Playboys on Parade!

[fedoralover]

I just got these 2 jewels in the mail. They are Royal Stetson Playboys from either the late 30s or very early 40s. Still open crown with no hint they've ever been creased. One is a dark gun metal gray and the other is a very dark rich brown. I couldn't believe they could be preserved so well. They are both from Battelsteins in Houston Texas, built in the late 20s. I'm positive they've never been worn more than a couple of times if at all. The felt is super light, they have no liners, just the imprinted logos on the crown. Which tells me they are the earlier ones, as I've seen the old ads and they showed them without the liners. Sweatbands are like new. They are both 7 1/4, and fit me perfectly. They even came with the double hat box.

It was a good day.

fedoralover

 

[Pilgrim]

Let's see.....what smiley is green enough with envy to convey my feelings........................... ?

Guess I'll just have to be happy for you!

 

[Razzman]

Sweeeeeet!!!!!!!:eusa_clap

 

[besdor]

Very very nice my friend . You have two great hats there . Enjoy them !




Steven
www.bencrafthats.com

 

[fedoralover]

Thanks, however I may have to take back what I said about their age. I took another look at my vintage Playboy ad from 39 and the logo looks different, almost like it was a sticker rather than an imprint. I have two other Playboys and they have liners and look just a bit different. If anyone else has more knowledge on the age of these please chime in. I know that I have Stetson ads from the late 30s touting their Air-lite felts, which were very light weight and had no liners to make them cooler in the summer.

fedoralover

 

[spiridon]

Sweeeeeet!!!!!!!:eusa_clap

My thoughts exactly Razzman!

 

[Sefton]

Beautiful! Did they come with the box in the photo? Congrats!

 

[jamespowers]

Thanks, however I may have to take back what I said about their age. I took another look at my vintage Playboy ad from 39 and the logo looks different, almost like it was a sticker rather than an imprint. I have two other Playboys and they have liners and look just a bit different. If anyone else has more knowledge on the age of these please chime in. I know that I have Stetson ads from the late 30s touting their Air-lite felts, which were very light weight and had no liners to make them cooler in the summer.

fedoralover

You are quite correct in your assumption. The early Playboys from the 40s had a sticker or topper in the inside top of the crown. I have a black one that is like this. The Imprinted logos on the felt were likely from the 50s.
I think there were two types of Playboys later on. The light weights didn't have a liner and the heavier ones were lined for a different type of weather. I have seen both from the 1950s and they are suited to their purposes nicely.

I can't find the picture I had of my Playboy's logo but it is similar in size to this one from an early Gamebird:

I'll see if I can't snap a picture of the Playboy tonight.

Regards,

J

 

[fedoralover]

Thanks JP, I looked under the sweatbands and found one that had a price tag of $10.95, so I'm thinking you are correct and these are the lightweights from the 50s. What is the year of that ad you showed?
I have a Dobbs 2 Ouncer and in comparing the felt thickness, these Stetsons are a tad thinner. One of my other ones must be the heavy weight, as it is a lot thicker. Both of these have that stitching around the brim, no edging, just the stitching.

And yes the double hat box came with them.

fedoralover

 

[shoeshineboy]

you smaller headed people make me sick with envy....

please don't quote me on this...but you have a nice pair...

beautiful...

mark the shoeshine boy

 

[DanielJones]

I swear you are the luckiest dog on the porch.

Cheers!

Dan

 

[scotrace]

Inspiring!

I guess it is very worthwhile to keep looking. Those are very beautiful. The felt looks buttery.

 

[SHARPETOYS]

Great looking hats Rich... Enjoy.:eusa_clap

 

[WEEGEE]

HEFF BABY!!!

Fine...fine hats...those size tags are they not 40's???

enjoy!!!

 

[fedoralover]

those size tags are they not 40's???
QUOTE

Well WEEGEE, we are still trying to figure that out, I'm thinking now that they are possibly late 40s or early 50s.
These photo's really wash out the colors, the gray is much darker and so is the brown. When I first looked at the brown indoors I thought it was black.

Oh, I forgot to mention I got both hats and the box for $45.00.

fedoralover

 

[Magus]

Pardon my language...

...but...


DAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMN!!!!


What beauties!

 

[Dick Tracy]

Handsome hats indeed!

 

[Tomasso]

Playboys?

Sorry, I'm weak on the fedora vernacular, when you say Playboy, I think Rubirosa.

 

[tonyb]

A good day indeed, fedoralover. And proof that quite reasonable deals are still out there, for the diligent and patient hat hunter. Amazing, ain't it, that good-as-new items of attire turn up after more than half a century of storage Lord knows where? It's good to see those hats fall into the right hands. If you ever get tired of them ... well, I'm easy to find.

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

Just won one on eBay, and I paid more for one (no box) than you paid for both. Well, it's a 7-3/8 in dark grey, looks beat to heck in the pics, and I'll just have to see it when it shows up. If I never mention it again you'll know why. lol