Here's the third one I've got for sale week.
This one is an Imperial Stetson in size 7 3/8 wide oval.
I'm selling it for $75 plus actual UPS Ground shipping cost within the Continental U.S.
Based upon two of my favorite threads, the Stetson Quality Experiment "Think Tank, and Dating Vintage Stetsons by Liner: A Field Guide,
this is a 1940s model in Stetson's second highest quality available for dress hats at the time - only Premier was higher. This one has the
oil silk/onion skin both in the liner and behind the sweat, and the latest example that anyone has posted showing the use of that material
is from 1952. After that, if a liner guard was installed, at least by Stetson, it was plastic.
I picked up this hat for $25 and sent it to Optimo for a clean and block. Including shipping, I spent a total of $50 on the Optimo service,
bringing my total put into the hat at $75. I did all of this before deciding that I'm cutting back my hat supply to my absolute favorites -
which are the ones I wear most often, not the ones that I think are the best. Therefore, I'm just looking to get my money back on this one.
Condition: Let's discuss this over the photos.
As you can see by this photo, the edge binding has some discoloration, with one spot towards the rear of the hat standing out a bit.
You can see the slight scratch in the felt just above the end of the bow on the far left. From the other photos, you can see that
it's very, very shallow.
These next three shots show some discoloration on the ribbon, toward the front of the hat and the other shallow flaw in the felt.
(with flash)
(without flash)
Here, you can see that the ribbon is a bit loose from the top, front of the hat.
A close up of a bit more discoloration on the underside, front of the edge binding.
Here, you can see that the oil silk/onion skin liner guard is intact, that the felt on the underside of the brim looks great, but that the sweat is beginning to separate from the hat on the sides.
The sweat is not dry or cracking, but does have some scrapes. It is a bit darker toward the front, I assume, from sweat and rubbing.
Here's the size tag, and you can see a bit of what I'm talking about in terms of scrapes on the sweat.
Here's the final, pretty shot, showing the block by Optimo.
Despite its flaws, a Stetson Premier is pretty hard to come by, especially in a larger size. For $75, this one is a deal.
This one is an Imperial Stetson in size 7 3/8 wide oval.
I'm selling it for $75 plus actual UPS Ground shipping cost within the Continental U.S.
Based upon two of my favorite threads, the Stetson Quality Experiment "Think Tank, and Dating Vintage Stetsons by Liner: A Field Guide,
this is a 1940s model in Stetson's second highest quality available for dress hats at the time - only Premier was higher. This one has the
oil silk/onion skin both in the liner and behind the sweat, and the latest example that anyone has posted showing the use of that material
is from 1952. After that, if a liner guard was installed, at least by Stetson, it was plastic.
I picked up this hat for $25 and sent it to Optimo for a clean and block. Including shipping, I spent a total of $50 on the Optimo service,
bringing my total put into the hat at $75. I did all of this before deciding that I'm cutting back my hat supply to my absolute favorites -
which are the ones I wear most often, not the ones that I think are the best. Therefore, I'm just looking to get my money back on this one.
Condition: Let's discuss this over the photos.
As you can see by this photo, the edge binding has some discoloration, with one spot towards the rear of the hat standing out a bit.
You can see the slight scratch in the felt just above the end of the bow on the far left. From the other photos, you can see that
it's very, very shallow.
These next three shots show some discoloration on the ribbon, toward the front of the hat and the other shallow flaw in the felt.
(with flash)
(without flash)
Here, you can see that the ribbon is a bit loose from the top, front of the hat.
A close up of a bit more discoloration on the underside, front of the edge binding.
Here, you can see that the oil silk/onion skin liner guard is intact, that the felt on the underside of the brim looks great, but that the sweat is beginning to separate from the hat on the sides.
The sweat is not dry or cracking, but does have some scrapes. It is a bit darker toward the front, I assume, from sweat and rubbing.
Here's the size tag, and you can see a bit of what I'm talking about in terms of scrapes on the sweat.
Here's the final, pretty shot, showing the block by Optimo.
Despite its flaws, a Stetson Premier is pretty hard to come by, especially in a larger size. For $75, this one is a deal.
