Is the vintage hat market dead?

[belfastboy]

When Al Feldstein died (2014, I think) I read a comment he had shared on the perennial discussion of which were the best years for MAD magazine. He said something to the effect that the best years for MAD were the years you were reading it. Seemed a good observation at the time and for many things in life, as we are not bystanders in a fixed place and time but afloat in a sea of waves of all sorts. In this community (one I still enjoy following) passion and focus comes and goes. Remarkable history and knowledge is collected, then buried and then uncovered again by both old timers and new folks with a burning interest - a result of both the waves of interest and the medium which is not friendly to archiving much of anything.

Fashion comes and goes of course and antiques surge and ebb in value. To misquote an illustrious Buffalonian, I expect that rumors of the death of the vintage hat market are greatly exaggerated. I admire and thank my friends here who have bucked the tradition to bail out in frustration from history repeating itself - remaining to contribute the wealth of their knowledge and collections over many years. I also think it a great idea to develop independent resources to archive your hats and hat knowledge and as a vehicle to sell and trade. I find myself visiting Brad Bowers pages on Dobbs hats often to refresh my knowledge as somehow I seem to be forgetting more than I ever knew.

Just a few days left to wear those straw hats so lets get out and get that done!

The smart ass in me wants to say....."Its not dead, it is just sleeping!"

 

[mayserwegener]

And I so appreciate your posts, your breadth and depth of knowledge. Even though it is not my area of interest I always read your posts, admire your hats and appreciate you.

Thanks!

 

[suitedcboy]

Times change and the collection of items has changed. I think some of the vintage hat market easing is due to a lot of the hats getting cleaned out of homes as the generation that didn't wear them kept them due to sentimental reasons and then they saw that their get had no interest so they were sold. Having Ebay to use to sell them had to factor in also. Also people have bigger heads and the 7 1/8 up hats were fewer and now rare. Still a great time to have 6 7/8 head.
I see this happening in a few things. Furniture that was held for a few generations has gone away when the last few generations don't have formal living rooms and like different style of furniture. A lot of formal living room went away when the wall was knock down to open up more den space. Fine china has taken a big hit because so few have dinners using formal dishware. I have some damn expensive stuff I inherited and have never gotten out of the box. I had a minor tiff when it was suggested it be sold in a horse tack/barn/yard sale. I said something to the effect of "Sell this Lenox stuff for a dollar a piece when it should sell for hundreds". I then looked on Ebay and there is lots of slow/no selling price reduced china. A dollar a plate is what it looks like it is worth..........had to apologize and eat my words on that one.

 

[Rmccamey]

I'm continually amazed that so much can sometimes be know about a single hat. I mean, of the millions of hats that have ever been made, to know so much about one single hat is pretty incredible!

 

[Just Daniel]

One difference I have noticed looking back through years of posts is definitely a difference in the context. Those initial years were really about discovering vintage hat history, about piecing together data points to determine manufacturing dates, quality level, etc.

Now thanks to those past posts we have a decent idea about most brands, so we’ve shifted modes. There is less discovery of knowledge; this might contribute to the idea that the Lounge is less exciting.

Even given that, I still come around to check out what everyone has found!

 

[glider]

I really haven't seen a big difference in TFL since I joined. There are still a lot of vintage hates featured . There is still an amazing amount of knowledge here, it is possible to get just about any question answered. I will admit that the hat forum is about all I look at .

 

[belfastboy]

Times change and the collection of items has changed. I think some of the vintage hat market easing is due to a lot of the hats getting cleaned out of homes as the generation that didn't wear them kept them due to sentimental reasons and then they saw that their get had no interest so they were sold. Having Ebay to use to sell them had to factor in also. Also people have bigger heads and the 7 1/8 up hats were fewer and now rare. Still a great time to have 6 7/8 head.
I see this happening in a few things. Furniture that was held for a few generations has gone away when the last few generations don't have formal living rooms and like different style of furniture. A lot of formal living room went away when the wall was knock down to open up more den space. Fine china has taken a big hit because so few have dinners using formal dishware. I have some damn expensive stuff I inherited and have never gotten out of the box. I had a minor tiff when it was suggested it be sold in a horse tack/barn/yard sale. I said something to the effect of "Sell this Lenox stuff for a dollar a piece when it should sell for hundreds". I then looked on Ebay and there is lots of slow/no selling price reduced china. A dollar a plate is what it looks like it is worth..........had to apologize and eat my words on that one.

