Stetson Sweat Stamps/ LOT XXXX

[splintercellsz]

Lot 5750

 

[alanfgag]

Stetson Boss Raw Edge - Clear Nutria

 

[vintage.vendeuse]

1920s Stetson The Boss Raw Edge... w/o the raw edge, lol! Lot 4428. (Alan has a Nutria with lot number 4427.)

 

[splintercellsz]

LOT 6409

 

[g.durand]

Stetson Stratoliner, early '40s?

1 7/8 SOFT
LOT 7727

 

[alanfgag]

Two early Stratoliners:

Vita-Felt 7607

Stratoliner 7672

 

[g.durand]

With this information I'm narrowing down the date of manufacture on my Stratoliner, marked LOT 7727. In other threads on the forum the indications are Stetson introduced the "Vita-Felt Process" in 1941. Alan, your Vita-Felt Stratoliner's lot stamp 7672 would indicate mine was produced no earlier than '41 and most likely later. There is no indication on mine, on the sweatband or any other place on the hat, that it is Vita-Felt. The pouncing isn't as fine and the felt is less dense than post-war Stetsons and unlike the only VitaFelt hat I own.

The question, then, is were all Stratoliners of a certain period made of Vita-Felt? When did Stetson cease producing Vita-Felt Process hats? This information may be here on the forum somewhere but I haven't had the time to search for it. I can still only place the hat within the '42-'46 time period based on the price tag.

Does anyone have any further knowledge they want to share?

 

[carouselvic]

1940 was the vita felt first use....we're in the wrong thread for this...

 

[alanfgag]

1940 was the vita felt first use....we're in the wrong thread for this...

1940 is also the first use of the Stratoliner mark, at least per trademark registration records.

The LOTXXXX stamp project is a work in progress. While I think the numbers are likely chronological, there is no proof that sweatband lots were installed in sequence. Vita-Felt hats were most likely marketed concurrently with other felts during their years of production. In my opinion, the gold size tag and sweat stamp place your hat to the earlier years of Stratoliner production (1941-1942)... but that is only a guess.

 

[alanfgag]

I was hoping for a Rosetta stone but came up short. There is no stamped LOT number on the sweatband, though there is a handwritten number which might relate to the sweatband lot. The date stamp on the sweatband is also puzzling... does it relate to manufacture, or to a post sale cleaning? The liner is taped in place, which might indicate that the hat has seen work. As always, more questions than answers...

 

[splintercellsz]

This one confused me as well when I had it.

 

[alanfgag]

The over welt edge (blind stitched) has a roughness to the brim cut that makes me wonder if it is original factory work.

 

[mayserwegener]

Can you tell if the brim stitching on the over-welt goes into the top side of the felt?

 

[alanfgag]

I'm not sure what you mean, Steve - it has to go into the top side of the brim, no? It does not show on the underside. Or are you wondering if it is glued?

 

[mayserwegener]

>Or are you wondering if it is glued?

Yes.

 

[alanfgag]

I will look more closely when I get home from work.

 

[splintercellsz]

There are some more photos in the expo medal thread that I took awhile back. I don't recall if the brim binding is in those. Let me see if I can find one.

 

[splintercellsz]

Found one.

 

[Joshbru3]

The over welt edge (blind stitched) has a roughness to the brim cut that makes me wonder if it is original factory work.

I love that hat. Its one of my favorites on the lounge. As to the roughness of the cut.......I think its original. Obviously I have no way to prove that, but I have owned numerous vintage hats with curled brims and overwelts/underwelts. It seems that some of my early Stetsons and other manufactures have a rougher or un-sanded/rough trimmed edge right from the factory when a curl or overwelt/underwelt was used. Its most common with the pencil curled hats. It seems to me that the major manufactures often didn't bother sanding the edge after using a rounding jack/brim trimmer because they more than likely figured that no one would see if the edge if it was curled inward. I have owned several underwelt/overwelt pre-1930 hats and I have noticed some unevenness with the brim edge as well. Again, I feel that many manufactures didn't tend to the edge because they figured it would be tacked on top or on the bottom of the brim. Many modern hat makers (factory and custom) STILL employ this practice.

 

[alanfgag]

Thanks for your input Josh. I did look more closely and didn't see an indication that the edge was glued. I also find a line of stitching barely visible right at the cut edge of the welt. Busy week... I'll take some better photos when I have a minute.