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

[Joao Encarnado]

I just looked at that Action Comic auction. I don't follow comic book auctions and only looked because you mentioned it. That is amazing. I can't imagine paying that kind of money for a comic book.

#1 issues of long running comic books... most have not reached mint condition to this days. Some are more rarer than others and the better condition, the higher price they go. The persons who buys them, are collectors.

 

[Rick Blaine]

I just looked at that Action Comic auction. I don't follow comic book auctions and only looked because you mentioned it. That is amazing. I can't imagine paying that kind of money for a comic book.

Belloq: Indiana, we are simply passing through history. This, this is history. "

~ROTLA

 

[ccorsair]

When a thing is rare the collector will pay what ever they can. comics are not as well as the were the one from 30's are getting very rare. 60's is the cut off with some of the 70's but newer comics are not as collectable due to high reprinting these days.

As for the hats and other Vintage items collected here the pricing is set but who selling and who is buying I guess. And if the hat is REALLY rare.
Really what dose make a hat worth more than it sold for when it was made ?

The hats I gotten i haven't paid huge price for but will they go up? What factors does some who collects hat face in buy a hat not to just wear but to re-sell as something collectable?
Ebay seller love the word "Vintage" and "Rare" but what make a hat that other than it was made 50 ,60 or more years ago and is still pristine?

That Superman Action Comic #1 is rare due to it white pages it was stored in ceder chest in high altitude. Making for just the right conditions to keep it new looking.

Can you imagine the hats sitting in that same attic from 1930's or 1940's? hats discarded due to style and age but still new looking and with no damage. What would you bid on that dream vintage Dream hat?

I am happy with the 6 hat have bought for now. I have ideal of what want and can wait for those hats to come about. No hurry really.

Having fun with it.. and as i said the wife loves how i look in them(that is rare event in life as it is lol)

 

[fedoracentric]

The problem with hat collecting is that "rare" doesn't mean what it does in other settings. It often has no meaning at all whee it concerns price.

A rare Babe Ruth card (or insert your collectible here) is rare because few were made and everyone knows how many and just how rare it is. There are books printed about it, catalogs, pricing guides out there to inform everyone on what "rare" means.

But in hats, you can have a rare Knox, but few will care. You can have a rare model Stetson, but it may not matter at all on the price even if it is in good shape.

And one model that might be sparse (making it at least a little rare) that is worth a lot today may not be worth as much next year.

The problem is no one knows what "rare" means in a hat.

Let's take that Demon Hanover, for instance. On this site there have been only a handful and only like 2 or 3 with their burgundy hat box. The hat comes up on ebay maybe only 2 or 3 times a year. It is pretty rare and the hat box is really, really rare. Yet, the model never gets to more than $100 or at the most $150. Now The Demon is a rare hat by any reading of the word rare. But, no one knows enough about hats to understand that a Demon Hanover is so rare that higher prices would be warranted based on how few there are out there. No matter how rare it is, people just say, "hey look, a hat."

On the other hand, Whippets come up ten times a month and they can get to $300! Even more, sometimes.

Whippets are not in any way a rare hat, but they command far higher prices than the Demon.

Based on rarity, this should not be.

Anyway, this is all a long winded way of saying that "rare" is almost meaningless in hat buying because there just isn't enough widespread knowledge about them nor as large a collector market as "rare" items in sports cards, comic books, antique furniture, military items, and the like.

 

[ccorsair]

I feel the same And this why tell some if the say Rare or Vintage take it a large grain a salt with some items. Steampunk buyer get the costume replicas due to the over price vintage real items. I get any good deal on item my mark up isn't that much(rather sell a large volume of items than one a t over inflated price). Hat are a strange bird i feel.. It like eh Opera hat that are collapsible. EVERYONE want one but they price high even in bad shape saw one sell at $150. I managed to get one that was a collapsible top hat due to the sell not knowing what they had was one. $14.29 plus a few buck for shipping so it was under $20.. IT was crazy deal as once i unpacked it i know what it was .

I think a Size could be more rare then a style. These older hats were made to last.

 

[ScottF]

You can have a rare model Stetson, but it may not matter at all on the price even if it is in good shape.

I sure hope you are wrong about the above.

I don't normally look for hats on ebay, but since I'm selling a few now, I was checking out the competition and noticed quite a few size 7 and smaller, listed for a small fortune. Do you guys with smaller noggins really pay those prices !?! That sure didn't used to be the case.

I'm wondering because I regularly pass on $25-35 1940's fedoras in smaller sizes, at antique stores. Thinking maybe I should start picking a few up.

 

[1mach1]

I'm wondering because I regularly pass on $25-35 1940's fedoras in smaller sizes, at antique stores. Thinking maybe I should start picking a few up.

Sounds like a good idea to me!

 

[Garrett]

If those are in the Seattle area then give me a heads-up, Scott!

 

[fedoracentric]

Do you guys with smaller noggins really pay those prices !?! That sure didn't used to be the case.

I sure as heck don't. I think those guys are nuts with those prices.

 

[Rick Blaine]

...
I think a Size could be more rare then a style. These older hats were made to last.

No doubt.

 

[suitedcboy]

I am seeing a lot of Ebay listings that strike me as the unknowing noting that fedoras seem to be catching on. They then go find one at an estate or yard sale and think it looks like one of those on Ebay that sold for $300.

