Rare 1940s John B. Stetson Italian straw hat with sculptural hand-worked construction and cord trim.
Interior detail of vintage John B. Stetson straw hat showing original Imported From Italy Stetson stamp.
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Rare 1940s John B. Stetson Italian straw hat with sculptural hand-worked construction and cord trim.
Interior detail of vintage John B. Stetson straw hat showing original Imported From Italy Stetson stamp.

Rare c.1940s John B. Stetson Italian Straw Hat

$450.00
$450.00
Save $-450.00 Sold out

A Stetson with an Italian accent — sculptural, hand-worked and unlike just about any hat we’ve come across.
Description

Some things stop you because you recognize them. Others stop you because you don’t.

This rare vintage John B. Stetson straw hat falls firmly into the second camp. Imported from Italy for the legendary American hatmaker, it has an extraordinary sculptural construction: rows of natural straw shaped around the crown and brim, held together with fine thread and finished with a simple twisted cord.

The workmanship appears closely related to the traditional Yeddo-type knotted straw technique, in which individual lengths of straw were worked directly over a hat block rather than simply woven into conventional braid. The result is architectural, beautifully irregular and remarkably tactile. 

Inside, the original fabric sweatband carries the Stetson import stamp: “Imported From Italy By John B. Stetson Company.”

It’s part sporting cap, part folk craft, part wonderfully eccentric piece of American style — made in Italy and sized to fit a very small head.

Please note: this is an exceptionally small hat and is unlikely to fit most adults today. Exact measurements to come.
Additional Information

Excellent vintage condition for a straw hat of this age. The form remains strong and well defined, with the natural variations and minor signs of age expected from an original vintage piece. No significant areas of loss are apparent in the photographs. Please review all images closely for condition and construction details.