My ebay Montecristi

[Panamabob]

What a steal for only $58.77.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Montecristi-Cla...209952497QQcategoryZ52369QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

The hat has about 350 weaves per square inch. Has 8 vueltas in the crown. A good backweave. Good, uniform weave, for the most part. All kinds of pencil marks and ink initials in it.

Heck, we'd sell a hat like this on ebay for about $64.00 and many of you who took advantage of or infamous special prices at the beginning of the year got similar hats. The blocking is quite nice, too. If you look under the band you can see broken paja.

There seems to be one glaring problem. The leather proclaims this to be among the world's finest panama hats. It isn't. The seller said it cost $425.00. I know that the world seems to revolve around money or at least the love of money (the root of all evil, you know) but the markup on this hat is 1400%. Nice line of business to be in. And the people in Montecristi still live in primitive conditions.

 

[fedoralover]

Thanks for sharing some of the finer points Robert, I'm more a felt guy but always enjoy learning about Panama's.


fedoralover

 

[scotrace]

Hawaii

Was it made in Hawaii or South America? Looks like a decent hat for the price. And gee, no "head funk!"

 

[Michaelson]

I'm still kicking myself. Two weeks ago my wife and I attended my sister's wedding in upper New York State, and decided to return to Tennessee by driving down through Pennsylvania, then West Virginia. We stopped at a big antique mall on the drive called 'the 3 sisters', and in the back of the mall was a display with several men's hats. One was a moth bitten Dobb's gray (not bad, but still not worth the $25 they were asking), and lo and behold, a FINE looking Monticristi for only TEN DOLLARS!!! Unfortunately, it was a size 7 (I wear 7 3/8), and we had no place to put it in our vehicle (we were in our S15 pickup with a full box of clothing!) DANG! Anyway, they're out there, and folks just think they're old straw hats and price them as such. This one looked a lot like the one in this string too!

Until I handled this one, I've had no idea why folks rant and rave about these weaves, but that one convinced me of the reasons! Rats anyway...
Regards! Michaelson

 

[SHARPETOYS]

Quote.

Heck, we'd sell a hat like this on ebay for about $64.00 and many of you who took advantage of or infamous special prices at the beginning of the year got similar hats. The blocking is quite nice, too. If you look under the band you can see broken paja.

Well at least you didn't pay to much for it. Now you know for sure what others are selling. :cry:

 

[Panamabob]

Yes, I've been accused of having never seen hats sold by the "experts." Well, I have, and now I have one myself. I'll cherish it.

Just waiting on my hat from another "expert." This will be a gem as well, I am sure.

I wonder if this hat will be on par with my example of The Worlds Finest Panama Hats (trademarked by The Panama Hat Company of the Pacific).

 

[photobyalan]

Hey, Panamabob,

Is this one a $1000.00 hat? The seller says so...

 

[Panamabob]

I can't see a real closeup of the weave, but do a search for Jamespowers and Canadave's hats. Looks similar.

 

[SHARPETOYS]

Looks like a $100 hat to me!

 

[indylion]

1000??

Is this one a $1000.00 hat? The seller says so...

I don't know if its a $1000 hat, but it looks great. I've seen hats that cost over $500 that didn't look half as good as your hat.

 

[Panamabob]

Got the other "expert" hat in yesterday. The darn thing, about a $50.00 hat, has so much glue on it that the woven designs look like they have plastic wrap on them.

 

[SHARPETOYS]

Question

Got the other "expert" hat in yesterday. The darn thing, about a $50.00 hat, has so much glue on it that the woven designs look like they have plastic wrap on them.

Doesn't lacquer ruin a Montecristi hat?

 

[Panamabob]

According to some people. It sure feels like a piece of plastic.

 

[nicolasb]

Quality of weave aside, I think the blocking on that first hat is rather nice.

Do you have a photo of the second one, Robert?

 

[gdkenoyer]

I have a very nice looking straw hat from Milano Hat Co. out of Texas (NOT a panama) that has some 'sealant' possibly lacquer. The thing is a sauna in warm weather.

 

[Panamabob]

Oh yes, it is a beautiful block. Looks just like the Greeley Hatworks block that I've seen in Florida. Beautiful block.

I'll show photos of the second one in a few days. Swamped.