Stetson Exposition Medals

[RossRYoung]

Thought I would bump this thread:

With a generous tip from @TheOldFashioned I recently acquired a Stetson expo from the 1920's originally sold at Penttila & Granlund of Astoria, Oregon. Below is some info I was able to dig up on the retailer. Having grown up in Astoria my interest is admittedly biased but I hope you find it an interesting read nonetheless.

Also found a pdf copy of a July 1988 filing from the National Registry of Historic Places:

https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/3e001bcb-c98b-424a-95bd-e94e8f7f12d9

on page 53 of the pdf there is mention of the Penttila & Granlund building:

"According to Polk's Astoria's City and Clatsop County Directory, the building housed a barbershop run by Charles Wirkkala in 1910. John and Annette Penttila opened a men's furnishings and shoe store ca. 1913 on the east side of the first floor and Wirkkala retained the barbershop on the west side. The Penttila family resided on the second floor of the building. Some of the family members included Albert, Edwin, Hjordis, Sigrid and John; all worked at the mercantile store. John Penttila Sr. was elected president of the Finnish Mercantile Co-op in 1924 and earlier, in 1905 he was the incorporater of the West Astoria Packing Co. In ca. 1920 Penttila went into partnership with Emil Granlund and formed Penttila and Granlund, a men's furnishing, shoes and cigar store. They continued their partnership until 1932 when Penttila bought out interest in the Granlund share of the store. The mercantile remained in Penttila's ownership until 1938 when it was bought by Alex Sapola. Later uses of the building include Corkies Restuarant, ca. 1945, and its current use, the Pacific Rim Restuarant."


There is also mention of Penttila & Granlund in the Oregon State Federation of Labor's Proceedings of the Annual Convention, Volume 19, Parts 1921-1929

https://books.google.com/books?id=JOlaAAAAYAAJ&q=penttila+&+granlund+astoria,+oregon&dq=penttila+&+granlund+astoria,+oregon&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjNwb_k-c3oAhUSv54KHeTjDJoQ6AEwAXoECAQQAg

showing the business to be located at 229 Taylor Ave

Taylor Ave does merge onto modern day West Marine Drive and google maps shows the site currently occupied by a restaurant. The layout of the structure lines up with the 1988 NRHP description of the property - two seperate ground level floors for retail and corresponding living quarters on the second floors.

I would like to know if the Astoria Historical Society has any period photographs depicting the Penttila & Granlund business and will update accordingly should they respond to my inquiry with photos and info.

Might just be me but I can’t view any of the images

 

[M Hatman]

Realized this needs to be here too.....August 1915.

 

[M Hatman]

And this as well.......................................

 

[Just Daniel]

1900 Medal black long hair. Interesting liner crest.

 

[BobHufford]

1900 Medal black long hair. Interesting liner crest.

Dang son ...

 

[Steve1857]

I've just been made aware of this thread and would like to make the following, humble offering to it.

Ca. 1920s Derby with Shriner logos on the liner and the somewhat ubiquitous Panama Pacific International Exposition medals imprint on the sweat band.

 

[alanfgag]

I've just been made aware of this thread and would like to make the following, humble offering to it.

Ca. 1920s Derby with Shriner logos on the liner and the somewhat ubiquitous Panama Pacific International Exposition medals imprint on the sweat band.
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Awesome addition. What is the color of the leather in the sweatband... guessing not as dark as it looks in the photos.

 

[Steve1857]

Thanks Alan. The sweat is a light blue/grey colour.
I bought it from Garret back in July 2019.

Awesome addition. What is the color of the leather in the sweatband... guessing not as dark as it looks in the photos.

 

[alanfgag]

Thanks Alan. The sweat is a light blue/grey colour.
I bought it from Garret back in July 2019.

Ah yes... I remember that colored sweatband. I had an Exposition hat some time ago that had the same. The sweatband in that one was quite fragile. Yours looks to be in much better shape.

 

[Steve1857]

Thanks, Alan. It is indeed in good condition, thankfully.

Ah yes... I remember that colored sweatband. I had an Exposition hat some time ago that had the same. The sweatband in that one was quite fragile. Yours looks to be in much better shape.

 

[alanfgag]

Another gray colored sweat from my wayback machine... I traded this hat with Joshbru some years back.

 

[Steve1857]

Here are some photos of the brim in natural light. The blueish tinge to the grey is more noticeable.

Ah yes... I remember that colored sweatband. I had an Exposition hat some time ago that had the same. The sweatband in that one was quite fragile. Yours looks to be in much better shape.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I won’t have many chances to contribute to this thread:

 

[Steve1857]

I won’t have many chances to contribute to this thread:

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That's a beauty, Brent.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

That's a beauty, Brent.

Thanks, Steve.

 

[Rmccamey]

Stetson Excellent quality "The Avenue" featherweight bowler sporting a red pleated liner and a keyhole size tag. This one is stamped with the Pan Pacific Exposition medal on the liner and Lot 6421 and 185 bow on the inside of the sweat. Another interesting aspect is there is also what appears to be a Made in France stamp on the inside of the sweat.