Newbie: Lucky or Sucker, you decide...

[Spellflower]

is a 7 3/8, as am I, but it's not quite my style. It's a beautiful hat, though.

Yeah, I'm in the same boat- I figure Johnny's got so many great hats that I'm going to wait until he posts one that really matches what I'm looking for (which, in case he's curious, would be something brown, 7 3/8, >5" crown, >2.5" brim, thick ribbon.

 

[ideaguy]

Move over in that boat. Can't manage to swing with Mr. DeepPockets when
it comes to a simple hat. I'm afraid that we might not see any hats at all-
they'll all go on to eBay, and unless we either get lucky or foolish, the prices on deadstock hats will be too high. Mingo- wanna split a hat??

 

[Vintage Betty]

Move over in that boat. Can't manage to swing with Mr. DeepPockets when
it comes to a simple hat. I'm afraid that we might not see any hats at all-
they'll all go on to eBay, and unless we either get lucky or foolish, the prices on deadstock hats will be too high. Mingo- wanna split a hat??

So John....with all this excellent free advice given to you on the Lounge which is making your hat prices soar through the roof on ebay, why oh why are you charging the same nice people here such high prices in your Classifieds Ad?

Most gentlemen here can't afford that type of price. And I know, as well as you do, that you got quite a few hundred dollars worth of free consulting so far which also saves you many hours of research.

Just my .02; and feel free to ignore, flag or delete this post as appropriate.

Vintage Betty

 

[J. M. Stovall]

I would love to have a crack at quite a few of those hats, but I don't think he should feel obliged to sell them for less than he can get (where ever that may be). He put forward the investment and has spent a lot of time and energy already. I say let the market decide. But that's just my two cents.

 

[ideaguy]

Well! Thank you, VB, it takes a woman to stand up like a man these days.

 

[bolthead]

Well! Thank you, VB, it takes a woman to stand up like a man these days.

LMAO.....

 

[johnnyphi]

THE HAT!!!!

I thought this was THE HAT!!!

I stayed up late last night to see if you would swoop in at the last minute to rescue your hat, but to no avail.

Who won this one? I would have gone higher . . . honest I would have!

 

[johnnyphi]

Don't wait...

If you want something... you should go for it. If you sit around and wait for it to pop up on eBay, then you may be missing the boat.

Yeah, I'm in the same boat- I figure Johnny's got so many great hats that I'm going to wait until he posts one that really matches what I'm looking for (which, in case he's curious, would be something brown, 7 3/8, >5" crown, >2.5" brim, thick ribbon.

 

[johnnyphi]

No need to ignore, flag or delete...

I'm not sure why you continue to advocate for me to give away such valuable items. I'm a capitalist, and the Fedora Lounge certainly encourages capitalism, as long as it does not stray outside the boundaries established by the moderators.

Of course, I value the advice/wisdom I've received on the FL, and I'm sure I will eventually have something for everyone. I'm equally sure that my friends from the FL don't expect charity. In fact, they have taught me the true value of these hats.

Aside from monetary value, I hope my mediocre photos of pristine vintage fedoras and men's clothes will be helpful to historians some day.

I should add that you won't find a "sold" posting in the classified listing for the Lee Trinity, so I haven't actually charged anything for that particular hat.

So John....with all this excellent free advice given to you on the Lounge which is making your hat prices soar through the roof on ebay, why oh why are you charging the same nice people here such high prices in your Classifieds Ad?

Most gentlemen here can't afford that type of price. And I know, as well as you do, that you got quite a few hundred dollars worth of free consulting so far which also saves you many hours of research.

Just my .02; and feel free to ignore, flag or delete this post as appropriate.

Vintage Betty

 

[johnnyphi]

Oh how the worm has turned...

Hmmm...

for the folks that have been dreaming of something like this happening, it does! And with more frequency than you would imagine; after being in
Antiques for over 16-17 yrs. (a newbie in that profession), I've had my share of untouched stores, houses sealed up for 50+years, storage garages filled with everything imaginable...still have dreams about walking into that situation now, but always wake up before I get to see the goodies.
Congratulations on both a good find, and the smarts to seek some help
before all h*ll breaks out. Seen many a big "find" disappear due to not having the diligence to wait and do things right.
And if you happen across a 7 3/8, my head would appreciate it...

thanks for sharing all this with us, and welcome to the coolest place in town.

 

[Donato]

Welcome to the Lounge John

And thanks for sharing your treasure trove with us...whatever your prices...we are mature enough to decide how much we can or want to spend on one of your hats.

 

[mingoslim]

It was THE HAT . . .

I thought this was THE HAT!!!

I stayed up late last night to see if you would swoop in at the last minute to rescue your hat, but to no avail.

It was THE HAT . . . But I lost
With a full time job, night school, a wife, and three kids, I really just can't sit on eBay There is always some sniper out there who apparently has nothing else to do

Really, Johnny . . . love your hats . . . and I will keep my eyes peeled for another one that is just as nice . . . and maybe, with a little luck . . .

