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Stetson No. 1 Quality

What I didn’t know is that the Number 1 used to be a mid-range hat and in later incarnations it was their lowest grade. Same thing happened with “3X Beaver.”


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No 1 and Standard were both introductory level hats.......Standard Quality was dropped after the 30's for the "Royal" line.......3X was used for both dress and western....was a grade above Royal Deluxe in the 40's through the mid-60's.......it all went to hell in the late 60's.......today it is largly western crap!
 
Messages
19,001
Location
Central California
No 1 and Standard were both introductory level hats.......Standard Quality was dropped after the 30's for the "Royal" line.......3X was used for both dress and western....was a grade above Royal Deluxe in the 40's through the mid-60's.......it all went to hell in the late 60's.......today it is largly western crap!

Alan has the No. 1 above the 3X in the early 1900s and in the 1950s it was below the 3X. Does this jive with your vintage advertising?


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No. 1 was entirely an introductory level by at least the 20's as indicated in my advertising. By this time 3X was used more for western hats (at a mid-level quality) until right about 1950 where it re-emerged for dress hats as well (coincident with the introduction of the modern Open Road which was offered as a crossover western/dress hat. At that time the 3X was priced above the Royal Deluxe......in both western and dress.....
 
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Messages
19,001
Location
Central California
No. 1 was entirely an introductory level by at least the 20's as indicated in my advertising. By this time 3X was used more for western hats (at a mid-level quality) until the early 50's where it re-emerged for dress hats as well (coincident with the introduction of the modern Open Road which was offered as a crossover western/dress hat. At that time the 3X was priced above the Royal Deluxe......in both western and dress.....

I knew you were the man to ask. Thank you. Your vintage advertising is a godsend.


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Messages
19,001
Location
Central California
My latest Stetson No. 1 Quality:


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5 3/4” open crown, 4 5/8” raw edge brim. The brim shape (flared bumpers) is a result of forcing the 7 1/2 hat onto my 7 5/8 long oval head. The crown is soft and holds any dry crease I want to put on it and returns to open crown without any impressions form the crease. The sweat is soft and very supple, but the surface is beginning to flake off in places. I’m not sure if the hat band is original, and it isn’t attached and relies solely on the friction to hold it on the crown.


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Bill Hughes

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Tukwila

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SW of Antifa Central (PDX)

AbbaDatDeHat

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,849
For being an "Introductory" level hat.....I find this one a fine example of quality and workmanship. I'd choose this one over most any newer hat any day of the week. Original price when new was $7.50 per the tag ;)

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I love NO.1s. They are a heck of a hat!
Your’s is so pristine. Did you have it reworked or was it virginal?
B
 

AbbaDatDeHat

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,849
There you go, bringing it up again.
Oops!!
You’ll be happy to know i defended your hat to the tea party girl. When i threw the Nutria on her she said “Oh i can’t take that one from you”.
Out i blurted “OH you can’t have THAT one”!! “There’s a guy in Alabama that wants to kill me for it”! That’s when she mentioned “hat tea party”.
I’m hoping she meant “Tupperware party”, if ya know what i mean! Lol
B
 

J Williams

Practically Family
Messages
638
Location
Vancouver, BC, Canada
My latest acquisition arrived today. Stetson No. 1 Quality

I expected the felt to be thick but it’s the thinnest hat I have handled to date. It’s in beautiful shape aside from the liner and bow are missing and some of the stitching on the sweatband has been torn.

The hat was shipped open crown and there is little to no evidence as to how it was creased. In fact it’s so thin and soft it won’t hold a shape so I’m going to have to hit it with some steam when I figure out how I’m going to bash it.

3 7/8 brim with a 6 1/2 open crown.

I’m trying to get a date on it but having trouble pinpointing the stockman farm supply name change so any help with that would be appreciated.

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AbbaDatDeHat

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,849
My latest acquisition arrived today. Stetson No. 1 Quality

I expected the felt to be thick but it’s the thinnest hat I have handled to date. It’s in beautiful shape aside from the liner is missing and some of the stitching on the sweatband has been torn.

3 7/8 brim with a 6 1/2 open crown.

I’m trying to get a date on it but having trouble pinpointing the stockman farm supply name change so any help with that would be appreciated.

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Oh yeah!! That’s a hat!!
And with a nice bound brim even!
B
 

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