When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Here is your chance to own a legitimate piece of American hat history: an original Stephen L. Stetson fedora in the “Manhattan” model.
Stephen L. Stetson - grandnephew to John B. Stetson - established his own hat company in 1933 and soon became involved in a trademark dispute with the much larger John B. Stetson Company. As a result, Stephen L. Stetson hats carried the wonderfully conspicuous disclaimer that the company was “never connected in any way” with John B. Stetson or its predecessors. That history is preserved both on the liner and on the original factory label beneath the sweatband.
This example has a classic mid-century profile, with gray-brown felt, a bound brim, wide black grosgrain ribbon and an especially cool shark-gill ribbon treatment. The interior is marked “The Manhattan,” and the factory label identifies the color as Glacier, size 7 3/8. Originally sold by Fine’s Men’s Shops in Spring/Fall Cities.
This is a genuine vintage hat and shows age-appropriate wear. The leather sweatband has areas of cracking and damage, the liner has substantial discoloration, and the felt has a few small areas of mothing. Please examine all photographs carefully, including the close-ups showing the affected areas. Despite these cosmetic and interior condition issues, the hat remains structurally sound, presents very well and is still quite wearable.
A distinctive vintage fedora with excellent proportions, uncommon detailing and a fascinating connection to one of the more colorful chapters in American hatmaking history.
