Dating a Stetson?

[Kaleponi Craig]

Is there a way to approximately date a Stetson by the label on the inside of the crown? One I'm looking at has what looks like a beaver and an eagle with Stetson below that and 'Twenty Five' below that. Is this an old one or a new one?

Thanks, KC

 

[Biltmore Bob]

I only dated women....

... ...

 

[jamespowers]

Is there a way to approximately date a Stetson by the label on the inside of the crown? One I'm looking at has what looks like a beaver and an eagle with Stetson below that and 'Twenty Five' below that. Is this an old one or a new one?

Sounds like an old one to me. Where can you buy one of those for $25 now? I'll take ten if you find them.
Seriously, I would need a picture to be absolutely sure but it sounds vintage to me. :cheers1:

Regards to all,

J

 

[Dave Keith]

sweat band change?

It seems to me someone here suggested the date when Stetson sweatbands changed from the brown to the black. Sadly, I didn't write it down and have slept since then, so I can't recall it.

 

[budward]

I'd also like to know if there's some catalogue or reference work that would put a date on different style attributes of a Stetson.

If there's not some book to go to, then maybe we could just catalogue in the Forum what we know. The black band/brown band distinction is one way of sort of dating a Stetson. The brim width is another, but from what I understand the width kind of got shorter and longer like tie width so that brim width isn't a sure fire method of dating. E.g,. shorter brims were more common in the 50s and 60s, but also in the 20s and 30s, although the crown height tended to be higher in the 20s and 30s.

Maybe someone who really knows what he's talking about (e.g. Jamespowers) could share the secret to his knowledge. Methinks it may have to do with having that wonderful collection of hat ads from which he sometimes posts. There you have a dateable add showing a particular hat style. And color as well.


Bud

 

[jamespowers]

Maybe someone who really knows what he's talking about (e.g. Jamespowers) could share the secret to his knowledge. Methinks it may have to do with having that wonderful collection of hat ads from which he sometimes posts. There you have a dateable add showing a particular hat style. And color as well.

That is exactly right(not the knowing what I am talking about though). Advertisements from defined eras give you an idea of what was being produced and worn at the time. Study the ads and you have a knowledge base. I just happen to have about 300 of them so my knowledge base is just larger than most.

Regards to all,

J

 

[jamespowers]

No black sweatbands,(it's safer that way) not that they are all necessarily bad.

Then you let one get by you from the 1940s that was renovated in the 1960s.
You do find this case every once in a while. Some fastidious fellows wanted their hats to be perfect all of the time---even if they weren't new. A worn sweatband or a dirty liner was definitely a cause for replacement. It would also make sense if the guy liked the 40s style better than the 60s style hats. Now there is a guy with real style.

Regards to all,

J

 

[fedoralover]

Yeh, that's going to happen but without being able to see one in person it's hard to tell. Besides, there's always another hat down the road.


fedoralover

 

[John in Covina]

Dating a Stetson

I dunno, maybe dinner and a movie?