Would love some more info on this: Vintage Dobbs 5th Ave Grey Felt Fedora w/ box

[Fiver]

I managed to score this fedora on ebay last week and I'd love some help identifying the era, or even if it's a decent find.

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300495427568&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

I think it may be a Cosmopolitan Guild Edge circa 1950?
http://vintagescans.blogspot.com/2010/05/dobbs.html

But I'd love to narrow down the timeline, and I think the logos and hexagon box may be a clue.

Is there anywhere that one can see a timeline of Dobbs' logos and hat boxes?

Thanks!

 

[rlk]

Welcome to the Lounge. There is a thread devoted to Dobbs: http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?18579-The-Dobbs-Diner...

This hat appears to have an overwelt stitched edge rather than a Guild Edge(Felted welt without stitches present in finished edge) and is probably from the last years of the 50's-early 60's.
Brad Bowers should be able to give the most precise information. I'm thinking the Oval to Hexagon Box transition occurred in the 50's at some point. I noticed your 1950 ad shows the oval.

 

[Brad Bowers]

Welcome to the Lounge, Fiver.

I'm of a mixed opinion about the age of your Dobbs, but my educated guess tells me early-'50s. The sweatband makes me think it's early-'50s, The slanted gold Dobbs logo disappears in the early-'50s and reappears by the mid- to late-60s, but the sweatbands of the later period are narrower, have a different texture, and are usually black or a darker brown. This one looks wider and looks like the earlier shades we're used to seeing. The boxes changed over to hexagonal from oval in the early-'50s, so that also fits. The half-color Dobbs logo is also prevalent in this time period. I think they were pretty plain or a solid color by the later period. The one thing that I'm not sure about is the brim width. I know brims were narrow by the mid-'50s, but in the early-'50s were 1 3/4" brims offered? I just don't know.

When you get the hat in hand, give us some more information on any tags under the sweatband, and perhaps a measurement of the width of the sweatband.

Brad

 

[Fiver]

Hi, I found that thread initially, but couldn't find it a few days later. Who knows why. But I'll keep that in mind for next time. It seems like there's a mess of information on logos, boxes, printing inks, colours, and styles. That make it difficult to pinpoint dates, but early-fifties sounds good to me. My uneducated guess was 1945 or so (based on what little I did find out about the logos) and somewhat based on the Racquet Club imprint. (RC seemed to have the most growth during the forties.) Any ideas on what the "S C" means?

I'll definitely follow-up once it arrives on the finer details along with measurements and a photo or two. I'm hoping the seller got the measurements right, and that it actually fits.

 

[zetwal]

Welcome aboard, Fiver ...

 

[Dinerman]

Hi, I found that thread initially, but couldn't find it a few days later. Who knows why. But I'll keep that in mind for next time. It seems like there's a mess of information on logos, boxes, printing inks, colours, and styles. That make it difficult to pinpoint dates, but early-fifties sounds good to me. My uneducated guess was 1945 or so (based on what little I did find out about the logos) and somewhat based on the Racquet Club imprint. (RC seemed to have the most growth during the forties.) Any ideas on what the "S C" means?

I'll definitely follow-up once it arrives on the finer details along with measurements and a photo or two. I'm hoping the seller got the measurements right, and that it actually fits.

It seems most of the back bow hats I've run across date from around 1957-1962, which would be consistent with the narrow brim as well. SC are the original owner's initials.

 

[Fiver]

Just received it and it fits perfectly. Here's an additional tag that might help in dating it. I'll post more later when the light is better.