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

[LoveMyHats2]

Strangely enough, this morning a Whippet at only 7-1/8 went for over $200 this morning! Sometimes I just don't get ebay!

I think some of the way bidding will go actually just depends on who it is and how bad they want it, because I have seen some hats to die for, not my size, that have sold for next to nothing, and then you see some hat that is rag tag like crazy and the bidding is so fierce you would think it was gold plated and came with a french maid!

 

[alanfgag]

I think some of the way bidding will go actually just depends on who it is and how bad they want it...

Yes, I think that about sums it up.

 

[HatsEnough]

Yes, I think that about sums it up.

I don't think it sums it up generally, though. I agree that sometimes a few bidders will lose their minds, but on average it seems that prices are stable for periods of time.

For instance, size 7-1/8 and size 7 Whippets haven't often gone for over $150. Size 6-7/8 Whippets almost never get over $100. Sometimes those sizes go higher, but not in the last 7 or 8 months. In general, they've stayed true to that price range.

So, I think that sometimes a bidding war erupts on a particular hat, but in general they have a sort of common price range that lasts at least 6 months or so.

But prices do fall. Last year at this time even 7-1/8 and size 7 Whippets were getting easily to $180. Now they don't seem to be getting that most of the time.

At least this is my observation on Whippets over the last year. Every time one comes up I watch it to see where the prices go.

It seems 7-1/4 Whippets rarely go for less than $190 these days.

 

[T Rick]

Strangely enough, this morning a Whippet at only 7-1/8 went for over $200! Sometimes I just don't get ebay!

$249.22 to be exact. Not me. But the hat was essentially pristine, well photographed and presented, with a decent auction ending time, so the Seller did a lot right. Still, you never know where these will bounce. Had pretty much decided I wouldn't be in the hunt for this one a few days ago, had a feeling it would go high dollar.

 

[DJH]

The Whippet that Josh posted was the nicest I'd seen in my size for ages. Great example of why I prefer to buy from the the classifieds rather than eBay.

I set up a snipe, but had a 5 hour drive to shoot a wedding today so I couldn't watch the auction. I really thought I'd sniped enough to win, but wasn't the case.

 

[LoveMyHats2]

I don't think it sums it up generally, though. I agree that sometimes a few bidders will lose their minds, but on average it seems that prices are stable for periods of time.

For instance, size 7-1/8 and size 7 Whippets haven't often gone for over $150. Size 6-7/8 Whippets almost never get over $100. Sometimes those sizes go higher, but not in the last 7 or 8 months. In general, they've stayed true to that price range.

So, I think that sometimes a bidding war erupts on a particular hat, but in general they have a sort of common price range that lasts at least 6 months or so.

But prices do fall. Last year at this time even 7-1/8 and size 7 Whippets were getting easily to $180. Now they don't seem to be getting that most of the time.

At least this is my observation on Whippets over the last year. Every time one comes up I watch it to see where the prices go.

It seems 7-1/4 Whippets rarely go for less than $190 these days.

This is all very much how it is, but, could it be that for a size that would be able to fit more or less the average size head, (which I have to guess is larger than a size 6 7/8) there is a larger buying audience, which from that group to bid on something they would want? Does that make sense or no?

Not to stray too far off with this statement, but I have found so true, you bid on something you would enjoy and it is a sort of good deal and just as you have a few minutes left until bidding is over, and wham, you see something else that makes your mouth water to own.....(sigh)....

 

[HatsEnough]

This is all very much how it is, but, could it be that for a size that would be able to fit more or less the average size head, (which I have to guess is larger than a size 6 7/8) there is a larger buying audience, which from that group to bid on something they would want? Does that make sense or no?

Yes, I agree. That is why, I think, that hats in 7-1/4 and larger go for so much more than the smaller sizes. I'd guess that the average sized head these days is 7-1/4 to 7-3/8 so there are more heads looking for hats in those sizes and therefor prices go up accordingly.

Not to stray too far off with this statement, but I have found so true, you bid on something you would enjoy and it is a sort of good deal and just as you have a few minutes left until bidding is over, and wham, you see something else that makes your mouth water to own.....(sigh)....

Annoyingly true, yes. Every time I feel I've got a "pretty nice" collection, I tune into the bay, cast my line, and the next thing I know I have 10 hats circling my hook! I buy 2 or 3 and imagine that I'm about done.... then I see 3 or 4 more that I just can't live without.

And this dang place sure don't help me none!

 

[Lefty]

St. Regis Vita-Felt, 7 1/8

 

[HatsEnough]

Me.

Thinking of converting it to a fedora, relaxing the curl. Depends on what its like when it comes in.

 

[alanfgag]

Me.

Thinking of converting it to a fedora, relaxing the curl. Depends on what its like when it comes in.

???

 

[bowlerman]

nice colors on that one. not sure that i'd flatten the curl, personally, but let us know how it turns out for you.

 

[Lefty]

I haven't seen anyone turn a homburg into a fedora without pretty terrible looking results. I'm sure a hatter can do it, but everyone else just posts a bent-up homburg/ fedora with bad edge binding. Apparently, it takes more than steam.

 

[Terry "The Hat"]

OK, I finally won using the snipe program. http://www.ebay.com/itm/270820346718?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649 This is a beautiful hat in new condition in a 7 5/8 long oval. I just could not help myself. Now I'm gonna get hold of a friend on here to do a "Strat" type bash on it to get rid of the LBJ look-LOL!

 

[DJH]

Nice hat, Terry - you'll enjoy wearing this one!

 

[LoveMyHats2]

That is really clean, I had looked at that one and noted it was in very clean shape. Good find.

 

[Terry "The Hat"]

Yeah, I had been watching it all week thinking it would go for some "huge" price and was quite surprised that I was able to pick it up for just under a doller short of my max. snipe-LOL. Some pretty interesting custom printing on the liner too.

 

[Dinerman]

Can't believe one of those Amon Carter Shady Oaks went so low.

 

[Terry "The Hat"]

Can't believe one of those Amon Carter Shady Oaks went so low.

Why Dinerman, what's the deal with the Amon Carter Shady Oaks?

 

[HatsEnough]

Why Dinerman, what's the deal with the Amon Carter Shady Oaks?

Not a real common hat, for sure.

 

[monbla256]

Why Dinerman, what's the deal with the Amon Carter Shady Oaks?

The "...deal with the Amon Carter Shady Oaks" is that it was a made for one hatter in Ft. Worth as a style worn by oilman Amon Carter of Ft. Worth under license to Stetson BY Peter Bros. of Ft. Worth. They were top of the line, all beaver hats and that crease was as Amon Carter wore. Peter Bros. STILL makes that model only it no longer is a labeled as a Stetson, it is an in house model, their BEST and currently sells in the $700.00 to $1,000.00 range. You have a RARE and valuable hat, take good care of it That model was probably made in the 40's/50's BTW.