Shopping in Thrift/Antique Shops (Let's Hear Your Story)

Terry "The Hat" · Jun 21, 2011

So I'm new to Vintage Fedoras, not hats but Vintage Fedoras. I've been wearing newer hats or nice hats for a long time but just started getting really interested in the Vintage models. I blame you guys for that. I bounced into this forum a couple of months ago chasing an ad through google which led me here. Now I'm hooked and find myself in the Lounge Classified Section or Ebay several times a day trying not to miss the "Strat/Playboy/Whippet in a 7 1/2 to 7 5/8 (yeah, I know, don't even say it!). Kinda like buying Elvis' Harley in a garage sale (I'm into Harley Davidson's too).

Today I stumble into a little thrift/antique store in my own town that I've never been in before and three feet in the door is a rack full of Stetsons, Dobbs, Adams, Champs and many other fedoras. I almost had a heart attack right there in the doorway! As I move closer I can tell that just like Ebay and here, there are a lot of small headed people in this world. Most of the hats were 6 3/4 to 7 1/8 and were real familiar with moths. It was still pretty exciting grabbing fifty year old hats off the rack to look at and check out the brand. I'm much more knowledgeable now after a couple of months of hanging with you guys. Before any of you shoot me a pm asking the name of the shop, there weren't any of the teeny weeny hats that were worth the ten dollars each she was asking for them.

So, the lady/owner is very interested in what I know about hats and we chat for 30 or 40 minutes and she takes my name and number and lets me know that she knows several people that have hats to sell. She will give me a call if anything in my size pops up.

I have not given up. There is somebody out there with a 7 1/2 or 7 5/8 Stratoliner/Playboy/Whippet in an original box just waiting for me to buy it from them. It's just a matter of being in the right place at the right time.

Sam Craig · Jun 21, 2011

Let's face it, just like the tiny sized antique suits and shoes and army uniforms ... you can find all the tiny hats you want. Most are like brand new. Unless they got used up by the kiddies, of course.

Look at Johnnyphi's hats

If you wear a 7 or smaller you can still buy his new old stock

It's not like in the good old days ... say the 1960s and early 70s ... when you could walk into any hippie shop or church rummage sale and carry out arm loads of great old hats

If only we could have known and would have had storage space ...

Oh well

Sam

Lefty · Jun 21, 2011

I've found a fair number of 7 1/2s at antique stores and malls. They're not out there every time, but I can find them now and then.

My favorite place for hats, if it's still open, is around two hours from here, so I've only been there a few times. From those trips, I've probably netted five hats. Here are a few pics from my last visit, a few years ago.

Most of these boxes had several hats in them. Some hats were good (but small), others were junk (either by virtue of what they are or due to damage). IIRC, there were around ten tall stacks, which I had to break down to open the boxes.

The women's hat area was at least ten times bigger than the guy's entire clothing section.

mayserwegener · Jun 21, 2011

I enjoy looking through antique malls. Most of time the hats are small or just plain horrible but somtimes you hit the jackpot. In the past year I found 3 really nice ones at an antique mall just 2 miles from my house. One was this near mint 7 3/8 Stetson Flexible Conforming Derby with original box.

mayserwegener · Jun 21, 2011

Regarding very large sizes. A couple years ago I was in Pittsburgh for a tournament and found 3 or 4 size 7 5/8 vintage hats. According to the lady that owned the store they all came from the same source. I ended up buying a very good condition 7 5/8 Dunn & Co. Fedora for a friend of mine. I think is was about $40.00.

MDphoto · Jun 21, 2011

You guys are making me ill. I've never found a nice hat in any antique mall or thrift store. You guys want to give me some pointers?

carldelo · Jun 22, 2011

MDphoto said:
You guys are making me ill. I've never found a nice hat in any antique mall or thrift store. You guys want to give me some pointers?

Get a time machine. I found a NOS 7-3/4 Cavanagh in a thrift store in Renton, WA in 1975 for under a dollar. Since then, not a thing - I guess I used up all my vintage hat ju-ju in that one purchase. Hopefully, YMMV.

The Wiser Hatter · Jun 22, 2011

Getting to know the shop owner is a great thing to do. I even bring my hat brushes and steamer with me and will clean up hats just to get in good the owner. So that if a hat in my size comes in he or she will give me a call. I have been collecting items for a long time and have found networking with others is a great way to increase your chances of picking up that hat you have been looking for. There is nothing like the rush of walking into a shop an finding the hat you have been searching for in a hat box.

DNO · Jun 22, 2011

I frequent local charity thrift stores...Goodwill and Value Village. In the last 8 months, I've come across a Dobbs Twenty, a spotless trilby by Bates of London and a like-new Banana Republic safari hat. They were all in my size...7 3/8. The most I paid was $6 for the Dobbs. I think it's a matter of perseverance. You just keep going into the shops and checking for hats. Being recently retired helps a lot, of course.

I've also had a lot of luck at local estate auctions and contents sale. I recently picked up a spotless Jaxon Bogart for $1. Years ago I attended an auction that was dispersing the contents of a theatrical costumers. I was a hat novice at the time but there were two tables full of dress hats and I decided I had to get something. I tried on dozens until I finally found a Stetson Whippet and a Scotts and Co. Homburg that fit. A year later I picked up a fantastic commercial hat stretcher...and really wished I could travel back in time to that costumers sale!

To quote Chief Dan George in The Outlaw Josie Wales: "Endeavour to persevere"!

