Hattie Carnegie Labels: History and How to Date Them
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Hattie Carnegie (1889 to 1956) ran one of New York's leading fashion businesses from a 1909 hat shop to a full custom and ready-to-wear house. Her label spans 1909 to 1976, so the line (custom, ready-to-wear, Spectator Sports or accessories) matters as much as the name when dating a piece.
Company history
The Vintage Fashion Guild (VFG) records that Carnegie and her friend Rose Roth opened a small hat shop, "Carnegie, Ladies' Hatter", in 1909. In 1919 Carnegie bought out Roth to form Hattie Carnegie, Inc., and made her first buying trip to Paris, bringing back couture to sell and adapt. Everything was made to order until 1928, when she started a ready-to-wear line with Norman Norell as designer. In the Depression she added a cheaper line, Spectator Sports, whose dresses sold for about $40 in 1934. From the late 1930s her ready-to-wear, hats and accessories were sold in stores across the country.
Carnegie died in 1956. The business continued under her husband and then a former employee; the custom salon closed in 1965, jewellery, hats and accessories continued, and the business closed for good in 1976. Many later-famous designers worked in her workrooms without credit on the label, including Claire McCardell, James Galanos and Pauline Trigère.
Label timeline
| Label or clue | Approximate dates | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| "Carnegie, Ladies' Hatter" | 1909 to 1919 | The original hat shop |
| Hattie Carnegie, Inc. | From 1919 | The company under her sole ownership |
| Hattie Carnegie ready-to-wear | From 1928 | Not custom made |
| Spectator Sports | By 1934 | The lower-priced line |
| Custom salon pieces | Until 1965 | Custom work ended in 1965 |
| Jewellery, hats and accessories | To 1976 | Later production continued after the custom salon closed |
What it helps date
- Carnegie dresses and suits are listed among high-end American ready-to-wear in our 1940s and 1950s hubs.
- A Carnegie hat is better dated by its shape and any union or care label: see date by labels and union labels.
- Because a famous name gets faked, compare the label against dated examples: designer label fakes.
Values
The 1940s and 1950s hubs count 7 Hattie Carnegie lots at Augusta Auctions from $187 to $1,562, median $312. Prices are estimates as of 2026.
check sold prices for hattie carnegie vintage dress on eBay
Sources
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Guides that mention Hattie Carnegie
- 1940s Vintage Clothing: How to Date and Value ItDate and value 1940s clothing: L-85 and CC41 wartime rules, rayon and early nylon, side metal zippers, key labels, and 2026 price ranges.
- 1950s Vintage Clothing: How to Date and Value ItDate and value 1950s clothing: New Look to sack silhouettes, early synthetics, metal zippers, ILGWU and fibre labels, and 2026 price ranges.
Related
- How to Date Vintage Clothing by the LabelUse the laws, postcodes, fiber names and country names printed on a garment label to work out the earliest year it could have been made.
- How to Spot Fake Designer Labels on Vintage ClothingTell a genuine vintage designer piece from a counterfeit, licensed product or adaptation by checking the label, construction, fabric and history.
- Dating Vintage Clothing by ILGWU and Other Union LabelsHow to date American garments by their ILGWU, ACWA, NRA and Consumers' Protection labels, with a period-by-period chart and where the dates disagree.
- ACWA Union Labels: History and How to Date ThemDate men's suits, coats and shirts by the ACWA union label: the first label of 1916, the 1949 design with and without the registered mark, and ACTWU.