Dating Vintage Stetsons by Liner: A Field Guide

[J Williams]

Here is the older version, from a tall derby:

View attachment 179176

View attachment 179177

Perhaps earlier than 1920.

Awesome! I thought it had to be around the 20’s. Thanks Alan.

I’m definitely excited to see and feel it. Hopefully it actually fits! But at 7 3/8 I would probably have to be pretty lucky. The only size into they had on the listing was this:

Decent condition. No size tag found on the hat itself; approximately 6 inches across at the opening.

It will probably be a few weeks for this one as it’s coming from Goodwill and I will be picking it up across the border.

This hat stuff sure is a good bit of fun!


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[Steinbockhase]

When did Stetson introduce the first "3x Beaver" ?
Ebay seller claims this one is from 1920-30s !?
I assume not older than 1950s, but you are welcome to correct me.

 

[Frunobulax]

When did Stetson introduce the first "3x Beaver" ?
Ebay seller claims this one is from 1920-30s !?
I assume not older than 1950s, but you are welcome to correct me.

View attachment 179219 View attachment 179220

Not only 50s, late 50s. Possibly early 60s. Still oughta be fairly nice.

3X goes pretty far back, I think. Check the Niller Stockman thread.

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[alanfgag]

Awesome! I thought it had to be around the 20’s. Thanks Alan.

I’m definitely excited to see and feel it. Hopefully it actually fits! But at 7 3/8 I would probably have to be pretty lucky. The only size into they had on the listing was this:

Decent condition. No size tag found on the hat itself; approximately 6 inches across at the opening.

It will probably be a few weeks for this one as it’s coming from Goodwill and I will be picking it up across the border.

This hat stuff sure is a good bit of fun!

Wishing you good luck on the size... six inches would be a very small width to the head opening. Maybe it's wrong.

 

[J Williams]

I'm looking at a hat that has stars in the sweat but maple leaf in the liner. From what I have read the stars in the sweatband logo stopped in the late 40's? - Is this normal? old stock sweatband on a newer hat?

 

[Bill Hughes]

I'm looking at a hat that has stars in the sweat but maple leaf in the liner. From what I have read the stars in the sweatband logo stopped in the late 40's? - Is this normal? old stock sweatband on a newer hat?

Yes. You’ll see both combinations. Stars on sweat with leaf on liner, and leaf on sweat with stars on liner.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Here’s one not seen often. The Junior Stetson:

Not my hat. Sorry for the low quality photos.



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[J Williams]

I know I saw it on here somewhere but I can’t find it. Trying to date this OR I recently acquired and can’t find information on the ‘beaver with sign’ logo.

The last drop liner is embroidered and has the onion skin protector long oval keyhole tag has the integer.

When did they start using the beaver plaque?

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[carouselvic]

late 50's to very early 60's

 

[J Williams]

late 50's to very early 60's

Thanks for that vic but if you don't mind what tells got you there? I'm trying to learn so I don't always have to ask.

 

[carouselvic]

Sheppler changed the name of his company in 1961....your hat has the older name....the size tag like yours started sometime in the last half of the 50's

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Thanks for that vic but if you don't mind what tells got you there? I'm trying to learn so I don't always have to ask.

My understanding is that the mixed number (integer with a fraction) keyhole size tags were only in use from the late 1950s to early 1860s, a narrow window. However, I also understand that the “long oval” hats don’t always conform to the rules.


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[Cornshucker77]

I know I saw it on here somewhere but I can’t find it. Trying to date this OR I recently acquired and can’t find information on the ‘beaver with sign’ logo.

The last drop liner is embroidered and has the onion skin protector long oval keyhole tag has the integer.

When did they start using the beaver plaque?

View attachment 181372


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Congrats J. I'm glad you got that hat. I think you will like it very much.

 

[J Williams]

My understanding is that the mixed number (integer with a fraction) keyhole size tags were only in use from the late 1950s to early 1860s, a narrow window. However, I also understand that the “long oval” hats don’t always conform to the rules.

Yeah that's what I was to understand as well - The long oval tags had some different dates behind them or the integer was used before it was used on regular oval hats of the same era, I can't seem to find anything definitive here on the lounge about them.

I also just purchased this one. It has stars in the sweat looks like maple leaf on the liner, long oval keyhole tag and is from titche gottinger in dallas which sold in 63 and changed names.

If it's late 50's or early 60's that seems like a long time for an old stock sweatband, but have also heard talk that the stars in the sweat dating isn't the most accurate.

 

[J Williams]

Congrats J. I'm glad you got that hat. I think you will like it very much.

Thanks Scott, The one from a few posts up was actually one I snagged for $70.00 a few weeks back. Looked crumpled in the photos but re-shaped nicely with a steam and iron - some staining that I still need to clean up but it's a great hat with really nice soft felt, I was surprised at how soft the brim was especially. The last image was the one from the bay we discussed the other day which I did pull the trigger on. I am now at 4 OR's including my modern so maybe time to slow down??

 

[Cornshucker77]

No speed limit here so no need to slow down

 

[carouselvic]

My understanding is that the mixed number (integer with a fraction) keyhole size tags were only in use from the late 1950s to early 1860s, a narrow window. However, I also understand that the “long oval” hats don’t always conform to the rules.


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Can you provide some photos that show this?

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

Yeah that's what I was to understand as well - The long oval tags had some different dates behind them or the integer was used before it was used on regular oval hats of the same era, I can't seem to find anything definitive here on the lounge about them.

I also just purchased this one. It has stars in the sweat looks like maple leaf on the liner, long oval keyhole tag and is from titche gottinger in dallas which sold in 63 and changed names.

If it's late 50's or early 60's that seems like a long time for an old stock sweatband, but have also heard talk that the stars in the sweat dating isn't the most accurate.

View attachment 181872

JW:
I have a 7X CB OR that’s maple leaf/maple leaf that has the date stamp 1963 on the inside of the sweat. Age dating is generally empirical, rarely exact.
I’m voting with @carouselvic.
B

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Can you provide some photos that show this?

I admit that I’ve never seen any original source documentation to support this. I’m going on what some long-time members have said. In the dating by size tag thread there has been some discussion on this. Recently, Alan made the comment that long oval size tags have often not conformed to the standard rules, and considering the source I accepted it. I’ve also read similar observations here by others. I’m always willing to learn if you/others know better.


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[J Williams]

JW:
I have a 7X CB OR that’s maple leaf/maple leaf that has the date stamp 1963 on the inside of the sweat. Age dating is generally empirical, rarely exact.
I’m voting with @carouselvic.
B

Yeah I might have confused the thread talking about 2 different hats as I’m prone to do.

The one with the last drop liner makes sense at late 50’s. My original question was about the beaver with sign logo and why / when they started using this over the round crest or if there was no real known rhyme or reason.

The second hat, the one I just bought and don’t have yet has the round crest stars in the sweat and maple leaf in the liner. I will post some better photos of it when it arrives next week and see if there is any further info under the sweatband.


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