Want to buy or sell something? Check the classifieds
  • The Fedora Lounge is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

tommyK

One Too Many
Messages
1,789
Location
Berwick, PA
I ask this question tongue-in-cheek, but here goes. I was recently perusing Ebay for Top Hats. Not because I even want one, just curious. My search led me to this question;

Did hat makers make Top Hats in something other than size 7?

(I know, I know, there are a few larger and certainly smaller but sheesh! There must be a hundred 7's for every other size out there).
 

fedoracentric

Banned
Messages
1,362
Location
Streamwood, IL
It seems that size 6-7/8, 7, and 7-1/8 are more plentiful in all vintage hats. I think that those sizes were made more than all others. I see 6-7/8 more than anything. I remember seeing that in WWII and Korea the average hat size for the military was 7 but now it is 7-1/4. I wish I could remember where I saw that.
 

tommyK

One Too Many
Messages
1,789
Location
Berwick, PA
A certain "closeted" seller on Ebay asks crazy prices on those small sizes. Doesn't sell many, but he does sell a few. I guess, sometimes, You gotta have it.
 

fedoracentric

Banned
Messages
1,362
Location
Streamwood, IL
I hate that guy. He and at least two other ebay sellers always price every beat up hat they have starting at $229 and up. Their auctions are absurd, ill-informed, and skews every other auction.
 

LuvMyMan

I’ll Lock Up.
Messages
4,558
Location
Michigan
More plentiful and cheaper! Although I've seen a few go sky hi recently.

What size are you looking for and do you desire a silk top hat or beaver? I ask as I am always looking on listings not only on eBay but everywhere else, too. I passed up a clean 7 3/8 silk top hat being sold by a seller I have known for 5 or 6 years now. He only wanted $150.00 for the hat and box, and the hat was 9.9 out of 10 condition wise. I would have needed a 7 1/2 size to be safe.
 

LuvMyMan

I’ll Lock Up.
Messages
4,558
Location
Michigan
I hate that guy. He and at least two other ebay sellers always price every beat up hat they have starting at $229 and up. Their auctions are absurd, ill-informed, and skews every other auction.

Those nose bleed high listing price sellers do not "move" much in the way of actually selling. You can also see some hats listed by them, where they will admit the hats have some really horrible swiss cheese moth bites all over the hats, but still want near the $200.00 mark for the hat. Crazy but that is how those sellers do business. Sadly some of the hats they do list are so darn nice, it is a pity for those that would love to own the hats but just don't seem to desire to take out a second loan on your home to pay for the hat. I almost purchased my Husband a hat from one of those sellers, but you could see a moth bit near the tip of the front crown and the seller said, oh no...no moth bites on the hat. Pictures at times hide them...but this one was way too easy to spot. Seller claimed the hat was just recently cleaned and blocked and had no issue. I told the seller the moth bite is an issue. Clear as day seen in the picture. I don't spend no $400 on a hat with a moth bite on it, unless John Wayne owned it and one of his family members contacted me to verify it was indeed John Wayne's hat.

P.T. Barnum said it best...sucker born everyday.....and some folks will get suckered into paying way way too much moolah for a hat. Once a price goes north of $300.00 it better be clean, desirable. and something of your holy grail hat...other wise make a call or email TonyB and just have him make you what you want!
 

tommyK

One Too Many
Messages
1,789
Location
Berwick, PA
What size are you looking for and do you desire a silk top hat or beaver? I ask as I am always looking on listings not only on eBay but everywhere else, too. I passed up a clean 7 3/8 silk top hat being sold by a seller I have known for 5 or 6 years now. He only wanted $150.00 for the hat and box, and the hat was 9.9 out of 10 condition wise. I would have needed a 7 1/2 size to be safe.

