Ebay Hats: Victories, Defeats, Gripes & Items of Interest

[deadlyhandsome]

Northwest hats. I bought one once, and lost it somehow, so I have been looking for one ever since View attachment 320523 View attachment 320524 View attachment 320525 View attachment 320526 View attachment 320527 View attachment 320528 View attachment 320529

Nice, Max. It looks like an early one. Mike is a very skilled hatter. For my preferences, I like his western hats more than his fedoras.

 

[drmaxtejeda]

Nice, Max. It looks like an early one. Mike is a very skilled hatter. For my preferences, I like his western hats more than his fedoras.

Thanks, Brent. I think I forgot to post this beauty I bought from you.

 

[drmaxtejeda]

You think it's lost in the hat safe?

It might be, but I looked in all of them and couldn't find it.
I think maybe one of the guys that came to install my latest one might have stolen it.

 

[Blare]

Thanks, Brent. I think I forgot to post this beauty I bought from you. View attachment 320531 View attachment 320532 View attachment 320533 View attachment 320534 View attachment 320535 View attachment 320536 View attachment 320537 View attachment 320538 View attachment 320539

What a hat Max

 

[Randall Renshaw]

Here’s the two tags in the vintage hairy Stetson. @Just Daniel ,or anyone who knows.
Let me know what y’all think it’s birth date is. I’m guessing early 40s?
I think it’s odd that the liner is merely taped in and not sewn in. It’s the old style hat tape.

The brim edge underwelt is sewn only from underneath.
The hat is just like it arrived. Haven’t even had a chance to comb it.

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

Here’s the two tags in the vintage hairy Stetson. @Just Daniel ,or anyone who knows.
Let me know what y’all think it’s birth date is. I’m guessing early 40s?
I think it’s odd that the liner is merely taped in and not sewn in. It’s the old style hat tape.
View attachment 321401 View attachment 321400 View attachment 321402 View attachment 321404 View attachment 321403 View attachment 321405 The brim edge undetreatment is sewn only from underneath.
The hat is just like it arrived. Haven’t even had a chance to comb it.

This is gorgeous, just gorgeous. Foil tag...old.
There’s a beautiful Disney Camel Hair around that has that same blue/grey sheen or luster. The only two i can recall like that.
Special is right!!
B
Ps: how wide is the brim and any pics of the inside tags, lot number??

 

[TheGuitarFairy]

^^^^ Wow .. Beautiful hat and great score! Enjoy! ^^^^

 

[Randall Renshaw]

This is gorgeous, just gorgeous. Foil tag...old.
There’s a beautiful Disney Camel Hair around that has that same blue/grey sheen or luster. The only two i can recall like that.
Special is right!!
B
Ps: how wide is the brim and any pics of the inside tags, lot number??

Thanks a lot, Bowan. Tried to leave pics with tags, but here’s new pics with as good a shots as I can get.
2 5/8 brim. 4 5/8 in front as bashed crown.
She’s special, alright. I’ll hang her right beside a wide brim Vita-Felt fedora that’s just a few years younger....I think. But let me know what y’all know.

 

[Just Daniel]

Yes, the general view is that those one-square red tags are indicators of a 40s hat, especially with the stars in the crest and no liner cover. That plus the size tag and the sizing ribbon inside the sweat point to an early 40s hat.

It’s always a bit of a guess, but I think you can definitely be comfortable with that range. It’s a sweet hat!

Thanks a lot, Bowan. Tried to leave pics with tags, but here’s new pics with as good a shots as I can get.
2 5/8 brim. 4 5/8 in front as bashed crown.
She’s special, alright. I’ll hang her right beside a wide brim Vita-Felt fedora that’s just a few years younger....I think. But let me know what y’all know. View attachment 321441 View attachment 321442

 

[Randall Renshaw]

Yes, the general view is that those one-square red tags are indicators of a 40s hat, especially with the stars in the crest and no liner cover. That plus the size tag and the sizing ribbon inside the sweat point to an early 40s hat.

It’s always a bit of a guess, but I think you can definitely be comfortable with that range. It’s a sweet hat!

Thanks, Daniel!
The heather felt on this one is truly the most moldable hat I own. Even the brim!
Creases effortlessly and holds. Wish all vintage hats minded its owners this well.
It’s an incredible fedora and even more impressive that it has made it some 80 years in super condition.

 

[Randall Renshaw]

^^^^ Wow .. Beautiful hat and great score! Enjoy! ^^^^

Thanks, Brother! Scores big, for sure. If it was a set of buck horns I believe it’d register at least 350 points Boone and Crocket.

 

[Bill Hughes]

Here’s the two tags in the vintage hairy Stetson. @Just Daniel ,or anyone who knows.
Let me know what y’all think it’s birth date is. I’m guessing early 40s?
I think it’s odd that the liner is merely taped in and not sewn in. It’s the old style hat tape.
View attachment 321401 View attachment 321400 View attachment 321402 View attachment 321404 View attachment 321403 View attachment 321405 The brim edge underwelt is sewn only from underneath.
The hat is just like it arrived. Haven’t even had a chance to comb it.

