Need help dating this Stetson???

[Razzman]

I picked-up this Stetson a few months back. I would appreciate any help in identifying the model and properly dating the hat. It also came with a great looking box.

The interior sweatband is embossed with the following,
John B. Stetson Company
Royal Stetson
M. Walter Gross Hatter/Haberdasher
3643 Germantown Avenue
Philadelphia, PA

 

[mingoslim]

Can't help you with the style, but . . .

I think you got a sweet looking hat there.
Did you check under the sweatband for any tags or markings?

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Interesting ribbon.

I believe that the Royal Stetson is 40s onwards, and that liner was used into the early 50s. So i'd guess no later than the early 1950s.

bk

 

[jimmy the lid]

Razzman -- great looking lid! Love the color and the unique ribbon treatment. The color of the ribbon looks great with that hat.

The hat box is also very cool. A photo of exactly that box is featured in Snyder's Stetson book, but no clues as to date. Since the hat was sold locally in Philly, I'm wondering whether these boxes were reserved for local distribution or whether they were distributed more widely.

Snyder's book includes the phrase "in 1946, Stetson was producing the Royal Stetson." I don't believe that necessarily means that Stetson started making the Royal Stetson in that year -- particularly in light of the fact that Snrbfshn has reported a 1942 Stetson magazine ad listing a Royal Stetson.

Happily, your hat has a price tag of $10. So, using the latest pricing info, that would put your hat in the 1942 - 1954 range.

It doesn't look like your hat has a plastic crown liner, but it's hard to tell from the photos. If we knew when Stetson started adding a plastic crown liner, that might help to refine the dating a bit further.

Cheers,
JtL

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I've only seen the plastic crown liner in 50s Stetsons (after introduction of the stetson seal into the liner rather than the Royal Stetson seen above.) However, i'm willing to bet a bit of money on the idea that there are examples of the liner above with the plastic liner-top.

I've heard of Royal Stetson ads from '41 (maybe '42?) onwards . . .

bk

 

[Mojave Jack]

I can't offer much to help you date the hat, but I can offer my congratulations on scoring a sweet lid! It looks like it's never been worn at all!

 

[jimmy the lid]

However, i'm willing to bet a bit of money on the idea that there are examples of the liner above with the plastic liner-top.

Yup, I've got a couple with a plastic liner and the Royal Stetson logo.

Cheers,
JtL

 

[Razzman]

Yes, I have checked under the lid. No help there. Just a paper tag with the size and a reference to a reorder number. Thanks for all the input gentlemen.

 

[jimmy the lid]

Here's a closeup from a 1946 ad for the Stetson Casual...

There are numerous ads for this hat in the 1946-1948 timeframe...

Cheers,
JtL