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Stetson Royal Fur Felt Fedoras made in Mexico?

Lean'n'mean

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,087
Location
Cloud-cuckoo-land
Hmm, initial thing that stands out is the fine print below the UPC, "...used under license by Dorfman Pacific." However, it's late here, so to be continued.

Not so strange as it sounds.... https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/stetson-licensed-to-dorfman-pacific.47038/
Could also explain why the OP's hat looks suspiciously like a lot of D.P.'s wool hats.
I know next to nothing about modern Stetsons but do they usually have washing instruction labels. ?
 

Federersfedora

New in Town
Messages
25
Thanks for the article it was a real interesting find. It makes me wonder, the link you provided was posted in 2010, how far gone has things gotten for old JB.

I will say this, I own a Stetson Temple that I purchased in New york recently and the quality of that hat is far more superior to the one pictured in this article.

At this point I have no idea whether this hat is a DP, a knock off, or the genuine article, but I do appreciate the post's the wealth of knowledge on this site is baffalling. I am curious more than ever now to uncover the mystery of this hat.
 
Messages
19,425
Location
Funkytown, USA
I hear you, I was shocked to learn that was how much they were selling them, but Stetsons have always fetched a high price in Aus, it's why I normally stick with Akubra.

When I saw the price tag in store, I instantly decided to recalled my item cancellation from the seller. As for vintage, your assessment would be pretty much my assessment also. This hat is a much a newer Stetson. It should be arriving today so I will have more photos to post later on.

The other thing I noticed is that it does not have a name other than a royal fur felt hat, So its not stating temple, chatham, Saxon and so on. Not sure if this matters.

It's not unusual at all for the model to not be imprinted on the sweat. Are there any tags behind the sweat? Did it come in a Stetson box?


Not so strange as it sounds.... https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/stetson-licensed-to-dorfman-pacific.47038/
Could also explain why the OP's hat looks suspiciously like a lot of D.P.'s wool hats.
I know next to nothing about modern Stetsons but do they usually have washing instruction labels. ?

Well, that thread would explain a cut-and-sewn hat, but not a fur felt hat. Unless things changed in the licensing agreement. A bit of a mystery hat, for certain.

Sent directly from my mind to yours.
 

Federersfedora

New in Town
Messages
25
It's not unusual at all for the model to not be imprinted on the sweat. Are there any tags behind the sweat? Did it come in a Stetson box?




Well, that thread would explain a cut-and-sewn hat, but not a fur felt hat. Unless things changed in the licensing agreement. A bit of a mystery hat, for certain.

Sent directly from my mind to yours.
The Hat didn't arrive in a Stetson box, but they rarely do. You normally have to pay extra for that about $60 or so in some cases.

I couldn't see any other markings on the hat apart from the ones I posted.
 

Lean'n'mean

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,087
Location
Cloud-cuckoo-land
Well, that thread would explain a cut-and-sewn hat, but not a fur felt hat. Unless things changed in the licensing agreement. A bit of a mystery hat, for certain.

As mentioned above, that thread was 8 years ago & things do change without 'us' necessarily knowing about it:D. It looks like many Stetson straws are made in Mexico so it's not unconceivable that lower quality felt hats are also made south of the border under licence, prehaps destined for a less discerning market or even the tourist industry.
 

TheOldFashioned

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,179
Location
The Great Lakes
Not so strange as it sounds.... https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/stetson-licensed-to-dorfman-pacific.47038/
Could also explain why the OP's hat looks suspiciously like a lot of D.P.'s wool hats.
I know next to nothing about modern Stetsons but do they usually have washing instruction labels. ?

Thanks for the article it was a real interesting find. It makes me wonder, the link you provided was posted in 2010, how far gone has things gotten for old JB.

I will say this, I own a Stetson Temple that I purchased in New york recently and the quality of that hat is far more superior to the one pictured in this article.

At this point I have no idea whether this hat is a DP, a knock off, or the genuine article, but I do appreciate the post's the wealth of knowledge on this site is baffalling. I am curious more than ever now to uncover the mystery of this hat.

