Side By Side/ Hat Comparisons

[Chepstow]

Nice comparison David. You have a good nose for splendit hats!

 

[Purplesage]

Thanks Manfred. Learning something new all the time.

 

[Purplesage]

Stratoliner x 3 !

The Grey hat is a bit of an enigma. It doesn't look anything like a Stratoliner. It has a 5 3/4" open crown and a 2" brim with a raw edge and a wide ribbon. It may not even be a Stratoliner; however, the very ornate unreeded sweatband with the gold embossing says John D. Stetson with Stratoliner below it! Rather unusual for a hat that was introduced in the 40s. I have been told that the brim was likely cut down in size so maybe with a larger brim it would look more like a Stratoliner. The 7 1/8 size tag does not look like a Stetson size tag and the liner is also unusual and does not appear to be a Stetson liner. I don't know if there is a registered patent for "COMFORT-FIT in the American Manner" which is on the liner. I sold the Maroon or rust colored Stetson Premier Stratoliner a while back (wish I kept it now). It was probably an earlier model Stratoliner with an unreeded stamped leather sweatband and 2 3/4" brim. I believe the green Royal Stetson Stratoliner with the 2 1/2" brim is probably from the mid to late 40s. I had these posted once before but I don't think the photos are there any longer.

 

[Purplesage]

Stratoliner x 3 ! (Con't)

Grey Strat!

Royal Stetson Stratoliner

Stetson Premier Stratoliner

 

[hatophile]

All very nice. That maroonish-brown one is a great color.
I have a thin ribbon Stetson that's not a Strat or OR similar to the green one.

 

[alanfgag]

We have seen a number of examples similar to your gray hat, where a large gold stamping on the sweatband marks out the original brand. Where the parts came from and how they came together on this hat is anyone's guess. References to Sitterley Co. in The American Hatter date back at least to WWI.

 

[Purplesage]

Thanks Alan. The odd thing is the gold stamping says "John B. Stetson Stratoliner." Do you think this is a legit gold Stetson Stamp? Weren't gold stamps of this nature found on hats made in the 30s or older? I don't think I've seen such a stamp on a 40s or newer era hat! If this isn't the original sweatband then I assume that Sitterley Co replaced the original at some point in time with an unreeded sweatband with a gold Stetson Srat stamp!

 

[alanfgag]

From the photo, the Stetson imprint in the gray hat appears to be identical to the green Royal Stetson (late 1940s-early 1950s) posted below it. The gold field with lions and shield is printed on top of the Stratoliner mark to obscure it. How this came to be would be a guess - Stetson inventory excess resold through a jobber to hat shops for use in renovation? Hat shop using an older sweat on hand and adding a strike through to avoid confusion or lawsuit?

 

[splintercellsz]

1900s Stetson 'Expos'

These are my most prized hats that I have in my collection. Each hat is similar to the next, but like twins, they have their differences. The hat on the far left had it's sweatband replaced at some point in its life, but the rest of the internals are intact.

The felt on each is of a very fine quality (minus some moth nibbles). The hat just molds to any crease you toss at it; from side-dents, to a front-pinch, it accepts then all with no troubles. The felt also has a sheen when the light hits just right.

Each hat is very light (sadly I do not own a scale for their weight). Well enough of my blabbering, here are some photos.

Here are the sweatband imprints (from left hat to right):

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[alanfgag]

A wonderful collection, Justin... thank you for sharing them.

 

[hatsRme]

Very, VERY nice...!

 

[hatophile]

Impressive Justin, you have some real treasures there for a hat lover.

 

[emigran]

Geez what an education... thank you gentlemen...

 

[alanfgag]

Stetson western brim widths.

A recent discussion caused me to review some Stetson hats in my collection for their brim width. While the 1960s saw brim widths (and hat sales in general) undergo rapid shrinkage, it seemed to me that in the 1950s the popular Stetson western models had stable dimensions - 2 5/8" for the Stratoliner, 2 7/8" for the Open Road, 3 1/2" for the raw edge XXX... westerns. Was there wider variation? Or are the variances shown in our FL samples due to the limits of tolerance for dimensions in forming the bodies and cutting the brims? I took out a ruler to make some measurements:

Open Road and unmarked 7X Clear Beaver

Stratoliners (early 1940s - mid 1950s)

 

[alanfgag]

raw edge westerns:

No conclusions, but perhaps any difference between 3" and 2 7/8" is splitting beaver hairs. [huh]

 

[ManofKent]

Great photos - Purplesage

A lovely Trio - Justin

Alan - I think you need a few more to get a larger sample

 

[alanfgag]

Alan - I think you need a few more to get a larger sample

Duly noted. Alas I have parted ways with most of my 1950s Stetsons so my sampling is not up to the question... which is, did Stetson make small adjustments in the brim width of their popular dress western models from the post-war to 1960 era, or is the variation seen due to manufacturing tolerance. I guess it is not a particularly interesting question - yet some here are very sensitive to the width of their brim and it made me wonder. Here is a sample posted by Carouselvic in the Open Road thread the other day:

 

[splintercellsz]

1930s Penn-craft & Montgomery Ward.

Both of these hats are fine examples of the 1930s. They are both very light, and they both have the high crown proportions found in the golden era.

The Penn-craft's felt is grey with a purple undertone. The sweatband is reeded. The brim has the raw edge treatment.

The Montgomery Ward is a light grey, and almost looks white in certain lighting. The sweatband is unreeded. The brim is a bound edge.

Sweatband embossing:
Penn-craft

Montgomery Ward

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[splintercellsz]

2nd comparison for the day.

Pre-WWI Velours

For this comparison we have a Peschel velour and a Marshall Fields & Co.

Both hats are a shade of brown; the Peschel being a reddish-brown, and the MF & C being a rustic color. Both exhume a very nice sheen in the light.

Each hat molds without any resistance. The Peschel has had some work done over the years (new sweatband and ribbon), while the MF & C is all original. I do have the original Peschel sweatband though!

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[splintercellsz]

3rd and final comparison for the day.

1920s Stetson & G.A. Dunn & Co.

Both of these hats are great examples of the era. High, straight crowns, and style that has lasted decades!

The Stetson is a neutral tan color that is truly appreciated in person. The Dunn is a black velour finish. Both are stunning.

Each hat has the over-welt brim treatment, and that is where the similarities cease.

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