TheDane
Call Me a Cab
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- 2,670
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- Copenhagen, Denmark
Yes I believe, Strats also came as De Luxe at $12
True tale. The Whippet was a $10 hat back in the day. It was Stetson's lower quality price point. In fact, all the "named" hats in the 40s were the lower end hats (except, I think, for the Flagship which was usually a De Luxe, the next step up). Anyway, I think what stores did was get men in for the $10 model named hat (Bantam, Whippet, Stratoliner, etc.) and then try to upsell them to the more expensive ones if they could. The higher price points rarely had model names--at least by the 40s, anyway. The more expensive ones were De Luxe or Imperials, or 25s, 35s, and 100s, etc.
Anyway, the point is everyone goes crazy for the Whippet and some will pay over $300 for a vintage one and here it was Stetson's cheaper hat back in the day. Meanwhile, no one wants to bid on the De Luxes or the Imperials, at least not at the high dollars they'll lay out for a Whippet.
It all gets back to my note that the market sets the rules. Even though the Whippet was a hat of lesser quality back in the old days, everyone wants one now so the prices go up accordingly.
When you get right down to it.... that is the same with every collectible there is.So I guess it comes down to a bunch of middle-aged dudes with money to burn, "Mostly saying, hooray for our side."
The hats with fancy names are the entry level hats. Why folk are obsessed with them eludes me.
I was the high bidder, was prepared to go a bit higher but also was prepared for it to hit the Stratolinersphere. I was surprised.
Congratulations! Beautiful hat and a great price too.
For me, certain models are just iconic. The 1960's Ford Mustang was an "entry level" car that originally sold for less than many arguably better made Ford cars, but it is an iconic car despite the comparatively low price tag and corresponding quality. The Stratoliner and Whippets are like this, I think. Also, some hats, like an early Whippet I once had (in the wrong size and with a cut down brim) have such quality felt that "entry level" doesn't really compute.
Maybe so, but the point is spot-on ... IMHO
Joao, maybe wheels on your next hat?
Facade, it's because the base models are iconic.
The few Flagships I have seen offered have seemed to command a pretty high price though.
A side note: The Stetson 100's I have handled - all admittedly cowboy hats - have had a dense cardboard type finish that I don't particularly like. The Churchill 100 (Vicuña) I sold was very similar, although a little smoother to the touch. I have a Resistol 100 that has a stiffish western brim, but is made of a more traditional type of felt that has no cardboard quality, and a Beaver/Langenberg 100 % beaver fur dress hat that has amazingly soft & pliable felt and can be easily dry shaped. I prefer the softer 100's, but have yet to handle a Stetson 100 dress hat - is there such a creature?
Joao, maybe wheels on your next hat?
Facade, it's because the base models are iconic.
The few Flagships I have seen offered have seemed to command a pretty high price though.
A side note: The Stetson 100's I have handled - all admittedly cowboy hats - have had a dense cardboard type finish that I don't particularly like. The Churchill 100 (Vicuña) I sold was very similar, although a little smoother to the touch. I have a Resistol 100 that has a stiffish western brim, but is made of a more traditional type of felt that has no cardboard quality, and a Beaver/Langenberg 100 % beaver fur dress hat that has amazingly soft & pliable felt and can be easily dry shaped. I prefer the softer 100's, but have yet to handle a Stetson 100 dress hat - is there such a creature?
BeaverBrand/Langenberg 100% Beaver