Ebay Hats: Victories, Defeats, Gripes & Items of Interest

[Lean'n'mean]

one man @Nathaniel Finley , one hat, no posessions, joins FL, replaces hat, gets a second, embraces idolatry as a novel if unoriginal excuse... Enjoy, looks well (-:

Indeed, the Lounge transforms us all into materialists.......welcome to the world of consumerism.

 

[Nathaniel Finley]

one man @Nathaniel Finley , one hat, no posessions, joins FL, replaces hat, gets a second, makes a list on t'internet, embraces idolatry as a novel if unoriginal excuse... Enjoy, looks well (-:

Not even Adam Smith bothered to explain why he left behind his explanations of 'sympathy' and 'resonable behaviour' in his Theory of Modern Sentiments and replaced them quik quak with an 'invisible hand' in his Wealth of Nations.

Interesting that over dinner I read this form Richard Rorty on "the pragmatist": "His (the pragmatic philosopher's) reply is that (this) might turn out to be an age in which the democratic community becomes the mistress, rather than the servant, of technical rationality."

I'd go further and hope the democratic community becomes the master of technical rationality, but I'll leave that aside.

However Karl, I submit to you, sir, that your search for explanations might be a service to technical rationality over the democratic community. I fail to see why I would submit my personal property to you for public scrutiny, and I certainly do not seek to investigate yours. The community of the Fedora Lounge as I have perceived it until this moment is one of mutual respect and encouragement - I certainly hope it remains so because it seems to me to be quite democratic in that way. Once we start demanding that our purchases be justified to each other we fall prey to some kind of rationality that undercuts our shared love for hats.

I don't intend to discuss this with you. I don't explain my lifestyle to my mother, why would I explain it to you?

I do, however, wish you the very best,
Nathan

 

[KarlCrow]

Well i thought i was encouraging, i enjoyed your list with a smile on my face, but, fair enough, have a nice day.

 

[Nathaniel Finley]

Well i thought i was encouraging, i enjoyed your list with a smile on my face, but, fair enough, have a nice day.

Sorry, it must be the stress of having two perfectly good hats in my possession. It's all fun and games now but in three weeks I'm off to India and I'll have to decide which one to take. I don't think it will be a hard choice (I need the bigger brim of the FED IV) but I do love this little guy already.

Argh! Is it truly idolatry? NOOOOOOOO......!!! Call it love, instead, please!!

 

[moontheloon]

2) It's vintage felt and I wanted to find out what the fuss is (having only owned Akubras until now).

I will post more photos on the Champ Hats thread if anybody is interested. This was my first eBay experience and I could not be happier!

looks great on you !!!

be careful not to judge what the "fuss" is about vintage felt solely on a hat that looks to be made in the 1960s or later ... the really great felt is on earlier hats

I for one would love to see more photos of this one ...

I love to see you branching out into fur felts beyond the realm of Akubra

 

[Nathaniel Finley]

looks great on you !!!

be careful not to judge what the "fuss" is about vintage felt solely on a hat that looks to be made in the 1960s or later ... the really great felt is on earlier hats

I for one would love to see more photos of this one ...

I love to see you branching out into fur felts beyond the realm of Akubra

Thanks for the encouragement Moon. Any further forays into the world of vintage hats wil have to wait until I have more stable living situation.

Thank you also for identifying the probable time period of this piece. One success of the purchase is that it seems to have awoken an interest in brimmed hats among my neighbors in the small community where I am currently located in Malayasia.

P.S., there are more photos of it in the Champ thread!

 

[Redfokker]

looks great on you !!!

be careful not to judge what the "fuss" is about vintage felt solely on a hat that looks to be made in the 1960s or later ... the really great felt is on earlier hats

I for one would love to see more photos of this one ...

I love to see you branching out into fur felts beyond the realm of Akubra

+1

 

[Redfokker]

I just recieved my first eBay vintage fedora, and I LOVE it! It came from a small thrift shop in Shelbyville, KY and it feels like a blessed hat.

