Stephen L. Stetson Hats

[redhawks2]

Anyone know the approximate years when Stephen was making hats? I acquired one off Ebay that is an OR clone and even has a paper tag on the inside under the sweatband that says OPENRD and a price of $30.00 I'm trying to date this. The black leather sweatband is too worn to discern if there were any markings that may have said open road.
Thanks much for any info!

 

[billyspew]

Been covered a few times...

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=10094

From:
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=16412&page=2
"Stetson, Stephen
Stephen L. Stetson was a grandnephew of John B. Stetson, and an independent hatter in New York City, during the first half of the 20th century. The John B. Stetson company eventually sued in January of 1934 and made a case for copyright infringement, from which point you see the notice “In no way related to the Stetson Hat Company of Philadelphia" on the company’s label."

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=18666

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=25590

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=31080

 

[redhawks2]

Thanks for the reply...it looks like the actual dates when Stephen L. Stetson was in business is lost to history. I took my hat out into the bright sunshine and looking with the aid of a magnifying glass, turning it in just the right light, closing one eye and squinting the other, I was able to tell that the sweatband was indeed marked OPEN ROAD but had been worn off smooth over the years. Someone wore this hat a lot!

 

[RHY]

Another Stephen Stetson

I won this one a couple of months ago. See: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270345552800&ssPageName=ADME:B:EOIBSA:US:1123

It still has the photos up and it appears that the disclaimers were attached and the dark stripes in the middle of the lining appear to have been placed there to cross off some wording in the logo that appears on the liner.

RHY

 

[DougC]

There is one up on the bay now--for those who have one of the Stephen Stetsons...are you happy with your purchase/winnings?

 

[fedoralover]

There is one up on the bay now--for those who have one of the Stephen Stetsons...are you happy with your purchase/winnings?

I had one a few years ago and sold it. It was okay, but the one I had wasn't the quality of my other vintage fedora's of similar age.

fedoralover

 

[handlebar bart]

I had one a few years ago and sold it. It was okay, but the one I had wasn't the quality of my other vintage fedora's of similar age.

fedoralover

I can agree with that. I like mine better than new production hats but its not up to the standard of my other vintage hats by any maker. Mine is a fairly stiff one in "british weight" and is pretty dang stiff. I do wear it alot as a knockabout and I like the styling and dimensions of it so I wouldn't discourage the purchase of one.

 

[DougC]

Hmmm...If I can get it cheap, it might be good to have then--just to call it my non-Stetson.

 

[Cigarband]

There is one up on the bay now--for those who have one of the Stephen Stetsons...are you happy with your purchase/winnings?

Talking about OPEN auctions is VERBOTEN, just so you know.

 

[handlebar bart]

Talking about OPEN auctions is VERBOTEN, just so you know.

Posting a link to a active ebay auction is against the rules, mentioning that an auction exists is not. I'd hate to see a new member scared to post because of being unsure of the actual rules.

 

[DougC]

thanks--for the clarification. Seems to be the same rules as on other sites. Just to be clear, no one here can go bid now....except me.

 

[guitarmasta12]

I have an SLS From my Great Grandfather and it's very nice! I think it's from 1934 to the early 1940s. Mine says Viceroy. Not sure what that means.



Need to repost it because she's got a tear drop now. Not a center.

 

[rclark]

Wow! Very cool.

 

[RJR]

+1

 

[Jim Green]

Is it true to size or does it run big or small?

I have an SLS From my Great Grandfather and it's very nice! I think it's from 1934 to the early 1940s. Mine says Viceroy. Not sure what that means.

View attachment 26504

Need to repost it because she's got a tear drop now. Not a center.

Is it true to size or does it run big or small?

 

[stephena310]

Aftr a few "miss steps", I have started my collection of Disney and Stephen L. Stetsons.....Here are my first two Stephen L. Stetsons:

Stephen L. Stetson – Fedora - Light mouse gray color with matching hat band/ribbon with side bow and matching trolley and edging around the brim. No size tag and no label with ticket # has in the liner/sweat band. Sweat band is a “Cartier’s Removable Sweat Band” with the wrong Patent number (1877982). The sweat band is thin brown slightly “textured” leather – On sweat band in embossed gold lettering is Valley Dept. Store – Ontario, Calif. On other side of sweat band is “Custom Fitted” above an insignia of two beavers on opposite sides of a tree stump – below this insignia are the words” FAMOUS TEN”. Inside hat has off white silk liner with Company crest enclosed in clear plastic, below are the worlds in red

Type: Fedora
Mfg: Stephen L. Stetson
Model: Famous Ten
Serial #:
Ticket # :
Material: fur felt
Color: Light mouse gray
Size: 7 1/8 (suspected)
Length of Crown: 7 ¾ inches
Width of Crown: 6 ½ inches
Height of Crown: 5 inches
Brim: 2 ¾ inches
Type of band: ribbon
Width of band: 1 inch

Aprox. Yr. Mfgd:

 

[stephena310]

And my second:

Stephen L. Stetson – Pork pie styled crown - no size tag but label with ticket # has size as 7 1/8 and large Union label sticker next to it in liner/sweat band. Sweat band is a “Cartier’s Removable Sweat Band” with the wrong Patent number (1877982). It is a thin brown “textured” leather – On sweat band in embossed gold lettering is Fine’s Men’s Shops – in principal cities below the name – on other side is has again in gold embossed lettering embossed is the model name “The Winsor”. Hat band is matching, with bow in back and brim has no edging. Inside hat has white silk liner with Company crest enclosed in clear plastic.

Type: Fedora
Mfg: Stephen L. Stetson
Model: The Winsor
Serial #: P 420
Ticket # : 727F- 78 – 7 - 59
Material: fur felt
Color: Charcoal
Size: 7 1/8
Length of Crown: 7 7/8 inches
Width of Crown: 6 6/8 inches
Height of Crown: 4 inches
Brim: 1 ¾ inches
Type of band: ribbon
Width of band: 2 3/16 inches
Aprox. Yr. Mfgd:

 

[stephena310]

Question of all Stephen L. Stetson owners.......Have you ever had one of the small silver buttons that hold the "removable sweat band" in place, come off and how did you replace it or stabilize the sweat band???

 

[hatsRme]

When I get home, I'll look at mine to see if there's a button in it.

 

[RJR]

Aftr a few "miss steps", I have started my collection of Disney and Stephen L. Stetsons.....Here are my first two Stephen L. Stetsons:

Stephen L. Stetson – Fedora - Light mouse gray color with matching hat band/ribbon with side bow and matching trolley and edging around the brim. No size tag and no label with ticket # has in the liner/sweat band. Sweat band is a “Cartier’s Removable Sweat Band” with the wrong Patent number (1877982). The sweat band is thin brown slightly “textured” leather – On sweat band in embossed gold lettering is Valley Dept. Store – Ontario, Calif. On other side of sweat band is “Custom Fitted” above an insignia of two beavers on opposite sides of a tree stump – below this insignia are the words” FAMOUS TEN”. Inside hat has off white silk liner with Company crest enclosed in clear plastic, below are the worlds in red

Type: Fedora
Mfg: Stephen L. Stetson
Model: Famous Ten
Serial #:
Ticket # :
Material: fur felt
Color: Light mouse gray
Size: 7 1/8 (suspected)
Length of Crown: 7 ¾ inches
Width of Crown: 6 ½ inches
Height of Crown: 5 inches
Brim: 2 ¾ inches
Type of band: ribbon
Width of band: 1 inch View attachment 52825 View attachment 52826 View attachment 52827
Aprox. Yr. Mfgd:

Nice