Playboys on Parade!

[StoryPNW]

Congrats on your new Playboy. Your fedora is in excellent condition. I have not seen Playboys with contrasting wind cords before. I like the subtle change and eye appeal.

Your pics are crystal clear and I am appreciating the brim stitching. It reminds that I will compare brim stitching with a few of my vintage Playboys to see if the brim stitching remained similar over the years.

Congrats on your new un-lined Playboy.

Cheers, Eric -

Thank you Eric. Your collection of hats and Playboys especially is incredible I don't think I will ever get there, but I had to hunt down a Playboy. I will be interested to see how the brim stitching compares to the stitching on yours.

Thanks,
Simeon

 

[medulla oblongata]

That is quite nice

My newly acquired Royal Stetson Playboy…. Originally sold at the “Weed Mercantile,” a company store for the local mill.

 

[BobHufford]

Originally sold at the “Weed Mercantile,” a company store for the local mill.

Welcome to the Lounge! Nice hat. With a business name like that I had to look it up (but was a bit worried about what you might get if you search for "Weed" and "California").

It is still around apparently, but with "Mall" appended to the name now.

 

[medulla oblongata]

Great detective work! Yes, the Mercantile still stands… I actually live just outside of Weed …
I’m just amazed the merc was large enough back in the day to have Stetson emboss “The Weed Mercantile” in the hats?

 

[jlee562]

Great detective work! Yes, the Mercantile still stands… I actually live just outside of Weed …
I’m just amazed the merc was large enough back in the day to have Stetson emboss “The Weed Mercantile” in the hats?

Store imprints were much more common back in the day. Check out the very excellent 'Show us your Vintage Hat Store' thread where we've connected certain hats to particular stores.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Royal Playboy on this rainy Monday morn.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Here’s a well-loved Stetson Royal Gold Medal Playboy that’s on its way to eBay. 2 ⅝” raw edge brim with a single row of stitching. Nothing hiding behind the sweatband. The felt has some moth damage, but only a couple divots and no holes all the way through. Very lightweight felt that creases at the lightest touch.

 

[moontheloon]

Here’s a well-loved Stetson Royal Gold Medal Playboy that’s on its way to eBay. 2 ⅝” raw edge brim with a single row of stitching. Nothing hiding behind the sweatband. The felt has some moth damage, but only a couple divots and no holes all the way through. Very lightweight felt that creases at the lightest touch.

View attachment 525929 View attachment 525930 View attachment 525931 View attachment 525932 View attachment 525933 View attachment 525934 View attachment 525935 View attachment 525936 View attachment 525937

Rare piece
Congrats

 

[TheOldFashioned]

Black Vita-Felt Playboy with a wider ribbon and without a stitched brim:

Crown	5-5/8" (open)
Brim	2-5/8"
Ribbon	1-1/2"
Weight	111g

Other examples with a similar ribbon and stitchless configuration include this one from Justin (@splintercellsz) and this one from Jim (@Frunobulax).

 

[Frunobulax]

Black Vita-Felt Playboy with a wider ribbon and without a stitched brim:
View attachment 546283 View attachment 546284 View attachment 546285 View attachment 546286 View attachment 546287 View attachment 546288 View attachment 546289 View attachment 546290

Crown	5-5/8" (open)
Brim	2-5/8"
Ribbon	1-1/2"
Weight	111g

Other examples with a similar ribbon and stitchless configuration include this one from Justin (@splintercellsz) and this one from Jim (@Frunobulax).

Yeah, but mine's not a Vita-felt. Good get!

 

[Short Balding Guy]

Black Vita-Felt Playboy with a wider ribbon and without a stitched brim:
View attachment 546283 View attachment 546284 View attachment 546285 View attachment 546286 View attachment 546287 View attachment 546288 View attachment 546289 View attachment 546290

Crown	5-5/8" (open)
Brim	2-5/8"
Ribbon	1-1/2"
Weight	111g

Other examples with a similar ribbon and stitchless configuration include this one from Justin (@splintercellsz) and this one from Jim (@Frunobulax).

Wow! Just plain Wow! Congrats on the super duper Playboy.

 

[TheOldFashioned]

Thanks, gents! Took me awhile but I finally found a Playboy.

Yeah, but mine's not a Vita-felt. Good get!

Wow! Just plain Wow! Congrats on the super duper Playboy.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

A recent Facebook find (thanks to those who were quick to point me to it!). Deep russet brown felt that is thin and imminently moldable. The open crown is between 7 ½ and 7 ⅝ inches. The raw edge brim is 2 ½ inches. It doesn’t have decorative brim edge stitching like many do. It’s unlined, but it doesn’t have a crown stamp. The un-reeded sweatband is soft and supple.