Homburgs don't sell for Whippet price level.

 

[ScottF]

If those are in the Seattle area then give me a heads-up, Scott!

You are 7 1/8, right? I see those sometimes, but mostly spotting 6 7/8 and 7

I saw a gorgeous oxblood in Beloit on the way back from Cleveland - $35, but size 7

 

[ccorsair]

I am seeing a lot of Ebay listings that strike me as the unknowing noting that fedoras seem to be catching on. They then go find one at an estate or yard sale and think it looks like one of those on Ebay that sold for $300.

Homburgs don't sell for Whippet price level.

The Selentino I just got was guy selling stuff for his Daughter's church . the Knox and Adams were people looking bigger hats . the dobb's was from on of the people does noting but hat sales at fair pricing. (the shipping cost suck but they can help that) the stetson i got was another estate seller too.. not real knowledge of hats.

Those are the best sales i few as you can get good deal if you find some you want in the size you want. I think Scott $25-35 1940's fedoras for 7 or under is a great deal lol but you don't see that always. Size i found in most the hats isn't always as marked or the same as you think. They may list one at 6 7/8th but it fits like 7 1/8th.
I will guess that a well used hat even in pristine condition hat stretch some over time. so seeing a small size on hat isn't always the right size of True vintage hat as far as i seen with the 6 hats I gotten in the last month.

 

[Joao Encarnado]

Those are the best sales i few as you can get good deal if you find some you want in the size you want. I think Scott $25-35 1940's fedoras for 7 or under is a great deal lol but you don't see that always. Size i found in most the hats isn't always as marked or the same as you think. They may list one at 6 7/8th but it fits like 7 1/8th.
I will guess that a well used hat even in pristine condition hay stretch some over time. so seeing a small size on hat isn't always the right size of True vintage hat as far as i seen with the 6 hats I gotten in the last month.

I don't think a hat will stretch 2 sizes and look pristine.

 

[Landman]

Here is a Stetson Amon Carter "Shady Oak". Stetson made the Shady Oak for Mr. Carter before he started having them made by Peters Brothers. I bid on it but not enough. I hope a Lounger got it. Very cool hat with the box too.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Ste...qkKVEl3mvPz%2FCxUsLzw%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

Some info on the Amon Carter and his Shady Oak hats.

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/show...Shady-Oak-quot&p=684118&viewfull=1#post684118

 

[ccorsair]

I don't think a hat will stretch 2 sizes and look pristine.

Like i said i was not sure what would cause then to be that off. Is it the type oval vs round(something i noted as well on there hats)
Just giving my speculation on what have happen to me.

 

[John Galt]

I don't think a hat will stretch 2 sizes and look pristine.

It depends. This has been discussed loads.

Assuming the stretch doesn't ruin the sweat, the crown needs to be worked to remove the sweatband mark if the resizing is done with a stretcher block, and if course you've slightly changed the profile.

Resizing also can be by re blocking though, and if this is done well, you can have very good results, subject to a potential "foot-print."

 

[alanfgag]

The problem with hat collecting is that "rare" doesn't mean what it does in other settings. It often has no meaning at all whee it concerns price.

A rare Babe Ruth card (or insert your collectible here) is rare because few were made and everyone knows how many and just how rare it is. There are books printed about it, catalogs, pricing guides out there to inform everyone on what "rare" means. But in hats, you can have a rare Knox, but few will care. You can have a rare model Stetson, but it may not matter at all on the price even if it is in good shape. And one model that might be sparse (making it at least a little rare) that is worth a lot today may not be worth as much next year. The problem is no one knows what "rare" means in a hat.

Though many here have hat collections, used hats are not rare collectables. They are production clothing from another era that are now in the realm of vintage clothing. Resale values are modest, unless the hat has a provenance of being owned and worn by a person of note, at which point it can transcend the category of used clothing. eBay auction prices for vintage hats can vary by a few hundred dollars - mostly fueled by interest from readers of this forum. I have purchased many hats - spent top dollar, gotten good deals and wound up with some I would consider very special. I have never spent as much as it would cost to buy a new hat at Optimo in Chicago.

 

[Lotsahats]

eBay auction prices for vintage hats can vary by a few hundred dollars - mostly fueled by interest from readers of this forum.

Do you think so, Alan? It seems that any time there are hundreds of hats on eBay, and they can't all be going to Lounge members. I would agree that people end up here looking for information; I'm not sure, though, that the prices are being driven mostly by Lounge members.

I have never spent as much as it would cost to buy a new hat at Optimo in Chicago.

You know, only one of the hats I've acquired hit this level--and it was worth it.

 

[fedoracentric]

I have purchased many hats - spent top dollar, gotten good deals and wound up with some I would consider very special. I have never spent as much as it would cost to buy a new hat at Optimo in Chicago.

I have to agree with this, too. I have only spent big hundreds two or three times on vintage. usually I am well below $200 on any vintage hat.

One type of vintage can get high dollars, though. Genuine Stetson westerns from before 1930. With those hats you are also ushering in western memorabilia collectors into the mix and not just hat collectors, so the prices go up on them. Not to mention how few are left out there, especially ones made before 1900.