

[buler]

A couple more

1817:

?? (I'll have to look closer at home but I think this is a 1823):

 

[Golden Earache]

These are Stetson made Mallory's, see the size tag and sweat on the first. I am of the thinking that these were Mallory details that Stetson adopted for their hats.

One with 1817:

 

[anon`]

This pic is a good segue into another, again tangential thing I've been wondering.

The cloth size tag. Can we read anything into that to help in dating a hat? Or the liner, for that matter... but there doesn't appear to have been any comprehensive research into that topic, unlike Stetsons.

 

[carouselvic]

Stetson acquired Mallory Hat Co. of Danbury Conn. 8-16-46, but the companies were operated separately.
By 1964, Stetson had consolidated or eliminated much of its operation. Finishing and trimming operations farmed out to companies across America were returned to the Philadelphia plant, bring about the closing of the Lee factory in Danbury, Conn. and the Alexander factory in Reading, Pa. Seven hundred jobs were eliminated in this move.
(all the above taken from Stetson Hats by Snyder)
I do not know when or if Mallory was taken to Philly. The book has two photos of Stetson's union boss with Mallory displays from the 1960's. Mallory's name was (and is) licensed for many decades. Hatco could better address this.
Steven's in St. Joe got their furs for felt hats from plants in Danbury and Newark.

 

[Dinerman]

Looks like the 1823s are on the older hats, 1817s are on the newer. It could have been something that Stetson changed, for whatever reason, when they got control of the company.

 

[buler]

Some more

Here is an embroidered tip from a Mallory Aristocrat

And the sweatband mark from the Aristocrat with 1823

tip from early long hair Mallory w/1823

 

[Dinerman]