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Ebay Hats: Victories, Defeats, Gripes & Items of Interest
carouselvic
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 4,943
- Location
- Kansas
Nice Score Lefty!
Mobile Vulgus
One Too Many
- Messages
- 1,144
- Location
- Chicago
Way too big for my little noggin. Good find, tho.
Salty O'Rourke
Practically Family
- Messages
- 636
- Location
- SE Virginia
Nice Cavanagh.
What is it with brown hats lately? They used to come a little cheaper than the grays/tans/silver bellies, but I've been trying for a vintage brown lid for a while and the good ones are all through the roof. I finally broke down and ordered a new hat - watch the prices drop now that I've finalized my order...
What is it with brown hats lately? They used to come a little cheaper than the grays/tans/silver bellies, but I've been trying for a vintage brown lid for a while and the good ones are all through the roof. I finally broke down and ordered a new hat - watch the prices drop now that I've finalized my order...
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Blackthorn
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 4,524
- Location
- Oroville
Yeah, I was going for that one, but it went too high for me. I'd have loved to own that one.
I was beat out by a hair on that vita felt.... i was soo sad.... i really wanted that one... wanted to get my south side chicago bluesman vibe on.....bummer 
no idea. I've never seen one in person.
mechanic's cap does quite well
it seems to be vita-felt time - here's a great one sold by MJones
MattJH's Mac did pretty well
senoreme
New in Town
- Messages
- 35
- Location
- Bronx, New York
Any suggestions as to reputable sellers of hats on ebay?
carouselvic
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 4,943
- Location
- Kansas
Lefty sometimes flips hats.
Brad Bowers
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 4,187
Glad to see they're finally getting the prices they deserve. Though I must say, that doesn't look like a proper crease for a Cavanagh.
Brad
Mobile Vulgus
One Too Many
- Messages
- 1,144
- Location
- Chicago
I know what you mean. As soon as I make plans and then commit to buy something I inevitably find it cheaper the next week!
But, wow did that one go for big $$. I'll bet the seller is shocked.
Salty O'Rourke
Practically Family
- Messages
- 636
- Location
- SE Virginia
As far as vintage hats go, Rilico's listings are honest, well documented, and a heckuva good chuckle to read. I love it when he uncorks his Dick and Jane shtick to sell "Dad's Hat". Nolanf is another regular seller that I've bought a hat from and had a good experience.
I thought I had a shot at that one. I wonder how much higher it would have gone. My last try was just over $150.
Baron Kurtz
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 12,784
There are very few disreputable sellers. Many don't know about hats, or seem to have difficulty measuring hats, but that's not their fault and doesn't make them disreputable. Let's face it: most eBay sellers are just people selling on stuff they've picked up at estate sales or junk shops - they're modern rag and bone men. They are not specialists.
Quite often questions asked of sellers aren't nearly specific enough (as a seller I know this first hand). There's no point asking about moth damage, for example, if the seller doesn't know what moth damage looks like - one must ask about "holes", "dents", "areas where the felt looks like it's been eaten away by something". I've seen an auction, later complained about at FLounge, where the buyer asked: "Any mothing?". How is the seller supposed to know what that means? As another example: clothes moths are quite rare these days and so people aren't nearly as aware of the damage they cause. If the seller's only experience of moths is those big buggers flying around the lampshade, they might expect "moth damage" to be quite significant holes, not a little trail of dents. So they would answer: I don't think I can see moth damage. They are being perfectly truthful and as honest as you can be; they're just not in the loop as to what vintage collectors want to hear.
Quite often questions asked of sellers aren't nearly specific enough (as a seller I know this first hand). There's no point asking about moth damage, for example, if the seller doesn't know what moth damage looks like - one must ask about "holes", "dents", "areas where the felt looks like it's been eaten away by something". I've seen an auction, later complained about at FLounge, where the buyer asked: "Any mothing?". How is the seller supposed to know what that means? As another example: clothes moths are quite rare these days and so people aren't nearly as aware of the damage they cause. If the seller's only experience of moths is those big buggers flying around the lampshade, they might expect "moth damage" to be quite significant holes, not a little trail of dents. So they would answer: I don't think I can see moth damage. They are being perfectly truthful and as honest as you can be; they're just not in the loop as to what vintage collectors want to hear.
I didn't know what moth damage was until I learned about it a couple of months ago on this site. I guess technically a hat can be "never worn" and have significant moth damage. Either way, I'm just glad I found another relatively healthy hobby that I'm excited about and I'm willing to take my eBay lumps along with my victories for the "thrill of the hunt" - and I still might gripe on this thread when I take a lump. Others griping is how I can learn what to look for in the future so I can minimize the lumping
BanjoMerlin
A-List Customer
- Messages
- 477
- Location
- New Hampshire, USA
Some of the best hats I've won on ebay were so poorly described with such bad photos that I wasn't really sure what I was bidding on. Some of the biggest disappointments came from sellers who seemed to know what they were talking about.
Some people don't like to wear hats that have been worn by others (other than perhaps a quick try-on). Those folks would generally not buy a vintage hat unless it had never been worn. I can see how they would be very disappointed receiving a hat that was described as "unworn" or "perfect" only to discover that the hat is stained by the bodily fluids of someone else. It is a learning experience we all go through but it is none the less a disappointment.
Ebay is a bit of a crapshoot but when I think back to the days when very few items even had photos I think I like it better this way.
Some people don't like to wear hats that have been worn by others (other than perhaps a quick try-on). Those folks would generally not buy a vintage hat unless it had never been worn. I can see how they would be very disappointed receiving a hat that was described as "unworn" or "perfect" only to discover that the hat is stained by the bodily fluids of someone else. It is a learning experience we all go through but it is none the less a disappointment.
Ebay is a bit of a crapshoot but when I think back to the days when very few items even had photos I think I like it better this way.
+1. When I bought my 7xCB, it was hard to tell from the photos if I would get a hat or bigfoot. Things worked out, but I could have spent my $175 on a problem - and I knew that going in.
Mobile Vulgus
One Too Many
- Messages
- 1,144
- Location
- Chicago
Photos of hat colors are the biggest problem on ebay. Black looks like gray sometimes, grays looks white, greens looks gray, Browns ook black. It's HORRIBLE to try and get a good photo of the color of a hat. I always end up emailing the seller and asking questions a lot.
feltfan
My Mail is Forwarded Here
- Messages
- 3,190
- Location
- Oakland, CA, USA
Some of my best hats started as bad pictures and descriptions. Some of my worst deals
from clear, if inadequate, pictures and listings. I second that the lister in the overwhelming
majority of hat auctions has no idea what he or she has and must be lead by questions.
Heck, most vintage dealers I have talked to don't know anything useful about hats.
Happily there are plenty of eBay sellers who are willing to accept their mistake and refund your money.
For me, the key to success in online auctions is to win more than you lose. There will be debacles,
there will be amazing finds, and there will be times when you break even. Some people are jerks.
In those cases, I try to focus on how well I have done in other deals...
Also remember that you learn from your mistakes and you can learn from the mistakes
and problems posted here.
from clear, if inadequate, pictures and listings. I second that the lister in the overwhelming
majority of hat auctions has no idea what he or she has and must be lead by questions.
Heck, most vintage dealers I have talked to don't know anything useful about hats.
Happily there are plenty of eBay sellers who are willing to accept their mistake and refund your money.
For me, the key to success in online auctions is to win more than you lose. There will be debacles,
there will be amazing finds, and there will be times when you break even. Some people are jerks.
In those cases, I try to focus on how well I have done in other deals...
Also remember that you learn from your mistakes and you can learn from the mistakes
and problems posted here.