Good News/Bad News

[squid]

My Borsalino straw hat arrived today.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230012828642

The good news is that it's in great shape as described. The straw is a little darker than in the pictures, and there is a small sweat stain on the crown. The scarf hatband is a very light material (silk?), and it is in great shape. It has been only slightly used. Check out the pics of the ventilation system. This is a really nice hat.

The bad news is that the seller measured it as "22.25 inches," but that is around the outside. I found a 7 tag inside the sweatband. And while I was looking under the sweatband some of the stitching busted. The thread holding in the sweatband is very brittle.

So now I have a hat that doesn't fit, and was damaged in my possession.

The stain on the crown:

What do you call the pillow in the top of the crown? It looks like the ink ran when it got damp, but that's a very minor problem.

The ventilation system:

I am really disappointed in the size. The sweatband can be restitched, but it's two sizes too small.

Anybody interested in a nice size 7 straw that needs a little love?

 

[BigSleep]

Bummer dude. Sorry to here that. Hate getting my hopes up and then...crash.

 

[Visigoth]

That pillow thing on the top is probably responsible for the stain -- it holds water/sweat. I pulled it off my Champ Milan -- and it was easy to remove the stain from the top with water and Woolite (but try this at your own risk).

What you might want to think about doing is having someone sew a silk sweatband in -- that kills two birds with one stone: deals with the fragile sweat, and gives you a bigger hat, which may well fit. (Silk sweatbands take up much less space than leather.)

 

[Mulceber]

yeah, but as I recall, silk becomes EXTREMELY fragile when wet, almost like tissue paper. I'd think twice before making that my sweatband. -Mulceber

 

[feltfan]

That pillow thing on the top is probably responsible for the stain -- it holds water/sweat. I pulled it off my Champ Milan -- and it was easy to remove the stain from the top with water and Woolite (but try this at your own risk)

Gee, I was just wearing a Supernatural Panama that doesn't have
that "pillow" and noting the discoloration beginning on the top of the
hat. I was appreciating how useful those pillows are. Never had
one retain that much sweat.

 

[DOUGLAS]

Too bad man, I too have had the size issue on a couple of new purchases. Disappointing to say the least. Your hat does look like it is really nice though. I love that ventalation system.

 

[squid]

That pillow thing on the top is probably responsible for the stain -- it holds water/sweat. I pulled it off my Champ Milan -- and it was easy to remove the stain from the top with water and Woolite (but try this at your own risk).

What you might want to think about doing is having someone sew a silk sweatband in -- that kills two birds with one stone: deals with the fragile sweat, and gives you a bigger hat, which may well fit. (Silk sweatbands take up much less space than leather.)

The sweatband itself is in great shape. The thread holding it in is shot. Everything is perfect except that and the sweat stain.

I wouldn't blame the seller for not wanting to take it back due to the now partially detached sweatband. And if they don't know enought to measure the inside of the hat for the description then they may end up trashing it if I did return it.

I paid more for this hat than any of the other vintage hats I've bought. And I have passed on bidding on a couple of hats because I bought this one. That is the worst part.

 

[Andykev]

Not a bad hat, but a better learning experience

The seller said this: "Vintage woven Borsalino brimmed hat made in Italy c. 1920's. Perfect condition. Leather band on the inside of the hat has the original manufacture's stamp. There is no size listed but the inner circumference measures about 22.25 inches. It is really in impeccable conditon. Please email with any questions."

Always, ALWAYS ask, ask. Usually, vintage hats have a tag, or reorder tag inside the sweatband, on felts it is on the felt itself, usually. It gives the size, color, and "re-order" number. This was used to allow a customer to get a replacement of the EXACT hat..color, block, size, crown..etc.

Your seller said "inner circumference". REMEMBER not everyone has the proper tape or skills to accurately measure this. Hats are by nature floppy.

Now to address your issues. The sweat can be resewn without any problems. You didn't say what size you need. If it is a 7, you might go up a bit more, but straws are not that easy to upsize. Plus this hat is a braded milan straw. They are in my experience very hard to size.

The "pillow" at the top is nothing more than the maker's label, a sign of extra quality, or advertising. You don't need it. It can be cleaned, but the silk or rayon on your hat looks very messy, from being on someowe's oiled hair.


