Pre 1940s Stetson Westerns

moontheloon · Jun 10, 2017

tajlund said:
20170610_104655 (FILEminimizer)

tajlund

Jun 10, 2017

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tajlund

Jun 10, 2017

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tajlund

Jun 10, 2017

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tajlund

Jun 10, 2017

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tajlund

Jun 10, 2017

I think I have something that fits this topic. I'm trying to find out as much as I can about this hat so I can get it in the hands of a collector who can care for it properly. I've been researching for a couple of weeks and if I did my research right this is a No. 1 Quality from the late 20's early 30's (judging by the tags). I could be wrong though. I took it to a local hatter, he said that it was a common hat but that he had never seen a high crown version. This doesn't match with what I've seen on here and other places. Any info on this would be appreciated. This hat is odd in that it is in spectacular condition, but the band is rotted. There doesn't seem to be any discoloration or holes in the hat and it is very malleable but the felt feels very firm and thick. Any information would be appreciated. Thank you very much.

looks to be 30s to me
and that sweat is toast ... can easily be replaced though
there are guys with hats much like this around here ... @alanfgag is one I believe
he could tell you pretty much anything you need to know about it
nice piece

tajlund · Jun 10, 2017

moontheloon said:
looks to be 30s to me
and that sweat is toast ... can easily be replaced though
there are guys with hats much like this around here ... @alanfgag is one I believe
he could tell you pretty much anything you need to know about it
nice piece

Thank you. The strange thing is that I can't even remember how I got it. Yard Sale maybe. I think I have a couple more in storage. After I move this summer I'm going to see what my other hats are.

Bob Roberts · Jun 10, 2017

tajlund said:
Thank you. The strange thing is that I can't even remember how I got it. Yard Sale maybe. I think I have a couple more in storage. After I move this summer I'm going to see what my other hats are.

If they are anything like that, don't make us wait till after you move this summer.

tajlund · Jun 10, 2017

I wish I could but I have no idea where they are boxed at the moment.

alanfgag · Jun 10, 2017

tajlund said:
...Any information would be appreciated. Thank you very much.

1920s - 1930s would be a good guess from the photos you've shared. A look at the size tag if present and a LOTXXXX number (stamped on the reverse side of the sweatband near the front of the hat) would help to narrow it down more closely. That bow style is found in earlier 20th century hats. The red manufacturing tag was in use for most of the early 20th century through the mid 1930s. Looks like a lovely hat. Sorry for the dry rotted sweatband, but a replacement would make it a pleasure to wear.

tajlund · Jun 10, 2017

20170610_131842 (FILEminimizer)

tajlund
Jun 10, 2017

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tajlund
Jun 10, 2017

20170610_131806 (FILEminimizer)

tajlund
Jun 10, 2017

alanfgag said:
1920s - 1930s would be a good guess from the photos you've shared. A look at the size tag if present and a LOTXXXX number (stamped on the reverse side of the sweatband near the front of the hat) would help to narrow it down more closely. That bow style is found in earlier 20th century hats. The red manufacturing tag was in use for most of the early 20th century through the mid 1930s. Looks like a lovely hat. Sorry for the dry rotted sweatband, but a replacement would make it a pleasure to wear.

I mostly pegged the age on the tag color and shape. The rectangular orange with the red tag seemed to be a late 20's early 30's thing. I do have a question though. Did this hat have a liner? The guy at the hat shop said "all stetsons had liners", but I haven't found this particular hat style anywhere online with one. I've uploaded everything I could find. The closest so a size tag is the green one. The Lotxxxx is probably the really faded number that you can only read a one and eight if you really squint. But there was another number stamped toward the back that I added.

tajlund · Jun 10, 2017

Okay, I found three of my hats. I honestly know nothing about them. I have one called an Akubra, a Wrangler 4x beaver that is probably somewhat modern, and one from a company called Beaver Hats it's 10x quality.

alanfgag · Jun 10, 2017

The LOTXXXX imprint looks like this and is generally found at the front of the hat. It has chronological significance.

The number stamp you posted is a match to the reorder number on the orange tag. Like the red manufacturing tag, the orange tag was used in the same form for a long period of time.

