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

[Saint-Just]

On Monday I got a Knox Octagonal hat box come to me via the Post Office. The seller sent it just wrapped in brown paper instead of putting it in a box. No surprise that it got to me smashed. The bottom smashed and blown out. Imagine, putting an empty cardboard box in the mail just wrapped in paper and expecting it to get to its destination unmolested!! Frikking idiots.

So, I email them and they say, "Oh, please don't give us a negative review. We try so hard."

F-U and your "trying"! Morons.

I sure gave them a negative and they deserved it.

I suppose they did not offer any form of compensation. Sometimes it is better to refrain from enjoying the immediate Talion-inspired negative feedback and take the time to work out an acceptable compensation. You still have the "weapon" with you if need be, but they may need time to reconsider their initial refusal.

Sorry for your box, though...

 

[Lefty]

Something I would recommend is adding a message with your paypal payment thanking the seller in advance for careful packaging and shipping. It sends that little reminder that care is noticed and appreciated. May be luck (and maybe I should knock on wood) but I have received very few carelessly packaged hats since I started adding this message.

+1. I've been lucky not to have any problems as of yet. Like Alan, if I'm buying anything that can be crushed, I contact the seller either prior to the sale or immediately after and ask how they plan to ship the item. If it sounds like they're going a bit light, I'll offer to toss them $5 to pack it like china they're sending to mom. No one has taken me up on the extra cash. Instead, everyone has just put in more care.

Thanks, lefty. Judging from the auction pictures, my pin has the red coloring that matches the ones you've sold. The repros from the site dont seem to have that detail. Either way, repro or not, I think it looks pretty nice. Is there any way to detect for sure whether or not it may be a copy once I have it?

As far as I know, there's no way to tell a copy from an original. I've had a few without paint (it's worn away), some with varying amounts of paint (in the letters on the wings but not on the door/body/tail), and others that have nearly every recess filled with paint. The finish also varies widely with these. I've had some with a matte finish, and others that seem like they've been polished to a high shine. As I'm offering the ones I sell as originals, and I'm not sure about the one you bought, I didn't want to buy it and sell it as an original with a marking I hadn't seen on others.

Either way, it's a great pin. Enjoy it.

 

[Blackthorn]

I suppose they did not offer any form of compensation. Sometimes it is better to refrain from enjoying the immediate Talion-inspired negative feedback and take the time to work out an acceptable compensation. You still have the "weapon" with you if need be, but they may need time to reconsider their initial refusal.

Sorry for your box, though...

Early this morning I sent the seller a pretty irritated message via Ebay asking what in the world they were thinking. I also asked if they had anything they wanted to say before I filled out the feedback. Still waiting for a response.

 

[Zemke Fan]

Beg to differ. It's definitely an original. Condition especially the patina (tarnish) tells you that. BTW, if anyone is interested, the basic search terms for these pins include: TWA pin, DC-3 pin, etc. (check: Collectibles > Aviation). Until VERY recently these could be had for ~$10-$15. Marketed recently as "Stratoliner" pins (which they're not even though they DID come with the hats) they're bringing quite a bit more.

 

[Saint-Just]

Early this morning I sent the seller a pretty irritated message via Ebay asking what in the world they were thinking. I also asked if they had anything they wanted to say before I filled out the feedback. Still waiting for a response.

It is always harder to play a strong hand than a weak one

 

[HatsEnough]

Well I guess that's one way to tackle it.

It was the only way. The seller told me that if I sent it back, they'd refund my purchase... but not all the postage.

Since I only paid $12 in the first place, I'd have been spending almost as much to send it back without refund of the return trip.

 

[Aureliano]

+1. I've been lucky not to have any problems as of yet. Like Alan, if I'm buying anything that can be crushed, I contact the seller either prior to the sale or immediately after and ask how they plan to ship the item. If it sounds like they're going a bit light, I'll offer to toss them $5 to pack it like china they're sending to mom. No one has taken me up on the extra cash. Instead, everyone has just put in more care.



As far as I know, there's no way to tell a copy from an original. I've had a few without paint (it's worn away), some with varying amounts of paint (in the letters on the wings but not on the door/body/tail), and others that have nearly every recess filled with paint. The finish also varies widely with these. I've had some with a matte finish, and others that seem like they've been polished to a high shine. As I'm offering the ones I sell as originals, and I'm not sure about the one you bought, I didn't want to buy it and sell it as an original with a marking I hadn't seen on others.

Either way, it's a great pin. Enjoy it.