DocMustang · Jun 22, 2011

I check the local thrift shops, but I rarely turn up anything there. I have had better luck at the local antique malls and consignment shops. I check often but I have gotten complacsent about checking inside hat boxes. My wife and I have been to about every vintage clothing store (both of them) and antique shop (many) in Pensacola looking for various things. I like hats and militaria/pre-1890 firearms and edged weapons. It seemed every time I saw hat boxes they were empty. The store owners would tell me that the hats sold long ago. This Fathers day my wife and I stopped at one of the local antique malls. I had been in there the week before and talked the proprietor out of a nice replica flintlock. I had noticed a couple of nice hat boxes near the front of the store but saw that they were marked far too low to actually have the hats in them so I let them pass.

This last father's day we had our 4 year old son with us, who had been frequently scolded for touching about every breakable item he could reach. I had just finished scolding him (again) when he tore the lid off one of the boxes and discovered a beautiful grey Bosalino fedora. In the box below that one was a georgeous black Borsalino homberg. Both of them were size 7 1/2. I then proceeded to steal the pair of them from the proprietor for $50 for the set. I may have to reconsider letting him open boxes and drawers in antique stores in antique stores in the future.

Oh and if anyone is interested there was a 6 7/8 Stetson Open Road which looked to be a silverbelly, with a couple of tiny moth bites (no holes) and a nice size 7-71/4 Boy scout campaign hat, which needs the sweat band replaced. It could be cleaned, trimmed and re-blocked though. (although it would break my heart to do that to such a great old hat)

V.C. Brunswick · Jun 22, 2011

MDphoto said:
You guys are making me ill. I've never found a nice hat in any antique mall or thrift store. You guys want to give me some pointers?

I can sympathize. Nothing but $#@&^*% ball caps at the thrift stores around here.

Espee · Jun 23, 2011

I once found a Bailey wide-brimmed fedora in my big size (7 5/8) in a Goodwill. But it had a smudge on the crown-- and it was white. If some other color, I would have tried cleaning it. But white, even clean, I would have bought only to give to someone of different tastes.

bowlerman · Jun 23, 2011

Not sure that I have a very exciting story, but I do frequent the local antique shops. I've purchased 7 hats from them in the past 4 years, so definitely better than nothing. My favorites from these stores are my Dobbs Milan (olive green with rather wide grey ribbon, grey bound edge) and Lee Trinity (grey-brown with purplish undertones and a black ribbon w/ backbow).

The most interesting one was a silk collapsible tophat that was on its last legs. The lining was gone, leaving nothing but the tarnished metal springs which seemed like a torture device against your head. After several months of [more or less infrequent] collapsing, the silk started tearing and disintegrating, so the hat is no more. Here's my only little pic:

buler · Jun 23, 2011

Found lots of great hats at antique shops/malls. The third hat I ever bought and the first one at an antique mall got its own thread. Link -> THIRD HAT

B

danofarlington · Jun 23, 2011

I haven't been out antiquing for years, because now that I have kids and they hate it, it is difficult. But 20 years ago in an antique store near Gettysburg, I found a green felt hat in my size that I kept for a long time even though then I didn't wear hats. On the inside is said "MacLachlan." It's a good hat, cost $12 plus tax.

Shangas · Jun 23, 2011

I purchased a very nice grey beaver-felt Stetson trilby from my local thriftshop. $20. I work at the shop and the assistant-manager said I should buy it. It would go well with my vintage flair she said. So I did. And it fits perfectly, too.

T Rick · Jun 23, 2011

I recall before I was into hats (a whole year plus ago!) I was scouring an antique mall for vintage razors (scored a nice Gillette adjustable "Fat Boy" from 1958 for $8, and a couple of decent accessories). The guy helping me out asked if I was into hats, told him I had been thinking about starting to collect them. He showed me what I am nearly certain was a Whippet in very nice shape (I remember the edge binding), but I tried it on and it was way too small, as were the other few hats that vendor had (pretty sure they were a 6 7/8).

I have been back there recently, only decent thing I spotted was a nice Homburg (needed a bit of re-shaping), it was my size and very nice. BUT, I just don't think I'd wear it. It was around $35, so I feel it's a reasonably priced, but... I still have thoughts of going back and grabbing it up! (Did see a few really old hat boxes in one booth, but I checked and they were all empty

).

The Wiser Hatter · Jun 23, 2011

Sweet a Stetson 100 hundred that would get your heart pumping.

My size too they would have to call a ambulance to carry me out the the hat in my hands.

javadave61 · Nov 28, 2015

I hit a dozen or so antique stores in Adamstown, PA today, all in about a five mile strip. I'm just wondering if any of you have this experience...

You round the corner... you see this! And your heart leaps into your throat. Your pulse quickens... You approach...

And that sad moment when you've looked at every single one, and NONE of them fit.

Well, this one fit.

First derby I've ever come across that fit my 7 3/8ths head. Still waiting to find a boater that fits.

Then, the most agonizing part is to see this baby in front of you and find that it's a 6 7/8. AND it's wool. Anyone know if this creature?

Okay, just had to muse about my day. Thanks Loungers!

Speakeasy · Nov 28, 2015

I will say this: I have had extraordinarily good fortune with suits, ties, shirts, and shoes at my local thrift stores.

But hats? Not one blasted thing...

I'm planning an excursion to a few vintage shops in the area to see what I can turn up. It would be nice to find a black trilby in my size - maybe a grey or two.

Shopping in Thrift/Antique Shops (Let's Hear Your Story)

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