It's not unusual at all for the model to not be imprinted on the sweat. Are there any tags behind the sweat? Did it come in a Stetson box?




Well, that thread would explain a cut-and-sewn hat, but not a fur felt hat. Unless things changed in the licensing agreement. A bit of a mystery hat, for certain.

Sent directly from my mind to yours.

If you search around on here you will find several other threads that discuss the Stetson & Dorfman Pacific licensing agreement. As @Frunobulax mentions, based on that posting it doesn't apply to fur hats. That post is several years old, however, so maybe the agreement has since changed.

At this point, Stetson is pretty much just a brand name that gets liscensed out to others. Hatco produces modern Stetson fur hats and has for quite some time. At least up until this possible entry anyway, so that's what makes this so interesting. But licensing also explains why you can buy Stetson cologne, jeans, hamburger flippers, etc. Nothing to do with hats directly, but associated with the Stetson image of an All-American (western) lifestyle.

The RN# 31905 is assigned to Dorfman Pacific. Unfortunately, it sounds like this can be used for a manufacturer, distributor, or marketer of a product, so that doesn't really help to narrow things down. (Maybe someone else can make better sense of the FTC legalese.). At this point I've kind of run into a wall, but I'll try to do some more digging.
 
Messages
19,425
Location
Funkytown, USA
If you search around on here you will find several other threads that discuss the Stetson & Dorfman Pacific licensing agreement. As @Frunobulax mentions, based on that posting it doesn't apply to fur hats. That post is several years old, however, so maybe the agreement has since changed.

At this point, Stetson is pretty much just a brand name that gets liscensed out to others. Hatco produces modern Stetson fur hats and has for quite some time. At least up until this possible entry anyway, so that's what makes this so interesting. But licensing also explains why you can buy Stetson cologne, jeans, hamburger flippers, etc. Nothing to do with hats directly, but associated with the Stetson image of an All-American (western) lifestyle.

The RN# 31905 is assigned to Dorfman Pacific. Unfortunately, it sounds like this can be used for a manufacturer, distributor, or marketer of a product, so that doesn't really help to narrow things down. (Maybe someone else can make better sense of the FTC legalese.). At this point I've kind of run into a wall, but I'll try to do some more digging.

Link for Stetson hamburger flipper, please? :D
 

Federersfedora

New in Town
Messages
25
Thanks for all the suggestions and contributions made thus far. Although the mystery of the hat has not been solved (yet), I feel I have become more wiser and a little more educated when purchasing hats in general.

I guess the take home message is don't place your trust in brands, at least not all brands. Following on from the post submitted by lean'n'mean I realised Dorfman Pacific also work with Christies of London.To what extent who knows, but interesting.
 

drmaxtejeda

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,363
Location
Mexico City
A couple of months ago, @justdaniel came to Mexico City, and he bought two vintage, old-looking Disneys that were sold in El Palacio de Hierro, a Mexico City department store.

The guy he bought them from, Javier, sent me some images yesterday of a Stetson that was sold in Sombreros Tardan, also a very old hat store in Mexico City.

The sweatband in one of the pics says "Tetson Twenty Five John B. Stetson Company Marca Registrada" (Registered Trade Mark)

Both the liner and the markings on the sweatband are unusual.
I don't know if the hat was manufactured here under license, or if only the sweatband was, or what.

If I have time, I will go buy this hat from Javier on Saturday.

Anyway, here are the pics.
ccf359facd159c3dcf9f2d11d48463b9.jpg
c3133fa67125261f5f486429ec7f8caa.jpg
bf6cced86cdebf6d647ce0b5e6c63942.jpg
b12116c263dbc16e917005a13b6458b6.jpg
93b7e25050aa61b4b013695a2f831087.jpg
08ef0fb5f650fb473f9bd8aba3293ede.jpg


Sent from my LG-H870 using Tapatalk
 
Messages
10,847
Location
vancouver, canada
Hi

Im new to posting on this site, but I have read many interesting discussions and I was hoping to tap into the brainstrust about Stetson Royal Fur Felt hats Made in Mexico.

