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

[Tango Yankee]

SO......I received that beautiful turn of the century (Baku?) Boater........wasn't quite what I expected.

IT WAS DESTROYED BY USPS!!

The seller was more than willing to give a refund, but was very irritated because he told me that this was the second time this month that USPS delivered a packaged completely smashed. Just to be fair, the seller just packed the hat with some packing paper which wouldn't have protected anything. He should have used bubble wrap, double boxed, and packing peanuts. I would have paid for the extra materials had I known.

Dang, Josh, that's horrible!!!

I guess I've been lucky--in the hundreds of purchases I've made on eBay, with the vast majority being sent USPS, the ONLY ones I've had damaged enroute were damaged by commecial shippers. From your description of the lack of packing care I'd assign a lot of the blame to the seller as well since no matter who you ship with you can expect packages to get stacked on top of each other. A sturdy box is a must! I do hope your seller learns that lesson instead of blaming it all on USPS and not improving his ways.

But still, no matter who was at fault, it is sickening to see an irreplacable hat or other item arrive destroyed due to lack of care.

Regards,
Tom

 

[Joshbru3]

Yikes, what a shame. That's a really nice example of a different style boater. Sorry for you Josh!

Josh, what a shit. Sorry for the word. That's what I think first.
I can feel what you feel this moment.. I am sorry for you. I hope you find an other Exemplar.

I am so sorry about the beautiful boater:cry:

Sad to see, Josh. shakeshead

Considering what the hat WAS...and your anticipation of receiving it.


really sad to see.......:sad:

+1

You will ... no worries on that point. Remember too that between now and then you are sure to find many undamaged gems.

Dang, Josh, that's horrible!!!

I guess I've been lucky--in the hundreds of purchases I've made on eBay, with the vast majority being sent USPS, the ONLY ones I've had damaged enroute were damaged by commecial shippers. From your description of the lack of packing care I'd assign a lot of the blame to the seller as well since no matter who you ship with you can expect packages to get stacked on top of each other. A sturdy box is a must! I do hope your seller learns that lesson instead of blaming it all on USPS and not improving his ways.

But still, no matter who was at fault, it is sickening to see an irreplacable hat or other item arrive destroyed due to lack of care.

Regards,
Tom

THANKS so much for the condolences, Gentlemen. I really appreciate them!

Zetwal is right, I will find another one like it in the future (hopefully) and maybe next time I will be able to wear it.

Tom, this was my first damaged hat in all of my Ebay purchases, which I would say is a pretty good record. I have received smashed boxes before, but they have been felts that I was able to steam back to normal. I wouldn't blame USPS entirely because like you said, it was also the sellers fault for crumby packaging. I do blame USPS a great deal for this one though, because the box literally weighed less than 2 pounds and looked like a 50 pound box was thrown on top of it. I understand that USPS deals with millions of packages every day, but it just seemed like utter disregard on their behalf. I would hope that the seller learned his lesson considering its his second ruined package this month. He's going to refund my entire purchase price and I'm sure he refunded the other persons purchase price as well. He's just loosing money by not packaging properly. What really makes me kinda of sad, isn't so much that a hat got ruined, but that in the last 100 or so years, its survived times of war, hurricanes, floods, etc, only to meet its demise by the United States Postal Service. I know that's not how I would want to go....that's for sure.

 

[Joshbru3]

On a similar note, here is the box from France before and after its soggy pick-up from the P.O. in a damaged outer box.

Still trying to remove stains and odor from hats.

I'm really sorry to hear that those hats and box got soaked! They look like beauties! Would a naptha bath possibly remove the mildew smell? I know I had several hats that smelled like strong mildew and I just steamed and brushed the heck out of them, and eventually the smell went away. They could have probably used a good naptha bath or some time in newspaper though.

 

[feltfan]

The seller was more than willing to give a refund, but was very irritated because he told me that this was the second time this month that USPS delivered a packaged completely smashed.

Slow learner, that seller. I have had a number of eBay purchases end that way. Ouch.

BTW, what the heck is the liner in the picture? It looks like a shed snake skin.
And what is the sweatband made from?

I am trying not to think about that being a 7 5/8.

 

[TipTop]

Slow learner, that seller. I have had a number of eBay purchases end that way. Ouch.

BTW, what the heck is the liner in the picture? It looks like a shed snake skin.
And what is the sweatband made from?

I am trying not to think about that being a 7 5/8.

Looks like crinoline or some similiar stiffening material for "body."

 

[Joshbru3]

Slow learner, that seller. I have had a number of eBay purchases end that way. Ouch.

BTW, what the heck is the liner in the picture? It looks like a shed snake skin.
And what is the sweatband made from?

I am trying not to think about that being a 7 5/8.

