Dobbs Treasure Discovery

[MK]

This never happens to me. I walked into a vintage store and found the cleanest Dobbs I have ever seen. At first I thought it was dead stock. It looked brand new! The only clue that it had been ever purchased was the initials W.J.T. punched into the prestine sweatband. The guy must have bought it, wore once or twice then stuck it back in the box. I thought there is no chance that this is my size. I looked under the sweatband and read 7 1/4. I put it on my head. It was a perfect fit. Done deal.

After spending some time looking in the mirror. I have decided the brim is a little bigger than I care for these days. It is 2 5/8 and although I used to wear 2 7/8 back in my Indy days I prefer 2 1/2 or so now.

So I find myself wondering if I am crazy....but I am putting it on the bay so that I can use the funds for some other things. I may regret this one day.

 

[warbird]

What a beauty. Awesome find MK, good for you.

Sell it here. many of us would be interested

 

[Garrett]

Great lid/story Mike. Bummer to let it go though. Where'd you find it?

 

[ScionPI2005]

It's a great experience when you find a nice hat in an antique store and it turns out to be your size. I had that same experience this summer with a Pilgrim fedora. Once you put a hat on that you find and learn its a perfect fit, its hard to just walk away.

Great find MK! You should post a pic with it on!

 

[gtdean48]

That condition, style & color, unless I had 1 exactly like it, 1/8" would not even phase me but at 7 1/2 long oval I have problem with vintage fittings. Put it in Classifieds here first as suggested... gtd

 

[suitedcboy]

KEEP IT! Your tastes might shift back to wider brim and you'd not find one this nice if that were to occur.

 

[RBH]

You need to keep that one.

 

[animator]

That's a beautiful hat! I'd keep it... but if you let it go, whoever buys it will sure be happy.

 

[jimmy the lid]

MK -- That lid is the spittin' image of this Blue Dobbs 20. In fact, I am wearing it today. I think you may want to reconsider giving it up -- it's a uniquely beautiful lid...

Cheers,
JtL

 

[duggap]

MK, keep the lid. There just isn't that much difference between 2 & 5/8 versus 2 & 1/2. Wear it a few times and it will feel and look just right. You never know, but your luck may never run that good again.[huh]

 

[Widebrim]

Tough Decision

The choice is yours, Michael, but it is a beautiful hat. I know what you mean about changing brim width, but there isn't much difference between the brim on this Dobbs and what you are looking for. I recently found a near-mint Borsalino Allesandria at the Goodwill ($2.95 ), and despite the brim being larger than what I normally wear, I bought it and have discovered that it suits my head and face very well (see avatar). In the long-run, you have to be comfortable with what you wear.

 

[Lefty]

The debate seems to be over, as the hat's now going for at least $150 - currently to a Lounger, I believe. For a 7 1/4, that's already pretty big money.

 

[Dewhurst]

Wow, a great looking fedora! I know I would have kept it, but that is just me and I have a tendency to keep all of my hats, even the ones I don't wear anymore.

Someone is going to be happy with that hat.

 

[gtdean48]

Financing other hat acquisitions...

I understand MK's motive as I am adjusting my assortment = selling some too small western hats & some I seldom wear. My brother-in-law got a nice Scala crushable as a bonus Christmas present just because his hat size is the same. My brother lucked out due to a smaller mellon... gtd

 

[jonbuilder]

Item no longer available

GIC
No offence intended, but i know your crazy to sell this hat short of an offer you can’t refuse.

 

[JohnnyB53]

That is an amazing hat! When you think about it, fedoras from the stingy brim era would be about 50 years old, so something with a nice 2-5/8" brim would be more like 60 to even 70 years old. Even when you find a virtually unworn hat from this era, many of them have moth bites and discoloration of the ribbons. This one is pristine.

I'm a wide brim kind of guy myself, but if I found a stingy brim from the '50s in this condition, I'd still have trouble getting rid of it. I'd find some reason to wear it.

 

[BlindeMan]

MK, I'm going to be moving to the Portland/Vancouver area in the next few months - you have got to tell me where you are finding gems like this! Of course, I'd understand if you want to keep that kind of information to yourself.

 

[DOUGLAS]

Beautiful MK, PM me if you want to sell.

 

[Andykev]

SWAP

MK I have a "Two to One" swap for you.....call or PM. I have 30 vintage hats...which I am paring down....you want a new 1940 Stetson 7 1/4? Same color...and I have several Optimo's to sweeten. PM

 

[metropd]

ON THE HUNT

BACK OFF, THIS IS MY HAT!!!