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

[Grizzly Adams]

Hey gang! After lurking for a few years, I've finally joined up! While perusing ebay, I found this interesting seller description of a Borsalino Rodolfo:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Borsalino-Rodolfo-Fedora-Hat-Borsalino-Challenge-/180934558222?pt=US_Hats&hash=item2a208a420e#ht_688wt_1396

Is what he says true? I can't imagine he's going to sell many hats with that attitude..

Oh, and I bought my first hat from Henry the Hatter in Detroit this past weekend. It's a Bailey crush straw hat in natural. I think this is the start of something wonderful!

Dave

What he really wants to sell you is a $2500, OBO, custom hat. He also sells cheap wool hats......RUN Forest, RUN!

 

[Thunderball]

$2500!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ultra-Custo...197?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a0d4b60b5

 

[Neophyte]

Hahaha, Gladhatter...I can't even laugh anymore, he's so pathetic.

He has listings like that all the time. I've tried to get a Borso off him many times a couple of years ago, yet for all his (transparent) self-promotion and trashing of other brands he still sets the reserve at practically market price. Especially doesn't help when he lists the size as "Junk" and I have to go searching through the pics.

Don't bother with him. He's a nut. Only the braindead would take his arguments seriously.

 

[Lord Henry]

Well, I picked these up a couple days ago. I think I got a decent deal on them, hopefully. I've spent enough time scouring this site and other internet resources trying to do research to see what a decent price range would be.

Let me know what you think, and if you have an idea of the real value/date of them, I would appreciate your input and opinions.

I looked all over and couldn't really find much information about this particular release of hats, but I did find that according to some of the members of this website that "Imperial" was supposed to be the top quality.

One of the boxes appears to have the original price of $60.00, so maybe that will help with the date estimate. I'm guessing 70's, but I'm very new to this and would like insight from someone more experienced than myself.

I found an ad from 1984 advertising Stetson Key Club hats for 50.00, so I'm going to guess that 60.00 is probably later 80's or maybe early 90's just in case anyone was curious about the dates on the Key Club hats unless there's a difference in quality, Imperial versus others.

Thanks.

 

[Neophyte]

That's a really cool liner! Congrats.

 

[Lord Henry]

Wow, someone just got this hat for $2.52 and it's supposedly really 40's vintage in excellent condition...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&_trksid=p4340.l2557&autorefresh=true&item=320949970087&nma=true&rt=nc&si=WZ4MrJG%252BqgPRKIuYG7PMkjRIXRU%253D&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

 

[dnjan]

plus $33 shipping ...

 

[Lord Henry]

Ah, didn't notice that.. lol.. Wasn't my color, but I liked the style a lot.

 

[bburtner@moran]

$14.95 for a Stetson Stratoliner!!MINT.

 

[gtdean48]

$14.95 for a Stetson Stratoliner!!MINT.

GREAT snag!!!

 

[bburtner@moran]

It was,need the box now...

 

[Landman]

$14.95 for a Stetson Stratoliner!!MINT.

I don't see the link or a picture. Could you post one. That sounds like a great buy!

 

[Nick D]

Listed as a bowler, but clearly a fedora with the crown open. Arrived like this:

I'll post a picture after it's been steamed and cleaned up. G.A. Dunn & Co., I think 1940s from the shape and tags though I could be wrong. Both the lining sticker and sweat have the 'G.A.', which I believe puts it earlier rather than later.

 

[KC Capellor]

Just arrived, listed as "Stetson Derby Hat" due to open crown, no mention of Open Road stamped on sweatband. Under $25! Silverbelly 3X with embroidered picture liner.

 

[gdc]

Beautiful.

 

[KC Capellor]

Thanks! Gave it a quick bash along the original crease lines and voila:

 

[randooch]

Nick D, nice save! Eager for "after" pics.

Nice grab on the 3X, KC. Gotta love those soft derbies. Looks mighty clean.

 

[Nick D]

Cleaned the Dunn up and reshaped it. Still a couple spots to smooth out, but all in all not bad.

Top sticker and sweatband. Both have the G.A. Paper size lable and a lable under the sweat.

The felt is a bit stiff but shapes well. Any thoughts on age?

 

[Garrett]

Likely late 40's-early 50's based on the sweatband and crest

 

[John Galt]

I guess we now know the answer to the question, "Who is John Galt". Shame on you for getting that ID before I did... Love it.

So far my interest in straw hats is tiny, I have seen a couple that were nice looking, but I'm concerned about them getting wet. New Orleans is essentially a "tropical" climate.

Thanks, I was surprised the handle was available.

As for having a well dressed head in a balmy climate, that's what Panamas are made for, no?

You might also try lightweight felt hats. I live in a pretty warm climate and have focused primarily on them as both collectable and practical to wear year round. Check out the "summer weight," "lighterweight," "featherweight." etc. hats made from before the 1930's but pretty popular in the 1950's. Lee Adventure, Champ Featherweight, Stetson Playboy, Knox Vagabond, etc. They are hard to find, but if your head size is common, everything comes up on eBay sooner or later. Speaking of that, did anybody even see that "buy it now" brown Whippet hat and Churchill hatbox ("ANTIQUE CHURCHILL HATS LTD BOX STETSON WHIPPET HAT ROYAL") that I immediately nabbed for $64 + S&H a couple of days ago? I'm still in shock, and waiting to see if it is as good as it looks. I am going to have to slow down a bit now that I've got almost all of my "bucket list" hats. Hope the wife doesn't sell them for peanuts when I go...

Back to topic, I treat the aforementioned Guthrie as my "beater" panama. I ran it under a faucet when it started smelling like campfire and again when it got dusty (after recent camping trips). Although I initially panicked when the paperish straw material turned translucent, it dried white and it has held up very well. It has made it easier to maintain the custom crease that I added. I probably wouldn't try this with a Montecristi Panama or an antique baku or parabuntal, but I'll bet that they would also hold up.

John