"Ruth HATS" 30 ROCKEFELLER PLAZA SHOP 57?

TAMARA LYNN MYERS

TAMARA LYNN MYERS

Registered Guest
Just picked up this gorgeous fur hat clearly hand sewn... The label inside says Ruth hats 30 Rockefeller plaza New York shop 57
Can anyone shed any light on this I know that 30 Rockefeller plaza New York is NBC studios I can't get a hold of anyone there to shed any light on what shop 57 is was this a store that sold women's for hats or was this used in production? Anyone who can shed any light I would really appreciate it. Thanks

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A May 1952 article stated: “Miss Ruth Hats is a new millinery manufacturing firm formed by Ruth Weintraub. Miss Weintraub is best known for her work with the Millinery Merchandisers’ Executives Association as secretary. The firm is located at 711 Fifth Avenue. Popular-priced hats, currently in velvet and felt, priced at $4, $4.50, and $5 are featured by the firm…”
 
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Interesting. I have not seen any hats with this label, so it is great to see yours. It looks 1960s in style, although the label looks a bit older but Ruth could have used some of her old labels.

I suspect the "57" is the shop number, making it easier for someone to find the hat shop among the numerous shops located at the Plaza and Center. There were probably 100 or more shops located both in the underground shopping mall and a few above ground. It has been 20 years since I visited NYC so I am no longer familiar with who is there or if the underground mall still exists. They used to have little guide books and signs so you could find the shop you were looking for.
 
Rue_de_la_Paix said:
Interesting. I have not seen any hats with this label, so it is great to see yours. It looks 1960s in style, although the label looks a bit older but Ruth could have used some of her old labels.

I suspect the "57" is the shop number, making it easier for someone to find the hat shop among the numerous shops located at the Plaza and Center. There were probably 100 or more shops located both in the underground shopping mall and a few above ground. It has been 20 years since I visited NYC so I am no longer familiar with who is there or if the underground mall still exists. They used to have little guide books and signs so you could find the shop you were looking for.
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Rue_de_la_Paix said:
Interesting. I have not seen any hats with this label, so it is great to see yours. It looks 1960s in style, although the label looks a bit older but Ruth could have used some of her old labels.

I suspect the "57" is the shop number, making it easier for someone to find the hat shop among the numerous shops located at the Plaza and Center. There were probably 100 or more shops located both in the underground shopping mall and a few above ground. It has been 20 years since I visited NYC so I am no longer familiar with who is there or if the underground mall still exists. They used to have little guide books and signs so you could find the shop you were looking for.
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Wow.. thank you so much for this information I literally just picked it up at a Goodwill while I was out of town for $2 I specialize in high-end luxury designer women's clothing but often am intrigued by vintage finds but definitely not my expertise so I really appreciate everybody's input I'm very impressed by this website I just joined specifically to find answers for this item I really appreciate everyone's help
 
Is there a resale market for this type of item?... What platform would you think would be best to list it on if I were to consider consigning it or selling it? Etsy? Again this isn't my expertise vintage fur but interested to know what the resale value is if any or I may just keep it for myself and pass it down generation to generation
 
There is always a market but that doesn't mean the market is in town or if it is buyers looking.

Your item is competing against many sorts, the label may help as will your pricing and its vintage.

Etsy is one place but they have become so convoluted to use, Vinted might be another as is eBay.:)
 
Rue_de_la_Paix said:
Interesting. I have not seen any hats with this label, so it is great to see yours. It looks 1960s in style, although the label looks a bit older but Ruth could have used some of her old labels.

I suspect the "57" is the shop number, making it easier for someone to find the hat shop among the numerous shops located at the Plaza and Center. There were probably 100 or more shops located both in the underground shopping mall and a few above ground. It has been 20 years since I visited NYC so I am no longer familiar with who is there or if the underground mall still exists. They used to have little guide books and signs so you could find the shop you were looking for.
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I have googled and researched shop 57 over and over again I even went as far as trying to get a hold of Rockefeller plaza by phone to see if they had any information on what kind of place or what was conducted in shop 57 but no luck :-( do you know if it was all retail? At least back then is Rockefeller plaza just retail because I did have a small lead researching that shot 57 could have been a stage then recently interesting enough the same started pulling and inside the lining was a woman's first and last name so I was wondering if possibly this was an actress hat and this was a prop??? What are your thoughts? Thank you
 
I totally agree with Barbara. I very rarely purchase 50s and 60s fur hats anymore as they just don't seem to sell unless you are almost giving them away. And, it's just frankly not worth the time and effort you put into listing them. Once in a while I will buy a fox fur hat to resell, but very seldom do I purchase mink hats at all. There just doesn't seem to be a market for them. As Barbara also noted, if a fur hat is made under an especially famous maker's label, that can sometimes influence the purchase of a fur hat. Sorry to be so pessimistic about selling fur hats, but that's my personal experience with the market for them at this time.
 
TAMARA LYNN MYERS said:
Just picked up this gorgeous fur hat clearly hand sewn... The label inside says Ruth hats 30 Rockefeller plaza New York shop 57
Can anyone shed any light on this I know that 30 Rockefeller plaza New York is NBC studios I can't get a hold of anyone there to shed any light on what shop 57 is was this a store that sold women's for hats or was this used in production? Anyone who can shed any light I would really appreciate it. Thanks
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I similarly found this Ruth Hats gem and hope to sell it on ebay. Did you ever sell yours, and where?
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Suzaan said:
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30 Rock is one address in Rockefeller Center. I used to work in SEVERAL offices in the building... there are like 70 floors. There are many stores in the concourse level where the elevators are as well as below that level. Ruth's was probably located on one of those level, I would guess the one below the elevator bank.

That said, I would not think that this was used for NBC productions but rather was from a retail shop.
 
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