finds at antique mall ... are they worth it?

[RobFedoraField]

Hello gent's and ladies. I saw two items that I was thinking about picking up, but wanted to know your opinions on the value.

the first is a fedora, i believe it's a dobbs, I'm kicking myself for not taking a pic of the inside. the leather sweat is very supple. now the problem is it's a 7 1/8. but it must be a true 1/8 because it was "just" snug on my head. I wear a 1/4, do you think this hat could be stretched enough to work, and if so, would a hat jack do it, or would it need to be professionally done? The tag said $30. I don't think it's quite NOS, but it was cleaner that the fed iv I was wearing when I found it. the 2nd pic is the most accurate as far as color match

The other item is a vintage wooden stretcher, it seem to be in good shape, but they were asking $250. is that a fair price?

Thanks to all for your opinions.

 

[Carlisle Blues]

Looks like the Hat Stretcher is going for $250.00??

I have seen them for a bit less and even more on ebay. However, the shipping may bring the price right back up there. See if you can talk the person down a bit. That's my experience. [huh]

 

[RobFedoraField]

correction

The hat is not a Dobbs, it's a Knox

Thanks,

 

[jazzncocktails]

Rob, in my experience at antique stores, talking them down 10% from asking price is pretty common. Don't know if the stretcher is overpriced, but at least that would save you $25.

 

[zetwal]

I'm of the school that says that it's usually better to buy something in your size that either fits just right or is a tad loose.

Buying a full size too small or too big isn't the way to go. And it's really not that hard to find good (or even great) hats that fit well.

 

[tonyb]

The hat is easily worth 30 bucks. If I had come across that hat, at that price, I'd have snatched it up, if not for my own use, then to pass along to someone else.

But that's just me. You're looking to wear it, and it appears from the photos to be too small for you. I'd imagine you could stretch the crown opening (the ribbon, sweatband and the bottom inch and a half or two inches of crown felt) enough to comfortably accommodate your noggin. It would probably come out pretty well (good enough for everyday wearin' purposes, I'd imagine), but that sort of stretching does nothing to "fullify" the crown, and your face calls for a "full" crown, in my opinion. So it would be something of a compromise. But again, it would probably be more than adequate for "regular" use. Not ideal, but good enough, you know.

Stretching it with the sort of stretcher you posted pictures of would probably be better. Better yet would be to have it reblocked in your size. But that runs into considerable dough.

At that price, though, it's hard to go wrong. It looks to be a very nice lid. Should you buy it and later regret it, I'm confident that someone around here would gladly see to it you recouped your investment.

 

[gtdean48]

Antique malls are all about haggling, so don't take those prices as set but a place for the seller to start the haggle. That hat doesn't seem to fit your head or face. That is a nice stretcher if you can get him down some, assuming it works properly.

 

[PistolPete1969]

I have bought several of my hats at antique store; that's why I frequent them. There ARE finds out there; you just have to look. My rule is; unless they fit right, pass them up. I have had bad luck with stretching hats.

The gray hat pictured here was purchased at an antique mall for $25.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

assuming it was in decent condition, $30 is more than a fair deal on such a hat.

bk

 

[barrowjh]

Key Marker - Condition of the Sweat

You said the sweat band was still supple, and that is probably the single most important factor. If the size, color, condition of the felt and trimmings are all in fair condition AND the sweat is supple, then it was a great deal, buy it. Or, buy it for someone else. It must be 'fresh' inventory, because most of the ones I have found in antique malls have stiff, dried-out sweatbands, and of those, probably 2/3rds had moth damage also.

You cannot resurrect a dead sweat, so then you have to think in terms of $$ for a new sweat, $$ shipping to the hatter and back, etc and then a $30 dollar hat has suddenly become a $100+ hat. You can gamble on whether or not you can clean off a stain from the felt or trimmings, but a dead sweat is no gamble, its just dead.

 

[Ordinary Guy]

Hello gent's and ladies. I saw two items that I was thinking about picking up, but wanted to know your opinions on the value.

The other item is a vintage wooden stretcher, it seem to be in good shape, but they were asking $250. is that a fair price?

Thanks to all for your opinions.

For your info, there was one exactly like this on Ebay and they called it a

"FANTASTIC antique adjustable wooden HAT STRETCHER block" and the auction just ended top bidder was $300.67 and guess what... He didn't get it cause the Reserve was not met....

I say, offer $25 less and see if they take it, if not give me their address, I would love to have it...