7-1/4 1940s Stetson Flaship

Posted on May 14, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281107387634

This vintage fedora was made in the 1940s by the John B. Stetson company. It is an early version of their “Flagship” model. It has a double-stitched pressed underwelt brim edge, and a rust colored ribbon. The sweatband has an early style “stars” crest. The felt designation is worded “Royal Stetson DeLuxe”, instead of the usual (later) phrasing “Royal DeLuxe Stetson”. It has a narrow, unreeded sweatband.

Size: 7-1/4
Brim Width: 2-3/4″
Crown Height: 5-1/2″
Ribbon Width: 1-1/2″

1910s Stetson velour fedora hat

Posted on May 14, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271206289096

This vintage hat was made in the 1920s by the John B. Stetson company. It is made of a luxuriant fur felt velour. It has a raw edge brim, flanged somewhere in-between what we now think of as a fedora, and a homburg. It has a twisted bow with an intentionally frayed trailing edge, a popular detail at that time. It was originally sold by the Marshall Field Company. The sweatband bears their stamp, but not the Stetson mark. The back of the leather shows Stetson’s stamp, Lot 5992, which places the sweatband in somewhere in the early 1920s timeframe. There are signs of stitching from an unreeded sweatband, which would indicate that this early 1920s sweatband is a replacement, and that the hat itself was made prior to WWI.
The felt is in very good shape, as is the sweatband.

Size: 7-1/4
Brim Width: 2-5/8″
Crown Height:
Ribbon Width:

1920s Alexander Cowboy Hat

Posted on January 13, 2013 by Spencer Stewart

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271138169838

This vintage cowboy hat was made by the G.W. Alexander hat company of Reading, PA. However, at least some of the components of the hat are sourced from the John B. Stetson company of Philadelphia, PA. The sweatband bears the Stetson Lot number 6378. At points in their history, Stetson owned the Alexander Hat Company, so this could explain this sharing. The hat is a classic 1920s style, with a high crown, pencil curl brim and a Tom Mix crease. It has a wide grosgrain ribbon, a good quality fur felt body and a wide leather sweatband, which is still supple and in excellent condition. The hat was sold in Lompoc, California by Arthur Randolph. At the time, Lompoc was primarily a mining town. The hat is in very good condition, and in the many 1920s westerns I’ve sold, I would single this one out as the best of the bunch.

Size: 7-1/8

Brim Width: 4″

Crown Height: 6-1/2″

Ribbon Width: 1-1/4″

Stephen Stetson

Posted on November 2, 2012 by Spencer Stewart

Sold in 2010.

This fedora was made by Stephen L. Stetson, not to be confused in any way shape or form with John B. Stetson.

Customer Shot- Schwartz and DeLuca

Posted on July 21, 2012 by Spencer Stewart

Jackets, hats and ties by Vintage-Haberdashers.

Left: linen/silk belt back, borsalino, ’30s travel themed necktie (not seen)
Middle: Pincord three button jacket, striped bow tie, Clear Beaver Stetson.

Bossay Open Road fedora

Posted on July 19, 2012 by Spencer Stewart

This vintage fedora was made in the 1950s by the Bossay Hat Company of Pampa, Texas. It conforms closely to the lines of the Open Road or Stratoliner style, with fedora blocking and flanging, a thin ribbon with a western style bow and thin binding It is creased with a teardrop crown. There is a wind string and button. There are several stains to the felt, and the sweatband has hardened and has cracking. It is interesting to note that the sweatband is unreeed and has a taped rear sweatband seam, something which by the time frame this hat was made had largely been abandoned by the larger makers.
Size: 7-1/8Brim Width: 2-3/4″Crown Height: 5-3/4″

1940s 7X Clear Beaver Stetson

Posted on June 26, 2012 by Spencer Stewart

Now on eBay! LINK

This vintage fedora was made in the 1940s by Stetson. It is their 7X Clear Beaver Quality. Pure, undyed beaver, with a mode edge. When it was new, this hat would have cost $50, a lot of money at the time. It has a reeded sweatband, with the 1940s version of the Stetson Crest. The sweatband is deeply blind embossed “mode-edge”. The hat was originally sold by Charles of Atlantic City, located at 1627-29 Boardwalk. There is a moth bite on the brim at the reed seam, and some staining on the wind string button. The crown has a diamond crease. The liner is Rayon Satin of Celanese yarn.

Size: 6-7/8

Brim Width: 2-5/8″

Ribbon Width: 1-7/8″

Crown Height: 5-5/8″

Late 1800s / early 1900s Stetson Montecristi Panama Hat

Posted on June 19, 2012 by Spencer Stewart

Now on eBay! LINK

This hat was made in the early part of the 20th century, or possibly the late 1800s. I’ve never seen another hat with this super early John B. Stetson crest. It’s extremely old and unusual.
The hat is a very fine montecristi panama, see the detail picture with a penny for scale for an idea of just how fine. There are three breaks in the straw in the brim, at the back, but unlike the other early Stetson Montecristi, they don’t show very badly, especially when worn. The hat has a classic optimo blocking, and the brim is finely backwoven. THe sweatband has some of the finest stitching I’ve seen and is extremely wide. It is still nice and supple. The original owner’s initials, “ECA” are stamped opposite the Stetson logo.
Size: 7-1/4
Brim Width: 2-1/8″
Ribbon Width: 7/8″

1940s Imperial Stetson

Posted on June 7, 2012 by Spencer Stewart

I found this 7-3/8 Imperial Stetson at an antique store in Maryland. It wasn’t marked, but due to the condition of the sweatband, the owner gave it to me for $5. It’s mid 1940s, and has the early style “Stars” Stetson crest. The brim is wide, the crown is tall and the ribbon is bold. It has a huge overwelt.

Stetson 100

Posted on June 6, 2012 by Spencer Stewart

When this hat was made in the early 1960s, it cost a whopping $100. Theses Stetsons came in custom leather cases and had the best pure beaver fur felt. Truly top of the line.

	Spencer Stewart on Belgian Leather Jerkin
	Richard on Belgian Leather Jerkin
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