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

[Short Balding Guy]

Tuning in late at night; Nice hat Alex. Quite the reasonable price for the lid. The two Marathons that have visited my house have been good hats. I have kept a green one that gets wear as a casual about the town hat. Enjoy the hat sir! Eric -

 

[T Rick]

Nice catch Neo, and a great deal too. Looking forward to some pics when you get it!

 

[Neophyte]

Thanks everbody! I'm quite excited myself as I was totally shocked that the price didn't go higher. I just hope it fits. The owner's a 7 1/4 abd states that it's a tad big on him, so I'm optimistic .
I've always admired the Marathons I've seen on the Lounge and I'm ecstatic now that I've got one of my own.

 

[scooter]

I loved that hat, Alex, and seriously considered putting a much higher snipe on it, but I was concerned about the sizing and didn't think it would fit me. It would have been my second Marathon! I hope it turns out to be everything you hope it is, wear it in good health!!

 

[frussell]

Alexander - the Q & A under the listing has the inner circumference at 21 1/2". That makes it pretty close to a 6 7/8, doesn't it? On some charts, that's a 6 3/4! I've got my fingers crossed for you, but don't be too freaked out if it's small. Good Luck, Frank

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Size was all over the place on that Marathon. All you can do is hope for the best.

 

[Tango Yankee]

:arated:

May have been what held the price down. I hope that the seller turns out to be right about his own hat size and it's large enough for you!

Cheers,
Tom

 

[Neophyte]

I suggested that he use an ellipse circumference calculator and give it one more try before he ships it. Had I looked @ the Q&A I probably would've retracted my bid. I'm glad I didn't. Even if it doesn't fit I'd still like to temporarily enjoy the vintage "owning experience." If it doesn't fit, I'm certain I could find a home for it somewhere (you know, after figuring out what the size actually is lol).

 

[Terry "The Hat"]

Thanks everbody! I'm quite excited myself as I was totally shocked that the price didn't go higher. I just hope it fits. The owner's a 7 1/4 abd states that it's a tad big on him, so I'm optimistic .
I've always admired the Marathons I've seen on the Lounge and I'm ecstatic now that I've got one of my own.

I stated earlier that I had a Marathon just like this one (same exact liner too). I bought it from Tom Dean here on the forum and it's one of the best hats I own. I'll put it up against my Akubra Campdraft or my vintage Stetson 25 Open Road any day (and I love both of those hats too)! It's a beautiful looking and feeling hat. I sure hope it fits you. He probably just didn't measure correctly. It states 7 1/8 and my Marathon is a 7 1/2 and big on me. That means the hats run large because I wear a 7 5/8. I would not worry. You are gonna love it. Shoot me a pm when you get it and let me know how you like it. I watched it the whole time and almost bid on it myself knowing that it was too small. If it's bigger than a 7 1/4 and you don't like it, shoot me a pm. I paid a tad bit more for mine - LOL!

 

[HatsEnough]

That means the hats run large because I wear a 7 5/8.

Boy, I would caution against that assumption! Hats shrink and hats stretch over the years and there's no way to tell which way they will go. A size tag in a vintage hat is only a suggestion at some point!

Sometimes the I've seen the leather sweat shrink pulling a size 7 to down to a 6-7/8. On the other hand, I've had size 7-1/8s that were sloppy enough to fit a size 7-1/4 bean. My size is a real size 7, but often times I'll get a vintage in 7-1/8 and it fits perfectly. On the other hand, I've bought a few 6-7/8ers expecting to have to stretch them and when they came I didn't have to stretch them at all as they fit perfectly. And then I've gotten vintage hats that have a size 7 tag and it is tight as heck on me.

What I am saying is that when you are getting vintage, the factory size tag is a crap shoot whether it claims to be your size or not! Sure they usually fit, but not always and there is no way to know until you plop it on your head.

 

[Terry "The Hat"]

Boy, I would caution against that assumption! Hats shrink and hats stretch over the years and there's no way to tell which way they will go. A size tag in a vintage hat is only a suggestion at some point!

Sometimes the I've seen the leather sweat shrink pulling a size 7 to down to a 6-7/8. On the other hand, I've had size 7-1/8s that were sloppy enough to fit a size 7-1/4 bean. My size is a real size 7, but often times I'll get a vintage in 7-1/8 and it fits perfectly. On the other hand, I've bought a few 6-7/8ers expecting to have to stretch them and when they came I didn't have to stretch them at all as they fit perfectly. And then I've gotten vintage hats that have a size 7 tag and it is tight as heck on me.

What I am saying is that when you are getting vintage, the factory size tag is a crap shoot whether it claims to be your size or not! Sure they usually fit, but not always and there is no way to know until you plop it on your head.

Yeah, you are right about that but the hat does not look like it's been worn much so I doubt that there has been much shrinkage or stretching. The hat I bought off of Tom was the same way. So far, every vintage hat I've tried on has been big on me for some reason. That's a good thing because I can always put a little padding in. I'm curious to see if it fits him when it comes in. I hope so because it's such a nice hat.

 

[HatsEnough]

Vintage hats don't have to even have been worn to shrink or expand. Just temperature will do it. If it was constantly stored in a boiling hot attic, for instance, that can affect the hat in all sorts of ways.

Anyway, I also hope it fits him.

 

[danofarlington]

Vintage hats don't have to even have been worn to shrink or expand. Just temperature will do it. If it was constantly stored in a boiling hot attic, for instance, that can affect the hat in all sorts of ways.

Anyway, I also hope it fits him.

Never heard of one expanding with heat, though. Shrink, yes.

 

[HatsEnough]

I am not saying they necessarily expand with heat. I am saying that all sorts of forces cause vintage hats to lose their original shape. Whether they expand or shrink, they will often lose their original shape for one reason or another. I am saying that going by the size tag alone is not a sure bet on fit.

 

[randooch]

And if a hat is worn by someone with a fiery temper, it might expand.

 

[HatsEnough]

And if a hat is worn by someone with a fiery temper, it might expand.

It also might float in the air on a plume of steam every time he gets mad.... well, I saw it on the cartoons.

 

[Lefty]

another really old, really interesting bowler

 

[HatsEnough]

... and I'll tell you about it when it gets here.

 

[Lefty]

Nice. If this is the family it's from, then it's got all sorts of interesting history behind it.

 

[zetwal]

And if a hat is worn by someone with a fiery temper, it might expand.