The Official Stetson Nutria Quality Thread

[MikeinRome]

I've also posted this No. 1Q previously. California 1922 band, lot 5066. Ironically, this hat is from Berkeley (UCB and Stanford are football rivals).




This one should also be in this thread somewhere, Boss Raw Edge "Made of Real Nutria Fur," lot 5895

Yes, I have your 1922 hat written down as a key dating milestone, but I had forgotten just how important it is for these purposes! It shuts the door on the 4000 Lot Numbers just like my 1928 hat shuts the door on the 5000 Lot Numbers.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

On the other side of the war emerges the Nutria Quality.

This catalog listing of Nutria Quality models for 1949 - 1950 is the earliest postwar listing I have seen.

 

[RossRYoung]

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/thr...tson-nutria-quality-thread.55014/post-2817268

The oldest ‘Nutria Quality’ I ever owned. No LOT on the sweatband, and now resides with @Jesse John

 

[MikeinRome]

About early 1920's Stetson Clear Nutria. 3 1/2 inch brim and 6 1/2 inch open crown. My date estimate is partly for the round orange size tag with scalloped edges, which I don't recall seeing after about 1925. There's no Lot Number on sweatband. I'm sending this off for cleaning and repairs. The felt is very soft and should look great when cleaned.

 

[MikeinRome]

I'm thinking now that this is about a 1920's hat instead of around 1940 or so, after discussing these Real Nutrias with Alan the other day. I might be wrong about this one having a small mfg tag, I'll recheck that.
OK, I've taken another look, and I'm adding another photo of the large tag. Also a photo of numbers hand-written inside the hat 3 times. 4966, possibly the Lot Number? and that would be an early to mid 1920's number. Perhaps the hat was worked on or rebuilt at some point, but they certainly wanted to preserve this number, unless it's a work order number.
There is some faint ink stains on the sweatband where the Lot Number should be, but it's so faint it's impossible to tell if it's a Lot Number or what it's from.

I just got another hat, not Stetson, that has a 4 digit number on both the sweatband and liner, and I do believe that hat was rebuilt or renovated.

 

[MikeinRome]

Stetson Nutria longhair hat, with 3 1/2 inch brim and 7 inch open crown. This hat was rebuilt by Stetson in 1954, per date on cancelled postage stamps, but I estimate it's from the 1920's or 30's. Stetson put a new Nutria Quality sweatband and liner in it, but I think it's actually either a Real Nutria or Clear Nutria Quality hat. The owner's children said this was an old hat when it was sent to Stetson.

 

[MikeinRome]

About 1920's Stetson Clear Nutria said to belong to Tom Mix. Has 6 1/2 inch brim and 8 1/2 inch open crown. This photo was posted on Facebook by Parker Smith of Bowman Hat Co, who was working on it for someone.
Just when you think you've about seen it all!!