Newbie: Lucky or Sucker, you decide...

[Tango Yankee]

As you can see, you have everyone's attention. But pay no heed to those who say the best place to store these lovelies is in Germany, or California. They best place for the ones you like best is on your head or in your closet.

Mingo

PS: The best place for those that you are not keeping for yourself is Southern Ohio

Heh... just outside of Lucasville, in fact! lol

Congratulations on a wonderful discovery!

Tom

 

[Pilgrim]

I'm another latecomer to this thread (and a 7 1/4 size). Congratulations on your find and on the approach you're taking!

If you would like to see what I consider some of the best hat presentations on Ebay, I suggest doing a search for the seller Rilico. I believe he's a member here, but I don't know who. At any rate, I enjoy every listing he puts up, and I've had some nice email exchanges with him.

 

[johnnyphi]

Thanks...

Thanks for the encouragement! I'll be posting more detailed photos, as soon as I can.

I've got a helluva project on my hands, and the kind words keep me motivated.:eusa_clap

 

[duggap]

Johnny, I am pleased for your good finds. There was a department store in our area that, rumor had it, had shut its doors one day and never reopened. This thread got me to doing some investigating. Apparantly the story was true. For some reason unknown to the outside world, the business was closed and the family resisted all efforts to purchase the inventory. Just last Thursday I found out that there had been bad water leaks from the roof and everything in the store was destroyed and unusable. I had just imagined some of those locally made Wormser hats being there. Oh well, they had motives but they were never shared with us. [huh]

 

[johnnyphi]

One in a million...

Johnny, I am pleased for your good finds. There was a department store in our area that, rumor had it, had shut its doors one day and never reopened. This thread got me to doing some investigating. Apparantly the story was true. For some reason unknown to the outside world, the business was closed and the family resisted all efforts to purchase the inventory. Just last Thursday I found out that there had been bad water leaks from the roof and everything in the store was destroyed and unusable. I had just imagined some of those locally made Wormser hats being there. Oh well, they had motives but they were never shared with us. [huh]

My find is just one of those lucky breaks. My brother and I just stumbled onto this great place, and it took several weeks to learn what he had upstairs, then decide to buy it, then make an offer, etc. I knew it was a delicate situation when I started negotiating with the owner to purchase the inventory. He was still selling his hats for $50, so he knew the hats were valuable. In the end, I think he decided to accept a reasonable offer from me, so he could unload the entire inventory. The entire process began a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving, and I didn't actually take possession of the inventory until the week before Christmas.

Speaking of inventory... I'm heading out to the the warehouse this weekend to begin taking a more detailed inventory. Daunting process!

 

[johnnyphi]

Premier Quality Adam Hat

I took some detailed photos of a "Premier Quality" Adam for your viewing pleasure. The hat is a 7 3/8. (I haven't measured it, yet.) The felt is very fine, and I can't find any noticeable flaws or moth holes.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Very popular style in the middle 1950s. In the TV program "The Sound of Jazz" - filmed in 1957 - many of the musicians are wearing back bow styles.

bk

 

[johnnyphi]

Cool... Here's a Premier Adam porkpie, with a back bow...

Very popular style in the middle 1950s. In the TV program "The Sound of Jazz" - filmed in 1957 - many of the musicians are wearing back bow styles.

bk

That's interesting... Here's Premier Adam porkpie, also with a back bow. (It's a paltry 6 3/4, but it's a good example of the style and the quality level. Weren't these were popular with the jazz crowd, too?

Regarding the quality of the various Adam hats... Aside from the improved lining, I can't see much visible difference between the Executive and Premier hats. I did notice that the Premiers don't have ribbon along the edge of the brim. These two examples have an edging made from the same felt as the hat. The felt on the Premier hats is softer and more "plush" than the lower-level hats. Is felt quality the basic difference in quality?

 

[bolthead]

Very Nice.....at era.

.....both of them.
I love the Back Bow treatment of that era. :eusa_clap

I have a few myself.

 

[Josephine]

Johnny, you need to have a meetup in your warehouse and put all of us local FLers to work helping you inventory as the cost of seeing your incredible find up close.

 

[DOUGLAS]

Boy o boy are you going to be popular around here!!

 

[johnnyphi]

Premier Stratoliner?

Wow...

My girlfriend and I inventoried the Stetsons on Sunday. I did my best to take good photos, including photos of any visible flaws, but I have to admit that we were shocked by the amazing hats that have survived so many years.

Here is the first example that caught my eye... It's a "Premier Stratoliner". I didn't know there was a Premier version of the Stratoliner, but I can confirm that this is a very fine hat.

Can anyone advise me about those minor wrinkles that appear on the sides of several hats? Do these detract from the value, or do the un-creased crowns overpower the wrinkles that appear on the sides of the hats?

For those who are interested in size... It's a 6 7/8.

 

[KObalto]

I don't think the wrinkles are an issue at all

A little steam and you can smooth them right out.

 

[jimmy the lid]

Premier Stratoliner

Very interesting, johnnyphi. I've seen a couple of Royal DeLuxe Stratoliners along the way, but never a Premier Strat. Also interesting that this one comes without a liner. Great lid!


Cheers,
JtL

 

[DblCoronaMS]

All I can say is WOW!!!

I have yet to buy my first fedora and your find has me drooling!

Congrats!

(Did I mention I'm a 7 1/4?)

 

[KObalto]

You know you're killing us, don't you?

When are you going to share your plans for this motherlode?

 

[johnnyphi]

How about tonight?

I can't share my plans for the entire inventory... But I'm going to post my first hat on eBay tonight. I'm going to start with a very nice Lee that I have here at my house. It's a larger size, and it's a beautiful hat...

My eBay name is exjohnnyphi. The hat is posted.

Now, we'll see how much interest there REALLY is!

When are you going to share your plans for this motherlode?

 

[Mr. Lucky]

Hey, Johnny, how about this: We, and I mean most of the Lounge besides me, have been more than happy to share our knowledge and wisdom with you, that's the nature of this forum. And, needless to say we have been tantalized at every turn by your discovery. Why don't you share some of your bounty with us directly? Why not post some of your hats in the Classified section, at what you deem as reasonable prices, so that we won't have to go through the rigamorall of dealing with Ebay? There are many, MANY here that would be happy to pay market value. It just seems sort of fair and civil - quid pro quo, so to speak. How about it?

 

[Rick Blaine]

WOW!

I can't share my plans for the entire inventory... But I'm going to post my first hat on eBay tonight. I'm going to start with a very nice Lee that I have here at my house. It's a larger size, and it's a beautiful hat...

My eBay name is exjohnnyphi. The hat is posted.

Now, we'll see how much interest there REALLY is!

Holy crappoli!

That Lee is absolutely lovely!!!
...can't wait to see more!

 

[J. M. Stovall]

Can you give us your eBay handle so I can make you a favorite? Unless you already did and I missed it, but I didn't see it. -thanks