Vintage Royal De Luxe Stetson Hat

I found this hat in the back of a closet and could sure use some help with the style name and date for this Stetson hat. I've googled around and see that some styles are pricey.

This hat is a wool felt. The crown is 4 1/2" high, and the brim about 2 1/8". The brim is trimmed in ribbon and rolls upward; I'm not sure if it was made to do this or just morphed into it over the years. The lining is satin with soft plastic over the center and the hatband is soft leather. It's a size 7 - paper size tag is under the little white ribbon bow. Evidently sold at Frankel's Clothing in Des Moines.

I'm assuming this is a man's hat but could be unisex?

Photos show it unshaped and sort of shaped like a fedora.

Any help is appreciated--thank you!

Janice

 

I think it is a fedora - Although almost always worn by men . . .
"It first appeared in 1882 as a female hat. That year was a first production of a play “Fédora” by the French author Victorien Sardou. He wrote the part of Princess Fédora Romanoff, a title role, for then famous actress Sarah Bernhardt."

http://www.historyofhats.net/hat-history/history-of-fedora/

 

Not about your hat -- merely an "aside" with information about the owners/proprietors of the clothing store.

"Worn by an area suffragist
One piece that stands out to Marcketti is the story behind the woman who owned a brown velvet dress from 1905. Rose Frankel Rosenfield, who wore the dress, fought for women’s voting rights by providing considerable financial support for the unsuccessful 1916 referendum. Rosenfield’s family also owned the Frankel Clothing Store in Des Moines, which eventually was bought by the Younkers Corp."

http://www.inside.iastate.edu/article/2013/01/31/textiles

The link is to the clothing and textile museum at Iowa State University.

 

Love this info - thank you so much!

 

Here is some info on dating them -
http://www.publiusforum.com/2011/01/01/dating-stetsons-company-crests-hat-liners/

According to this blog, your hat is (I think) post 1940s as, before that, they were called Royal Stetson DeLuxe, rather than Royal DeLuxe Stetson.
http://vintagehaberdashers.com/tag/royal-deluxe-stetson/

 

Plastic over the liner makes it post 1953.

 

thank you VERY much, Messilane. I think my hat is 1930s or 1940s based on the logo, the stitching, and a number of things mentioned in that wonderful link!

I don't think the material over the lining is plastic. I think it's that oil stuff mentioned in the publiusforum link.

 

Do you have a better photo of the logo? As for the "plastic", I'm just going by what you said in your original post.

 

Here's the logo--not a great pic, but I think you can see it.

 

That's the logo adopted in 1952. The upper left portion of the center shield has a leaf instead of a field of stars. Also your beaver has the newer leg position. I'm still convinced your hat is no older than mid-50s. Nevertheless, a beautiful hat!

 

Thank you for that info! 50s it is! Would you say it's a fedora or a homburg? I'm not so sure based on the brim width is only 2 1/8" and the fact that the ribbon edge (I think it's called a banded edge?) curls upward? I'm not sure if the upward curl has come from years of being stored in the curl position or if it was made this way. It's a bit stiff and I can bend it downward. I think it was shaped into a fedora shape when I got it. I must have changed the shape before I put it up at least 10 years ago.

 

I think you're right that this is the fedora's dressier sibling: the homburg. It would still be worn with a crease in the crown but the brim edge would be turned up all the way around.

P.S. - I've learned a lot from The Fedora Lounge and from researching the dozen or so hats that have passed through my hands. But I don't claim to be an expert!

 

Great, thank you so much! You've been such a help, and I really appreciate your expertise and your taking the time to respond.