Stetson Royal Deluxe - How much is too much?

[Tony in Tarzana]

Well, the infamous hat arrived today. Wow! It's about 5-1/2" open crown, with a 2-3/4" brim, bound edge. It has the wind trolley, something the seller's pictures hinted at but didn't show. When it arrived, the button was tucked under the ribbon. The liner has the clear plastic on top. The hat looks like it's never been worn. And, as you can see, there was a surprise tucked in the sweatband! (No, not a $100 bill, dangit!)



Right now I'm trying to decide on a shape.

I love it! But was it worth it?

 

[MattC]

Tony

Looks like a very nice hat to me. Did you pay more than $275....that is the cheapest you could get something close to that nice for today...if you paid less, I'd say you got a good deal.

 

[Cruiser]

That is one gorgeous hat

I would say it was worth it.

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

Here's the thread that started the controversy... http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=10042

 

[Wild Root]

What a beautiful hat Tony!!!:eusa_clap You lucky man, and it came with a name and address ticket... I have one that is a little more colorful... same period though!

As for shape, I'd leave it! It looks just amazing Tony... do take some photos of you wearing it as it is now... that might help.

=WR=

 

[Razzman]

Tony, that is one fine hat. :eusa_clap Worth every penny. I should have bid more.:eusa_doh: Just kidding. We took enough heat for bidding as it was.
Congratulations.

 

[jamespowers]

Reshape it!? It looks just fine as it is. In fact, it looks way better than just fine. :eusa_clap I like it. I have a few like it and I wouldn't part with them for less.
In my experience, that liner was in use from 1947 into the mid fifties so you definitely have a survivor there. WooHoo! :fedora:

Regards,

J

 

[thefedorastore]

Most excellent hat Tony. Good job, and certainly worth it. Is it worth it to you? That would be a hat of most favored status in any collection. I picked up a Strat like that virtually never worn. You can't go wrong. You can't really put a price on something that you can't get on the retail market anymore.
Duane

 

[fedoralover]

Well, you certainly won't find one like that in any store. It looks brand new and it's a gorgeous hat. Hats like these are not infinite in number, so get em while you can because the market will dry up when all of Grandads closets become empty. That one is definitely a winner.

fedoralover

 

[gekisai29]

Sweet and worth it too. Enjoy

 

[havershaw]

Defnitely worth every penny. I love those Royal Stetson Deluxes.

 

[Citizen Ed]

It's a beaut Tony! Way I see it, if it makes you happy then it was well worth any amount you paid.

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

Thanks, folks! I love 'em high and wide, and have a penchant for the bound edge with a lot of snap and those silly little wind trolleys which I never use but I love seeing on a vintage hat.

I did touch it up with a little cold water, just so it would keep the shape without popping out. It's a 7-1/4 and I normally wear a 7-3/8, but it fits great if a bit high on my head. It does facilitate that jaunty angle, though, and it's no so tight that it pinches.

What's also interesting to me is that the hat's proportions seem very 1930s and yet it, as far as I can figure out, was built in the late 1940s or maybe the 1950s. I wish I had a definitive chart of Stetson logoes, or at least a date when they began using the "Royal Stetson" and "Royal DeLuxe" names. I understand that prior to WWII they were named by their prices, i.e. the "Stetson Twenty."

Anyhow, here are some shots in my world-famous hallway photo studio. lol




I now have three grey Stetson Royal Deluxe hats, my Homburg, my porkpie and now this fedora. They all seem to be the same era, the Homburg does not have the clear plastic in the liner but the porkpie and the fedora do, and all three have the wind trolleys.

None of the three look like they've ever been worn, except by me.

I feel bad about putting wear on 'em since they're all in such pristine condition, but on the other hand they are worn and enjoyed and admired the way they were made to be, and after so many decades stuck away in a closet they finally get the chance to shine. I will take very good care of them, but I will wear them.

 

[Matthew Dalton]

Very nice. As for how much is too much, the sky would be the limit for me. Even though at present I could maybe afford... The basement?

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

Tony, that is one fine hat. :eusa_clap Worth every penny. I should have bid more.:eusa_doh: Just kidding. We took enough heat for bidding as it was.
Congratulations.

Thanks, I really appreciate that. Funny thing was, it looked so dumpy in the auction pictures, and yet if you know what you're looking it, you could see the greatness of the hat beyond the crummy pictures.

I don't want to harp on the heat factor, since the fellow who posted that thread so graciously apologized. Maybe we both went a little nuts (I was just a little nuttier) but when you want something and it's the right thing, you have to go for it or you'll kick yourself later.

 

[Tommy Fedora]

Nice pick up

Yes, it is nice. And I agree completely about going for it when you want something.
By the way, exactly what is the purpose of the wind trolley ? My Marathon has that little button also but I couldn't figure out why.

 

[SHARPETOYS]

Wind trolley

The wind trolly or wind catcher is just that, and cord to loop into your lapel to keep the hat from blowing off and down the street..

 

[tonyb]

What's also interesting to me is that the hat's proportions seem very 1930s and yet it, as far as I can figure out, was built in the late 1940s or maybe the 1950s. I wish I had a definitive chart of Stetson logoes, or at least a date when they began using the "Royal Stetson" and "Royal DeLuxe" names. I understand that prior to WWII they were named by their prices, i.e. the "Stetson Twenty."

I feel bad about putting wear on 'em since they're all in such pristine condition, but on the other hand they are worn and enjoyed and admired the way they were made to be, and after so many decades stuck away in a closet they finally get the chance to shine. I will take very good care of them, but I will wear them.

Well, I have a Stetson Twenty that dates from 1957. The evidence of that is pretty darned convincing (there's a date stamped on the underside of the sweatband, and jamespowers posted a 1957-vintage magazine ad showing the very model).
Your concern about wearing them is well-founded, I think. The solution, it seems, is to acquire enough old hats that none of them get worn so often, or under such conditions, that they suffer much from it. Get a few beaters to wear in foul weather. And store the good 'uns in boxes to keep them out of direct sunlight and free of dust. And stand your guard against moth damage and/or mildew.
Looks like you've assembled quite the collection, Tarzana. You've shelled out a few bucks, but you have much, much more to show for it than you would have had you taken the same amount to a new hat retailer. It's a lesson I learned the hard way.

 

[Matt Deckard]

Such a cool hat. You could pay 300 or 400 for a modern repro, though they still aren;t as good as the quality of the Royal Deluxe Stetsons... you made a good buy and it looks very good on you. Can't wait to see it in person!

 

[Wild Root]

Tony, you did very well! The hat looks good and I love the original block on it!!! It just shouts 40's! Or, as you mentioned 30's! Stetson along with other hat makers were still producing models that came out in the 30's... there was a market for them... if a model of hat was still a good seller, they kept making it. William Frawley wore this style in most of the "I Love Lucy" episodes well into the late 50's.

I'm a sucker for wide bound edge snap brims! It's my favorite look!

Looking real good Tony!

=RS=