But don't let people razz you too much. You made an investment, and are doing the work . . . I hope you make a mint!

Mark/mingoslim

 

[Not-Bogart13]

I happened to be fortunate enough to nab one of Johnny's Lee Trinity's. At first I thought it was a little pricey, but knowing what vintage hats are selling for (and knowing I sold a used Akubra for almost as much on EBay), I got daring. After all, the Trinity has been #2 on my wishlist since I started looking for vintage hats. I had saved enough that I was about to buy a "lesser" hat to fill a certain nitch, so I sacrificed that and...

I am one lucky SOB! The hat is brand new as far as condition goes, it fits with room to spare (but not in a bad way), and it's a totally new color for my collection that I can't find anywhere in a style I like.

I've seen some gripes about vintage hat prices (on this thread and in others), and sometimes they are over-priced for thier condition. But when you can get NOS, you need to be ready to pay a little more. We all want hats to be fashionable again, but we want the prices to stay down. Not going to happen. Two Akubras aren't going to give you the joy of a find like this. If you can scrape together enough dough to get one of Johnny's hats, do it. This is a rare opportunity for us and for him.

 

[Spellflower]

If you want something... you should go for it. If you sit around and wait for it to pop up on eBay, then you may be missing the boat.

Actually, I just did that a month ago when I bought my Whippet. The reason I had the cash to spend was because I didn't bid on every hat that I had an opportunity to buy. I find the best strategy is to save my money for just the right thing, unless it's a really great deal.

Regarding prices, Johnny, I'm certainly not going to suggest that you give your hats away, but you may consider giving a slight discount to Loungers, as most vendor/sponsors, and many ebay sellers who are also members do.

If the Lee hasn't sold, that's objective proof that you were asking more than this particular market would bear. Maybe it would go that high on ebay, but then again it might go for a lot less, or if you start the bidding to high, not at all.

Rest assured, when you put up a hat that I want, I'll pay what I think it's worth, if I can. If I can't, may it go to someone who will take good care of it until such a time as I get richer and they get bored with it!

 

[johnnyphi]

UPDATE: No more clothes

After a few days without a report, I wanted to update you all on my progress.

Last week, I was able to sell all of my vintage clothing inventory to a very nice couple from Upstate NY. They run a wardrobe rental company that provides period costumes for movies. (Among other business ventures, including the Manhattan Vintage Show, which is scheduled for Feb. 8th and 9th.)

We made a very fair deal for the entire clothing inventory (excluding the hats). They ended up with thousands of really great pieces, along with quite a few items that were in pretty rough shape after 40-50 years in an attic. In the end, I think everyone was happy with the result.

I have to say, it was a relief to find a buyer who will be able to preserve and protect these interesting old pieces, and I'm looking forward to keeping an eye out for my inventory on the big screen!

The good news is that I still have quite a few excellent hats, and I'm working on a plan to share some of them with my friends on the FL.

I've also found some interesting hat specimens, and I'll be posting photos as time permits.

 

[KObalto]

We're all ears. Thanks, Johnny.

 

[johnnyphi]

Planning Stages...

Hello All,

It has been a while since my last update, and I want to make sure you all know that I'm working with the Fedora Lounge leadership to find a way to share some of thse hats with you.

Without having more information from the leadership, I can safely say that we all want to start by sharing the best hats with members of the FL

Here are the basic concepts:

1) All of my hats are the real deal... Unworn, New/Old, Vintage Fedoras
2) There is something for everyone... Variables include brand, quality, style, size and condition.
3) This is not a charity... Expect to pay market prices, but know that you won't be haggling with me or competing against strangers on eBay. (Prices will be based on the condition of each hat.)

That is all I can offer for now. Your thoughts and/or opinions are welcome!

 

[airforceindy]

When do we start?

 

[citRon]

Hello All,

It has been a while since my last update, and I want to make sure you all know that I'm working with the Fedora Lounge leadership to find a way to share some of thse hats with you.

Without having more information from the leadership, I can safely say that we all want to start by sharing the best hats with members of the FL

Here are the basic concepts:

1) All of my hats are the real deal... Unworn, New/Old, Vintage Fedoras
2) There is something for everyone... Variables include brand, quality, style, size and condition.
3) This is not a charity... Expect to pay market prices, but know that you won't be haggling with me or competing against strangers on eBay. (Prices will be based on the condition of each hat.)

That is all I can offer for now. Your thoughts and/or opinions are welcome!

The benefit for you, Jonnyphi, is that you don't have to deal with ebay fees when selling them here. Also, unlike ebay, you don't have to keep wondering 'when is this guy/gal gonna pay me!'.

 

[Jovan]

Sounds great... I just want to know if you'll ever answer my last PM!