Beg to differ. It's definitely an original. Condition especially the patina (tarnish) tells you that. BTW, if anyone is interested, the basic search terms for these pins include: TWA pin, DC-3 pin, etc. (check: Collectibles > Aviation). Until VERY recently these could be had for ~$10-$15. Marketed recently as "Stratoliner" pins (which they're not even though they DID come with the hats) they're bringing quite a bit more.

Thanks again, Lefty. My knowledge is limited but I concur with you, Fred. The patina at least indicates that it's old. Except for the fact that it says "sterling" in the back, it looks just like the ones Lefty has offered for sale. Even if it's only an old repro , I'll be happy with it.

 

[frussell]

Blackthorn - I can sympathize with your position completely. Perhaps because I wear a larger size hat, that takes up more room, many of my purchases arrive in exactly that same shape. I've even had two come back from hatters for refurbishing that were bent like that. I've also had packages from a few loungers (who should have known better) who have shipped vintage hats crammed in boxes or without enough packing material, and they arrived in a similar condition. I can't say none of my own shipments have arrived a bit warped, but I try to at least find a spare cardboard insert to fit the crown in so it doesn't move too much in the box. It's maddening at the least to get a hat like that after looking forward to its arrival. I agree with the already stated view that people are just trying to cut down on shipping costs by using a smaller, lighter weight package. Good luck on your process. Frank

 

[Blackthorn]

Blackthorn - I can sympathize with your position completely. Perhaps because I wear a larger size hat, that takes up more room, many of my purchases arrive in exactly that same shape. I've even had two come back from hatters for refurbishing that were bent like that. I've also had packages from a few loungers (who should have known better) who have shipped vintage hats crammed in boxes or without enough packing material, and they arrived in a similar condition. I can't say none of my own shipments have arrived a bit warped, but I try to at least find a spare cardboard insert to fit the crown in so it doesn't move too much in the box. It's maddening at the least to get a hat like that after looking forward to its arrival. I agree with the already stated view that people are just trying to cut down on shipping costs by using a smaller, lighter weight package. Good luck on your process. Frank

Thank you, Frank.

 

[RBH]

Thanks again, Lefty. My knowledge is limited but I concur with you, Fred. The patina at least indicates that it's old. Except for the fact that it says "sterling" in the back, it looks just like the ones Lefty has offered for sale. Even if it's only an old repro , I'll be happy with it.

Aureliano, you just may have the original pin that was on the Stetson Stratoliner.
I have not seen one like yours before.
This ad from '42 states ''sterling silver'' ... so just maybe....

 

[Lefty]

Cool. If the ad is right (and newspaper ads should be considered with caution), then it's not only original, I'd say it's quite rare.

 

[Aureliano]

Aureliano, you just may have the original pin that was on the Stetson Stratoliner.
I have not seen one like yours before.
This ad from '42 states ''sterling silver'' ... so just maybe....]

Holy hat, Rusty! maybe I got really, really lucky! Thanks for posting it!

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Now you will just have to get a vintage Strat to go with the pin.

 

[Aureliano]

Cool. If the ad is right (and newspaper ads should be considered with caution), then it's not only original, I'd say it's quite rare.

Forgive me if I sound naive but why do you say ads should be considered with caution? is it because, in this case, Hartmann's could have said they're sterling just to improve their sales?

 

[Aureliano]

Now you will just have to get a vintage Strat to go with the pin.

If only I looked good on thin ribbons, man. I also own a stratoliner box in fantastic shape!

 

[RBH]

Holy hat, Rusty! maybe I got really, really lucky! Thanks for posting it!

And another from Hartmanns.

 

[Zemke Fan]

Further proof dawned on me on the train trip home... THIS photo shows a DYE stamped pin. (See the hollow back.) A restrike would be a CASTING. Oh, and BTW, all of the repro pins on the site listed by Lefty came from one of my originals (through a foundry who sells to that guy).

Rusty, I think you're right. This is likely one of the original hat pins.

 

[Aureliano]

Further proof dawned on me on the train trip home... THIS photo shows a DYE stamped pin. (See the hollow back.) A restrike would be a CASTING. Oh, and BTW, all of the repro pins on the site listed by Lefty came from one of my originals (through a foundry who sells to that guy).
Rusty, I think you're right. This is likely one of the original hat pins.

Getting happier here! It didn't occur to me to analyze the back with more care. You made a very good point there, Fred. Thanks.

 

[Saint-Just]

Getting happier here!

I can understand that

I must say it is quite interesting to see the story develop into a very decent bit of research.

 

[randooch]

The hat for someone who has a cross to bear.

http://cgi.ebay.com/VTG-CLASSIC-STETSON-UNIQUE-6X-BEAVER-HAT-7-3-8-SUPER-/220822910345?pt=US_Hats&hash=item336a123589#ht_904wt_650