My mother died a few years back and the job of clearing out the family home of 70 years fell to me. My mother had furniture from the 1940's that was in pristine condition and I thought it would fetch at least a few dollars. Alas ON ONE wanted it.....too big, too old, and unwanted. Even the SallyAnn, Big Bros donation services don't take furniture. I found a guy that sells what he can to low income people including delivery just to recoup is expenses and gave it to him. Gave my mother's 'good china' to the young starving students living in the basement suite next door.

 

[A.C]

My mother died a few years back and the job of clearing out the family home of 70 years fell to me. My mother had furniture from the 1940's that was in pristine condition and I thought it would fetch at least a few dollars. Alas ON ONE wanted it.....too big, too old, and unwanted. Even the SallyAnn, Big Bros donation services don't take furniture. I found a guy that sells what he can to low income people including delivery just to recoup is expenses and gave it to him. Gave my mother's 'good china' to the young starving students living in the basement suite next door.

I won't buy anything unless it is an antique . The build quality and craftsmanship is at a different level then the under par garbage you purchase new .

I am just learning the history about the hats I own and thank you to all here I am slowly learning about expanding my hat collection to other brands as well . I am also going to head to the Guelph museum as they have a big section on Biltmore . I will see if I am allowed to take some pictures I would love to share

 

[A.C]

This is a topic that interests me and touches closely. I have thought about it a lot in recent months and have decided not to sell hats here anymore. I'm sorry, but too few requests, perhaps also due to transport costs from Europe, but above all a lack of interest. I also recognize that the hats I put on sale are European and the interest is not as great as for US made hats, moreover I have always practiced a very favorable pricing policy which, however, has not paid off. I also find that making cheap prices does not count because I then see mediocre hats sold at dizzying prices, but I know the market and its protagonists here on FL. I also believe that interest in vintage hats has declined with the aging of a generation and actually FL is, in my opinion, in a period of tiredness. I am working to open a small online shop for the hats I have to sell which are many and some rare and unobtainable, where fans will be able to have at hand and eyes what is available without dispersing the hats among a thousand other items of clothing. I will keep you informed

That is too bad I absolutely love the European style I own a few hats that are based off of European styling and honestly they always make me feel like I should be going on an adventure . 0

 

[deadlyhandsome]

When my oldest daughter got married she didn’t register for china or any of the finery that generations in the past did. Most of her furniture has come from IKEA in flat pack boxes. It’s all short lived stuff meant to be used for a while, thrown away/recycled and replaced with other disposable stuff.

I wonder if people in Victorian times felt the same when the industrial revolution came along and manufactured goods went from skilled artisans to mass produced factory wares.

 

[Zombie_61]

The smart ass in me wants to say....."Its not dead, it is just sleeping!"

"If you hadn't nailed 'im to the perch 'e'd be pushing up the daisies!"

 

[belfastboy]

When my oldest daughter got married she didn’t register for china or any of the finery that generations in the past did. Most of her furniture has come from IKEA in flat pack boxes. It’s all short lived stuff meant to be used for a while, thrown away/recycled and replaced with other disposable stuff.

I wonder if people in Victorian times felt the same when the industrial revolution came along and manufactured goods went from skilled artisans to mass produced factory wares.

I watched a British show on the Arts & Crafts movement and they showed a desk that this famous Brit cabinet maker had made.....900 hours went into it, all hand crafted. My Ikea desk likely took minutes to make....a few hours more to assemble but that is just me!

 

[Edward Reed]

well, I just bought another vintage Royal Stetson Fedora today so... not dead yet!

 

[belfastboy]

well, I just bought another vintage Royal Stetson Fedora today so... not dead yet!

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Thank you for your service!

 

[Frunobulax]

I won't buy anything unless it is an antique .

You must have a rough time at the grocery.

well, I just bought another vintage Royal Stetson Fedora today so... not dead yet!

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Playboy?

 

[Edward Reed]

Playboy?

Yes indeed! 50’s Playboy

 

[Edward Reed]

Thank you for your service!

Lol!

 

[Louis Mountbatten]

To the question about what is going on with the vintage market... I, too, have noticed that even on ebay there simply aren't as many great vintage hats as there has been in years past. But I also know that for a while, vintage hats had begun fetching fewer dollars. Up until about 2018 hats were often going for big dollars, even the smaller ones. Now they are not going for quite as much (tho the big sizes still go higher). Anyway, I hope it is temporary.

 

[A.C]

You must have a rough time at the grocery.



I mostly stick to vintage canned goods

 

[belfastboy]

Lol!

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Apparently it down to us few keeping it alive.....someone has to sacrifice for the greater good!