Believe me, I have bought MANY MANY hats on ebay, and had some real great treasures, and killer deals. I also got burned badly through my ignorance, and from lying or uninformed sellers. Buyer beware. ASK ASK ASK.
For the price, $30, you got a decent hat, and I suggest putting it up in the Lounge Classifieds, or relist on ebay.

 

[Andykev]

A PS

The seller said "perfect hat". Beware of this. And when someowne says "never worn". Usually it is not true. Or they only post one picture of the hat, with no views of the inside, back or rear. Ask for pictures. Ask why it was "never worn". Is it NEW-OLD STOCK from a KNOWN clothing store their father owned? Or are they selling a hat they grabbed at a local estate sale and are only repeating what they were told, 'cause they don't know any better?

My worst mistake, was a straw hat, all rolled up, very dark and dirty looking from the pictures. I know old straw, when not taken care of, is a disaster, brittle, and cracked. I bid $30. One guy bid $1 dollar more, and won.

He sent it to Optimo in Chicago to have it blocked. Graham said it was one of the best Montecristi Super Fino's he had ever seen, and it blocked perfectly and creamy colored into a $5000 hat! OUCH!

 

[Aaron Hats]

I agree with Andykev that the sweat can be sewn back in. I'd be very hesitant about trying to stretch that hat though. You never know how those old straws will react. Whenever somebody brings one into the store to be stretched I have to turn them away but let them know about the Hat Jack (with a word of caution).

Good luck.

 

[squid]

The seller said this: "Vintage woven Borsalino brimmed hat made in Italy c. 1920's. Perfect condition. Leather band on the inside of the hat has the original manufacture's stamp. There is no size listed but the inner circumference measures about 22.25 inches. It is really in impeccable conditon. Please email with any questions."

Always, ALWAYS ask, ask. Usually, vintage hats have a tag, or reorder tag inside the sweatband, on felts it is on the felt itself, usually. It gives the size, color, and "re-order" number. This was used to allow a customer to get a replacement of the EXACT hat..color, block, size, crown..etc.

Your seller said "inner circumference". REMEMBER not everyone has the proper tape or skills to accurately measure this. Hats are by nature floppy.

Now to address your issues. The sweat can be resewn without any problems. You didn't say what size you need. If it is a 7, you might go up a bit more, but straws are not that easy to upsize. Plus this hat is a braded milan straw. They are in my experience very hard to size.

The "pillow" at the top is nothing more than the maker's label, a sign of extra quality, or advertising. You don't need it. It can be cleaned, but the silk or rayon on your hat looks very messy, from being on someowe's oiled hair.


Believe me, I have bought MANY MANY hats on ebay, and had some real great treasures, and killer deals. I also got burned badly through my ignorance, and from lying or uninformed sellers. Buyer beware. ASK ASK ASK.
For the price, $30, you got a decent hat, and I suggest putting it up in the Lounge Classifieds, or relist on ebay.

I like living on the edge.

It was listed with a Buy it Now price of $30, and I chose to take it before someone else could get it first.

My size is 7 1/4 so this hat is two sizes too small.

I have noticed a lot of hats on ebay recently with one picture, too short description, and no size. I'm not that much of a gambler.

 

[Visigoth]

Mulcebar, I'm not sure I meant "silk", per se, but whatever the fabric is they use for fabric sweat bands. (I thought that the Borsalino Traveler, for instance, was silk.)

I find it *more* comfortable than leather, and it should add at least a size to that hat.

As for the pillow and staining: I just found that on this old Champ I got, when I soaked it to reshape, the pillow retained water and stained the top -- when I pulled it off, I had no problem. And it looks to me as if the pillow on the top of your hat has been soaked, at least once -- hence, I wouldn't be surprised if it's responsible for the stain. (I'd take it off anyway; looks horrible.)

One thing you could do is resew the band and send it back. The guy definitely mis-described the item. OR: ask for a partial refund, based on this.

 

[Mulceber]

ah, gotcha. yeah, a fabric sweatband probably would be more comfortable in the summer heat. -Mulceber

 

[squid]

What does it cost to have a sweatband resewn? I'm not sure I would trust myself to undertake that. In the end I will most likely relist it.