Will the real 3xImperial please stand up?

[Fedora]

Recently fedoralover and I did a trade on some hats. He sent me an almost mint 3x Stetson, along with the same quality Imperial Stetson. From prior conversations I had assumed his 3x and Imperial was not the same as what I had. After examining these fine hats, I can say for sure, all 3x and Imperial lines were not created equal. Neither of these hats match up to what I have bought. My 3x and Imperial have a completely different felt. We are still trying to figure out why there is such a difference. His 3x(now mine), came along after the Stetson sellout, so this is understandable, as it was not made in Philly by the original company. They just used the name Imperial. The 3x is another matter. It was made in Philly but is nothing like my 3x Stetson. It is interesting to note that both my Imperial, and 3x were both originally sold in Britain and perhaps this figures into the equation. I do think the Imperial that I have is an old hat and that may very well be the reason. As time went on, the mixture of the felt changed, but not the name. My 3x was manufactured in 1970, one of the last originals to come from Stetson before the sellout. My 3x, Imperial, and Nutria Quality Stetsons all are very similiar in look and feel. They are also very close to the new beaver that I have, with the 3x actually nudging the beaver out of first place in my rankings. So what gives? Surely a company like the old Stetson company tried to give a consistent product. I mean, if a guy liked the Imperial line, and went out to buy another one to match his first, it would not be good for sales if his next Imperial was different. Any ideas? Fedora

 

[Andykev]

You have a dilemma. The hats sold in Brittian might have been better, or maybe the hat band was sewn in incorrectly, denoting an inferior hat, when it was in fact a much better one.

I have definately observed with my own hats, and the vast collection Art has, that the early Stetsons are FAR better, so is any early true vintage hat.

If your Imperial is like the one I saw at OPTIMO (Graham has it in his office), it is one of the best hats period, the end!

Again, I wish you were closer, and I'd share my MacLaughlan with you. I so far have not found a tighter smoother creamer felt. Not the Optimo's , Borsalino, or the Stetson line.

I have just gotten a Dunlap hat, beautiful dove gray. It is so nice. Just two minor moth bites at forunately the underside, and the crown edge crease with brim. I had to look hard to find the bites. Art thinks I am too picky.

Anyway, Fedora, you are very fortunate to have those.

Say, with the Loungers being spread out over the USA, has anyone MET or KNOW someone (probably an old timer now) who actually worked in one of the great hat factories, esp. Danburry or Philadelphia?

 

[havershaw]

Fedora, I have also been bitten by this quandary, as I paid for a Stetson Imperial (since I always hear you speak so highly of them) on eBay recently, and...well, I knew this could not possibly be the felt you have been crowing about. It definitely was not 40s or even 50s felt, I don't think. The felt was nowhere near the quality of any of the other hats I own, and it now sits in a pile of hats that I keep telling my wife I will put on eBay eventually.

Had I seen the liner and sweatband, I would probably have concluded that it was not the hat I was looking for...black sweatbands are a dead giveaway, as I believe that Stetson switched to those after the buyout. I probably could have researched it more before I bought it...but I think it was only $15, so it wasn't that big of a deal (not nearly as big a disappointment as the 50s HJ I just received...which I'm disputing and sending back - but that's another story).

I also have four Whippets, and they are four completely different hats, in terms of felt. Some are nicer felt than others, though they're all pretty great felt. They appear to be from two different eras, as some have plastic on the liners and some don't - but every one is totally different. I have no idea why.

eBay is a real crapshoot. You just have to decide how much money you want to throw at it, I guess. I did just get a pretty nice-looking Stetson Twenty for $41, and an Adam Royal for $10.

 

[Fedora]

eBay is a real crapshoot.

Just what fedoralover told me too. I think the felt took a nose dive after Stetson sold its name in 1970. This would explain the difference in the Imperial felt. It does seem that the older the hat, the better the felt. Regarding the sweats on Stetson's, I never bid on one that has the black sweats, or even the dark brown ones with the gold stripes. All of these seem to be late hats, and not up to what we expect. All of my really great Stetsons come with the tan sweat. Fedora