Derby, Western, Fedora...a Venerable Legend, THE Stetson 3X...BEFORE 1970!!!!

[Mickey Q]

Tailored Edge - raw, subtly rounded, not felted. Clear nutria c.1939-41.

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Mode-edge - thickened and reinforced (felted?). Marked 3X Beaver, c.1939-41.

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Gorgeous hat! What size is it and if it’s a 7 or 7LO let me know if you decide to sell it

 

[wsmontana]

Very unusual addition.....that liner was not really seen on westerns outside an OR (true westerns used the "Last Drop" liner).....and that sweat with the "Selv-Edge" markings indicates a glued proccess welt edge (found on fedoras), which this hat does not have. Even the blocking tag is unusual. I wonder if it was a rebuild or cleaning job with mixed components. Nice find!

Interesting. It could be a rebuild — I picked it up at a thrift and have no history on it. The stitching for the sweat is very clean and symmetrical so appears original or perhaps a professionally done rebuild.

 

[M Hatman]

Interesting. It could be a rebuild — I picked it up at a thrift and have no history on it. The stitching for the sweat is very clean and symmetrical so appears original or perhaps a professionally done rebuild.

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LOT of places (including hat shops, drycleaners (I have a thread devoted to this) and even Stetson themselves) professionally rebuilt hats .

On yours the biggest tell is the "Selv-Edge" on the sweat (Your hat does not have a welted edge) as well as the pierced sweat (something stetson did not offer or do, and indicates after market).

Just a few hats before yours I posted a "Selv-Edge" Stetson 3X fedora. You can see what the "Selv-Edge" was.........

STILL...nice find...ESPECIALLY at a thrift shop.

 

[wsmontana]

LOT of places (including hat shops, drycleaners (I have a thread devoted to this) and even Stetson themselves) professionally rebuilt hats .

On yours the biggest tell is the "Selv-Edge" on the sweat (Your hat does not have a welted edge) as well as the pierced sweat (something stetson did not offer or do, and indicates after market).

Just a few hats before yours I posted a "Selv-Edge" Stetson 3X fedora. You can see what the "Selv-Edge" was.........

STILL...nice find...ESPECIALLY at a thrift shop.

Very helpful. Thanks!

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Orphaned hat looking for a good home:

5 ¾” open crown and 2 ¾” wide brim. Size is 7 ¼ or 58cm. Some odd discoloration on the ribbon. Great felt that molds easily dry.

 

[Mickey Q]

Yesterday morning, I cleaned up this 3X I posted a few days ago, and shaped the crown. I had seen an old Audie Murphy western last weekend, and kinda liked the hat he was wearing, so decided to try and copy it. Didn't come out quite like his, but I thought it came out okay. Unfortunately, just doing this made the sweatband flake even more, so I will be getting a new sweat as soon as possible, and certainly before I start wearing it.
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GREAT job shaping this. It’s perfect

 

[Mickey Q]

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What size is that last one? I’d like to have that one. It’s a beaut!

 

[Bamaboots]

What size is that last one? I’d like to have that one. It’s a beaut!

Thanks. 3/8.

 

[MikeinRome]

Some Stetson 3Xs, all pre-1970. I'll show each starting left column front to back, middle column, then right column.

 

[MikeinRome]

#1 Black Stetson, 2 1/2 inch brim, Selv Edge. Has maple leaf in both liner and sweatband, so dates abt mid 50's or so to early 60's.

 

[MikeinRome]

#2 Brown Stetson, 2 3/8 brim, Selv Edge. When I see green in the liner logo of any design, I think late 50's or later.

 

[MikeinRome]

#3 Greenish Stetson Ambassador, 2 1/2 brim, Mode Edge, stars in liner and sweatband. Dates late 40's to early 50's, I expect. Cost $15 per tag in sweatband. I love the felt in this hat. It's better than in most later 50's Stetson 3X and Sovereign Twenty hats.

 

[MikeinRome]

#4 Brown Stetson, 2 3/8 brim, Mode Edge. Maple leaf in both liner and sweatband. Mid 50's or later.

 

[MikeinRome]

#5 Middle row front. Light gray or greenish Stetson, 2 11/16 brim, Mode Edge. Maple leaf in both liner and sweatband. Mid 50's or later.

 

[MikeinRome]

#6 Light green Stetson, 2 1/2 brim, Mode Edge. No tags. Has stars in sweatband. I'm thinking about 1950, give or take.

 

[MikeinRome]

#7 Light gray? Stetson. 2 1/2 brim, Mode Edge. The liner cover has turned opaque, but the Stetson logo is the gold roundel with the maple leaf. I'm saying about late 50's or so. Just got this hat. NOTE: The Mode Edge is noticably smaller on this hat than earlier Stetsons. This has to be the "last gasp" of the Mode Edge.

 

[MikeinRome]

#8 Right row front. Beautiful Stetson Open Road, 2 5/8 bound brim. Stars in liner and sweatband. Late 40's to early 50's.

 

[MikeinRome]

#9 Another Open Road almost identical to the last one, but a size larger. 2 5/8 bound brim, stars in liner and sweatband. The liner is the gold roundel but is very faded and hard to see. Also dates late 40's to early 50's.

 

[BobHufford]

Nine super nice examples @MikeinRome !

 

[MikeinRome]

#10, last hat. Stetson 3X, 2 5/8 bound brim. I've posted this hat before on Dating Stetson Crests thread. Has "VitaFelt Process" on sweatband below logo. I'm theorizing this is a mid to late 40's hat.