Trying to ascertain age of stetson

[Gary Pepper]

While on a road trip, I bought a Stetson Forest Service model 229, Silver Sand, 4x Beaver hat at a collectables store in Cody WY. The inner lining has what looks to be a cowboy feeding/watering his horse from his hat. I am not a collector. I bought the hat because it felt and looked right for me. I called the distributor (Lion Apparel) and the lady I spoke with said it's at least ten years old. Tried calling Hatco in Garland TX, but their answering machine would not let me get through. Checked under uniforms on the Nat'l Parks website, and could not match it. I think it has been reblocked. Any information or ideas on further searching would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Gary

 

[ScottFree]

Hi Gary, I have several Stetsons that have this liner and some probably range over 30 year or more period.

Cheers


Scott

 

[jamespowers]

Well, let's see. The cowboy giving his horse a drink of water has had several incarnations over Stetsons life. They can date all the way back to the 40s.
Tell me about the liner. Is it embroidered into the liner or is it just a picture? Does it say anything on it? Does it have a plastic covering over the top of it? Lastly, if you look into the hat and under the sweatband, there will be a tag there. Does it look computer generated or typed on a typewriter? What does it say ont he sweatband?
All of this means something and helps date it. My first guess from just what you have said is that the lady is right. Pictures help quite a bit too.

Regards to all,

J

 

[Gary Pepper]

The inner tag is typewritten, the picture appears to be a silkscreen, but the liner is detached (not sewn in) it is "just there" there is no plastic cover for the liner. All it says is "Stetson". I have contacted Stetson and they do not make that model anymore, but did not reply with a manufacturing time frame. The info would be appreciated, but the most important thing to me is that the hat suits me, I really like the darned thing. On the left side of the sweatband, the logo "John B. Stetson Company 4x Beaver" with a beaver at the left of the logo is stamped in. On the right side of the sweatband "US Forest Service #FS #229 Distributed by Lion Apparel" is stamped in. The inner tag states "U4000 FS 229 654 Silver Sand." It is union made.

 

[jamespowers]

The inner tag is typewritten, the picture appears to be a silkscreen, but the liner is detached (not sewn in) it is "just there" there is no plastic cover for the liner. All it says is "Stetson". I have contacted Stetson and they do not make that model anymore, but did not reply with a manufacturing time frame. The info would be appreciated, but the most important thing to me is that the hat suits me, I really like the darned thing. On the left side of the sweatband, the logo "John B. Stetson Company 4x Beaver" with a beaver at the left of the logo is stamped in. On the right side of the sweatband "US Forest Service #FS #229 Distributed by Lion Apparel" is stamped in. The inner tag states "U4000 FS 229 654 Silver Sand." It is union made.

So is this one of those four dent green hats? Does it have air vent holes in the hat?
My guess is that the liner has been replaced or put in simply to have one. The liner says modern but the typing says 1950s. I would really need a picture of the hat and the inside with and without the liner to be of any help.

Regards to all,

J