Where do you get your vintage hats?

[fluteplayer07]

I know ebay is a great resource, but I generally have terrible luck regarding auctions. I looked on Johnnyphi's website, also, but he has a limited selection in my size. And I am always late to the classifieds, with no Paypal account (or intentions to get one). So do you have any other internet (or store) suggestions for me? Any ideas are appreciated.

Thanks,
flute

 

[Corky]

I once acquired a wonderful fur felt safari style fedora...

I once acquired a wonderful fur felt safari style fedora (with pugaree band) while crossing 59th street near Central Park in Manhattan. Some well-dressed individual was getting into a cab on the other side of the street and his hat blew off. It was an extremely windy day and the hat literally flew into my grasp as I was standing on the curb, waiting to cross the street. The guy closed the cab door and the cab drove off. I held on to the hat and stood there for a few minutes, waiting for the hat's owner to retrieve it. But after awhile, I realized the hat was truly a stray and went on my way.

The hat made the trek with me to California and was a regular in my rotation for 4 or 5 years. It was finally given away to the guy who was in charge of all the computers at Disney Animation in Burbank.

 

[mayserwegener]

I know ebay is a great resource, but I generally have terrible luck regarding auctions. I looked on Johnnyphi's website, also, but he has a limited selection in my size. And I am always late to the classifieds, with no Paypal account (or intentions to get one). So do you have any other internet (or store) suggestions for me? Any ideas are appreciated.

Thanks,
flute

You can try local / regional antique malls, thrift shops, and vintage shops.

 

[gtdean48]

Almost exclusively from the Internet Flea Market = fishing in the 'Bay!
I have bought 1 hat from a site that a sellar on ebay pointed me to but that selection was limited. I've bought a few items without PayPal, via cashiers or personal checks. They're out there, even in my 7 5/8 Long Oval size. Have to make the searching as big a part as the purchasing...

 

[tonyb]

Seek and you shall find, flute. The goods are out there, and once you get in the habit of looking they come into your field of vision. Your skill as a hunter will likely improve with practice, as will your judgment as to value. Many a hat I thought I just had to have a few years ago I now see as nothing particularly special.

The beauty of buying "in person," as opposed to online, is that you have a much better sense of just what you're getting. Size, condition, etc, can be hard to accurately determine from a seller's description and photos.

 

[buler]

One tip I can offer is look in every box/spot in an antique mall. I've found many a hat on top of a cabinet or in a womans hatbox, etc.

B

 

[rmrdaddy]

I second Bulers' sentiment. Look at every hook and possible hanging spot in thrift/antique/curio shops.
I just found a gorgeous darker gray Stratoliner last weekend.... I may need to clean the liner, yeah, it's THAT nice

 

[Chuck Bobuck]

I once acquired a wonderful fur felt safari style fedora while crossing 59th street near Central Park in Manhattan.

It was an extremely windy day and the hat literally flew into my grasp as I was about to cross the street.

I held on to the hat and stood there for a few minutes, waiting for the hat's owner to retrieve it. But after awhile, I realized the hat was truly a stray and went on my way.

The hat made the trek with me to California and was a regular in my rotation for 4 or 5 years. It was finally given away to the guy who was in charge of all the computers at Disney Animation in Burbank.

That's a great story Corky. I bet you were suprised standing there one minute, empty handed and suddenly holding a hat.lol

 

[Sam Craig]

You never know

I've never had much luck on E-bay either.

It seems like anything on there that's much good goes really high. I can't outbid, most of the time.

Just in the past few months, I've gotten four nice fedoras, including one that was in new condition with all the original paper sweat tags, an early 60s western, and a couple of nice wool caps at our salvation Army. I've also gotten a couple of finds at the local Goodwill.

Little antique stores and antique malls are still good in this region of the world.

In all of these, however, you just have to keep going back and trying.

Eventually, people start to know what you are looking for, but don't expect most shop owners to get hat savy.

I continue to be amazed how many antique store owners don't get it when I don't want to buy a distressed derby or a 1980s wool felt trilby.

 

[fedoralover]

Goodwill has provided me with a Stetson 25, a gorgeous borsalino, a great Resistol thin ribbon, and recently a Portis beaver blend thin ribbon. Antique shop finds are a gray Knox and a brown Dobbs. Antique shows have provided a blue Hardeman,a gray Penny's Marathon, a gray Borsalino and a pearl/blue Mallory 20.

The rest have been either new off the shelf, or custom, but the majority have been ebay buys before the fedoralounge became so populated.

I love the fedoralounge and have been a member since MK first started it, but it has contributed to the prices of fedora's on ebay quadrupling over the last several years. I seldom buy one off of ebay now, but fortunately I have every color and design I want anyway. Now I only buy a fedora if it is a very good deal, like the $9.00 Portis.

fedoralover

 

[bolthead]

Wow.....

Goodwill has provided me with a Stetson 25, a gorgeous borsalino, a great Resistol thin ribbon, and recently a Portis beaver blend thin ribbon. Antique shop finds are a gray Knox and a brown Dobbs. Antique shows have provided a blue Hardeman,a gray Penny's Marathon, a gray Borsalino and a pearl/blue Mallory 20.

The rest have been either new off the shelf, or custom, but the majority have been ebay buys before the fedoralounge became so populated.

I love the fedoralounge and have been a member since MK first started it, but it has contributed to the prices of fedora's on ebay quadrupling over the last several years. I seldom buy one off of ebay now, but fortunately I have every color and design I want anyway. Now I only buy a fedora if it is a very good deal, like the $9.00 Portis.

fedoralover

you guys are very fortunate to have such places, I envy you all.

 

[Not-Bogart13]

Being stuck in the middle of the vintage clothing and hat desert, I can say that large sizes are something you only acquire if you are constantly on the lookout, pounce quickly, and are willing to pay serious bucks. eBay remains the best place, and I did get a couple from there... lost more.

