Joshbru3
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 4,409
- Location
- Chicago, IL
So here's the story......
Anyone that has looked for fedoras on Etsy more than likely has seen this picture:
This was originally listed for about $175 and the price steadily went down because the seller did not make the sale. I watched this hat for months and months and finally couldn't take it anymore. I just had to have it. The seller marked the auction with the title "1929 Child's Stetson Hat Stored in Dobbs Hatbox." What really interested me about the hat was the fact that the sweatband had the early "VVVVVV" stitching and that not only was it a Clear Nutria, it also had "The Fray" marked on the sweatband. Even though the seller's measurements read "20.5 circumference inside," I was still determined to buy it as a display piece.
I contacted the seller and worked a very reasonable price for the hat and shipping. She told me that the hat belonged to her mother and was given to her mother when she went to camp as a child. I was intrigued by the story and proceeded to ask some more questions. I wondered why her mother was given a mens hat, especially in the 1920's to wear at what probably was an all girls overnight camp. I also wondered how the seller got the date, "1929" for the auction.
Well it seems that the 1929 date was realized because the Dobbs box (1950's box at that) was marked 29. But upon further inspection on the auction photos, I saw that it was marked 29 under the "Sales number" section. This probably meant the salesmans number was "29." I then asked her if her grandfather had possibly given the hat to her mother to wear.
This is what she wrote:
"First of all the box did not come with the hat--not originally anyway. It was stored in there by my mom.
My great uncle (whose name and address at the time is on the bottom of the box) gave it to my mother (who is now 91 years old) when she was going away to summer camp.
I thought, when I listed it, that she told me she was 9 at the time, but later when we talked about it, she said that she was more like 12 or 13, which would've been around 1932. (I confess I didn't change the listing, since it was only a couple of years difference). So yes it is from the late '20s or so.
It could possibly be a men's hat; most likely they didn't make hats for girls then?
If I find out any more info, I'll let you know. Hope it arrives safe and sound and that it meets your expectations."
Based on that note, I figured that it most likely wasn't a childs hat to begin with, and her measurements might have been wrong. I then assumed that the only reason that a man would give up his Stetson hat in the 20's/30's would be because it was an older hat and he probably bought a new one. This made me think it was a bit older than the 20's. I originally thought it might be a wide brimmed early 20's fedora, but then I had suspicions that it was a western.
WELL.....Here's what it really is......
Its a very early Stetson Austral. Its not marked Austral anywhere, but all the dimensions and characteristics are that of an early Austral. I only had time this morning to snap one picture, but don't worry, MORE PICTURES ARE COMING LATER.
The crown measures 4.5 inches tall. The block is extremely square and straight. The brim measures 3 inches wide, not the 3.5 inches of the New Stetson Austral. This hat also has a very very very slight flange to the brim, not the very flat Campaign style brim as the New version. I know that a slightly flanged brim is a feature of the original Australs because its shown in this 1916 Stetson brochure:
Oh by the way, the hat doesn't measure 20.5 inches.......IT MEASURES 22 INCHES and even has the original Size 7 sticker on the sweatband. (IT FITS ME!) The seller never mentioned that. I looked at the original reorder tag under the sweatband and what was really interesting is that this hat had a factory mistake originally. They put a reorder tag that read 6 7/8, but then put a second Size 7 size tag over the reorder label size. I've never seen that before.
Anyways, I'm so thrilled to have an early Stetson western style hat. It has some moth nibbles here and there, but the felt is very clean and extremely soft and finely finished. That wonderful early Stetson shellac kicked in as soon as I steamed the hat and now is much firmer.
MORE PICTURES TO COME LATER.....
Anyone that has looked for fedoras on Etsy more than likely has seen this picture:
This was originally listed for about $175 and the price steadily went down because the seller did not make the sale. I watched this hat for months and months and finally couldn't take it anymore. I just had to have it. The seller marked the auction with the title "1929 Child's Stetson Hat Stored in Dobbs Hatbox." What really interested me about the hat was the fact that the sweatband had the early "VVVVVV" stitching and that not only was it a Clear Nutria, it also had "The Fray" marked on the sweatband. Even though the seller's measurements read "20.5 circumference inside," I was still determined to buy it as a display piece.
I contacted the seller and worked a very reasonable price for the hat and shipping. She told me that the hat belonged to her mother and was given to her mother when she went to camp as a child. I was intrigued by the story and proceeded to ask some more questions. I wondered why her mother was given a mens hat, especially in the 1920's to wear at what probably was an all girls overnight camp. I also wondered how the seller got the date, "1929" for the auction.
Well it seems that the 1929 date was realized because the Dobbs box (1950's box at that) was marked 29. But upon further inspection on the auction photos, I saw that it was marked 29 under the "Sales number" section. This probably meant the salesmans number was "29." I then asked her if her grandfather had possibly given the hat to her mother to wear.
This is what she wrote:
"First of all the box did not come with the hat--not originally anyway. It was stored in there by my mom.
My great uncle (whose name and address at the time is on the bottom of the box) gave it to my mother (who is now 91 years old) when she was going away to summer camp.
I thought, when I listed it, that she told me she was 9 at the time, but later when we talked about it, she said that she was more like 12 or 13, which would've been around 1932. (I confess I didn't change the listing, since it was only a couple of years difference). So yes it is from the late '20s or so.
It could possibly be a men's hat; most likely they didn't make hats for girls then?
If I find out any more info, I'll let you know. Hope it arrives safe and sound and that it meets your expectations."
Based on that note, I figured that it most likely wasn't a childs hat to begin with, and her measurements might have been wrong. I then assumed that the only reason that a man would give up his Stetson hat in the 20's/30's would be because it was an older hat and he probably bought a new one. This made me think it was a bit older than the 20's. I originally thought it might be a wide brimmed early 20's fedora, but then I had suspicions that it was a western.
WELL.....Here's what it really is......
Its a very early Stetson Austral. Its not marked Austral anywhere, but all the dimensions and characteristics are that of an early Austral. I only had time this morning to snap one picture, but don't worry, MORE PICTURES ARE COMING LATER.
The crown measures 4.5 inches tall. The block is extremely square and straight. The brim measures 3 inches wide, not the 3.5 inches of the New Stetson Austral. This hat also has a very very very slight flange to the brim, not the very flat Campaign style brim as the New version. I know that a slightly flanged brim is a feature of the original Australs because its shown in this 1916 Stetson brochure:
Oh by the way, the hat doesn't measure 20.5 inches.......IT MEASURES 22 INCHES and even has the original Size 7 sticker on the sweatband. (IT FITS ME!) The seller never mentioned that. I looked at the original reorder tag under the sweatband and what was really interesting is that this hat had a factory mistake originally. They put a reorder tag that read 6 7/8, but then put a second Size 7 size tag over the reorder label size. I've never seen that before.
Anyways, I'm so thrilled to have an early Stetson western style hat. It has some moth nibbles here and there, but the felt is very clean and extremely soft and finely finished. That wonderful early Stetson shellac kicked in as soon as I steamed the hat and now is much firmer.
MORE PICTURES TO COME LATER.....