Stetson No.1 Quality western hats with this imprint rarely (if ever) appear with a liner. I have owned quite a few and though my mind is a sieve, I can't remember any examples with a liner. I believe this is how they were sold. There was a second version of this model With a different stamp that appears in the 1940s and 1950s. I have seen liners accompany this later version.

tajlund · Jun 10, 2017

20170610_131806 (FILEminimizer)

tajlund
Jun 10, 2017

alanfgag said:
The LOTXXXX imprint looks like this and is generally found at the front of the hat. It has chronological significance.

The number stamp you posted is a match to the reorder number on the orange tag. Like the red manufacturing tag, the orange tag was used in the same form for a long period of time.

Stetson No.1 Quality western hats with this imprint rarely (if ever) appear with a liner. I have owned quite a few and I though my mind is a sieve, I don't remember any examples with a liner. I believe that is how they were sold. There was a second version of this model With a different stamp that appears in the 1940s and 1950s. I have seen liners accompany this later version.

Yep, that's the picture that I posted that just looks like a blank band. There is a barely visible 1 and 8. Looks like the number is completely worn away.

tajlund · Jun 10, 2017

I had a feeling about the liner. Looks like the "expert" at the Hat shop wasn't.

alanfgag · Jun 10, 2017

To be fair to your expert, there were some. As I search my memory, I remember an auction some years back for a No.1 quality with a lovely green liner. And there is this version sold by Dinerman:

I can't see an LOTXXXX imprint in your photo. The first digit would be useful for dating. From my research, LOT7XXX is likely 1930s. LOT5XXX or lower, 1920s.

A keyhole shaped size tag would be 1930s. A round size sticker by the rear sweatband seam would be earlier.

tajlund · Jun 10, 2017

alanfgag said:
To be fair to your expert, there were some. As I search my memory, I remember an auction some years back for a No.1 quality with a lovely green liner. And there is this version sold by Dinerman:

View attachment 76519

View attachment 76520

I can't see an LOTXXXX imprint in your photo. The first digit would be useful for dating. From my research, LOT7XXX is likely 1930s. LOT5XXX or lower, 1920s.

A keyhole shaped size tag would be 1930s. A round size sticker by the rear sweatband seam would be earlier.

Yep the only two numbers in my pic are a 1 and 8. But they seem to be the numbers above the LOTxxxx imprint in your pic just judging by the location they seem to be in the same position as the 2 and 8 in your picture. The only thing resembling a size tag is the green tag stapled to the band that says 1/4. The hat I saw that looked like mine online had a round tag. (On Publiusforum.com), but of course like you said there were two different tags that could have been in this hat type.

Tonio · Nov 19, 2017

1930s Stetson Austral No.1 Quality

Bamaboots · Nov 19, 2017

Tonio said:
1930s Stetson Austral No.1 Quality

I really like that find, Tonio.

splintercellsz · Nov 19, 2017

amazing

steur · Nov 19, 2017

Tonio said:
1930s Stetson Austral No.1 Quality

View attachment 94074 View attachment 94075 View attachment 94076 View attachment 94077 View attachment 94078 View attachment 94079 View attachment 94080

That is so cool. If Nick Fouquet had done the staining and aging you'd have to pay a thousand dollars for it!

Mustang Mike's Hats · Nov 20, 2017

steur said:
That is so cool. If Nick Fouquet had done the staining and aging you'd have to pay a thousand dollars for it!

And it wouldn't look as good!

Lean'n'mean · Nov 20, 2017

Tonio said:
1930s Stetson Austral No.1 Quality

View attachment 94074 View attachment 94075 View attachment 94076 View attachment 94077 View attachment 94078 View attachment 94079 View attachment 94080

The wide brim suggests more a 'Boss of The Plains' than an 'Austral' but it's a great hat whatever it's called.

carouselvic · Dec 22, 2017

Stetson Surprise 4 1/2 x 3 bound with double stiching???factory store

hatophile · Dec 22, 2017

carouselvic said:
Stetson Surprise 4 1/2 x 3 bound with double stiching???factory store

Man, what a score, cool hat.

Pre 1940s Stetson Westerns

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