Stunning 1930's Stetson Stetsonian Featherweight Nutria quality Fedora

I just came across this gem the other day. I am an antique dealer and bought it because I knew it was something special when I saw it. After doing a bit of research it turns out it is not a very common piece to come across. I am looking to possibly sell it and posted it in the classified section. Click the photobucket link and let me know what you think.

http://s1383.photobucket.com/user/antiqueantics908/library/Mobile Uploads

I have two reactions. It is an uncommon one and all the cool factor is in the inside. But, on the other hand, it is a pretty boring looking exterior! LOL Still, very nice piece. Size will also determine its worth. What size is it? What do the inventory stickers look like? Any lot numbers stamped on the inside of the leather sweatband?

fedoracentric said:

I have two reactions. It is an uncommon one and all the cool factor is in the inside. But, on the other hand, it is a pretty boring looking exterior! LOL Still, very nice piece. Size will also determine its worth. What size is it? What do the inventory stickers look like? Any lot numbers stamped on the inside of the leather sweatband?

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Size 7 1/2 lot 6551

Thanks for visiting The Fedora Lounge AntiqueAntics. There are many vintage enthusiasts here - spend some time leafing through the Pre-1940s Stetson Dress Hat thread. It will help to put your nice 1930s Stetson Nutria Quality in perspective.

If it had more brim I'd be all over it. Still, a very interesting hat in a hard to find size. As fedoracentric said that liner is very cool.

May I say as a European and fasting of knowledge required that I particularly feel difficult to orient myself in the evaluation of Americans hats. Often, some seem very attractive, others extremely expensive as they seems to me very similar and I can not understand on what basis it is determined the price.
It 'a puzzle which is difficult to get out. Perhaps it is for this reason that my purchases in the United States are so scarce.
Believe it is not easy here to orient even in this specific case.

Interesting observation and spot on. It can be the hat company, model name, style, finish, age and fur type. For example the Stetson Whippet was a mid price point hat but draws top dollar (especially larger sizes, earlier versions) in vintage circles because of model name recognition (it has to have the Whippet name) and style type (although a Royal Stetson from a similar time and form will not draw top dollar). This type of thing doesn't relate to vintage European hats (the Borsalino name being the exception). In Europe it's more about demand vs. availability (see rare larger size antique Silk Top Hats that go for $$$).

Perhaps the curiosity for a historical artifact (and the Antiques Roadshow dream of finding something of significance and value) fuels the prices for both Stetson in the U.S. and vintage top hats in the UK?

I think it's event driven (for example Royal Ascot) plus the quality / style of antique Silk Top hats. The price is based on desirable size + condition not the make. It's similar (larger size + condition Zylinderhut / Melone) in Germany / Austria with Karneval.

One day I'd like to know the relationship in terms of quality and relative price between the USA hats. I would like to understand the relationship between Stetson, Dobbs, Knox, Adam and other "esoteric" old hats manufacturers (eg Crofut & Knapp). Here in Italy Borsalino it's the law in the market. Even when the hat is ugly, poorly maintained or too trendy. The relationship with the other manufacturers (Barbiso, Panizza etc) is more understandable in terms of quality, rarity, and therefore the price on the used market. I do not see astronomical prices like some hats produced in the United States of which I can not understand their value. It 's my fault, I know. I'd like to understand.

I ranked it a 7, generous considering the brim width. It does appear to be an awesome example of the shorter-brimmed 1930s hats, with the characteristic wide ribbon - which visually makes the brim appear even shorter. Limited in that we can't feel it, but the felt appears to be plush (instead of being a paper-thin featherweight) and in really great condition. If it is as soft as it appears to be, this could be a useful hat for a 7 1/2 size head. Color appears to be a medium brown, but pictures can be deceiving, I think it might be a cinnamon shade.

Daniele Tanto said:

One day I'd like to know the relationship in terms of quality and relative price between the USA hats. I would like to understand the relationship between Stetson, Dobbs, Knox, Adam and other "esoteric" old hats manufacturers (eg Crofut & Knapp). Here in Italy Borsalino it's the law in the market. Even when the hat is ugly, poorly maintained or too trendy. The relationship with the other manufacturers (Barbiso, Panizza etc) is more understandable in terms of quality, rarity, and therefore the price on the used market. I do not see astronomical prices like some hats produced in the United States of which I can not understand their value. It 's my fault, I know. I'd like to understand.

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I rarely run into a bidding war on German or Austrian Ebay. There just isn't the same market for vintage hats (outside of Silk Top Hats) in Europe. It also appears most Euro vintage dressers (not strictly hat people like us who tend to dominate this hat forum) are focused on American vintage (Golden Age Hollywood, Swing Era, Old Country Western, ect) and are ok with reproductions or want American brand vintage hats (assuming they have interest in hats which is far from a given).

If you keep reading and watching here you will start to figure out the pecking order of the American brands and models. As I mentioned it's not always the original quality / pricing that makes an American brand vintage hat popular (see the Stetson Whippet). The only well known Euro brand in the America was / is Borsalino (same with Europe). Stetson is well known in Europe today but the major brand presence was built post WWII.

Here is what I've gathered buying and selling fedoras on US ebay: (These general comments pertain to pre 1965 American fedoras) Seems to me that in the USA, Stetson rules. You have a good Stetson and it'll always get more $$ than any other brand. Borsos still fetch a pretty good price on US ebay, too. Named Stetsons (Whippet, Stratoliner, Open Road, etc.) always are easier to sell. But most of all, size matters. If you have a Whippet in 6-7/8 it'll be hard to sell for anything close to what a 7-3/8 or larger will command. A 6-7/8 Whippet you'd be lucky to get $90 for. A 7-3/8, though, could go upwards to $300. And that is a low price for where they were a year ago. As to Adam, Cavanagh, Dobbs, Lee, Resistol, etc. very few of them command really high prices compared to the Stetson. Occasionally one of those hats will see a bidding war, but not nearly as often as Stetsons. And, again, size matters. Bigger heads command bigger prices.

Also, rarity is not always a key to price. A Demon Hanover is one of the rarest fedoras we have here but they rarely get to more than $150 despite that only about 3 or 4 come up every year. People do seem to be aware of what a rare Stetson is, but other hat makers are not judged on "rare" because no one has any idea what a "rare" Lee or a rare Cavanagh might be. Stetson has a more widely known history to judge rarity, but the other makers just don't have that breadth of knowledge out there to make "rare" a selling point.

Thanks fedoracentric. Your explication is the first step to enter in the US hats evaluation.
I take note of the hats I see everyday on eBay and from private seller to have a grid of quatation in my aim to know more about this suject.