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carouselvic

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,981
Location
Kansas
Thank you Splinter, I just wish I had the ability to shrink my head at will


Heres a second one that came in today and thankfully this one fits like a peach and was an amazing deal, it will require a new sweatband soon though. I believe this is a 50's to 60's Knox Premier with embroidered liner. Very lightweight Bowler, I'll have to weight it a bit later. Very square profile to this one.


Looks much older to me.
 
Messages
10,524
Location
DnD Ranch, Cherokee County, GA
i have 2 questions about stetson that i received today
the felt is really really soft, how can i make it a stiffer?
my borsalino is stiffer and i dont change the shape of the crown when i touch it but when i touch this stetson i change the shape
and anybody knows from which decade is this hat from?
...
Steaming can reactivate the shellac after it cools.
Looks early to mid 50's but I can't see the size tag that well...
 

Brad Bowers

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,187
Thank you Splinter, I just wish I had the ability to shrink my head at willHeres a second one that came in today and thankfully this one fits like a peach and was an amazing deal, it will require a new sweatband soon though. I believe this is a 50's to 60's Knox Premier with embroidered liner. Very lightweight Bowler, I'll have to weight it a bit later. Very square profile to this one.



Your Knox Derby is no newer than the 1930s.
 

ofcoursemyhorse

Practically Family
Messages
859
Location
United States
Really? Well thats nifty, makes it even more a shame that the sweatband is in such dire straits. I thought because of the boxy profile it had, it might be a later example.

Thank you very kindly for the heads up Carouselvic and Brad.
 

rlk

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,100
Location
Evanston, IL
Stetson No. 1 Quality w/ pencil curl edge

ebay photos cropped and enlarged with 3-1/2" high telescope:
%2524%2528KGrHqF%252C%2521iMFD%2529meJw%252B1BRKqB9fBv%2521%257E%257E60_57.JPG
%2524T2eC16FHJGoE9nuQeVy%2528BRKp%252BIOmUQ%257E%257E60_57.JPG


P1050905.JPG
P1050906.JPG
P1050910.JPG
P1050908.JPG


Crown is only 5-5/8 but a 52(Columbia) with square shoulders and flat top.
 

Joshbru3

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,409
Location
Chicago, IL

Great find, Robert!!! Its interesting to see an old western with petersham ribbon. Do you think its original. I know that petersham was used on some of Stetsons dress hats in the past, but I've never seen an older western where it was used. Also, does the re-order tag say "columbia" under the block number section?
 

rlk

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,100
Location
Evanston, IL
Its old ribbon, but I don't know if its original. Stetson says Block 578 but it fits my old 52 perfectly and the Hatter's Supply refers to the 52 as the "Columbia" Block while listing different Blocks for typical "Fedoras".
 
Messages
15,073
Location
Buffalo, NY
Excellent!!

Looks like that store imprint might have been a Stetson design that was adapted for various retailers. I think I recall several, including the hat I'm wearing today.

clearnutria17.jpg
 

Joshbru3

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,409
Location
Chicago, IL
Its old ribbon, but I don't know if its original. Stetson says Block 578 but it fits my old 52 perfectly and the Hatter's Supply refers to the 52 as the "Columbia" Block while listing different Blocks for typical "Fedoras".

VERY interesting. From my research, all the hats found on the lounge thus far with a 578 block number have also been 5 5/8 inches tall. I've learned a couple things about 52 blocks in my search for them. They are not all created equal. The early 52 blocks are very straight with very flat tops. Some of the later 52 profiles, though still straighter than most blocks, tend to be slightly rounder than the earlier ones. I have seen a block marked "columbia" and it was one of the straightest blocks I have seen. It was pretty much a square. I've always found it interesting that the Hatter's Supply calls the 52 a Columbia. I have to wonder if the 52 was originally meant for western style hats and later on it was used for dress hats as well. Some of the earliest dress hats that I own have much rounder crowns than I would have initially expected.
 
Messages
17,466
Location
Maryland
C. G. Wilke Blitz

First old soft felt C. G. Wilke that I have come across so this is a rare one. It's most likely from the 1930s but could be older. Unfortunately the non-reed sweatband was hand stitched back in place but otherwise complete. Fantastic silver gray Velour that is very close in quality to JHS Velour. More details in the German - Austrian thread.

8518712241_1e3d9ebf39_b.jpg


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8518722487_430aced948_b.jpg




8519904754_d40aa5ac61_b.jpg
 
Messages
17,466
Location
Maryland
Justin, Thanks! It looked really terrible in the auction photos and not much better upon arrival but it sprung right back to life with a heavy dose of steam + brush.
 

splintercellsz

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,141
Location
Somewhere in Time
1930s/40s Stetson? Has a Whippet look to it, but does anyone have any idea as to what model it may be? Block number is #839. I will try to photograph this for the blocking thread, but due to how many stitches are popped, I am not in the mood to risk it popping the sweat out. The color is a mix between a sage, grey, and brown (a very hard color to capture accurately, as it changes in the lighting).

As you can see, there is also some remnants of a crown logo (was made w/o a liner). I really like the Stetson logo on the sweat. Also, this hat was made for the Henry P. Wetzel shop in Linden, N.J. The same as my Stetson Special (Hence why there is a photo of the two hats together in the post). I want to say thank you to Aaron for allowing me to own this (and the Special)!

006-ve10.jpg

008-ve10.jpg

018-ve10.jpg

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Here is a close up of the felt:

01412.jpg


Close up of the Crown logo remnants:

04111.jpg


Here are the two Henry P. Wetzel's together!
(Mystery model Stetson on the left, Stetson Special on the right. As you can see, the one on the left is not brown in color, but appears to be in some photos).

04611.jpg


Finally, here it sits on my head.

001-ve10.jpg


I just noticed that the Henry P. Wetzels have the same logo styling that Alan & Robert were going over earlier. I guess it's safe to toss this one into that group! If anyone wants better photos or more details, let me know!
 
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