That’s fantastic.

 

[Blare]

Out for delivery today.... enabled by @TheOldFashioned

The seller sent an offer that opened the door for some haggling and I couldn’t resist.

I’m thinking this one a little more modern than my 40s gay prince... maybe 50s? But looking forward to comparing the two

Thanks for the heads up Jonathan


Not sure I’m gonna improve on the lovely photos the seller took.

 

[Randall Renshaw]

Out for delivery today.... enabled by @TheOldFashioned

The seller sent an offer that opened the door for some haggling and I couldn’t resist.

I’m thinking this one a little more modern than my 40s gay prince... maybe 50s? But looking forward to comparing the two

Thanks for the heads up Jonathan


Not sure I’m gonna improve on the lovely photos the seller took.

View attachment 321605 View attachment 321606 View attachment 321607 View attachment 321608 View attachment 321609 View attachment 321610

Another whipped stunner, in awesome condition!

 

[Blare]

Another whipped stunner, in awesome condition!

Thanks Randall

 

[alanfgag]

Here’s the two tags in the vintage hairy Stetson. @Just Daniel ,or anyone who knows.
Let me know what y’all think it’s birth date is. I’m guessing early 40s?
I think it’s odd that the liner is merely taped in and not sewn in. It’s the old style hat tape.
View attachment 321401 View attachment 321400 View attachment 321402 View attachment 321404 View attachment 321403 View attachment 321405 The brim edge underwelt is sewn only from underneath.
The hat is just like it arrived. Haven’t even had a chance to comb it.

The gold size tag and perforated sweatband are c.1940 tidbits. The hat might have a LOTXXXX imprint behind the front of the sweatband. The taped liner is probably the result of a cleaning/renovation.

 

[Randall Renshaw]

The gold size tag and perforated sweatband are c.1940 tidbits. The hat might have a LOTXXXX imprint behind the front of the sweatband. The taped liner is probably the result of a cleaning/renovation.

Thanks, Alan. After checking the front of the sweatband I found these numbers.
Don’t know what info, or how you can make a determination from these numbers, but sure hope it helps you figure out where in the 40s this hat was made. ‘44 maybe?

Here’s some more photos of the near mint black wide brim fedora 40s Vita-Felt I picked up a month ago. Maybe you can make some dating determinations from these, as well?

 

[Just Daniel]

Lefty did some heavy research and found Vitafelt dates from late ‘40 to probably early ‘46. It may be that the “Vitafelt” designation is earlier than the full “Vitafelt Process” stamp.

Lefty’s Post:

7-30-1940 was the first date that Stetson used vita-felt in commerce, and on August 6, 1940, the New York Times reported that Stetson had perfected a new felting process that it would market as vita-felt. According to the article, George S. Russell, Jr., president of Stetson, said that "Certain types of foreign hats have found a market in America because of their springiness and their soft mellow feel". Vita-Felt would have the same feel, but be made by American workers paid American wages. The store ads that follow invite comparison of vita-felt hats and foreign made hats.

Apparently, there were two eras of vita-felt. Though the ads certainly aren't conclusive proof, I don't think I've seen any evidence that the first incarnation of vita-felt lasted past 1945.

But then...

My search results jumped from 1945 to March 24, 1967, where the ad headline reads, " They're here! hats of fine fur felt with the new process developed by Stetson and DuPont - VITA FELT process."

The rest of the ad:

"Now, a new and exclusive process developed by Stetson using a Du Pont surface modifier makes an entirely new type of felt hat possible - a water resistant hat, a shape retentive hat, a hat with a richer color and more luxurious feel. An excellent example is the Stetson Mark...a new style with a center crease crown, narrow Mode Edge brim and fine Peau De Soie silk band."

The brim on this one looks to be well under 2 inches. There was one more search result for vita-felt, also in 1967, which referenced this Du Pont vita-felt.

To me, Stetson's thinking that it could market this term as new and revolutionary again, after 25 years, really illustrates where the company was going by then.

View attachment 321923
Thanks, Alan. After checking the front of the sweatband I found these numbers.
Don’t know what info, or how you can make a determination from these numbers, but sure hope it helps you figure out where in the 40s this hat was made. ‘44 maybe?

Here’s some more photos of the near mint black wide brim fedora 40s Vita-Felt I picked up a month ago. Maybe you can make some dating determinations from these, as well? View attachment 321924

 

[Randall Renshaw]

Thanks, Daniel!
It’d be great to know more about the Stetson Vita-Felt, but it’s also a little cool to own ‘40s hats that remain a mystery!
Hope you’re right about the “Process”
Info, too.

 

[jonesy86]

Thanks, Brent. I think I forgot to post this beauty I bought from you. View attachment 320531 View attachment 320532 View attachment 320533 View attachment 320534 View attachment 320535 View attachment 320536 View attachment 320537 View attachment 320538 View attachment 320539

Very nice with cool photos.