Dating Your Hat (A Place to Discuss the Age of Your Vintage Hat)

[deadlyhandsome]

’46 or ‘47? I think the switch from Royal Stetson DeLuxe to Royal DeLuxe Stetson was in about ‘46.

I was going to guess '48.

 

[Rmccamey]

View attachment 472308

Wooo hooo! Nice.

 

[M Hatman]

View attachment 472308

1451? WOW...that be an old one!!!
Stetson ancestor.......

 

[Frunobulax]

1451? WOW...that be an old one!!!
Stetson ancestor.......

New thread. "Hats of the Renaissance."

 

[Just Daniel]

Nice.

All jokes aside, that serves to confirm how little we know on exact dates. I would not have placed it in the 50s, but I still always have to say, “We presume…” or “assume” because it’s impossible to know.

For me to date this as a ‘51 I would expect to see a liner protector and white/printed manufacturing tag. Those definitively indicate post-48. But their absence does not mean pre-48.

So back to “We presume…”

View attachment 472308

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Nice.

All jokes aside, that serves to confirm how little we know on exact dates. I would not have placed it in the 50s, but I still always have to say, “We presume…” or “assume” because it’s impossible to know.

For me to date this as a ‘51 I would expect to see a liner protector and white/printed manufacturing tag. Those definitively indicate post-48. But their absence does not mean pre-48.

So back to “We presume…”

I’ve seen O.P.A. Stetsons with the red label, but I too thought for sure this was a 1940s hat.

In actually, we are only 3-4 years off and that’s not bad at all. There are many clues to the age of a hat, but not many definitives. As a wearer rather than a collector, I use the dating to estimate the quality or attributes when buying over the internet, and those are the things I’m most interested in and not the actual date of manufacture. Wouldn’t it be nice though if every hat was date stamped.

 

[Steve1857]

I’ve seen O.P.A. Stetsons with the red label, but I too thought for sure this was a 1940s hat.

In actually, we are only 3-4 years off and that’s not bad at all. There are many clues to the age of a hat, but not many definitives. As a wearer rather than a collector, I use the dating to estimate the quality or attributes when buying over the internet, and those are the things I’m most interested in and not the actual date of manufacture. Wouldn’t it be nice though if every hat was date stamped.

I've often thought that too, Brent. Then again, I'd miss the "fun" of researching on the internet and FL

 

[dekeshooter]

I’m interested in dating two hats I’ve picked up in the past year or so. This one I have had no luck in finding much if anything about on this forum. It’s a Stetson London Club. I’m not sure it’s old enough to be considered vintage, but I’d like to know more about it.

I’m fairly certain from information I have gleaned here, the Stetson Whippet is from the late 1940’s/early 1950’s.

 

[BobHufford]

I’m interested in dating two hats I’ve picked up in the past year or so. This one I have had no luck in finding much if anything about on this forum. It’s a Stetson London Club. I’m not sure it’s old enough to be considered vintage, but I’d like to know more about it.
View attachment 484666
View attachment 484668 View attachment 484667

I’m fairly certain from information I have gleaned here, the Stetson Whippet is from the late 1940’s/early 1950’s.

I'd venture that the London Club was from the late '60s. Does the size tag have metric and US hat sizes marked? Being wool it may be hard to find advertising for it to narrow it down.

The Whippet is most likely mid-1950s. Do you have a pic of the factory sticker behind the sweat band and up under the edge of the liner?

 

[dekeshooter]

I'd venture that the London Club was from the late '60s. Does the size tag have metric and US hat sizes marked? Being wool it may be hard to find advertising for it to narrow it down.

The Whippet is most likely mid-1950s. Do you have a pic of the factory sticker behind the sweat band and up under the edge of the liner?

Here is a shot of the label. It’s still there but faded.

 

[carouselvic]

Mid 50’s would be my best guess.

 

[MikeinRome]

Need help narrowing down age of this Stetson 10X I bought last year. The hat box is original to the hat. I was guessing 1970's but don't really know, since I don't usually fool with hats this recent. It originally had a Cattleman's crease.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Need help narrowing down age of this Stetson 10X I bought last year. The hat box is original to the hat. I was guessing 1970's but don't really know, since I don't usually fool with hats this recent. It originally had a Cattleman's crease.

The iridescent checkerboard liner, black rectangular size tag without metic sizing, and laced sweatband make me think you got it right: 1970…just a guess, but I’d say early ‘70s.

 

[MikeinRome]

The iridescent checkerboard liner, black rectangular size tag without metic sizing, and laced sweatband make me think you got it right: 1970…just a guess, but I’d say early ‘70s.

Thanks, Brent. You were looking at the same things I was. The felt on this hat is super soft and the seller thought it was beaver belly fur.The closest thing I've seen to it is on that Resistol Seventy Five of mine.

 

[dca2]

Been lurking and this is my 1st post.
Please help to ballpark the age of these 2 hats (I think I didn't get screwed on price but pleases advise):
1st - Resistol I got on Goodwill for $18, no size indicated but I found once it arrived - way too small, gave it to a friend; 2nd Bates I got off of eBay for $95
Thanks,
Dave

 

[dca2]

The bates:

Thanks,
Dave

 

[Steve1857]

Been lurking and this is my 1st post.
Please help to ballpark the age of these 2 hats (I think I didn't get screwed on price but pleases advise):
1st - Resistol I got on Goodwill for $18, no size indicated but I found once it arrived - way too small, gave it to a friend; 2nd Bates I got off of eBay for $95
Thanks,
Dave
View attachment 489891 View attachment 489892 View attachment 489893 View attachment 489894 View attachment 489895 View attachment 489896 View attachment 489897 View attachment 489898 View attachment 489899 View attachment 489900

Two nice buys. The Resistol was a steal at £18. Ca. 1950s, I'd say.

The Bates a few decades later, but still not a bad price.

The Bates

 

[dca2]

Thanks for the reply. Looking at the Bates tag does the 91 mean 1991?

 

[Steve1857]

Thanks for the reply. Looking at the Bates tag does the 91 mean 1991?

Not necessarily. If only hat tags were that precis.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Been lurking and this is my 1st post.
Please help to ballpark the age of these 2 hats (I think I didn't get screwed on price but pleases advise):
1st - Resistol I got on Goodwill for $18, no size indicated but I found once it arrived - way too small, gave it to a friend; 2nd Bates I got off of eBay for $95
Thanks,
Dave
View attachment 489891 View attachment 489892 View attachment 489893 View attachment 489894 View attachment 489895 View attachment 489896 View attachment 489897 View attachment 489898 View attachment 489899 View attachment 489900

The Resistol looks to be 1960s to me.