The Stratoliner Society {VINTAGE}

[HatsEnough]

Beauty Strat! I'm going with before the mid 1940s on age, wouldn't you? Stars in the logo on the sweat stamp, anyway.

 

[zetwal]

If any of you Strat Pack members can decipher Stetson labels and connect this hat with a year, that would be great to hear.

I don't know if anyone can pin it down to a particular year. For what it's worth, I would guess early 40s. I have a feeling yours isn't the first run Stratoliner. My supposition has always been that those with the plane on the sweatband are earlier. Perhaps even the original. But I don't know if anyone really knows for sure. You can compare the two and come to your own conclusion. Either way, I think early 40s should be about right.

 

[HatsEnough]

Speaking of earlier Strats, this one in 7-1/4 only went for $80. It's a vita felt, yet.

 

[jimmy the lid]

Some first out of the carton photos of my recent auction won Stratoliner.

Congrats, Alan. Certainly, one of the very early Strats. Compare yours to the hat belonging to Patty Stetson...

 

[HatsEnough]

Wait a minute... were there some posts removed on this thread between my last one and jimmy the lid's?

 

[alanfgag]

Congrats, Alan. Certainly, one of the very early Strats. Compare yours to the hat belonging to Patty Stetson...

Thanks for the comments, and thanks for sharing that link Jimmy. Another variation on the theme with that great printed liner tag compared to the embroidered one in my hat. Hard to tell from the photos, but the pin looks like it could be gold? It would be a good choice for a brown hat over silver, I think.

 

[RBH]

Thanks for the comments, and thanks for sharing that link Jimmy. Another variation on the theme with that great printed liner tag compared to the embroidered one in my hat. Hard to tell from the photos, but the pin looks like it could be gold? It would be a good choice for a brown hat over silver, I think.

I have posted this ad before. The hat came with a sterling silver pin. But you can put whatever you would like on it. I have one Stratoliner that I had a gold pin with no lettering on.

 

[alanfgag]

Going to fly with it pinless tomorrow... maybe someone will give me a Southwest pin? BTW, found the original $7.50 price label behind the sweat last night.

 

[jimmy the lid]

Going to fly with it pinless tomorrow... maybe someone will give me a Southwest pin? BTW, found the original $7.50 price label behind the sweat last night.

Interesting find! Looking back at the Dating Vintage Stetsons by Price thread, I see that there is national advertising for the Stratoliner at the $7.50 price point in 1942 (as also reflected in the local newspaper ad posted by Rusty), and also in a 1946 local newspaper ad. Actually, the 1942 to 1946 time frame makes a lot of sense for your Strat, methinks. The embroidered sticker is reminiscent of the embroidered liners for the Flagship from the mid-40's, as well.

Cheers,
JtL

 

[zetwal]

Actually, the 1942 to 1946 time frame makes a lot of sense for your Strat, methinks. The embroidered sticker is reminiscent of the embroidered liners for the Flagship from the mid-40's, as well.

I agree with this general range and doubt that it's any earlier than 1942.

 

[hatophile]

Sweet Strat, Alan. I love the rich brown color. That one should clean up nice!

 

[furfeltfettish]

A while back I found a brownish early strat in near mint condition at a vintage store.(the one on my avatar) It was truly a wonder--with the non-reeded paper-thin sweat and felt so soft and shapable that i played with it for hours trying different styles for the crown. the near weightless quality was amazing. Unfortunately it was 2 sizes too large and I ended up selling it. but a few months ago I purchased on the bay a later strat thinking it would be the same, only with a satin liner. WTF. this later one had a thick, clumsy feeling felt that didn't seem to be of very good quality, no hat ribbon,(poor photo at auction) and a thicker, reeded sweat. and it left me wondering how Stetson managed to stray so far from the original concept of streamlining that they had done so magnificiantly.
Any thoughts on why this occured?
Still dreaming and longing for a premier model

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Stetson managed to stray so far from the original concept of streamlining that they had done so magnificiantly.
Any thoughts on why this occured?

A thought many here had. It's all about money. Oh how they have strayed.

 

[zetwal]

[...] I see that there is national advertising for the Stratoliner at the $7.50 price point in 1942 (as also reflected in the local newspaper ad posted by Rusty), and also in a 1946 local newspaper ad.

I was just looking at a book called Streak: Joe Dimaggio and the Summer of '41. It mentions on page 19 that during the warm months of 1941 the Stratoliner was 6.50.

 

[jimmy the lid]

I was just looking at a book called Streak: Joe Dimaggio and the Summer of '41. It mentions on page 19 that during the warm months of 1941 the Stratoliner was 6.50.

Good catch!

 

[HatsEnough]

Any thoughts on why this occured?

Well, there is a difference between the lightness of the earlier vita felt hats and a normal fedora. The vita felt is a thinner, lighter felt. Was your earlier one a vita felt?

 

[Harlan]

That blue-gray Strat is one handsome lid, and it looks like a million bucks on you. A 7 3/8 Resistol clone of an Open Road, bashed like a snap-brim fedora is currently in an ebay auction. I would surely love to have it, so I am watching... Need to post my pic and some of my collection for assessment by the members. Please be patient with me.

Harlan

 

[zetwal]

I was just looking at a book called Streak: Joe Dimaggio and the Summer of '41. It mentions on page 19 that during the warm months of 1941 the Stratoliner was 6.50.

Also confirmed by the Stratoliner ad as seen in LIFE, April 21, 1941. That ad shows the hat, box, and pin, as well as the inside of the hat and a jealous wife, all in one place.

A different ad (still 6.50), appears in the September 15, 1941 issue.

 

[alanfgag]

Well, there is a difference between the lightness of the earlier vita felt hats and a normal fedora. The vita felt is a thinner, lighter felt. Was your earlier one a vita felt?

Speaking from my examples, the early unlined Strat was as light as the Vita-Felt models from the early to mid forties. The felt is thin, tight and crisp in contrast with the softer, fuzzier Vita. The later Strat in my collection is a stiffer heavier hat... to my taste, not quite as delicious as the earlier hat.

 

[HatsEnough]

Speaking from my examples, the early unlined Strat was as light as the Vita-Felt models from the early to mid forties. The felt is thin, tight and crisp in contrast with the softer, fuzzier Vita. The later Strat in my collection is a stiffer heavier hat... to my taste, not quite as delicious as the earlier hat.

I agree 100%. My vita felt Strat is very light. My other Strats from the 50s are much heavier and more like a "regular" fedora

It seems to me that Stetson strayed away from the vita felt hats by the 50s. Is that correct?