I would want a 7 1/2 as well, long oval if possible which probably means I need a 7 5/8. There is a seller on the bay that sells new but they are over $1000 for a collapsible and I don't really need one, but it would be cool. I was just amazed at the abundance of 7's out there.
 

fedoracentric

Banned
Messages
1,362
Location
Streamwood, IL
Those nose bleed high listing price sellers do not "move" much in the way of actually selling. You can also see some hats listed by them, where they will admit the hats have some really horrible swiss cheese moth bites all over the hats, but still want near the $200.00 mark for the hat. Crazy but that is how those sellers do business. Sadly some of the hats they do list are so darn nice, it is a pity for those that would love to own the hats but just don't seem to desire to take out a second loan on your home to pay for the hat. I almost purchased my Husband a hat from one of those sellers, but you could see a moth bit near the tip of the front crown and the seller said, oh no...no moth bites on the hat. Pictures at times hide them...but this one was way too easy to spot. Seller claimed the hat was just recently cleaned and blocked and had no issue. I told the seller the moth bite is an issue. Clear as day seen in the picture. I don't spend no $400 on a hat with a moth bite on it, unless John Wayne owned it and one of his family members contacted me to verify it was indeed John Wayne's hat.

P.T. Barnum said it best...sucker born everyday.....and some folks will get suckered into paying way way too much moolah for a hat. Once a price goes north of $300.00 it better be clean, desirable. and something of your holy grail hat...other wise make a call or email TonyB and just have him make you what you want!

I agree 100%.
 

LuvMyMan

I’ll Lock Up.
Messages
4,558
Location
Michigan
I would want a 7 1/2 as well, long oval if possible which probably means I need a 7 5/8. There is a seller on the bay that sells new but they are over $1000 for a collapsible and I don't really need one, but it would be cool. I was just amazed at the abundance of 7's out there.


Well now, I will keep you in mind and if I find something, I will notify you immediately. I also understand you do not have one of those nice "money trees" growing in your back yard, so I won't forward you to anyone selling that will make you have to rob a bank to pay for....lol!
 

LuvMyMan

I’ll Lock Up.
Messages
4,558
Location
Michigan
I would want a 7 1/2 as well, long oval if possible which probably means I need a 7 5/8. There is a seller on the bay that sells new but they are over $1000 for a collapsible and I don't really need one, but it would be cool. I was just amazed at the abundance of 7's out there.

The size 7 and 7 1/8 all those small sizes are all over the place and in every nice type of hat known....makes those that need a larger size about cry woefully.....(sniffle sniffle)....but that is the market. I wear a very small hat myself, but have a few that are so pristine and beautiful, I just don't see the need to buy another. I do however gleen a sharp eye out for any "steals and deals" for my Husband. He also is a 7 1/2 LO and at times we do it well with a 7 5/8's size.
 

Heather

Practically Family
Messages
656
Location
Southern Maine, USA
My husband and I were watching "The Roaring 20's" last night and my husband expressed an interest in Cagney's hat. I was wondering if anyone could tell us what type it is. I hope I'm posting this question in the correct place!
74267797fd911d12216099c110ad6fbe.jpg



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Greyryder

One of the Regulars
Messages
148
Location
Ohio
Looks like a Homburg, with fedora like side dents. I've seen a promo image from the upcoming Ian McKlellan Sherlock Holmes movie, and he's wearing a very similar hat. I want one, myself.
 

Mr Oldschool

One of the Regulars
Messages
108
Location
Southern Oregon
Definitely a Homberg, it was to show that he was a "big shot" at that point in the movie (along with the pinstriped suit). I don't think there are any shots of the inside of his hat, so it would take someone with inside knowledge to know anything about the particular hat. All of the major hatmakers had Hombergs, I'm sure, but it was probably a Dobbs, Stetson, or Knox would be my guess. Beautiful lid and great picture of Cagney too!
 

fedoracentric

Banned
Messages
1,362
Location
Streamwood, IL
Stetson did different types of brim stitching on a number of hats. I don't think the triple stitch was relegated to a single model.

Seems to me I've seen a few Railbird models with 3 rows of brim stitching... but some without, too.
 
Last edited:

Forum statistics

Threads
107,021
Messages
3,026,577
Members
52,528
Latest member
Zonko
Top