-Sold- 1940's Royal Stetson De Luxe Flagship 6 7/8 Great Condition $50

[Annixter]

I purchased this hat from an eBay seller who apparently cannot read a tape measure because his inside dimensions are larger than the actual hat, and of course it doesn't fit. The best part is that he refuses to give me a refund unless I pay shipping both ways, his seller fees, etc.:eusa_clap

Rather than fool with him any longer, I'd like to offer it to the FL for my cost of $50 shipped to the Continental USA before I put it back on eBay. I'll ship elsewhere for the actual additional cost.

Dimensions:
Sweatband Circumference: 21-3/16"
Crown Fully Out: 5-1/4"
Crown Diamond Dented: 4-1/2"
Brim Width: 1-7/8"
Hatband Width: 1-7/16"
Brim Treatment Width: 1/4"+

From the liner, size tag, sweatband bow, and older "Royal Stetson De Luxe" sweatband script, the hat is of the early to mid 1940's. I find no moth damage or stains to the felt, hatband, and brim treatment except for a very faint discoloration (I think from creasing or sun bleaching) on one of the front pinch edges (see marked picture below). This blemish is pretty difficult to capture on camera or see unless in the right light, and even then it's minimal. There are two water marks on the liner that should come out with a cleaning. The sweatband is extremely supple and has no cracking or flaking; there are signs of wear on the sweatband, four pinholes near the tag, and the white bow is frayed and soiled a little.

Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks.

Notice the two watermarks on the liner:

Notice the four small pinholes in the sweatband:

 

[splintercellsz]

Goodness, how I do hate my 7 3/8 size noggin...

Good luck with the sale!

 

[Mario]

That's the strangest (...) Flagship I've ever seen. They usually came with considerably wider, welted brims. Makes me think that somebody went and haberslashed the brim. Probably back in the 60's, because that's just what the hat looks like now. Were they ever sold like this? [huh]

 

[Annixter]

Goodness, how I do hate my 7 3/8 size noggin...

Good luck with the sale!

Thanks, I wish my noggin fit it too--or it mine.

That's the strangest (...) Flagship I've ever seen. They usually came with considerably wider, welted brims. Makes me think that somebody went and haberslashed the brim. Probably back in the 60's, because that's just what the hat looks like now. Were they ever sold like this? [huh]

Agreed on the uniqueness, as I couldn't find any advertisements for the exact style, and the brim is certainly stingy; the stitching on the brim treatment is of the same spacing as the sweat, and the treatment is done very nicely. I bought it as a present for my uncle who likes stingies but wanted the older style crown. If it has been modified, there's no evidence to suggest it wasn't done in the 40s or the 50s. Plenty of 50s fedoras have 2" brims, and plenty of men existed in the 40s whose faces called for a stingy brim. Furthermore, there's not much taper to the crown, so it's nothing like the 60s in my opinion.

 

[DJH]

A - I don't think Mario was saying the hat was made in the 60's (it wasn't), but that the brim might have been cut at that time.

The Flagship model had a pretty wide brim (about 2.75 inches I think) with a welted edge and some decorative stitching. I think it was made as part of a marketing deal with American Airlines - must have been jealous of the Stetson/TWA collaboration with the Statoliner.

Could Stetson have made some with a different brim? Maybe - if they did, I bet someone here could confirm. I agree with Mario that it has been modified though.

 

[Annixter]

Sold.