Hi,
I do not know of an on-line reference that shows the exact range of years that each designation of label was used for Mr. John, other than the company's own records. There were about 12 different labels used for Mr John hats, and while the label resource shows a few, I would not recommend dating your hats from that resource alone. Some of the Mr. John labels look the same on a hat from the 1960's and the 1970's. So look for other clues such as style and materials and workmanship. Also, when I managed a hat shop back in the mid 1990s', Mr John hats were not only still being made, but were very popular. And the labels looked very much like the label on your hat, as well as the labels in the resource from the 1970's. The salon was closed, John was no longer designing and even after he passed away, I believe the label lived on after being purchased by a large, mass produced hat manufacturer. I get a late 1980s or early 1990s feel from your hat, but the label looks a bit earlier. That style was revived in the 1990s and the materials used look 1990s also, like the showy church lady hats. So, while I really cannot date it accurately, it has both 1970's and 1990s elements. I don't think the exact date affects the value too much on Mr. John hats, unless they are his early work or something particularly outstanding. While I recognize his talent, and he was quite the showman, I myself am not a fan of most his hats, but I seem to be alone on that opinion.