I made this purchase for a few reasons:
1) It was less than 50 USD to purchase and ship to Malaysia.
2) It's vintage felt and I wanted to find out what the fuss is (having only owned Akubras until now).
3) It's got a wind trolley and I find them to be somehow aesthetically exciting.
4) I believe some clothing items belong to a person, and I was convinced when viewing this item that I belong to this hat (or is it vice versa?). The way it fits my head perfectly, the way the color is SO MUCH better than I expected, and the exceptional shape it is in certainly adds fuel to the fire of that belief.

I will post more photos on the Champ Hats thread if anybody is interested. This was my first eBay experience and I could not be happier!
View attachment 82414

View attachment 82418

I think this is a hat with character, worthy of a traveling spirit such as yourself.

 

[FedOregon]

I thought about grabbing that one, finally decided to hold off. Curious to know if I missed out on a nicely made lid or dodged a dead cat...

The hat arrived. I wouldn't say dead cat as the odor is not bad... but the quality of the felt reminds one of matted cat hair, or Akubra-like cardboard as my Coober Pedy had.

It was stored in a very dry place. The felt is dry, and the sweat cracked in no less than 10 places, some from edge to edge, when I tried the hat on. The seller boxed it up in a small plastic bag and an even smaller box, giving the poor hat a rather wonky brim in two spots. The hat looks like it took a serious rain soaking and then was thrown aside and forgotten, and if it truly was a size 7-3/8 at some point, well, it has shrunken up a bit. The felt may recover, but the sweat it toast.

I love the color, a medium brown, with a copper or rusty brown ribbon and bow, but this one isn't quite nice enough to pair with a suit or sports coat...

Worth the $41 plus $7.20 shipping? Probably not, and it's certainly no bargain. Add a brown beater to the collection. This Aristocrat is no Bourgeoisie!

 

[moehawk]

The hat arrived. I wouldn't say dead cat as the odor is not bad... but the quality of the felt reminds one of matted cat hair, or Akubra-like cardboard as my Coober Pedy had.

It was stored in a very dry place. The felt is dry, and the sweat cracked in no less than 10 places, some from edge to edge, when I tried the hat on. The seller boxed it up in a small plastic bag and an even smaller box, giving the poor hat a rather wonky brim in two spots. The hat looks like it took a serious rain soaking and then was thrown aside and forgotten, and if it truly was a size 7-3/8 at some point, well, it has shrunken up a bit. The felt may recover, but the sweat it toast.

I love the color, a medium brown, with a copper or rusty brown ribbon and bow, but this one isn't quite nice enough to pair with a suit or sports coat...

Worth the $41 plus $7.20 shipping? Probably not, and it's certainly no bargain. Add a brown beater to the collection. This Aristocrat is no Bourgeoisie!

Bummer. Sorry to hear it's not a diamond in the rough, so to speak. A good hat to use to practice a sweat replacement job...

 

[FedOregon]

Bummer. Sorry to hear it's not a diamond in the rough, so to speak. A good hat to use to practice a sweat replacement job...

I could use it for that and clean it up and give it to my daughter...

 

[Nathaniel Finley]

I think this is a hat with character, worthy of a traveling spirit such as yourself.

Thank you RF, I'm sure the hat is nothing special to serious collectors but I am thrilled that it fits and is in good condition. Okay, its condition is not "exceptional" as I originally stated but it is better than I expected when I bought it which is why I used that word. (I really had no idea what I was getting. I bought it because it was 14 USD - came to right at 50 USD with shipping to Malaysia.)

But, as you say, the important thing is that it very much suits my personality. All in all a happy purchase.

 

[Redfokker]

The hat arrived. I wouldn't say dead cat as the odor is not bad... but the quality of the felt reminds one of matted cat hair, or Akubra-like cardboard as my Coober Pedy had.

