Dating Vintage Stetsons by Liner: A Field Guide

[Thundercolt]

What vintage is this Stetson?
I'm thinking 1970's early Hatco era. Notice that there is no branding on the sweatband.

 

[BobHufford]

I missed out on this one at auction (hope someone here got it), but was wondering about the possible date range based on this liner and sweatband logo. The logo style and the “~” in the “E” of Stetson seem to place it in the mid-‘40s to early-‘50s. Would this lean towards the earlier estimate as the logo and name are not paired with “Royal” or “Imperial”, etc. or does this just indicate a lower tier hat?

 

[Cpapa]

Hello, glad I found this place, first posting. I have a few Stetsons hats and trying to find info on one of them, I’ve googled it and still couldn’t find any info on date range etc… it’s a Stetson twenty made in Canada. It’s not a sovereign twenty , just twenty written on it. Any info would greatly be appreciated.

 

[Good Lukes]

A Stetson Standard Quality Bowler made for Copley Plaza Haberdasher located at 16 Huntington Avenue in Boston, MA. If my liner research is correct, this hat should be from the 1930s but please feel free to correct me if I am wrong or if you have a narrower date range.

 

[BobHufford]

this hat should be from the 1930s

1930 - 1942 most likely (first use of the rondel with the city names — from the 1935 trademark info — through the latest hat with a known date on the sweat to use that rondel).

STETSON AMERICAN MANUFACTURE JOHN B STETSON COMPANY NEW YORK PARIS LONDON PHILADELPHIA Trademark of JOHN B. STETSON COMPANY - Registration Number 0333198 - Serial Number 71369720 :: Justia Trademarks

MEN'S AND BOYS' FELT AND STRAW HATS AND CLOTH CAPS; MEN'S SILK HATS AND FELT AND STRAW HATS FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN

trademarks.justia.com

Nice derby! I’d claim it as 1930s as well.

 

[Good Lukes]

1930 - 1942 most likely (first use of the rondel with the city names — from the 1935 trademark info — through the latest hat with a known date on the sweat to use that rondel).

http://[URL][URL]https://trademarks...n-company-new-york-paris-london-71369720.html

[/URL][/URL]

Nice derby! I’d claim it as 1930s as well.

Thank you, Bob. The amount of knowledge here on this forum never ceases to amaze me.

 

[Rmccamey]

Very nice bowler.

A Stetson Standard Quality Bowler made for Copley Plaza Haberdasher located at 16 Huntington Avenue in Boston, MA. If my liner research is correct, this hat should be from the 1930s but please feel free to correct me if I am wrong or if you have a narrower date range.
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1930 - 1942 most likely (first use of the rondel with the city names — from the 1935 trademark info — through the latest hat with a known date on the sweat to use that rondel).

http://[URL]https://trademarks.just...n-company-new-york-paris-london-71369720.html

[/URL]

Nice derby! I’d claim it as 1930s as well.

 

[Good Lukes]

Very nice bowler.

Thank you, I am impressed at how well it has held up considering it is just under a century in age.

 

[blewnote]

I tried to find a purely Stetson thread to add these to, like the Mallory Mile etc, but I guess here's as good a place as any. Incoming dump of the Stetsons I've picked up over the last few years!

 

[blewnote]

Here's my first ever Stetson, a nice Milan straw probably from the 60s, but hard to say since I only have the sweatband and size tag to go by. I had stopped by Northwest Hats to order a custom Panama and asked Mike to reshape it since it was a bit wonky when it came to me (although wearable) and he torched the sweat as soon as he started hitting it with steam. He very graciously put a new sweatband in for me at no charge, because he's a swell guy (and does impeccable work as I know most of you gents know).

 

[blewnote]

Here's a St Regis from October of 1955, as dated on the sweatband. I didn't really need another grey homburg (already have a Disney and Mallory) but I wanted an example of the St. Regis and the price was low enough that I wanted to rescue it from being re-sold by Sakinaw for 4 times what it's worth.

 

[blewnote]

Here's one that's a bit of an enigma to me, and I'm going to cross post it in the Ask a question thread and see if anyone has any ideas about it. I've been debating getting a St. Regis in black to go with my tux rig, because although I love the Knox that I have for that, it's from the early 30s and has a very high crown and just feels "big" to me. I like the profile of my Disney homburg and the St. Regis above so when I saw this one pop up on the Bay for a reasonable amount of $ I grabbed it. I almost asked to cancel the order because the next day forum member Bill Hughes dropped the asking price on a beautiful midnight navy Mallory homburg and I jumped on it, but my curiosity about what this hat was got the better of me... and I am a bit disappointed in it.