The classifieds here, though, have been the source of my only keepers. Be patient and keep looking. And when you don't have a couple of bills to throw down, for the love of Pete - don't look!

 

[Sam Craig]

Direct route can work

Depending on where you live ... the size of the community, etc. ... there is also the most direct route, and I have had that work.

Go to your local newspaper and buy a classified ad ... Wanted to Buy, good condition older hats sizes whatever to whatever.

In the past, I have tried adding something clever, like, I'll take care of grandpa's old dress hats, and explain that I'm a collector and not looking to resell.

I've had good luck and bad, but for the price of a small ad, you might come up with something.

It's amazing how many people have hats in the back of a closet and just don't know what to do with them.

Worth a try?[huh]

 

[Stan]

I once acquired a wonderful fur felt safari style fedora (with pugaree band) while crossing 59th street near Central Park in Manhattan. Some well-dressed individual was getting into a cab on the other side of the street and his hat blew off. It was an extremely windy day and the hat literally flew into my grasp as I was standing on the curb, waiting to cross the street. The guy closed the cab door and the cab drove off. I held on to the hat and stood there for a few minutes, waiting for the hat's owner to retrieve it. But after awhile, I realized the hat was truly a stray and went on my way.

The hat made the trek with me to California and was a regular in my rotation for 4 or 5 years. It was finally given away to the guy who was in charge of all the computers at Disney Animation in Burbank.

Hi,

I just *have* to ask. Were you, perchance, already wearing a hat at the time?

My luck would run that way, as I'm always wearing a hat. That'd look somewhat strange, to be wearing a hat *and* carrying another one in your hand.....

later!

Stan

 

[Stan]

Hi,

I find quite a few at ...... yard sales.

Sometimes they're actually estate sales on Saturday morning. In either case, I pick up whatever looks halfway decent. Some of them I rework into hats for myself. Most times, I put them on eBay so others can have at 'em.

I've picked up some really nice keepers on eBay by being able to clean, reblock and rebuild hats myself. I've found some, which once were really nice vintage hats that needed a serious rework, for $10 that have been returned to their former glory.

All of the knowledge necessary is already present on this board. All I did was sit and do a lot of reading and note-taking. If you watch eBay for a while, then you'll eventually pick up tools and supplies for reasonable prices as well. I wound up with enough stuff to work on my own hats for just a little over the price of a single custom-made hat. The only real trick is to be patient.

So, don't be too quick to give up on eBay. Like someone else said, it's about spending your time searching and waiting.

Later!

Stan

 

[fluteplayer07]

Thank you for all the tips! What do you use for search terms on ebay? Usually I type in "vintage borsalino" or "vintage stetson", or something in a similar vein. Do any of you have some suggestions?

 

[rmrdaddy]

Flute,
You may get some resistance on search keywords, some folks guard them like Secret Recipes!

Keep in mind that not everyone knows what they are offering, and that is often reflected in their listing titles. Using more vague search terms nets you more results, requiring more sifting through yes, but it often does help you find the gold nuggets too

 

[Woodfluter]

Flute,
You may get some resistance on search keywords, some folks guard them like Secret Recipes!

Keep in mind that not everyone knows what they are offering, and that is often reflected in their listing titles. Using more vague search terms nets you more results, requiring more sifting through yes, but it often does help you find the gold nuggets too

Mr. Daddy hits the nail on the head here, sir.

Not wanting to give too much away, unless you are willing to lay down the big bills, avoid eBay items that are really well-described by knowledgeable sellers and replete with helpful photos. Like he said, work the more obscure listings.

Sometimes an error in description works greatly in your favor if you know your stuff...the hat in my current avatar is my best fedora find, and was described as a Cavanagh "wool felt". Of course, Cavanagh only made top-shelf hats and it clearly had the Cav edge...so I got it at a relatively reasonable price with few competing bidders. And it was almost like new.

I don't know your reasons for your aversion to a PayPal account, and they may be very good ones. I've felt they provide a good service and have never had a problem with transactions, but the market determines to some extent the fees. If you don't want the seller (and indirectly you) to deal with those, you do have some options...could contact them and make an offer to pay by other means.

I've frequented thrift stores and antique lairs for many years and never - not once - have I seen a hat in any condition at all larger than US 7-1/8. Yard sales - never seen a fur felt ever - only cloth and plastic. Maybe I have bad luck in that regard. Been looking!

Here in Atlanta, I've seen photos of crowds with almost every male wearing a nice hat, and now you can go to the thrift stores and even upscale vintage boutiques and never see a hat at all. Maybe they figure nobody wants them anymore.

Anyway, good hunting whatever your hunting ground!

- Bill (the other fluter)

 

[Widebrim]

I've got three, and they all came from thrift stores in Glendale, CA.:eusa_clap

 

[Not-Bogart13]

Thank you for all the tips! What do you use for search terms on ebay? Usually I type in "vintage borsalino" or "vintage stetson", or something in a similar vein. Do any of you have some suggestions?

I rarely use the term "vintage" in my searches. Too many false results and lots of "vintage style" results. As a base, I start with the word "Fedora" a brand or model name if I have such a specific want, and LOTS of patience. I also pay attention to terms being used in the results I'm getting. Thus, I avoid terms that seem more common on hats I don't want, and try terms often attached to the type I would want.

For example, if I'm on ebay and a vendor has dumped 50+ cheap wool hats on there, and every listing header has the word "Gangster" in it, I will avoid that word, and maybe even add an exclusion in the search parameters. But if I get several good results that just wouldn't fit or are too beat-up, and they often say "Depp" or "Dillinger" for some reason, I follow that logic for a week or so.