It was stored in a very dry place. The felt is dry, and the sweat cracked in no less than 10 places, some from edge to edge, when I tried the hat on. The seller boxed it up in a small plastic bag and an even smaller box, giving the poor hat a rather wonky brim in two spots. The hat looks like it took a serious rain soaking and then was thrown aside and forgotten, and if it truly was a size 7-3/8 at some point, well, it has shrunken up a bit. The felt may recover, but the sweat it toast.

I love the color, a medium brown, with a copper or rusty brown ribbon and bow, but this one isn't quite nice enough to pair with a suit or sports coat...

Worth the $41 plus $7.20 shipping? Probably not, and it's certainly no bargain. Add a brown beater to the collection. This Aristocrat is no Bourgeoisie!

Been there done that. How small is it, my new St. Regis is at least a size under.

 

[25B]

Got this on eBay last week...late 40's/early 50's Stetson Open Road 7X clear beaver...

Now I'm looking for a similar vintage 3X in 7 1/4...but I'll be content to wear this one for now.

 

[FedOregon]

Been there done that. How small is it, my new St. Regis is at least a size under.

Well, LOL, it fits better since the sweat cracked all to hell. It's a real tight 7-3/8 or 7-1/4. I got a partial refund from the seller... down to less than the opening bid of 29.99...

I might just follow @moehawk 's idea and use it as a test dummy to check my sewing skills to add a new sweat.

 

[Redfokker]

Well, LOL, it fits better since the sweat cracked all to hell. It's a real tight 7-3/8 or 7-1/4. I got a partial refund from the seller... down to less than the opening bid of 29.99...

I might just follow @moehawk 's idea and use it as a test dummy to check my sewing skills to add a new sweat.

I can't even see good enough to thread the needle. That is what I have Mike Miller for.

 

[moehawk]

I can't even see good enough to thread the needle. That is what I have Mike Miller for.

I hear you about threading needles...that's why I have to use the "self-threading" kind where you snap the thread in through the back if the eye.

 

[M Hatman]

Been there done that. How small is it, my new St. Regis is at least a size under.

Darn Red.......is that the cool St. Regis we talked you into pulling the rigger on???? That one looked great did the seller misstate the size? That is really a shame....
M
PS Perhaps you can list it here and at least get your money back out of it....it seem you got a pretty good deal on it....though not perhaps for its "new" size.....

 

[M Hatman]

Thank you RF, I'm sure the hat is nothing special to serious collectors but I am thrilled that it fits and is in good condition. Okay, its condition is not "exceptional" as I originally stated but it is better than I expected when I bought it which is why I used that word. (I really had no idea what I was getting. I bought it because it was 14 USD - came to right at 50 USD with shipping to Malaysia.) But, as you say, the important thing is that it very much suits my personality. All in all a happy purchase.

Well, the hat DOES look like a nice one......and some of the companies were still making very nice felt into the 60's.....especially on the open crown short brims.......I have a few that I would very much compare to the earlier felts....they typically are made by the independent hat shops though......however.....It seems SOME nice felt bodies were still around at some of the big stores as I have a FEW from the big guys that are quite remarkable.....I have an early 60's Marathon that is open crown short brim (2 1/8") and is VERY remarkable felt!!!! Takes whatever crease I wish to place in it!!!! It is one of my fun hats (along with a Churchill 20 of the same class) that I like to wear and manipulate the felt when I have nothing better to do...............
And as everyone has said, "it does look good on you"!!!!!!!!!!
Cheers and welcome to the Lounge!!!!!!
M

 

[Redfokker]

Darn Red.......is that the cool St. Regis we talked you into pulling the rigger on???? That one looked great did the seller misstate the size? That is really a shame....
M
PS Perhaps you can list it here and at least get your money back out of it....it seem you got a pretty good deal on it....though not perhaps for its "new" size.....

No, it is indeed a 7 1/4. I think it has shrunk due to "dry" storage over the years. It has brittle stitches on the sweat, some have popped loose while trying to stretch it on my head. It should be just right after I have Mike Miller bring it back to it's original size. I think it is quite old, the original store it came from closed in 1946.