It is a homburg, but is not labelled as a St. Regis. It is a Royal DeLuxe, but the liner does not mark it as such. The sweatband is light tan, great leather, but about an 1/8 of an inch less wide than the 1950's St. Regis above. There's no blocking info in it whatsoever and the liner appears to be mostly glued in. The size tag leads me to believe it's from the 1960s (because it has the full Stetson name and 7 1/4 instead of just 1/4 but is still on manila cardstock in a keyhole shape). The felt is fine, not as nice as the earlier St. Regis I have but not bad. However, the shape of the brim is odd.... shorter all around but especially on the sides and more curled up than the earlier model.

I did some digging to see if there was any info on a stingy brim Stetson homburg, but the only homburg model people seem to have from the old days is the St. Regis. The brim seems more reminiscent of a bowler to me but while the brim is stiffer than the earlier St. Regis it's not as stiff as an Adam bowler I have, and the crown, while stiffer than the St. Regis is soft and shapeable. I'm a bit perplexed. I'll include comparison pics in my cross post. Anyone with any thoughts please share!

 

[blewnote]

This is what I believe to be an early 1950s (like maybe not later than '52 since I think that's when they started using plastic liners) hat based on the price tag that is present and what others have said here about price and dates. The liner surprised me, as it appeared to be satin or silk, but has a more coarse texture to it. It does not have (and doesn't appear to have had) a plastic or oilskin liner tip. The original price tag of $12.95 is still attached to the size tag, and is also present on the sweatband. I tried removing the one on the sweatband but it didn't want to come off and I don't want to mess with it! The brim is 2 1/2" and the open crown is around 5 1/2" maybe 5 3/4".

This hat could benefit from a reblocking to smooth out the wrinkles in the felt due to probably years of bad storage, but I don't know that it bothers me enough to send it out to have that done. I may try to smooth them myself with my Jiffy steamer and my friends full dome hat stretcher to provide a smooth surface if I ever get around to it.

It's fantastic felt, thin, light and easily shapeable, perhaps too much so as whatever bash I give it is still pretty rumply, even with the use of my steamer. It reminds me of the Knox homburg I have from the early 30s.

 

[blewnote]

Last but not least, I picked up an Open Road that I had hoped was from the 70s but I think may be more like 80s/90s. The liner turned out to be completely unattached and it has more taper than I'd like, but it took the new bash I gave it well, and the felt is soft, although obviously not as nice as my older Stetsons. I used my hat stretcher to try and give the crown more of a straight profile and with the the rebash I think it looks better than when it arrived. I'm going to keep my eye open for a Silverbelly Stratoliner from the 40s/50s because I like the older crown blocking profiles and felt better, but for now this (and the Resistol I picked up lol) will have to do.

 

[Rmccamey]

That is a nice example and should shape up nicely with a little steam.

This is what I believe to be an early 1950s (like maybe not later than '52 since I think that's when they started using plastic liners) hat based on the price tag that is present and what others have said here about price and dates. The liner surprised me, as it appeared to be satin or silk, but has a more coarse texture to it. It does not have (and doesn't appear to have had) a plastic or oilskin liner tip. The original price tag of $12.95 is still attached to the size tag, and is also present on the sweatband. I tried removing the one on the sweatband but it didn't want to come off and I don't want to mess with it! The brim is 2 1/2" and the open crown is around 5 1/2" maybe 5 3/4".

This hat could benefit from a reblocking to smooth out the wrinkles in the felt due to probably years of bad storage, but I don't know that it bothers me enough to send it out to have that done. I may try to smooth them myself with my Jiffy steamer and my friends full dome hat stretcher to provide a smooth surface if I ever get around to it.

It's fantastic felt, thin, light and easily shapeable, perhaps too much so as whatever bash I give it is still pretty rumply, even with the use of my steamer. It reminds me of the Knox homburg I have from the early 30s.

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[StewartU]

Trying to figure out the decade for this one. Any help would be appreciated. It’s an open road.

 

[Frunobulax]

Trying to figure out the decade for this one. Any help would be appreciated. It’s an open road.
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Does the rest of the size tag have the metric size on it?

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Trying to figure out the decade for this one. Any help would be appreciated. It’s an open road.
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4X with the checkerboard liner are usually 1980’s, & no older.

 

[StoryPNW]

I just received this Playbo* yesterday, it is one of the more beautiful hats I have acquired in a long time, maybe ever. I thought I had seen a liner like this one at some point but cant seem to find it now.

 

[Rmccamey]

A real beauty. The Pl#yb#y is one that has eluded me for many years.

I just received this Playbo* yesterday, it is one of the more beautiful hats I have acquired in a long time, maybe ever. I thought I had seen a liner like this one at some point but cant seem to find it now.
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