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This is a particularly handsome example in a muted brown-gray felt with a wide olive-toned grosgrain ribbon, matching bound brim, and original wind trolley. The proportions are excellent: substantial crown, generous curled homburg brim, and the broad ribbon treatment that gives these earlier Stetsons such a strong period silhouette.
The interior retains an unusually nice collection of original details, including the Royal De Luxe Stetson crest liner, embossed Royal De Luxe Stetson leather sweatband, black Stetson size 7 keyhole tag, early red-and-white John B. Stetson Company factory reorder label, and period production/inspection markings beneath the sweat.
One of the more interesting features is the original retailer imprint:
Charles W. Elbow
246 Main Street
Paterson, New Jersey
Charles W. Elbow was a longtime Paterson haberdasher and men’s clothier. According to his 1958 New York Times obituary, he had been a haberdasher in Paterson for 60 years, founded the Charles W. Elbow Company at 240 Main Street, and in 1912 built a six-story building bearing his name on the site. He was also active in local civic life, serving as a director of Paterson General Hospital, the Paterson Rotary Club, and the Chamber of Commerce.
That original retailer imprint gives the hat unusually good local provenance and ties it directly to one of Paterson’s established menswear businesses of the first half of the 20th century.
The combination of the Royal De Luxe Stetson branding, elaborate crest liner, early factory label, keyhole size tag, and overall construction places this example firmly in the late-1940s.
The hat is tagged size 7. Please refer to the measurement photographs and compare them with a hat that fits you well, as vintage sizing can vary.
Condition:
Very nice vintage condition overall. The felt presents well and retains a strong shape, and the ribbon, brim binding, and wind trolley remain intact and attractive. The original leather sweatband is very supple. A few sections of the original stitching securing the sweatband have loosened with age, so a future owner may wish to have those areas lightly tacked back into place for complete security. Still, the hat remains very wearable as it currently is.
The original satin liner shows age spotting, foxing, and staining, all clearly visible in the photographs. There are additional minor signs of age and use consistent with a genuinely vintage hat. Please review all photos carefully, as they are part of the condition description.
A very appealing early Royal De Luxe Stetson with excellent proportions, beautiful period colors, a remarkably supple original sweatband, extensive factory details, and unusually interesting Charles W. Elbow / Paterson, New Jersey provenance.
Collector’s note: Although the shape is closely associated with Stetson’s famous St. Regis homburg, I have not found a visible St. Regis model designation on this particular hat, so I am identifying it conservatively as a Royal De Luxe Stetson homburg rather than assigning a model name that is not marked on the hat.
