Stetson Medalist History?

[Just Daniel]

I’m tracking the term Medalist as a quality designation at this point, probably associated with a prices as well. I see the term as similar to Royal, Royal DeLuxe, etc. Even given that, it may have changed by decade like the Stetson Special, which apparently went from a $20 hat to a $5 model some time in the 30s.

I’m missing hard evidence like multiple price tags or advertisements, so right now it is just my theory.

Maybe some folks with prices on Medalists or advertisements can add something more concrete?

Daniel

(Sorry, not sure what was happening with the previous message.)

Wanted to jump in on this older thread. I picked up a straw Medalist from Deadlyhandsome. Seems to be a 60's model perhaps. An Eagle posted previously in the thread had no liner so I was wondering if the Medalist designation might have been more of an economy hat? Any Medalist history updates would be appreciated.

 

[Just Daniel]

I looked through the Stetson Golden Era Ads thread and could not find any reference to the Stetson Medalist...I’ll keep looking, but maybe someone has an ad or a data point on the model?

 

[Rmccamey]

Keep searching, I'm very interested.

 

[Rmccamey]

...and thank your for doing it.

 

[Just Daniel]

Stetson Medalist Straw - 50s OPS Tag, original price point $5.

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

Who got Moon’s blue Medalist Eagle during his purge??
Anybody know??
B

 

[MikeinRome]

Stetson Medalist, 2 1/2 inch brim and about 5 5/8 inch open crown. Seems to date to very late 1930's, but the sweatband is missing. First use of the term Stetson Medalist was in June 1938 per Brad Bowers. The 2 lines of stitching on the brim edge seem original to the hat. The Lot Number on this hat would be in the lower 7600s or earlier since this hat has the old 3 panel mfg tag and the change from this style of tag to the newer type tag appears to have occured in the 7600s.

 

[MikeinRome]

Stetson Medalist, 2 3/4 inch brim. Lot Number 7634. Sine first use of the term Stetson Medalist was in June 1938, I believe this hat was made in 1938 or 1939. The straw is still in fine shape, but the hat needs some work. I think this is a Milan hat, from comparing the look and feel of it to my ca. 1951 known Cavanagh Milan.

 

[hatsRme]

Stetson Medalist, 2 3/4 inch brim. Lot Number 7634. Sine first use of the term Stetson Medalist was in June 1938, I believe this hat was made in 1938 or 1939. The straw is still in fine shape, but the hat needs some work. I think this is a Milan hat, from comparing the look and feel of it to my ca. 1951 known Cavanagh Milan.

This is a beautiful lid, Mike. Congrats, sir!!
My guess is that it’s a Panama weave, maybe leghorn, but is definitely not a braided Milan.

These are two very different types of Milan braided straws shown here. An early Art Fawcett product on the left, a vintage (1950s) Knox on the right. Different, but both are Milans.

 

[carouselvic]

It’s leghorn

 

[MikeinRome]

This is a beautiful lid, Mike. Congrats, sir!!
My guess is that it’s a Panama weave, maybe leghorn, but is definitely not a braided Milan.

These are two very different types of Milan braided straws shown here. An early Art Fawcett product on the left, a vintage (1950s) Knox on the right. Different, but both are Milans.
View attachment 599749 View attachment 599759

Thanks. I had just glanced at them together, but now I'm looking closer and do see a difference. I don't know anything about straw hats, really, and never even heard of leghorn.

 

[hatsRme]

Thanks. I had just glanced at them together, but now I'm looking closer and do see a difference. I don't know anything about straw hats, really, and never even heard of leghorn.

I really favor straws.
Leghorn is also a breed of chicken...

 

[Rmccamey]

Here is my Medalist, Mike. No Lot number, only the reorder code on the sweat. The inside tag is missing but based on the size tag, I've always thought this was a 50s model.

Stetson Medalist, 2 3/4 inch brim. Lot Number 7634. Sine first use of the term Stetson Medalist was in June 1938, I believe this hat was made in 1938 or 1939. The straw is still in fine shape, but the hat needs some work. I think this is a Milan hat, from comparing the look and feel of it to my ca. 1951 known Cavanagh Milan.

 

[alanfgag]

Stetson Medalist, 2 3/4 inch brim. Lot Number 7634. Sine first use of the term Stetson Medalist was in June 1938, I believe this hat was made in 1938 or 1939. The straw is still in fine shape, but the hat needs some work. I think this is a Milan hat, from comparing the look and feel of it to my ca. 1951 known Cavanagh Milan.

Great find... Vic nails the straw as Livorno (Leghorn). Here is a link to a very similar hat from a similar time period.

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/post-new-hats-here.28145/page-759#post-1277525

The LOTXXXX is similar, marked as a Factory Store Reject behind the sweatband.

 

[MikeinRome]

Stetson Medalist, 2 3/4 inch brim. Lot Number 7634. Sine first use of the term Stetson Medalist was in June 1938, I believe this hat was made in 1938 or 1939. The straw is still in fine shape, but the hat needs some work. I think this is a Milan hat, from comparing the look and feel of it to my ca. 1951 known Cavanagh Milan.

Article on "Leghorn" Italian straw hats from The American Hatter, June 1912. In this article, the term they use for the type of straw for these Leghorn hats is "paglia nostrale" or "paglia Fiorentina", from the Province of Florence.

 

[MikeinRome]

Stetson Medalist, 2 3/4 inch brim. Lot Number 7634. Sine first use of the term Stetson Medalist was in June 1938, I believe this hat was made in 1938 or 1939. The straw is still in fine shape, but the hat needs some work. I think this is a Milan hat, from comparing the look and feel of it to my ca. 1951 known Cavanagh Milan.

Same hat after being cleaned and reshaped and the original sweatband being sewn back on at Paris Hatters. Looks good as new! I had said this was a late 1930's hat, but it could date into the very early 1940's.

 

[TheOldFashioned]

Stetson Medalist in slate/steel/some combination of grey blue:

Crown	5-1/2" (open)
Brim	2-3/4"
Ribbon	1-1/8"
Weight	93g