Side By Side/ Hat Comparisons

[Purplesage]

Royal Stetson Playboy vs Stetson Royal Delux

Both hats are a Block 122. The hats are almost identical except the brim on the Royal Delux has a 2 3/4" under welt edge with a single row of sitiching and the Royal Stetson Playboy has a 2 1/2" raw edge with a single row of stitching. The felt on the Delux is also denser. The liner on the Royal Delux has a purple oilskin liner cover with a off white liner which I have not seen before. I think both are 40s era Stetsons with the Royal Delux being the older of the two! The Royal Delux is a size 7 but it fits like a 7 1/8 which is my normal size.

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http://i1253.photobucket.com/albums/hh589/Moveoetproficio/side%20by%20side/fda42134-a52b-4a2d-a209-f248cf686bb9_zpsd9f530c3.jpg[/IMG
[IMG]http://i1253.photobucket.com/albums/hh589/Moveoetproficio/side%20by%20side/fda42134-a52b-4a2d-a209-f248cf686bb9_zpsd9f530c3.jpg

 

[carouselvic]

The Playboy is a 50's hat.

 

[Purplesage]

I was thinking the same about the Playboy because of the manufacturers tag behind the sweatband. For the most part didn't Stetson start using plastic liner covers on their hats in the 50s and when did they stop using liners w/out covers such as the Playboy?

 

[TheDane]

I think, that the black on manila card size-tag - without "Stetson" - is a 50s' version. Also the liner crest with a maple leaf in the upper left panel is a 50s' phenomenon. The manufacturing label is also a (late?) 50s' version. Therefore the Playboy look 50s to me.

The size-tag in the Royal looks a lot like the 5. pic in this post. It's hard to see any relevant details on the sweat and liner. The manufacturing label was in use in the 40/50s.

 

[Purplesage]

Interior details. Price tag for the Royal Delux is $12.50.

Royal Stetson Playboy

Stetson Royal Delux

 

[TheDane]

I feel very sure, that the Playboy is from the 50s. It's got the maple leaf in both crests. I'm still not sure about the Royal, though.

 

[mikespens]

Regardless of their age, nice pair David.

 

[Purplesage]

Steton Royal Delux Vogue

Thought these two Vogue's were an interesting contrast in style. The light green Vogue has a 2 3/4" brim with a 3/4" brim binding and the blue has a 2 2/8" brim with a 3/8" brim binding and a 5 3/4" crown with 1 1/2" grosgrain ribbon.

 

[fedoracentric]

From what recall, that really wide brim binding was only popular for a short 2 years or so in the 40s.

 

[Purplesage]

The brim binding on the green is pretty wide 3/4" compared to 3/8" on the blue.

Here are photos of the tags behind the sweat:

Green, #122 is written on the size tag

Blue

 

[DJH]

Hmm, I like the narrow brim binding (OR & Strat) and the Whippet style, but I'm not a fan of the super wide binding on that Vouge.

I can see why it wasn't in vouge for very long

 

[TheDane]

I can see why it wasn't in vouge for very long

+1

 

[fedoracentric]

I can see why it wasn't in vouge for very long

I have to agree that the ultra wide brim binding makes a hat look oddly unbalanced. I had one like it once and eventually sold it because I never wore it.

 

[Purplesage]

I actually like it myself. It's the only one like it I have so I don't plan to get rid of it, plus I like to color combination.

Here is another Vogue that sold on EBay not too long with the wide brim binding similar to mine. It is apparently the same hat that Rabbit had listed here in the classifieds.

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/show...-De-Luxe-Stetson-Vogue-7-1-8-late40s-early50s

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-194...D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

 

[fedoracentric]

I've seen four Vogues on ebay over the last few years and strangely they've all been that greenish/brown color. Yours above is the only Vogue I've ever seen that wasn't.

 

[TheDane]

It is apparently the same hat that Rabbit had listed here in the classifieds.

At least the eBay-seller's nick sounds at least very familiar to many loungers, so it's most likely he originally bought it from Nik

 

[Rabbit]

I actually like it myself. It's the only one like it I have so I don't plan to get rid of it, plus I like to color combination.

Here is another Vogue that sold on EBay not too long with the wide brim binding similar to mine. It is apparently the same hat that Rabbit had listed here in the classifieds.

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/show...-De-Luxe-Stetson-Vogue-7-1-8-late40s-early50s

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-194...D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Yep, that's the one. Johnny bought it for a friend of his, I think. I imagine you have to be a hat nut (among which I gladly count myself) in order to wear a Vogue, perhaps that's why it was sold again. A crazy binding, for sure, but in a good way. I wore it with very casual clothes, but not very often. Mainly for train travel when I wanted something wide brimmed to be able to cover my eyes for sleeping. I'd have kept it if it hadn't been too tight.

 

[hatophile]

That blue Vogue is really nice, the green, I agree looks a little off to me with the super wide binding.
Never heard of that model til now!

 

[Purplesage]

Large Bindings are like you either like em or you don't. Not much middle ground. I wear mine with with casual wear which seems to work well since the colors aren't overwhelming. Since the brim is pretty large 2 3/4" the larger binding doesn't look too over the top in my opinion.

 

[alanfgag]

Mixed Blessings

Here is a comparison of several hats in my collection with textured heather felts, sorted by era.

1930s

The blue Dobbs Cross Country is a lightweight casual hat. The green Mallory is a dressier hat with a more refined and lustrous longhair finish.

1940s

A Dobbs Gay Prince in a lightweight unlined version. I've not seen another quite like it. Was purchased from a retail shop in the Davenport Hotel in Spokane. The felt is somewhat coarse - reminds me of felt under carpeting.

1950s

Two Borsalinos with "misto" felt finish. Mixed in tone only, the felt in both hats is very smooth and of fine quality.