Borsalino for $51; Deal or a Dud?

[PutALidOnIt]

Just won this one on eBay. Whaddya think???

I have been tracking newer and vintage Borsalinos on eBay for several months, and anything under $100 seems to be the exception rather than the rule. So I was actually surprised when I won this one. Being the gambler that I am when it comes to bidding on lids, is there some reason that I should not have bid $51 for this Borsalino??? I know it's not 'really vintage', but did I miss something here?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8369587921&rd=1&sspagename=STRK:MEWN:IT&rd=1

I guess the proof is what it looks like (and feels like!) when it arrives.

 

[photobyalan]

Seems perfectly reasonable to me.

Looks like you got a nice hat at a better price than you could possibly buy a new Borsalino, or even a new Stetson or Akubra.

Stop worrying and enjoy your hat!

 

[PutALidOnIt]

Thanks, photobyalan - no worries here!

I was more concerned that one of our more knowledgable aficionados (yourself included) would have an answer like, "oh, that's one of those Dorfman-Pacific imports from Jambalaysia, back when they bought the rights to the Borsalino name from '88 to '92 - what a rip!"... or something like that!

As I mentioned, I was genuinely surprised that it didn't get sniped in the last 5 seconds. But, that's why I have been going the 7 1/8 route lately. 7 1/4's and 7 3/8's have been really escalating in price, so I will gladly pay half and stretch 'em 1 size...

I wouldn't be paranoid if everybody weren't against me....

 

[tonyb]

You stole that lid, Lid. Back before I knew better, I paid four and five times as much for brand new (but lesser) Borsalinos of a similar style as yours. Your "new" hat is a bit misshapen, but that's easy enough to deal with. And stretching it up a size or two shouldn't present a problem either. If you want to keep the original sweatband (and not split it), well, there are ways to do that, too.

 

[Art Fawcett]

Mr Lidman you have a deal!!! ( if it fits) this IS what she thinks it is with that liner. It is definitely old. 50's may be wrong,,,40s is more like it.
Congrats!!

 

[PutALidOnIt]

Thanks, Art and tonyb!

I feel even better about the lid knowing it is at least pre-70's. I know it comes up from time to time, but I have seen quite a few different Borso labels and am still not hip to which ones indicate which eras. I have seen a few with the "AVGVSTA" logos, and if the logo is any indication, I presume they were upper-line lids.

Slightly off thread - anyone have an era-bracket for the "stirrup 'O'" logo Resistols?
The hats:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a327/surfnjoe/Resistol1A.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a327/surfnjoe/Resistol2A.jpg
Logos:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a327/surfnjoe/Resistol1B.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a327/surfnjoe/Resistol2B.jpg

Thanks again for all the great info, guys!:cheers1:

 

[MattC]

Only the liner pic is still up

But it is definitely not modern. Looks to me like you got a real vintage hat

 

[Twitch]

A quick scan of the web will produce modern hats at modern prices so in comparison something vintage for about $50 is great.

 

[PutALidOnIt]

Well, other than a couple of Panamabob's hats, I have yet to buy any new ones. I would rather have 3 vintage lids than one mediocre new one for any given $100. But it appears that any Borso under $100 is a deal.

Since my first ever fedora purchase was a lot of 3 Borsalinos at a thrift for $25, I guess I'm spoiled. This one was just a lucky shot! I haven't bought a vintage 7 1/8 that I couldn't fit by gentle progressive stretching - hey, don't youse other 1/4 guys get any big ideas!!!