Good price?

[ShortAndCashed]

I'm bidding on this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/280749568395?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

I don't want to get taken for a loop, so what would be a fair price for such a hat? It's pretty much exactly what I want, so I'm willing to give a little bit for it...

 

[randooch]

I'm bidding on this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/280749568395?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

I don't want to get taken for a loop, so what would be a fair price for such a hat? It's pretty much exactly what I want, so I'm willing to give a little bit for it...

Thanks for alerting me to this live auction! I'm going to bid against you now.

Just kidding, of course.

 

[Corky]

What you need to do is to find out the lowest price for the hat if purchased new, and then don't pay more than that figure.
Have you called the Hatco outlet store? Phone (972) 494-0337.
If you tell them what you are looking for, they can usually help you out. Ask for David.

 

[HatsEnough]

The first thing you NEVER do is post a live auction and expect you'll be able to keep your bids cheap. Alerting an entire board of hat buyers to an auction is an exercise in foolishness.

Secondly, a Stetson western from the 60s or 70s... I wouldn't go more than $40. These things are a dime a dozen. Then again, I don't do westerns very often!

As to the advice that you shouldn't pay more than when it was new... ignore that advice. It makes no sense when buying vintage hats. After all, an original Whippet was only $10 or so in its heyday. Now they are going for several hundred. If you'd restrict yourself to a hat price from 1940, you'll NEVER get a vintage hat!!

The best way to gauge how much to pay for a hat, though is just study, study study. Look at prices. Watch auctions and see where they ended up. Read this forum. Like anything worth while, it takes time to learn.

 

[Omne]

I'm bidding on this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/280749568395?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

I don't want to get taken for a loop, so what would be a fair price for such a hat? It's pretty much exactly what I want, so I'm willing to give a little bit for it...

I could be wrong but I think this one falls more into the used range than the collectible range so go with somewhere under what the same hat would be new if you bought it now. They're fairly common so you should be able to easily find similar ones for sale on eBay or from online stores. That should give you some guidance.

If you're buying older vintage or collectible then start searching hats on the net until you start finding similar ones. A lot depends on condition so you need to take that into account.

 

[randooch]

Seriously, ShortandCashed, I'd ask the seller about the condition of the sweatband (flexible, soft?) and also whether it has 3, 4, 5, or 7 Xes stamped on it. The felt is stiff on all of 'em, but somewhat nicer on the last 2. Also, if you dislike the hat, you'll have an easier time unloading it the more Xes it has.

 

[MikeP]

Since I've been buying & using western hats far more than fedoras for the past 50 years, I'll throw my advice in the ring. First, do as Randooch suggests and find out what the X rating is. Secondly, I can tell by the price and the looks it's probably in the lower X's (3 or 4). Don't pay too much, but only you know what that is and how bad you want it. Remember to add in shipping. Lastly, if your looking for that particular color you WILL have a harder time finding one than say black or tan. Sometimes looking is half the fun! Good luck.

 

[fmw]

I would think it should go for about $20. I bought a chocolate brown Resistol 3X for $20 not too long ago. It was in pristine shape. It didn't even need a cleaning.

 

[ShortAndCashed]

Yeah, the thought about posting a live auction being a bad idea crossed my mind, but I also thought about it not being that desirable of a hat. Thanks for all the advice, I will take all of it into account, but I've put in the current high bid, and more than likely won't raise it any if I get outbid. I'll probably just wait for another one in a similar color.

 

[EggHead]

If you plan to wear it - think of it as a used hat. It should cost less than new.

 

[Dinerman]

Do remember when looking at X ratings though, that what they mean varies wildly between manufacturers and within the same manufacturer over time, so much so as to make them almost meaningless.

That is to say, I have a 7X that has better, higher quality felt than a 100X by a different maker. And a vintage 3X stetson can have better felt than a more modern 5X+ Stetson.

 

[ShortAndCashed]

I did check the original price, and there's a tag somewhere around $40. It was bid on, though, and I MIGHT put one more bid in tonight...