Dating Vintage Stetsons by size tag

[Bill Hughes]

Assistance with dating this Royal Deluxe OR? The previous owner put in a pinch front which looks nice. The size tag is black and gold, looks like Sans Serif type (?). There are no other markings on the exterior of the sweat band and no other tags under the liner. The cellophane on the liner is gone but small bits remain around the liner stitching. The liner is held in place by 4 small pieces of tape. I'm not sure if they are original but based on their "yellowness" they have been in place for many, many years.
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Under the sweatband is a single set of "code" numbers that might be of some help. From my elementary research here in the Lounge, maybe it is late 50's to mid-60's??? Thanks for the help.

I would say 60s to be safe.

 

[alanfgag]

Assistance with dating this Royal Deluxe OR? The previous owner put in a pinch front which looks nice. The size tag is black and gold, looks like Sans Serif type (?). There are no other markings on the exterior of the sweat band and no other tags under the liner. The cellophane on the liner is gone but small bits remain around the liner stitching. The liner is held in place by 4 small pieces of tape. I'm not sure if they are original but based on their "yellowness" they have been in place for many, many years.
Under the sweatband is a single set of "code" numbers that might be of some help. From my elementary research here in the Lounge, maybe it is late 50's to mid-60's??? Thanks for the help.

The numbers stamped on the reverse of the sweatband correspond to the reorder tag number. The taped sweatband is a sign that the hat was cleaned and maybe refurbished at some point during its life. Hard to know which parts are original, but I would guess the sweatband is and that it was likely sold in the 1950s.

 

[Bill Hughes]

Ther you go. If Alan says 50s I change my answer to 50s.

 

[Rmccamey]

Thanks for the feedback, Alan. All the stitches are tight and even on the sweatband and the bound edge and although there are some scuffs on the very back-bottom of the sweatband that would rub on whatever it might sit on (or hang on), I don't see any extensions to make it larger or evidence that it has been cut to make it smaller. And, as a size 7, it is just "that much too small" for my 7 1/8, so the size is about what it should be. To my untrained eye, it is very clean. It does not smell like mothballs or cigarettes and even the pinch-point on the front of the crown is clean with only slight evidence that it has been handled in that manner a great deal - probably more evidence that it may have been cleaned. The felt if very soft - maybe too soft - and the crown will take any dry crease I put in it. I suspect that if it were in the rain it would turn into a floppy mess! I have not steamed it to see if it would firm up and hold a crease or not. Again, thanks for the feedback. It makes me feel better knowing that perhaps I found a decent "starter vintage" my first time on the hunt!

The numbers stamped on the reverse of the sweatband correspond to the reorder tag number. The taped sweatband is a sign that the hat was cleaned and maybe refurbished at some point during its life. Hard to know which parts are original, but I would guess the sweatband is and that it was likely sold in the 1950s.

 

[alanfgag]

Thanks for the feedback, Alan. All the stitches are tight and even on the sweatband and the bound edge and although there are some scuffs on the very back-bottom of the sweatband that would rub on whatever it might sit on (or hang on), I don't see any extensions to make it larger or evidence that it has been cut to make it smaller. And, as a size 7, it is just "that much too small" for my 7 1/8, so the size is about what it should be. To my untrained eye, it is very clean. It does not smell like mothballs or cigarettes and even the pinch-point on the front of the crown is clean with only slight evidence that it has been handled in that manner a great deal - probably more evidence that it may have been cleaned. The felt if very soft - maybe too soft - and the crown will take any dry crease I put in it. I suspect that if it were in the rain it would turn into a floppy mess! I have not steamed it to see if it would firm up and hold a crease or not. Again, thanks for the feedback. It makes me feel better knowing that perhaps I found a decent "starter vintage" my first time on the hunt!

Steam should make the felt a little firmer and better able to hold the crease of your choice. I have a number of hats that were cleaned early in their lives - the small pieces of tape are a good clue to what was probably a regular course of action in the days when hat shops were common and cleaning and blocking a regular service for customers. It's possible that if the liner was very soiled, a new liner might be put in - especially if the shop was a Stetson dealer who had access to Stetson parts. You can never be certain, but given the title of this thread and the size tag you show, I think you've done very nicely. Enjoy the heck out of it!

 

[Rmccamey]

I will, Alan. Thanks again.

Steam should make the felt a little firmer and better able to hold the crease of your choice. I have a number of hats that were cleaned early in their lives - the small pieces of tape are a good clue to what was probably a regular course of action in the days when hat shops were common and cleaning and blocking a regular service for customers. It's possible that if the liner was very soiled, a new liner might be put in - especially if the shop was a Stetson dealer who had access to Stetson parts. You can never be certain, but given the title of this thread and the size tag you show, I think you've done very nicely. Enjoy the heck out of it!

 

[Rmccamey]

Any help with dating this one? This is a Stetson Open Road with considerable wear. None of the print is left on the sweat band but the Stetson 3X Beaver logo is embossed in the leather. The niece of the former owner (deceased) think the '60's.

 

[carouselvic]

Mid 60’s or newer

 

[Rmccamey]

How about this one? A 3x Open Road. Pics from the seller, so I don't have much else to go on.

 

[carouselvic]

50's from what I can see

 

[Bill Hughes]

50's from what I can see

Agreed

 

[Rmccamey]

Thanks Bill and Carouselvic.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

How about this tag:

I’ve been through this entire thread and I found some similar, but none that match: the others have the fraction but not the whole number. Any estimate on dating?

Liner and sweat:

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[Frunobulax]

How about this tag:

I’ve been through this entire thread and I found some similar, but none that match: the others have the fraction but not the whole number. Any estimate on dating?

Liner and sweat:

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Post 1953 by the logo. They used similar tags like that for years for long and wide ovals. I don't know if the whole number means much. I have a mid-oval 3X OR from the early 60s with the whole number.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Post 1953 by the logo. They used similar tags like that for years for long and wide ovals. I don't know if the whole number means much. I have a mid-oval 3X OR from the early 60s with the whole number.

Thanks!
I was thinking it was very late 1950s to mid 1960s. I think the mixed number tags came after the fraction only tags.


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[carouselvic]

right you are

 

[Rmccamey]

Reviving an old post...is red lettering on manila a good marker for the '50s?

How about this one?

I haven't seen an example like this - it's from a Whippet.

 

[Stanley 1]

I found this old hat at my grandfathers house. Any idea in what year it could be from ?

 

[Stanley 1]

Here are a few more pictures of the bowler hat I found. Based on the research on this site, im guessing it is 1950's but could be wrong. Any Ideas?

 

[Stanley 1]

Sorry for the many posts, I am having trouble uploading the pictures all at once. Please check out my two posts above for more pictures of this hat in question, thank you