The $4,300 Shirt

[repeatclicks]

The real deal. Ive never seen a shirt sell for this much on eBay. Ever. I sell deco dining tables and chairs at work for the same price as this. You could have a 1951 Shoebox Ford in good shape for that much, or an entire collection of vintage suits with shoes to match, or anything better than a single shirt!:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...417979&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_500wt_1182

Recession? What recession?

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

And to think some of the guys around here get guff from their wives for buying a fedora. [huh]

 

[mattfink]

There is a whole series of these shirts: Spiders, Vultures, Shrunken Heads...

 

[Edward]

Incredible, but there you go. 'What recession?' indeed; there's a whole strata of super-rich who are never touched by the economic conditions that assail the rest of us. Must be a nice way to be, though I'd hate to lose all sense of the value of money to the extent where this seemed like an acceptable thing to do! Their money, I guess, but with people starving in the world for lack of food costing a few cents in USD....

 

[GallatinHatMan]

Obviously someone with FAR more money than sense. Each to their own, I suppose.

 

[Carlisle Blues]

I am gonna sue

They have taken my likeness and used it without my permission.....

 

[Nick D]

This is just ridiculous.

 

[repeatclicks]

There is a whole series of these shirts: Spiders, Vultures, Shrunken Heads...

Reallllly... Would love to see photos ive you got em. I love the wilder 50s stuff.

 

[repeatclicks]

Incredible, but there you go. 'What recession?' indeed; there's a whole strata of super-rich who are never touched by the economic conditions that assail the rest of us. Must be a nice way to be, though I'd hate to lose all sense of the value of money to the extent where this seemed like an acceptable thing to do! Their money, I guess, but with people starving in the world for lack of food costing a few cents in USD....

My guess is that it wasnt someone super rich, just a super-collector. He probably lives modestly but doles out loads of money on what he collects. Sorta like Star Wars geeks or any other huge collector.

 

[repeatclicks]

And to think some of the guys around here get guff from their wives for buying a fedora. [huh]

Yeah, tell me about it! And to think I used to think $100 for a shirt was expensive! The one Im eying for $175 isnt lookin so bad now!

 

[Miss_Bella_Hell]

So, what's the deal? What's so great about the shirt? Educate me.

 

[Edward]

My guess is that it wasnt someone super rich, just a super-collector. He probably lives modestly but doles out loads of money on what he collects. Sorta like Star Wars geeks or any other huge collector.

Possible, I suppose. I know I've seen collectors spend a mint on a particular piece, meanwhile they dress like they found their wardrobe in somebody's rubbish bin! lol

 

[resortes805]

So, what's the deal? What's so great about the shirt? Educate me.

Vintage garments with pop culture icons are EXTREMELY collectible; Mickey Mouse watches from the 1930's, Hopalong Cassidy sweaters from the 1950's etc. As a pullover "Gaucho" shirt it also evokes the iconic image of the 1950's teenager, which is also popular.

Yellowstone had this shirt displayed under glass above their cash register for years, I'm surprised they decided to auction it off.

It took only 4 bids for this item to reach such a high price, so it was probably a tug of war between 2 serious Mad Magazine collectors.

 

[dhermann1]

It really looks like a cross between Alfred E. Newman and Alfalfa. Is this how Alfred E. Looked early on? If so, perhaps an early date gives this added value.

 

[mattfink]

Reallllly... Would love to see photos ive you got em. I love the wilder 50s stuff.

They are in the Rin Tanaka book My Freedamn Vol. 6. You can see the one with the spiders if you go here:

www.myfreedamn.com


I'll see if I can remember to scan them in later when I get home.

 

[mattfink]

So, what's the deal? What's so great about the shirt? Educate me.

It's always about scarcity and demand.

 

[Widebrim]

This is just ridiculous.

What, me worry?[huh]

 

[Forgotten Man]

A shirt like that would fetch that price tag! That shirt is a piece of 50s pop culture... Teen culture and that's why it went for so much!

Yellowstone did have many interesting collectables displayed in their shop... I recall the wonderful ties and sweaters of the late 40s and early 50s you'd only see in books.

When it comes to this stuff, you have to understand the price is because of what it represents and the history behind it... not so much of what the design or style of the piece so much.

Take it from me, WWII German uniforms can reach that price without a problem and there are collectors who will buy that stuff with no problems!

Remember, there were still people who bought lavish expensive items even in the Depression... Most new EA Scott radios of the 30s would fetch $400. to $1000. in 1934 when the country saw over 25% unemployment! Today we're pushing 11% unemployment... not nearly as bad as it was then.

Neat piece, hope it will be displayed and preserved for history sake. Whoever bought it may even ware it to Viva next year… I wouldn’t doubt it! That would be a big “Check me out” type of thing most Viva goers would want to flaunt.

 

[celtic]

It's a mad world.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

It's a mad world.

And $30,000+ fetched for a 19th century pair of torn up, faded Levi Strauss jeans: is that mad as well?


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