Ebay Hats: Victories, Defeats, Gripes & Items of Interest

[jpbales]

I just got this off Ebay for 1 cent. I figured it couldn't be a bad deal at one penny. But it does look like it might cost a pain to get it in decent shape if it is even possible. I doubt it will fit me too...a penny! I just couldn't resist.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=180320460613

1 Penny for 1 penny! haha I'm lame, yes... Anyway, not only did you get a hat for cheap, but you also bought a fun renovation project as well! It sounds like it would be fun to order some new materials, read up on some of these DIY hat threads, and rebuild the hat to your liking while figuring out how to do it!
P.S: $.01? I've sold stuff on ebay before and the minimum starting bid was $.99, weird!

 

[MattJH]

DJ, I thought it would be you. This one was a deal.

I considered that one, but the listing said the sweatband was black so I just figured it was modern.

 

[Dinerman]

I considered that one, but the listing said the sweatband was black so I just figured it was modern.

It said black band, as in the hatband, the ribbon. Looks like a late '50s one to me.

 

[MattJH]

Oh, good grief. The other "ribbon" he was talking about was the bound brim. Haha. I hadn't even considered that.

 

[nickn5]

Congrats to the winner of this great 7 1/4 Knox.

Thanks! That would be me - anyone know if it is indeed just wool felt or if it is actually fur felt? I was pleased to get this wide brim (by Knox standards) genuine 'oldy' anyway! Just have to wait for ages to receive it across the Atlantic.

N.

 

[carouselvic]

It's fur felt, from a great period. A fine hat.

 

[nickn5]

My other two recent wins...

Stetson Open Road (old but from which decade?) Wind Trolley 7 1/8 LO

Dobbs Grey Fedora 2" brim 7 1/4 LO

Also wondering which decade this hat would be from - deciphering ages from liners is not yet my strong point! All help appreciated.

And for those wondering - I seem to be a 7 1/4 usually, but some 7 1/8 hats also fit nicely, so I will be waiting the results of these (when they eventually arrive) with bated breath.

Nicholas.

 

[gtdean48]

DJ, I thought it would be you. This one was a deal.

I picked this one up. It is my first wide ribbon, not sure it'll stay that way. I'm also unsure of the brim size as well. Seem like worth a gamble at the price...

 

[Bob Smalser]

That Knox is gorgeous. Congratulations.

It's interesting to me that most Resistols seem to go for a small fraction of what their Stetson counterparts of the same quality sell for.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250353988083

I won this 3X 7 1/4 Cattleman for 20 bucks, and it turned out to have no evidence of being worn at all.

After a half hour of work I now have a nice Open Road to wear to work for half the price of a good flat cap. I treated the band with Peccard's Antique Leather Dressing to supple it for stretching, steamed and formed the hat over a spaghetti boiler on the kitchen range, and stretched it to 7 3/8. Voila.

If it turns out to be salvageable, this old Cavanagh I won for 50 bucks will be sent out for cleaning, blocking and a new sweatband and ribbon.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110336258599

Thanks to y'all and this repository of excellent information on how to buy and refurbish vintage hats.

 

[carter]

Bob, You have two excellent hats there. Nice job on the Resistol. The Cavanagh looks to be in pretty good shape. They are great hats.

 

[MattJH]

A few recent notables:

A 7 3/4 Blaylock & Blynn oddball raised boater straw thing. Is this a women's hat? Never saw anything like it, but from what I know of Philadelphia's Blaylock & Blynn, it is very old.

A 7 3/8 open crown beaver 15 Bilmore with Christy's Of London hatbox and pewter hat brush for under $50. Amazing steal.

A deerstalker that is measured as having a 25.25" circumference. If it's accurate, that's a size 8 to a size 8 1/8 bargain at 10 bucks.

 

[carter]

Recently sold on ebay

Here are two more notables:

7 1/2 Crossly Park fedora - $199.00 BIN

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=300282359371

7 1/8 3X beaver open crown Stetson - $31.95

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=260346656559

 

[Lefty]

This one was interesting. It's another brand I've never seen.

 

[RobFedoraField]

I didn't bid enough.......

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=280301282383&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=018

again...

I was watching that as well, but wow, I thought ~$240 was an exorbitant price for the hat. Do you guys feel it was fair?

 

[RobFedoraField]

...

I won this 3X 7 1/4 Cattleman for 20 bucks, and it turned out to have no evidence of being worn at all.

ARRRRGGGGHHHH, well at least it went to someone in the lounge. was it truley sand, or was it silver? please say it wasn't silver...

 

[carouselvic]

I did not buy it. Was it fair? I know you can not go down town and buy one like. I don't care what town you live in.

I was watching that as well, but wow, I thought ~$240 was an exorbitant price for the hat. Do you guys feel it was fair?

 

[Lefty]

I was watching that as well, but wow, I thought ~$240 was an exorbitant price for the hat. Do you guys feel it was fair?

It's a really nice hat in what looks to be great shape. Imperial was at the top end of the Stetson felts and with the current popularity of the really wide edge binding around here, I'm not surprised that this one was in demand. For that small size, $240 seems a bit high to me. Of course, to the buyer, it was a fair price.

The most that I've seen spent on a vintage felt was over $600. That's a high price but, apparently, there was at least one person willing to bid just a few dollars less. The hat is one of the finest on the Lounge and, while I wouldn't/couldn't have gone that high, I would never say that it was a bad purchase.

 

[Bob Smalser]

.... was it truly sand, or was it silver? please say it wasn't silver...

This was taken outdoors without the flash and is accurate. Silver Belly, I guess. That's what the factory sticker beneath the sweatband said, anyway. The felt is surprisingly soft and silky for a middlin-grade hat.....perhaps because it's an older hat.

My wife liked it so much I just bought her one in a "Beaver 100" quality (whatever that is) for a whopping $10.50:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=170293509388

 

[carter]

Nice one, Bob! You just bought your wife a great hat! :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[Dinerman]

My wife liked it so much I just bought her one in a "Beaver 100" quality (whatever that is) for a whopping $10.50:

It means it originally cost $100, at a time when most hats cost $10 or $15. Should be very fine pure beaver.