The boater has a regular liner on the crown and what your seeing in the picture is the mesh that has deteriorated over time.

Here's a better picture of the liner:

The sweatband is just regular leather, but as with other styles of vintage hats, was put through a leather embosser to give it that certain pattern. If I were to guess its probably roan leather. The color and texture is similar to an old 1930's Dobbs Boater that I own.

 

[zetwal]

The boater has a regular liner on the crown and what your seeing in the picture is the mesh that has deteriorated over time. Here's a better picture of the liner [...]

I love the soft orange liner and simplicity of the logo.

 

[Mystic]

The boater has a regular liner on the crown and what your seeing in the picture is the mesh that has deteriorated over time.

Here's a better picture of the liner:

The sweatband is just regular leather, but as with other styles of vintage hats, was put through a leather embosser to give it that certain pattern. If I were to guess its probably roan leather. The color and texture is similar to an old 1930's Dobbs Boater that I own.

Are you going to send it back to the seller or mount it and hang it on the wall as a monument to "Half-arse service" (seller packing) and "Don't give a Crap service" (USPS handleing). :noidea:

 

[feltfan]

The boater has a regular liner on the crown and what your seeing in the picture is the mesh that has deteriorated over time.


The sweatband is just regular leather

Thanks. Interesting. And sorry to hear it. Hopefully you can use the band as spare parts...

 

[jlee562]

Well, didn't win the Gay Prince that was took big and went for $80, but did BIN this one...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/251036355930?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

Apparently a Gay Prince in 6 7/8 that'll need a bit of a stretch. $20 BIN, figured I didn't have that much to lose.

 

[delectans]

SO......I received that beautiful turn of the century (Baku?) Boater........wasn't quite what I expected.

IT WAS DESTROYED BY USPS!!

I was REALLY mad because I thought the boater was beautiful and had an amazing weave. It was also rare because of the 7 5/8 size.

Needless to say, I wasn't very happy this weekend....

I am absolutely devastated to see the damage your hat incurred in transit, Josh, and sincerely hope you will not be saddened by this for too long. Perhaps you should have Graham take a look at it to see it anything can be done to restore it as much as is technically possible. It would be a shame for a hat of this size and rarity, not to mention stunning beauty, to remain in its current state.

 

[randooch]

I was planning to trim off the damaged brim binding on this 1930's (?) Borso, but someone outbid me. One of you? Seems like a bargain for a 7 1/2!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...sPageName=ADME:B:EOIBUAA:US:3160#ht_500wt_949

 

[zetwal]

I was planning to trim off the damaged brim binding on this 1930's (?) Borso, but someone outbid me. One of you? Seems like a bargain for a 7 1/2!

We know that the seller's claim as to date can be questioned. Do you think the 7 1/2 size claim is reliable?

 

[Rick Blaine]

How vintage is this Stetson?

...black liner I have never seen- black sweat argues against any great age, I think. But is that a Cav (mode, custom) edge? I think it might be. [huh]

 

[BR Gordon]

We know that the seller's claim as to date can be questioned. Do you think the 7 1/2 size claim is reliable?

I was bidding on this one, but it went for more than I was comfortable with. I think that both the date and size are questionable, even after asking a number of questions of the buyer. Good luck to whomever got the hat.

 

[zetwal]

I was bidding on this one, but it went for more than I was comfortable with. I think that both the date and size are questionable, even after asking a number of questions of the buyer. Good luck to whomever got the hat.

Not knowing the marked size of a hat is particularly problematic.

 

[jlee562]

...black liner I have never seen- black sweat argues against any great age, I think. But is that a Cav (mode, custom) edge? I think it might be. [huh]

Looks like a Cav edge to me. According to the vintage fedoras by decade thread, black sweats were more common in the 60's and those proportions would make sense for a 60's era hat. My 60's Resistol stingy has both a cav edge and black sweat and liner like that.

 

[Rick Blaine]

Looks like a Cav edge to me. According to the vintage fedoras by decade thread, black sweats were more common in the 60's and those proportions would make sense for a 60's era hat. My 60's Resistol stingy has both a cav edge and black sweat and liner like that.

I did not know when the Cav went extinct. I am hoping the brim'll be 2 3/8" or better. If the color shift isn't too bad I may remove the ribbon & put a pug or leather band on.

 

[randooch]

We know that the seller's claim as to date can be questioned. Do you think the 7 1/2 size claim is reliable?

Not at all, which is why my max bid wasn't more substantial. Curiosity has the best of me; I do hope the winner wanders into the Lounge and discusses the matter.

 

[zetwal]

Not at all, which is why my max bid wasn't more substantial. Curiosity has the best of me; I do hope the winner wanders into the Lounge and discusses the matter.

Understood ...