High-priced felt

[Walt]

I have one that is very nice. To me it looks like I just went in a time machine back to the 50's and just got it--its that clean and pristine. If I had another hat that was a non-Whippet that was as nice and as clean I'd for sure sell it. If I manage to find such a hat I'm sure I will unload the Whippet.

The funny thing is that just like open road style hats whippet style hats are so common--everyone copied those popular models. So they really aren't that rare enough to justify sky high prices. Doesn't take much time on ebay to learn many similar hats will appear again in due course (unless you are the super size head guy of course).

 

[fedoralover]

If I had 3 Whippets...
I would soon have no Whippets.

I've had two, sold one, keep the other just to say I have one, but I seldom wear it as my other Stetsons are much nicer.

fedoralover

 

[tonyb]

I've had two, sold one, keep the other just to say I have one, but I seldom wear it as my other Stetsons are much nicer.

fedoralover

I'm with you on that one, Rich. I've yet to handle a Whippet I'd deem a very good or better quality hat, as lids of that vintage go. But, like lots of people, I dig the look, and that's what drives the interest in them. As for the quality of the materials and workmanship, they certainly aren't bad hats -- they're just thoroughly average for a brand-name hat of the era. And that's okay.

 

[fedoralover]

I'm with you on that one, Rich. I've yet to handle a Whippet I'd deem a very good or better quality hat, as lids of that vintage go. But, like lots of people, I dig the look, and that's what drives the interest in them. As for the quality of the materials and workmanship, they certainly aren't bad hats -- they're just thoroughly average for a brand-name hat of the era. And that's okay.

I feel the same about the Stratoliners, I have 2 and they are decent hats but no where near the quality of a Stetson Sovereign 20. They came in a cool box though, you have to give them that.

fedoralover

 

[tonyb]

I feel the same about the Stratoliners, I have 2 and they are decent hats but no where near the quality of a Stetson Sovereign 20. They came in a cool box though, you have to give them that.

fedoralover

Both models were mass market offerings -- not cheap hats (they were Stetsons, after all), but not particularly pricey, either. The advertising was aimed at the aspiring fellow, but the products themselves fit into Bill Bluecollar's budget.

There were budget-priced Stetsons I prefer over both Whippets and Stratoliners (but again, I got nothing against either model; they were nice-lookin' hats then, and they're nice-lookin' hats now), such as the original Playboys -- the very lightweight, unlined ones. That one you sold me a couple-three or four years ago remains one of my faves.

 

[alanfgag]

An early Playboy (1930s) or Stratoliner (early 40s) are both very special... quite different animals from their mid 1950s relatives. When one of these comes up for auction in excellent condition and in my size, I would bid to win.

 

[JonnyO]

This guy was smart, 10 day auction and a reserve, he must have saw the price the last one in that size went for.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-Vintag...-/261129740106?pt=US_Hats&hash=item3ccc8b9f4a

 

[tonyb]

An early Playboy (1930s) or Stratoliner (early 40s) are both very special... quite different animals from their mid 1950s relatives. When one of these comes up for auction in excellent condition and in my size, I would bid to win.

'Tis true that both models varied in small and not so small ways over the course of their runs. Many, many years ago (it gives me pause to consider that it's been nearly 40 years now) I bought a pair of unlined early Strats -- a blue one and a tan one -- at a Goodwill store for next to nothing. The proportions on those hats were considerably more generous than any of the later ones I've come across since. And the bows differed quite a bit from some other versions I've seen, etc. And I don't think I'm just imagining that they were of superior quality to the newer ones. But even so, I don't believe they approached the high end of the Stetson product line, at least not in terms of suggested retail price. Not that suggested retail price and overall quality always correspond neatly.

 

[fedoralover]

Original ads for Playboys in the early 40s show that you could buy one for as little as $5.00 and the Premier sold for $8.50. An ad for a Playboy in the mid 50s show one being sold for $10.00 while other ads show that even in the 30s Stetson had hats for sale for $40.00 and of course in the 50s they had some selling for $100. So based on price I don't think the Playboy was ever considered a high end line for Stetson. They were putting out so many models with all these different names and colors though it is hard to know. Many of them probably didn't last but a season or 2.

fedoralover

 

[rlk]

Lightweight hats such as these were sold for less than the more weighty felts--they did in fact use less material, and sold in the largest quantities. Frankly, the very thin and light, yet excellent shape-holding of the early examples seems to be an area of weakness for modern body manufacturers. Later versions of some of these models lacked those desirable qualities. They were made for function and price-point out of the most economical materials that they could use and still achieve the desired result.

 

[tonyb]

Lightweight hats such as these were sold for less than the more weighty felts--they did in fact use less material, and sold in the largest quantities. Frankly, the very thin and light, yet excellent shape-holding of the early examples seems to be an area of weakness for modern body manufacturers. Later versions of some of these models lacked those desirable qualities. They were made for function and price-point out of the most economical materials that they could use and still achieve the desired result.

Yep. Less body material, no liner, simple bow, an edge treatment just a cursory row of stitches = an inexpensive hat to produce.

But it's that simplicity (as well as that easily moldable crown) that appeals. Minimalism.

 

[fedorafiend]

One of them is now on OFAS. Let's see if I'm lucky. Actually mine is nicer (I think) than the $605 Whippet on this thread.

 

[fedorafiend]

Here it is. http://www.ebay.com/itm/290816775997?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

 

[alanfgag]

Stop doing that to the sweatbands... I can hear them screaming. :eeek:

The wafer edge RSD is the beauty of the bunch.

 

[fedorafiend]

I'm with you on that one, Rich. I've yet to handle a Whippet I'd deem a very good or better quality hat, as lids of that vintage go. But, like lots of people, I dig the look, and that's what drives the interest in them. As for the quality of the materials and workmanship, they certainly aren't bad hats -- they're just thoroughly average for a brand-name hat of the era. And that's okay.

Actually, the early Whippets are a whole lot better than you think, when you couple that fact with their style and fantastic dimensions, you have a very, very nice vintage hat. I should know, I own three and really think they are SUPERB hats. I've owned or still own all kinds and brands. Are they better than a vintage Borsalino, Cavanagh or Dobbs 20 or Knox 20 or Stetson Stetsonian, 20, 40, 50 or Imperial? No, but they are certainly, IMHO, better than almost any current custom.

 

[fedorafiend]

Stop doing that to the sweatbands... I can hear them screaming. :eeek:

The wafer edge RSD is the beauty of the bunch.

Alan, you are absolutely correct, the Royal Stetson DeLuxe is the beauty of the bunch--unfortunately it doesn't fit my 7 1/8 noggin so I reluctantly need to part with it. The "Diamond" model is also rare, I believe. I leave that last comment to those more Stetson savvy.

 

[fedorafiend]

Stop doing that to the sweatbands... I can hear them screaming. :eeek:

The wafer edge RSD is the beauty of the bunch.

You are right about the screaming sweatbands, but I just want to show that they are still attached and supple, and because I lack dexterity, it's the only way I can take photos of the labels under them. But you make a very good point and I should heed the "screaming". I am VERY VERY careful, however.