My new (old) stetson

[M Hatman]

I have been searching and searching and have found little information to date an old Stetson I found recently. Missing the lining it is a soft black felt western hat. Pencil roll brim with indented crown and finger pinch front creases. Brown textured sweatband with pencil markings in back, oval sweatband patent marking (impressed) dated Jan 1 70 (trade mark The Fray) , rectangular impressed John B Stetson Co Philadelphia AND Moleskin. Front of band in parenthesis DAKOTA in western/Indian font.

Even with all this information I can find nothing about this to date it....

M

 

[Bamaboots]

More info here:http://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/join-the-fray.47780/

 

[buler]

Post pictures of the "Dakota" marking and any tags behind the sweatband. Also, is there a retailer name on the sweatband?

B

 

[hatophile]

I'm not the best at dating specimens here but I will say you got yourself a very nice old hat there. A little TLC and that will clean up very nicely.

 

[M Hatman]

Post pictures of the "Dakota" marking and any tags behind the sweatband. Also, is there a retailer name on the sweatband?

B

No store tag. Stetson size tag underneath (7 3/8). Another tag mostly covered. Here are a couple more pictures.....

 

[BobHufford]

Is the Dakota done in branding symbols? Kewl...

 

[Frunobulax]

Is the Dakota done in branding symbols? Kewl...

Indeed!


Sent directly from my mind to yours

 

[Bob Roberts]

Tré cool.

 

[moontheloon]

gorgeous ... can you share a pic of the bow ?

 

[M Hatman]

 

[M Hatman]

And inside....

 

[Joao Encarnado]

Nice find!

 

[RJR]

Nice find!

+1

 

[alanfgag]

Hopefully the Join the Fray thread has been helpful... lots of good information there. Most Stetson hats with the Fray imprint date from the first two decades of the 20th century. I expect that yours is in this range.

 

[M Hatman]

Hopefully the Join the Fray thread has been helpful... lots of good information there. Most Stetson hats with the Fray imprint date from the first two decades of the 20th century. I expect that yours is in this range.

Actually it only helped only somewhat. The fray imprint in my hat is differant than the others shown. Mine is simpler with only the outside patent date. Has a differant date too.
I was hoping the Stetson imprint with the "Moleskin" would help but I have found no other.....
M

 

[alanfgag]

It will likely be difficult to pinpoint the vintage tighter than a decade or two and the photos you shared are not clear enough to compare to others posted in our forums. Perhaps you can find the LOTXXXX number imprinted behind the sweatband - usually towards the front of the hat.