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

[Brad Bowers]

Did anyone here win this Dobbs top hat?

What's important about this one is that it dates to the first years of Dobbs production, somewhere between late-1908 and late-1914, making it the earliest confirmed Dobbs I've seen.

The size is up in the air until the buyer receives it, though.lol

I hope someone here won it, so we can see the details more thoroughly.

Brad

 

[Mario]

That will fit nicely with your wardrobe and the rest of your hats! Congrats!

Sue

Thanks! Did you by any chance bid on this one?

 

[billysmom]

Thanks! Did you by any chance bid on this one?

I suspect that Garrett is provoking bidding wars.

Sue

 

[Garrett]

I suspect that Garrett is provoking bidding wars.

Sue

Only on the ones I dont want

 

[Mario]

Only on the ones I dont want

Ah...I'm beginning to see through your strategy...

 

[rlk]

Resistol Beaver 125

Must be worn backwards. 125 has to be even better than 100

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...PageName=ADME:B:EOIBSA:US:1123#ht_4518wt_1167

 

[Dreispitz]

Top Hat

Looks like a fine Henry Heath Topper! Hope, it will fit, though.

 

[billysmom]

Must be worn backwards. 125 has to be even better than 100

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...PageName=ADME:B:EOIBSA:US:1123#ht_4518wt_1167

lol lol lol

Sue

 

[billysmom]

Dobbs Homburg

My fourth brown Homburg. I keep telling my husband that there are important differences that make each a treasure. He remains skeptical.

Sue

 

[rlk]

Adam Boater

http://cgi.ebay.com/Straw-Hat-1800-..._s_Clothing?hash=item4cec6d60eb#ht_500wt_1182

 

[billysmom]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Straw-Hat-1800-..._s_Clothing?hash=item4cec6d60eb#ht_500wt_1182

Very nice, rlk!

Sue

 

[billysmom]

Crofut & Knapp Derby

The seller claims it's in good shape.

Sue

 

[Garrett]

Sue, that's dynamite! :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[ScottF]

VEB Luckenwalder Hutfabrik

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...285220&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT#ht_720wt_1167

I knew your snipe would be higher than mine, so I turned off my computer and tried to forget about the existence of this hat!

Nice one - glad it really was you who won it.

 

[ScottF]

Boss of the Plains?

I know this hat is old, but it obviously had a crease similar to what you would find in a campaign hat, and the brim is stiff. The seller didn't want to discuss the color, etc.

Thoughts?

Boss of the Plains?

 

[Dinerman]

I know this hat is old, but it obviously had a crease similar to what you would find in a campaign hat, and the brim is stiff. The seller didn't want to discuss the color, etc.

Thoughts?

Boss of the Plains?

Looking at his other ('60s and '70s) westerns, with nearly matching ones, I'd say the band is not original to the hat. Maybe vintage, maybe of relatively recent make, but probably not put on by the original owner. Is the hat a pre- '40s western? Yes. It doesn't have the holes found on campaign hats, though stylistically they're nearly identical. I'd say it's closer to '30s than to 1890s, but the style would have been found in the 1890s period.
Did the band and (lack of) crease drive the price up? Almost certainly.

Perceived authenticity seems to be a much greater factor in the value of these old westerns than actual authenticity is. A gus crease will get you more money than a telescope. A fancy band will get you more than a plain one.

Look at this seller's other auctions at the moment. They're not misrepresented, they're listed as newer hats made up for movies, but they give buyers what they want to see. '70s hats redone in a caricature of a Hollywood interpretation of old-west style. 7" crowns, 5" brims, fancy bands and a lot of dirt. What would be a $20 (maybe) hat with serious sweatband issues and staining is currently at $172 with a day left on the clock.

Here's one of mine, dated to 1933-35. Stylistically almost identical. Mine also had creases, but is currently in a boss of the plains style. When I got it, it had a deep cattleman's crease which left no room for a head. There's also evidence of shallow campaign-style creases, but it's impossible to tell what was original. I steamed it to open crown.

But look what a difference that band makes.

 

[ScottF]

I just won this vintage Stetson Sovereign with Mode Edge in light gray. Looking good!

Thanks to Garrett for the tip!!!

​

Mario - that's a great-looking hat. I picked up one in my size recently that's almost identical:

Stetson Mode Edge Sovereign

 

[feltfan]

Look at this seller's other auctions at the moment. They're not misrepresented, they're listed as newer hats made up for movies, but they give buyers what they want to see. '70s hats redone in a caricature of a Hollywood interpretation of old-west style.

But look what a difference that band makes.

Unless someone sewed in a vintage sweatband, that's not
a newer hat made up for a movie. Pretty cool buckle on that
band, too. It does appear to me somehow older than your hat.

But yeah, I'd want more bona fides and perhaps fewer moth bites
for that money. For the look, it'd be easier to get a ranger hat from
a bit later.

 

[m000m000]

Mario - that's a great-looking hat. I picked up one in my size recently that's almost identical:

Stetson Mode Edge Sovereign

That sure was a steal at that price, congrats.

 

[Garrett]

Just won this long hair

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...88&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&autorefresh=true