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

zetwal

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,343
Location
Texas
Summer is a bad time to sell felt. I have several hats that I intend to sell, but won't bother putting them up until October of late Sept.

My observation is that felt hats seem to be selling just fine. Those that are in demand anyway. But isn't that always the case?
 

bowlerman

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,294
Location
South Dakota
$(KGrHqQOKjYE3R-LyrDrBN-mdqlQdw~~_12.JPG

That is fantastic!
 

barrowjh

One Too Many
Messages
1,398
Location
Maryville Tennessee
Dan, Tom, thanks for the compliment on the hat. I did not know it was a current production hat when I bid on it, and after seeing it in on-line catalogs, the back brim is supposed to be worn down (aussie style) instead of up. I had more trouble trying to make that back brim curl up correctly (lol) than any other hat ever! Oh well, still, I am pleasantly surprised by the felt quality, IMHO, it is about right for a basic rabbit fur felt, and is not full of stiffener as I expected it would be. I'm not too impressed with the sweatband, are these some sort of composite plastic/leather? The sweatband is in great condition, so there are no problems with it, but it just does not feel like a real leather sweatband. The crown tapers a little more than I prefer, but I can live with it. I expect I will give it to a relative, not a keeper. I'm still looking forward to a similar light sage color felt 'BH Cutter' that Mike will eventually make for me.
 

Terry "The Hat"

Practically Family
Messages
543
Location
East Central Illinois
Dan, Tom, thanks for the compliment on the hat. I did not know it was a current production hat when I bid on it, and after seeing it in on-line catalogs, the back brim is supposed to be worn down (aussie style) instead of up. I had more trouble trying to make that back brim curl up correctly (lol) than any other hat ever! Oh well, still, I am pleasantly surprised by the felt quality, IMHO, it is about right for a basic rabbit fur felt, and is not full of stiffener as I expected it would be. I'm not too impressed with the sweatband, are these some sort of composite plastic/leather? The sweatband is in great condition, so there are no problems with it, but it just does not feel like a real leather sweatband. The crown tapers a little more than I prefer, but I can live with it. I expect I will give it to a relative, not a keeper. I'm still looking forward to a similar light sage color felt 'BH Cutter' that Mike will eventually make for me.

I've got the exact same hat but I've curled up the back and put in a different bash just like you did. Mine however is just a little over a year old and the felt is like cardboard. I agree that the sweatband is inferior to most of the older felts or even a new Akubra (which feels wonderful). It is a great looking hat though.
 

HatsEnough

Banned
Messages
1,142
Location
Cincinnati, Ohio
It is, indeed, a synthetic sweatband. One of the many reasons I prefer hats made before 1960. Also, I notice that most every crown Stetson makes these days is heavily tapered.
 

barrowjh

One Too Many
Messages
1,398
Location
Maryville Tennessee
thanks for the info, Terry1955 & HatsEnough. Terry, we may be talking about the same quality of felt, but precise definitions (semantics) make it different. I'm not saying the felt is as supple as 1950s, but it is not hard cardboard, and that was impressive enough, as there was a presumption (in my mind, anyway) that HatCo felts (and most all modern factory hats) were hard-stiff. Maybe if your home in Illinois is not too far from Covington, TN, we can directly compare our weekenders at the next fedorafest, though I doubt this would be high on our agendas.
 

Terry "The Hat"

Practically Family
Messages
543
Location
East Central Illinois
Compared to my two year old Akubra Campdraft it is very stiff but it is wearable and I was able to steam it and shape it like I wanted it. I was new into the fedoras when I purchased it and would have gone a different route if I had to do it over again. Unlike your deal, I paid the full price for mine. I am much more careful now and I've learned a lot here on the forum. I won't waste my money on anything that I don't really want (not that you did, that is a nice hat). I'm saving up for the Holy Grail List (Stratoliner, Playboy and Whippet) to complete my collection (like that ever happens)! I figure I'm looking at a lot of time and about a grand to make it happen with a size 7 5/8 head. I plan on buying the Strat that the guys here are working on with Buckaroo and Stetson.
 
Last edited:

barrowjh

One Too Many
Messages
1,398
Location
Maryville Tennessee
Terry, don't fall for the Playboy and Whippet. If you ever find one in your size, in good shape, and on the cheap, well why not - but keep in mind they were lower-shelf rabbit-fur hats when they were new. The playboy was intended as a cheap entry-level hat for young men, and the Whippet was a 'Royal' quality also, for every-day wear. If you could buy a Royal Deluxe, or better yet a Sovereign quality felt that was the same dimensions and color as a Whippet, why buy the Whippet just for the name? Especially in your size - much better to commission a new hat (in at least a beaver blend!) in a copy of those styles if you really want it. With Mike Moore or Art Fawcett (or Falcon Park, or . . .) you will have a much better quality hat, new, and built to fit you.
 

Terry "The Hat"

Practically Family
Messages
543
Location
East Central Illinois
Terry, don't fall for the Playboy and Whippet. If you ever find one in your size, in good shape, and on the cheap, well why not - but keep in mind they were lower-shelf rabbit-fur hats when they were new. The playboy was intended as a cheap entry-level hat for young men, and the Whippet was a 'Royal' quality also, for every-day wear. If you could buy a Royal Deluxe, or better yet a Sovereign quality felt that was the same dimensions and color as a Whippet, why buy the Whippet just for the name? Especially in your size - much better to commission a new hat (in at least a beaver blend!) in a copy of those styles if you really want it. With Mike Moore or Art Fawcett (or Falcon Park, or . . .) you will have a much better quality hat, new, and built to fit you.

I understand where you are coming from and I plan on one of the new Strats but I'm stuck on the Whippet and Playboy if I can find the one I'm looking for. I'm not gonna jump unless I'm sure. I let a beautiful Choc Brown Strat go on Ebay (mint condition 7 5/8 LO) because it was not the color I wanted. Even the cheaper hats from the past have a better felt than most of the newer hats I've seen. I'm a "Vintage" kinda guy. I have a mint Supreme Fur Marathon that is as nice as any Stetson I've ever held but I bet it was a $7.00 hat in the 50's.
 

zetwal

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,343
Location
Texas
I understand where you are coming from and I plan on one of the new Strats but I'm stuck on the Whippet and Playboy if I can find the one I'm looking for. I'm not gonna jump unless I'm sure. I let a beautiful Choc Brown Strat go on Ebay (mint condition 7 5/8 LO) because it was not the color I wanted. Even the cheaper hats from the past have a better felt than most of the newer hats I've seen. I'm a "Vintage" kinda guy. I have a mint Supreme Fur Marathon that is as nice as any Stetson I've ever held but I bet it was a $7.00 hat in the 50's.

Hang in there, what you want is sure to come around eventually.
 

Brad Bowers

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,187
Anyone have any idea if this is a military Knapp-Felt cap? It will make a nice addition to my C&K collection, but I have no idea how to identify it or date it. We should have some experts on here that know about these things.

486596588_o.jpg


Brad
 

red71veloce

Familiar Face
Messages
79
Location
Oklahoma
Not if I'm the one that made the deal! I understand the feeling, but it seems to be part of the game these days. If it were a hat that I had been pining for and hadn't seen one.....well I would at least give it a shot. Doesn't seem to be a rule book on this.....just saying'......

T
 

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