I purchased one such hat online a week or so ago. The hat was very reasonably priced at about $60 Australian, which was a bit concerning, but I thought oh well, we'll see what tun's up. The hat seemed very sturdy and claimed to be fur felt, it was also very well lined. It seemed authentic enough until I read the label made in Mexico? I searched everywhere to try and find out if Stetsons are now made in Mexico or whether this was a fake Stetson. I couldn't find anymore information and I ended up sending the hat back thinking it was a fake.

Anyway two days ago I went into my regular hat shop and low and behold there it was the same hat (it was identical) only the price tag was close to $400 au. I quickly called the seller to repost my item which he did. It hasn't arrived yet so I can't show photos.

Is this real or fake?
I think selling a modern Stetson for $400 is criminal regardless of where it was made.
 

TheOldFashioned

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,179
Location
The Great Lakes
A couple of months ago, @justdaniel came to Mexico City, and he bought two vintage, old-looking Disneys that were sold in El Palacio de Hierro, a Mexico City department store.

The guy he bought them from, Javier, sent me some images yesterday of a Stetson that was sold in Sombreros Tardan, also a very old hat store in Mexico City.

The sweatband in one of the pics says "Tetson Twenty Five John B. Stetson Company Marca Registrada" (Registered Trade Mark)

Both the liner and the markings on the sweatband are unusual.
I don't know if the hat was manufactured here under license, or if only the sweatband was, or what.

If I have time, I will go buy this hat from Javier on Saturday.

Anyway, here are the pics.

Sent from my LG-H870 using Tapatalk

Thanks, Doc! The liner looks very similar. The coloration is slightly different on the crest, but stylistically it looks the same.
 

drmaxtejeda

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,363
Location
Mexico City
Remember, that's 400 Australian dollars; the current exchange rate puts that at approximately $285 U.S. dollars. That price still seems a little high to me, but Sheplers and Boot Barn are selling a specific Stetson for $4,999.99 so what do I know?
Yeah. Like I bought my 100 X El Presidente with the lousy felt for $1000. The Diamante has some little diamonds on the ribbon buckle, but I wonder if it also has a decent felt.

Sent from my LG-H870 using Tapatalk
 

Federersfedora

New in Town
Messages
25
Remember, that's 400 Australian dollars; the current exchange rate puts that at approximately $285 U.S. dollars. That price still seems a little high to me, but Sheplers and Boot Barn are selling a specific Stetson for $4,999.99 so what do I know?


In Australia Stetsons, that is Temple or a Saxon, fetch for about $235 Au. So the hat displayed at the store seemed quite high.
 

Federersfedora

New in Town
Messages
25
Question: After receiving my hat I found that it was packed rather poorly, so I thought I would give it a light steam and an adjustment of the brim. I found the felt uncooperative, as in stiff, and hard to manipulate. I also noticed creasing occur on the brim as I adjusted the hat, which took some time to knead out. The hat looks great now but it was an unusual amount of effort to work the felt. Is this normal for fur felt hats? Never had his problem with Akubra, but then again the felt on Akubra is quite thin in comparison.
 
Messages
19,425
Location
Funkytown, USA
Question: After receiving my hat I found that it was packed rather poorly, so I thought I would give it a light steam and an adjustment of the brim. I found the felt uncooperative, as in stiff, and hard to manipulate. I also noticed creasing occur on the brim as I adjusted the hat, which took some time to knead out. The hat looks great now but it was an unusual amount of effort to work the felt. Is this normal for fur felt hats? Never had his problem with Akubra, but then again the felt on Akubra is quite thin in comparison.
Newer Stetsons like you just purchased mainly come with a pre-pressed crease and are pretty stiff to hold this crease. They are difficult to manipulate. Stetson did have some open crown models for a few years, but as I understand it, those were recently discontinued.

Sent directly from my mind to yours.
 

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