Stetson block profile numbers

[belfastboy]

#51, Junior Cowboy, late 40's methinks.





#52, 3 cord band western, Real Nutria Quality

Would you say the difference between the #51 & #52 is just the height or do you see something else in the block profile?

 

[jlee562]

Would you say the difference between the #51 & #52 is just the height or do you see something else in the block profile?

I actually had not popped the #52 open until today. It does look like it has a slight bit more taper than my Randal Allan #52. This could possibly be shrinkage over time, or a minor discrepancy in block replication over time.

I do think the crowns have a slightly different dome profile, the #51 looks more rounded and more sloped.



51 left side, 52 right side

 

[belfastboy]

I actually had not popped the #52 open until today. It does look like it has a slight bit more taper than my Randal Allan #52. This could possibly be shrinkage over time, or a minor discrepancy in block replication over time.

I do think the crowns have a slightly different dome profile, the #51 looks more rounded and more sloped.



51 left side, 52 right side

Yes, subtle but definite difference.

 

[ChicagoWayVito]

I actually had not popped the #52 open until today. It does look like it has a slight bit more taper than my Randal Allan #52. This could possibly be shrinkage over time, or a minor discrepancy in block replication over time.

I do think the crowns have a slightly different dome profile, the #51 looks more rounded and more sloped.



51 left side, 52 right side

I will try and remembe to get the camera out tomorrow. I have blocks in both #51 and #52 that are modern made. The #51 JW made for me using a duplication method and the #52 is from Hatters Supply House of Colorado. The #52 is flatter on the top of the crown and the sides have a smaller shoulder and radius that what I see on the #51.

 

[TheDavel]

Pre-1915 derby. Looks to be 692?

 

[hatsRme]

Pre-1915 derby. Looks to be 692?

View attachment 449690

What tells this is pre-1915?

 

[TheDavel]

What tells this is pre-1915?

This derby has the 1900 Exposition Medal logo, which was replaced by the 1915 one. Judging by the other posts I'd seen in both the derby thread, and the Exposition Medals thread, things point to it being 1915 or earlier. I'd actually stated "I think it is pre-20s" in my original post about it. See:

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/stetson-exposition-medals.49267/

More about the hat:
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/the-bowler-or-derby-hat.32818/page-167#post-2941530

 

[MikeinRome]

On the previous page of this thread, pg 6 message #116, is a list of Block Numbers taken from billheads. One is Block # 684, for an Austral model hat with 3 inch brim, from a 1916 billhead. I'm showing 2 pics from a 1907 hat that I believe is such a hat. It was posted by Alan from photos of an auction hat, these photos being on pg 11 of the Stetson Lot Numbers thread. I have a hat which dates about 1934 and has this same Block Number 684. Both these hats have a 4 1/2 inch Depth. The last 3 pics are of my hat. Note: these 2 Australs are not to be confused with another "so-called" Austral model that has Block # 424 and 4 3/4 Depth, such as the one shown on pg 1 of this thread. This so-called Austral is actually a Laloo model hat.

 

[MikeinRome]

A true Stetson Austral model hat vs a Laloo model hat, erroneously called an Austral on the Lounge. The attached 1915 ad shows the Austral as model # 684. The Laloo is model # 424, and the mfg tags on each of these 2 models bear that same number. This ad was posted by jlee as message #163 on The Stetson Way thread.

 

[MikeinRome]

Stetson with Block Number #406, which supposedly has a 7 inch crown. Hat has 4 inch brim. There's no sweatband, so not sure of felt composition or quality level, but has some slickness suggesting some beaver content. Dates 1940's to early 50's. Alan has a black 1920's Nutria with this block number on pg 2 of this thread. In the 1937 Stockman-Farmer catalog, Stetson's Carlsbad model was a 4 inch by 7 inch hat.

 

[MikeinRome]

A Stetson Premier Vitafelt that's for sale on eBay now. Block Number looks like #839. This would be the highest block number I've seen on this thread. Obviously, this is an early to mid 1940's hat.

 

[MikeinRome]

Block Number 51. Stetson Real Nutria, 3 inch brim, 5 3/4 open crown. A 1940's hat. Regarding the discussion about the shape of the #51 Block, my first photo shows this hat with open crown, just returned to me from being cleaned., So this is about as good a pic of a #51 crown as you can get, unless I take a pic from another angle.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Block 587 for this late 1930s homburg.

 

[MikeinRome]

Block Number 52. Stetson Nutria Quality, late 40's to early 50's. 3 inch brim, 5 3/4 inch open crown. My about 1940 Real Nutria hat, which looks very similar to this, and which I think is a San Fran Jr hat, also is a Block Number 52 hat, but I measure its crown as 6 inches.

 

[MikeinRome]

Block 53, 6 1/4 Depth, in my ca. 1940 or very late 30's Stetson Ray Bell hat, which is a No. 1 Quality hat. It has a 4 inch brim and the brim and crown dimensions, along with brim edge treatment matches Stetson's Armintall model.

 

[TWKundrat]

Anyone run across a 34 block before?

 

[MikeinRome]

Block 752, Depth 5 5/8 inches. About 1933- 1934. Stetson Stetsonian Clear Nutria.

 

[MikeinRome]

Block Number 406 or 405. 7 1/2 inches. Stetson Tom Mix Clear Nutria, 1920's to 1930. I really think this is a 405 Block with 7 1/2 inch Depth, which would be a new block number, I think. I've seen a couple others including a hat Brent owned with the same Depth.