Champ Featherweight Has Narrow Escape!

[Florida_Marlin]

I just obtained my first fur felt fedora, a vintage champ featherweight in metal tan. But as Yogi said, "It ain't over 'till it's over"..It's very true. It was almost the first fur felt fedora that I "bought" but didn't get!

I was shipped USmail, with brown kraft wrapping around it's original box. Well, the package was mashed and punctured. The box was destroyed. Amazingly, the hat survuved. No moth bites, like new. And, it sure is a good looking hat! It fits perfectly, and the felt will sure spoil a fellow. WoW!! See pictures,attached. Regards, F_M

 

[MattJH]

I've been looking for one of these for a while now. I know a Lounger has one in my 7 5/8 or 7 3/4 size, but I can't remember who it was. If you're reading this, PM me.

 

[thunderw21]

Wow, what a close call. I always worry about things getting mashed in the mail, I think this example justifies it!

It's quite a hat, too.

Not to take away from the thread but rather to add to it, I recently picked up a hat exactly like yours, though not as nice. Gray Champ Featherweight.

As you said, the felt is nice and they look great.

Enjoy the hat you almost didn't get!

 

[Feraud]

The USPS stinks! Nice hat.

 

[Florida_Marlin]

Can't PM Yet

Dumbjaw,
I can't PM yet, don't have enough posts. I'm working on it though, this will be 9. F_M

 

[Florida_Marlin]

Nice hat Thunder

Nice hat. The metal tan, though a tan, looks a littly gray in certain light. That gray one sure looks nice. I'm sure enjoying mine. F_M

 

[BegintheBeguine]

Nice hat.

Why didn't the seller put the box in a proper carton? Plenty of good sturdy boxes available for the asking at the local public library. I'm glad your nice hat survived if barely.

 

[Craig Robertson]

Nice hat. I have one like it that I have worn for years. I did, however, change the ribbon. It's a very comfortable hat.

 

[J. M. Stovall]

That's too bad about the box, but the seller really should have put it in another box. 40 year old cardboard is not the best shipping container.

 

[dhermann1]

I believe Panama Bob had a customer who complained that he didn't get a proper hat box with his hat. Bob rightly pointed out that the box it came in should qualify. Bob, and people who know what they're doing, send hats in solid corrugated boxes that have a little rigidity. Says a lot about the hat that it came through unscathed.

 

[J.T.Marcus]

The USPS stinks! Nice hat.

Strangely, I've always gotten much better service out of them than I have from the other guys.

 

[MattJH]

Dumbjaw,
I can't PM yet, don't have enough posts. I'm working on it though, this will be 9. F_M

Great! Keep posting.

 

[ScionPI2005]

Wow! That's a nice hat! Glad it survived the adventure that is shipping.

 

[Florida_Marlin]

I emailed the seller some photos of the package, and step by step as I unpacked. I sent them in a courteous note, with the intent to allow the shipper to learn from this shipping experience. I know I learned. Next time I buy any hat that will be shipped, I will be more diligent to insure that it gets shipped properly.

 

[MPicciotto]

Glad it came through safely. As an ebayer myself I would have shipped that hat in it's original box with that box wrapped in bubble wrap or supported by shredded paper in a larger corrugated cardboard box.

Matt

 

[shortbow]

Hey, nice hat and interesting coincidence. I have the same hat, NOS, in the mail. Hope mine fares better in transit than yours. Glad you got a good one.

 

[Florida_Marlin]

Hat Box Insert

This was the hat box insert that saved the day. It gave up its life to save the hat. I guess I need to have it bronzed!

From the comments in this thread, there seems to be alot of Champ FW's out there. Well, I'm going to Tallahasse this morning, and I'm wearing mine.
Regards, F_M

 

[John in Covina]

Sweet lookin lid! Glad it made it!

 

[AlanC]

Good grief! :eusa_doh:

Glad to see the USPS continues its kid glove treatment. Great hat!

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

Hey Marlin,

I saw this hat in the other thread and commented there. I'd like to see pics of the inside crown and sweatband to compare to a similar Champ I have. Mine is certainly lightweight felt but has no liner and no mention of "Featherweight" on the sweatband so I'm curious. My hat looks like a ringer for this same style but yours looks to be in better overall shape. Congrats!