Look for the Union Label

[zetwal]

Interesting article on the Danbury Hatters' Union.

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~shalvoyresearch/Articles/HattersUnion1.htm

 

[buler]

Articles on the United Hatters Union and the label.

 

[buler]

 

[Garrett]

Union Tape

Wasn't sure where to put this....sorry if its a re-post:

 

[Joshbru3]

Good to hear from you, Garrett!!

I have never seen that Union tape. Its awesome!! Thanks for posting it.

 

[GoldenEraFan]

Was told by the gentleman who re-blocked this hat for me that the little red number says the year of manufacture.

I thought it was a '30s hat at first glance, only because the tall crown reminded me of the hats James Cagney wore in the early '30s.

 

[Dinerman]

 

[alanfgag]

Another timeline quote,

"The United Hatters Cap and Millinery Workers International Union (UHCMW) was formed in 1934 by the amalgamation of United Hatters of North America (UHNA) and the Cloth Hat, Cap and Millinery Workers International Union (CHCMW). The United Hatters of North America (UHNA) was established in New York in 1896 as the resultof the merger of two Kinights of Labor-affiliated unions in the men's hat industry, the the Hat Makers and the Hat Finishers. The Cloth Hat, Cap and Millinery Workers International Union (CHCMW) was established in New York in 1901, as the United Cloth Hat and Cap Makers of North America (superceding the the Cloth Hat and Cap Operators Union), and took its final name (adding Millinery Workers) in 1918. In 1983 the UHCMW joined the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union, which in turn merged in 1995 with the Internional Ladies Garment Workers Union to form UNITE (Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees)."

B

Post 1918 label:

 

[randooch]

That is such a great fabric.

 

[alanfgag]

Agree... so much so that I would dive after a 6 7/8. :eusa_doh:

 

[Landman]

I remember reading somewhere that if there is a red two digit number on a union label it is the date of manufacture. Is there any truth to that?

Edit: I just noticed a red 73 on a 1930's hat in this thread. I guess the answer to my question is no. Sorry, I should have looked closer at the pictures before I asked my question.

 

[TomS]

I remember reading somewhere that if there is a red two digit number on a union label it is the date of manufacture. Is there any truth to that?

Edit: I just noticed a red 73 on a 1930's hat in this thread. I guess the answer to my question is no. Sorry, I should have looked closer at the pictures before I asked my question.

While there may be exceptions, the RED number on the RIGHT side of the label is indicative of the production year; In the following case the year is 1945. My experience, while limited to a few years of collecting trade union memorabilia, has found only a few exceptions to this, and usually with non AFL or CIO affiliated unions. A red number on the left side of the label is not indicative of the manafacturing date. Also, a *slanted bug* is later than a *horizontal bug*.

 

[TomS]

A simple gauge, as with the sweatband logos, the more ornate the union label the earlier it is.

 

[Dinerman]

I can't say I quite agree with the red number being the year of production. While I have seen some that could be close, the majority of what I've seen have been impossible.

 

[TomS]

I can't say I quite agree with the red number being the year of production. While I have seen some that could be close, the majority of what I've seen have been impossible.

I respect your experience certainly, as it exceeds mine, but I am fairly sure that red numerals on the right side of a union label indicate year of product manafacture in an AFL or CIO affiliated organization. It was, among other things, indicative of "the local" being current in its financial obligations (dues) to "the international", and consequently able to use the union label. The *bug* is also good to corroborate any conclusions... A *slanted bug* is later, and wouldnt be on a label, say prior to 1940.

 

[Dinerman]

And on the right. It just doesn't hold up as a rule.

I know union tags have some weird overlap- I have a suit that is dated, and has a union tag in it from a union which at that point hadn't existed in five years. But all the usual overlap is shops and factories using up old stock of labels. A lot of the red numbers (right and left) on hat union tags, are from years or decades into the future (if the rule is true) from when the hat was produced.

 

[Grizzly Adams]

I don't know a thing about union labels, but I do wish you would refrain from waving those yummy looking burgers about!

 

[TomS]

We'll have to disagree on this point, Dinerman. Best of luck to you in any event...
B/R,
Tom

 

[splintercellsz]

Old labels being put into newer items does happen. In my 50's Harris Tweed Overcoat, it has the 1930's HT label, but the 50's Richman Brother's label. I have to agree with Diner.

 

[buler]

And on the right. It just doesn't hold up as a rule.

I know union tags have some weird overlap- I have a suit that is dated, and has a union tag in it from a union which at that point hadn't existed in five years. But all the usual overlap is shops and factories using up old stock of labels. A lot of the red numbers (right and left) on hat union tags, are from years or decades into the future (if the rule is true) from when the hat was produced.

I have to agree with Dinerman. While I've seen some of the red numbers on union tags match up with what could be the correct year, I've seen many more that are way off. I have a Mallory that I know for certain was made after 1946 that has a union tag with "19" in red on the right corner of the tag.

So it just doesn't hold up. Wish it did. Would make dating a lot of hats much easier.

B