Finding one this old in 7 ¾ or 62cm is a rare find. The fit is perfect! I normally prefer more brim, but I’ll make an exception for this gem. The thin felt allows crease to be shallow to make the most of the crown height.

 

[StoryPNW]

A recent Facebook find (thanks to those who were quick to point me to it!). Deep russet brown felt that is thin and imminently moldable. The open crown is between 7 ½ and 7 ⅝ inches. The raw edge brim is 2 ½ inches. It doesn’t have decorative brim edge stitching like many do. It’s unlined, but it doesn’t have a crown stamp. The un-reeded sweatband is soft and supple.

Finding one this old in 7 ¾ or 62cm is a rare find. The fit is perfect! I normally prefer more brim, but I’ll make an exception for this gem. The thin felt allows crease to be shallow to make the most of the crown height.

View attachment 549423 View attachment 549424 View attachment 549425 View attachment 549426 View attachment 549427 View attachment 549428 View attachment 549429 View attachment 549430 View attachment 549431 View attachment 549432

Congrats! I really like that color.

 

[TheOldFashioned]

A recent Facebook find (thanks to those who were quick to point me to it!). Deep russet brown felt that is thin and imminently moldable. The open crown is between 7 ½ and 7 ⅝ inches. The raw edge brim is 2 ½ inches. It doesn’t have decorative brim edge stitching like many do. It’s unlined, but it doesn’t have a crown stamp. The un-reeded sweatband is soft and supple.

Finding one this old in 7 ¾ or 62cm is a rare find. The fit is perfect! I normally prefer more brim, but I’ll make an exception for this gem. The thin felt allows crease to be shallow to make the most of the crown height.

View attachment 549423 View attachment 549424 View attachment 549425 View attachment 549426 View attachment 549427 View attachment 549428 View attachment 549429 View attachment 549430 View attachment 549431 View attachment 549432

Holy moley! Way to go, Brent! I have several hats from different makers for Maurice Rothchild stores and the one thing that is consistent is that all of them are dynamite hats, amongst the best of the best in my collection.

That size tag almost looks like it's the gold foil type that develops a greenish hue tarnish to it, which were commonly used in the 1930s. If so there might be LOT number on that sweatband.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Holy moley! Way to go, Brent! I have several hats from different makers for Maurice Rothchild stores and the one thing that is consistent is that all of them are dynamite hats, amongst the best of the best in my collection.

That size tag almost looks like it's the gold foil type that develops a greenish hue tarnish to it, which were commonly used in the 1930s. If so there might be LOT number on that sweatband.

Thanks, Jonathan. I looked for a lot number first thing, but there’s nothing. I think it’s early 1940s, but I’m willing to be educated if someone knows better.

 

[Rmccamey]

Nice one, Brent. I like those rust red colors, too.

A recent Facebook find (thanks to those who were quick to point me to it!). Deep russet brown felt that is thin and imminently moldable. The open crown is between 7 ½ and 7 ⅝ inches. The raw edge brim is 2 ½ inches. It doesn’t have decorative brim edge stitching like many do. It’s unlined, but it doesn’t have a crown stamp. The un-reeded sweatband is soft and supple.

Finding one this old in 7 ¾ or 62cm is a rare find. The fit is perfect! I normally prefer more brim, but I’ll make an exception for this gem. The thin felt allows crease to be shallow to make the most of the crown height.

View attachment 549423 View attachment 549424 View attachment 549425 View attachment 549426 View attachment 549427 View attachment 549428 View attachment 549429 View attachment 549430 View attachment 549431 View attachment 549432

 

[alanfgag]

Playing with your photo from Facebook on my phone… can’t really draw out more than LOXX46X underneath SOFTLW. Certainly a pre-war Playboy, likely late 1930s. A great find.

 

[alanfgag]

In this post a couple of pages back you'll find a kissing' cousin of your new hat, with LOT numbers of the three early Playboys in my collection. The sweatband in my brown Playboy would not be happy with having its picture taken or I would share the imprint... but I must have pulled it out enough to read the number when I first received it. It's the lowest (earliest) of the three.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Playing with your photo from Facebook on my phone… can’t really draw out more than LOXX46X underneath SOFTLW. Certainly a pre-war Playboy, likely late 1930s. A great find. View attachment 549596

I appreciate the effort, Alan. You have better eyes than I do.

Was it common for Playboys of this era to not have the decorative brim edge stitching?