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At the Dog Track... The Whippets

Longplay

Familiar Face
Messages
62
Location
Wheaton, IL
I'm new to the forum and, apart from getting a Kessler Indiana Jones lid, am new to the hat world. I have zero knowledge of the vintage world for certain. These whippets look like they'd suit my head perfectly and ones shown here are just beautiful. I've seen a few advertised on eBay but they seem to be, well, not what's being shown here. For example, what's the difference between a "real" whippet and this offering? I'm sure the low price reflects those differences.
 
Messages
15,089
Location
Buffalo, NY
Greetings Longplay... you will find quite a bit of reading about Stetson in this thread and others that are archived in the Important Hat Forum Threads sticky. The Whippet, like the Open Road, was a Stetson model name imprinted on the liner or sweatband. Other hats shared the general form and finishing of The Whippet, but a "real" Whippet will show the imprint. From trademark records, the first appearance of The Whippet was 1937, but most of the hats you will see posted on the lounge (including the handsome example posted above by Purplesage) are post WWII examples. The Whippet was an economy grade Stetson in its day - currently very popular on the vintage market, it commands top dollar in eBay auctions. If you have your heart set on one, I would become familiar with the Stetson markings (much info stored on this site) for the key to manufacturing era, hold out for a very clean and early example in your size and bid high.
 

Cornshucker77

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,691
Location
Northeast Nebraska, USA
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Beautiful, love the color.
 

Mystic

Practically Family
Messages
882
Location
Northeast Florida
Whippet dating question. I have been wading through Whippet and Stetson dating threads and can't find the specific answer. I'm sure it's around here somewhere but I haven't found it.

Can a Whippet date be somewhat narrowed down by having stars in the crest and "Whippet" on the liner with a leaf in the crest on the sweat?

Does this overlap of logos narrow the date down?
 
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fedoracentric

Banned
Messages
1,362
Location
Streamwood, IL
A Whippet with both stars and maple leaf logos would seem to be 1950 to abut '55 or so, I'd feel, as they were using up the old stocks of pre-maple leaf guts.

Seems to me (and I hope someone will clarify) that Whippet stamped into the sweatband is an early 40s thing and the late 40s and into the 50s they only had Whippet on the liner (on the American-made hats, anyway. I know it was sometimes different on foreign-made versions).
 

Mystic

Practically Family
Messages
882
Location
Northeast Florida
A Whippet with both stars and maple leaf logos would seem to be 1950 to abut '55 or so, I'd feel, as they were using up the old stocks of pre-maple leaf guts.

Seems to me (and I hope someone will clarify) that Whippet stamped into the sweatband is an early 40s thing and the late 40s and into the 50s they only had Whippet on the liner (on the American-made hats, anyway. I know it was sometimes different on foreign-made versions).

Thanks, I think you're right. On the Dating stetson crest thread Dinerman gives a comment about having logos mixed on hats. That thread is confusing for me to follow however, I think stars on the liner would be an older, 1948 ?, liner with a newer Leaf sweat more early 50s.

So, I'm going with early 50s.

Maybe Alan or one of the "Stetson" guys will check this thread out and contribute.
 
Messages
15,089
Location
Buffalo, NY
Theories abound... I can share this hat (not a whippet) which came to me with a sales slip dated 1956. One might venture that the combination of stars and maple leaves is likely earlier than this.

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fedoracentric

Banned
Messages
1,362
Location
Streamwood, IL
Theories abound... I can share this hat (not a whippet) which came to me with a sales slip dated 1956. One might venture that the combination of stars and maple leaves is likely earlier than this.

Of course, there is no telling how long that hat sat in the store before selling. Could it have been made in 1953 or 54 and not sold until 1956? Maybe. Was the Harry Suffrin store in Detroit a clothing store with some hats? If so, stock may have sat for a while. Having known people in small store retail, they say that stock sometimes sis for a while. Something to add to thoughts on the matter, anyway.
 

DJH

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,355
Location
Ft Worth, TX
I've owned two Whippets with the OPS tag, one with star logos (on both liner and sweatband) and one with leaf logos.

So this suggests that the timeframe for the switch from stars to maple leaf took place in the 1951-53 period - at least for the Whippet product.
 

Mystic

Practically Family
Messages
882
Location
Northeast Florida
I've owned two Whippets with the OPS tag, one with star logos (on both liner and sweatband) and one with leaf logos.

So this suggests that the timeframe for the switch from stars to maple leaf took place in the 1951-53 period - at least for the Whippet product.

Thanks David.
 

buler

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,385
Location
Wisconsin
Pics of the Whippet I picked up a short time back. Based on the pristine white sweat bow I don't think it was worn much if at all. Maple leaf on sweat stamp and liner. Reorder tag and sweat numbers match along with 38 (3/8) marked on sweat. 2 3/4" brim with 3/8" binding.

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Purplesage

One Too Many
Messages
1,995
Location
Boulder, CO
Royal Steton Whippet VITA-FELT

This chocolate brown Royal Stetson Whippet VITA-FELT just arrived a couple of days ago. It's in excellent condition but did require quite a bit of steaming. It has a 2 1/2" brim with 3/8" burnt orange grosgrain edging and a 5 1/2" open crown which is wrapped in a 1 1/2" matching burnt orange grosgrain ribbon. The ribbon is a little fancier than the other whippets I own with the center of the ribbon having a different pattern. The silk liner is a little loose but that's an easy fix. The leather sweatband is unreeded. The red Stetson tag behind the sweat has "702 1/2" stamped on it. I guess that's the block. I don't think I've seen that number on any of the Stetsons I own. I'm thinking the hat dates from when Stetson first introduced VITA-FELT. The hat was sold at Frank Wilson's clothing store in Rushville, Indiana. I found the following 1901 article in the Indianapolis Journal about Mr. and Mrs. Wilson which I thought was real interesting.

The Indianapolis journal, Volume 51, Number 116, 26 April 1901
RUSHV1LLE. Ind., April 23.-Rushville society and business circles are much stirred up over the sudd a departure last night of Frank Wilson, a clothing merchant, who first made over most of his property to his wife, and the circumstances which preceded it. Yesterday D. C. Hazelrigg, a druggist, secured evidence of an attachment existing between his wife and Wilson, and took an intercepted letter to Mrs. Wilson. When Wilson went home to supper hi3 wife asked him to explain the note. He admitted his love for Mrs. Hazelrigg, and declared he would not live without her. He then took his wife to the home of a lawyer, where he transferred to her his clothing store and other property to the value oi about $22,009. He retained for his own use about $11,000 in securities. All the persons Interested then met In the presence of the lawyer, where the whole situation was rehearsed. Wilson bade his little daughter good-bye and left on a late train for St. Louis. To-day Mr. Hazelrigg took his wife to her former home at Greensburg, where her mother lives, and where she will remain until the law frees her and Wilson. Friends of Wilson are of the opinion that his mind Is affected, and much sympathy Is expressed for Mrs. Wilson and Mr. Hazelrigg.

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