In other words, fellas, you're looking at a beautiful pre-war hat from the most legendary name in American hat-making.  These days, I know the term "standard" usually suggests something that's "normal" or "typical," but the word had a different connotation back when Stetson produced this fine hat.  Stetson's "Standard Quality" designation was meant to suggest "Standard of Excellence" or "Sets the Standard."  In fact, Stetson's "Standard Quality" hats were near the top of the company's price/quality hierarchy.  A Stetson Standard lid was a mighty pricey item way-back-when and you'll understand why that was the case the moment you lay a finger on the brim of this beautifully fashioned homburg.  It has been decades since any hat company or individual hatter had the ability to produce hats featuring this level of construction quality---the materials, economic incentive, and know-how are, sadly, long-gone.

It's also worth noting this particular Stetson Standard Quality homburg was produced especially for the long-gone Gimbel Brothers chain of department stores. Back in the 30s, the influential Gimbels chain represented a key account for Stetson; the hat-maker took pains to ensure the shelves in every Gimbel Brothers hat department would be lined with some of Stetson's best products. Stetson even went to the trouble to fashion custom hat liners bearing the Gimbel Brothers name, as you can see in the pics.

That custom liner makes this fantastic Stetson both a remarkable piece of "hat history" and a potent reminder of a bygone era in American retailing. Of course, a sense of history is all well & good, but the truly great thing about vintage hats is they don't have to be mere museum pieces---lovely lids like this Stetson definitely qualify as "wearable history!"  Moreover, I've seldom seen a vintage hat that was more deserving of being worn than this magnificent Stetson.  This hat is around 80 years old, yet it seems barely touched by the passing of the years.  Better still, this lid is blocked in a hard-to-find larger size!  If you've been looking for a classic homburg to top off your outfits with a little timeless elegance when you step out this winter, I dare say you won't do better than this wonderful Stetson Standard.  Read on for all the pertinent specs & condition details:

Size & Dimensions:  Factory data tag attached to the felt behind the sweatband lists the size as 7 1/2 (see last pic). I measure the internal circumference (hard to do with absolute accuracy) as around 23 1/4" or so. This heavenly homburg is too big for my size 7 1/4 noggin, so I guess I'm going to have to pass it along to a gent with a slightly larger cranium than my own.

Brim measures a little over 2" wide out to the curl. Grosgrain ribbon adorning the crown is 2 1/8" wide. Crown as creased is 5 1/2" tall.  Open crown height is just about 5 3/4" tall. Brown leather sweatband is generously wide at 2".

Condition:  Excellent.  This Stetson definitely sets a mighty high "Standard!"  The fur felt finish is wonderfully smooth, buttery soft, and downright rich to the touch. In the photo array, you'll note I show the crown with just a simple center dent in some pics, and with front pinches added in others (I think the hat looks great both ways).  When I wanted to add the pinches, I just reached forward (with the camera still in my other hand) and...pinched!  A lot of hats require water or steam when you want to alter the crease, but you can change the crease on this Stetson with nothing more than a deft flick of your fingers!  Although the felt is quite soft, it nevertheless seems both dense & substantial at the same time: that's an indication of "densely felted" fur fibers, which lend a hat body both softness & durability.  The time-consuming methods necessary to create a hat body with these characteristics simply aren't in use anymore---they would prove prohibitively expensive for modern manufacturers.  Frankly, you'd be hard-pressed to find any hat produced in the post-war era that exhibits the distinctive texture--or "hand"--of this 1930s Stetson Standard.  When it comes to fur felt hats, they genuinely "don't make `em like they used to"---and it has been many decades since they made `em that way.

The felt itself is in marvelous shape.  The gent who originally purchased this Stetson homburg must have worn it sparingly.  The brim, crown, and trimmings are clean---I can find no significant signs of wear or handling.  No stains, blemishes, or indications of insect activity. At this late date, one seldom finds an 80-year-old hat looking as nice as this Stetson!

The felt is rendered in a lovely shade, of deep, rich, inky black.  Grosgrain trimmings match the felt.  This black has a great deal of "depth" to it, if you will---that depth, along with this hat's beautifully crafted ribbon treatment & brim binding, combine to make this homburg the very epitome of stately elegance.  If you've had the urge to add a dollop of gravitas to your appearance, this homburg will give you gravitas to spare!

Unfortunately, black felt can be extremely difficult to photograph---especially for an amateur shutterbug like me.  If some of the photos look a tad washed out on your screen, I'd say the pics of the hat's underside should offer the best representation of the felt's inky blackness. Please bear in mind monitors & screens are all calibrated somewhat differently, so I can't be certain how accurately the colors are reproduced on your device.

Inside the hat, that comfortably wide leather sweatband is still soft & flexible; it exhibits nothing more than a little mild wear. Stitching is tight. Speaking of stitching, do note the impressive number of closely spaced stitches securing the leather to the reed: there are probably 2 to 3 times as many stitches here than you would find in a modern hat's sweatband fitment.  They built things to last back then, didn't they?

In the close-up pics of the sweatband, you can see there's a little dab of verdigris around the metal joint at the back of the hat connecting the two ends of the sweatband reed---commonly seen in hats from this era. Naturally, that won't affect wear.   The Gimbel Brothers insignia is deeply impressed in the leather & filled in with gold ink.

The satin liner exhibits some age-related discoloration & a smudge here 'n there, but it's in good shape otherwise. The Stetson Standard Quality crest printed just above the Gimbel Brothers name still looks crisp.

As you can see, this fabulous Stetson Standard has a wonderfully refined look.  What's more, it's fashioned & finished in a manner that's simply impossible to duplicate today.  All the same, this Stetson is just too marvelous to languish on a shelf like a museum piece---I'm hoping the winning bidder will wear it out `n about with great relish! I know the amount I'm asking for this fine vintage hat will seem a bit dear to some of you, but do bear in mind the extraordinary rarity of large-size hats from this era---examples in good condition seldom show up these days. Moreover, this splendid Stetson ranks among the best that era's hat-makers had to offer. If you're truly fond of vintage felt hats, I have no doubt you'll find this wonderful hat well worth the investment.  I'll be happy to answer any questions you may have. Thanks for reading!

I describe these items to the best of my ability; unless I've made a demonstrable error in my description, all sales are final.  Having said that, I will also stipulate that I will do everything within reason to ensure our transaction is a pleasant one.  If you have any questions or concerns, don't hesitate to contact me; I will respond promptly and do what is necessary to resolve the matter to our mutual satisfaction.  Shipping includes delivery confirmation & insurance.  International bidders: I handle overseas shipping on a case-by-case basis.  If you live outside the US, please contact me before purchasing.