Pre- 1940s Stetson dress hats.

[Rabbit]

Very nice Rabbit... great to find the crown liner board without dents.

Thank you Alan.
Being new to Derbys I find it interesting to see the construction regarding the attachment of the liner. So - on the crown top, there is a cardboard between the crown felt and the liner, is that correct? The liner crest is apparently glued on throughout the flat area on this particular Derby. It's amazing that the glue wouldn't dry and leave behind some spots on the liner crest after decades of aging, isn't it?

 

[alanfgag]

I've had three Stetson derbies with liners. The earliest is the Premier Quality (1920s?) posted just ahead of yours. This one has a paperboard sewn in behind the crown section of the liner, but it is not glued to the fabric. Dents in the board have created some creases in the crown fabric where it is attached to the pleated sides.

Your 1930s derby looks pristine - the fabric laminated to a top board has no dents. I'm guessing the dents might come from trying to pop out a dent in the crown felt from inside the hat?

This 1940s Royal Stetson DeLuxe derby has a similar style liner construction. This hat arrived with some good sized lumps in the crown. I loosened the liner in one area and worked out the dents from inside with steam. I didn't attempt to work on the dents in the top of the liner. This hat is now in the collection of another lounge derby fancier.

I have a late 1950s Stetson Derby also. It is a soft hat (you could center crease it as a homburg) and has a liner typical of the fedoras of that era, with plastic crown protector... no paperboard stiffener is used.

You'll enjoy the bowler/derby thread, with many informative posts by our resident expert, Brad Bowers.

 

[Rabbit]

Thank you Alan for the detailed information!

One little piece of information about this Derby of mine:
The liner has remnants of the usual loose stitchings for attachment, yet it is glued on over a generous area, evenly, all around at the height of the sweatband.

 

[bowlerman]

The 1940s deluxe in question is now sporting a slightly elongated oval and a reshaped brim.
The brim, though symmetrical and expertly crafted, was just too "up" for me.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

.
Here is the most unusual vintage Stetson panama hat I’ve ever come across. It has the elements of a fedora, an optimo, and a porkie. I like the black faille ribbon with its one horizontal white pinstripe. It’s lined all around with netting (a detail more common to straw boaters); the lining inside the crown’s top is silk, and the Stetson logo is embroidered on it in silk thread.


From the 1930s? Earlier? Maybe Loungers can place a date on this lid. (There's no paper Stetson size label.) I’ve never heard of the Philadelphia hat store that sold it. Labeled size is 7 1/8, but the hat fits like a snug 7 1/4.


Ended auction: http://www.ebay.com/itm/190621173178

 

[randooch]

Marc, that's a stunner! The ribbon really launches it.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Marc, that's a stunner! The ribbon really launches it.

Thanks! The ribbon's single pinstripe was the first thing that caught my eye.

 

[Chepstow]

what a great find Marc, congrads.

 

[alanfgag]

Stetson Playboy, late 1930s

I believe this hat might be earlier than I first thought... adding it to this thread.

 

[hatophile]

Sweet one Alan!

 

[alanfgag]

Stetson Opera Hat

The leather sweatband seemed odd for what appeared to be a collapsable top hat, but the seller wrote back saying the hat did not fold. On receipt, there is a Gibus spring and the leather is soft kid glove leather, sewn to the liner in the same manner as a silk band would be. Unusual Stetson size tag. Excellent condition, with the exception of a strong smell of cigarette smoke. The box has to be quarantined. 6" height, 2" brim. 1930something.

 

[mayserwegener]

That is a great one!

 

[alanfgag]

Thanks Steve!

 

[Chepstow]

Alan, as I said, thats an amazing find and a stunning beauty, too.

 

[delectans]

Very nice, Alan. You are all set to attend the opera, or at least the Metropolitan Opera Live feed at your local theater.

 

[alanfgag]

Manfred, AL... thank you!

 

[fluteplayer07]

The Hat Gods are smiling down on you Alan. Wonderful score.

 

[alanfgag]

Stetson Star

Early 20th C. Stetson... age would be a guess, but that guess would be somewhere pre-1920. Condition is excellent for its age. The unlined hat weighs in at 3 1/2 ounces with a medium weight durable felt. When steamed and brushed, the 3" brim took on a deeply scooped flange - original?... I'm not sure. 5 1/2" crown height. 2" Fray sweatband, with "the fray" imprint running vertically across the width of the sweat. Scalloped size sticker with a very clean label - original store price of $4.00? A small repair to the reed looks to be wax.

 

[alanfgag]

Behind the sweat is a stamped Lot 155 (or 755?). I've found these numbers on the back of Stetson sweats on hats through about 1940. Numbering appears to increase chronologically, with the latest hats in the 7XXX's. This is the lowest number of any hat in my collection. More on sweatband lot numbers here.

 

[Lefty]

another beauty