Help regarding a Borsolino

[Magus]

Hi all...I just dropped out of a bidding war on a Vintage Borolino Alessandria at $76. Ok...I realize that for a vintage Borso...I may be dreaming....but as a newbie to the higher end hat game...I really could use some help. How much should I expect to pay for one of these? Thanks a ton,

Magus

 

[Matt Deckard]

Really depends on the hat. Vintage means little if it's not Vintage.

Another thing... All Borsalinos say Allesandria inside.

Sorry you were outbit... post it here when the auction ends.

 

[fedoralover]

I've been watching the prices on true vintage borsalino's in good condition on ebay go up from an average of around $80 from a year or so ago, to now when they may go for 2 to 3 hundred, especially if they are a larger size. A lot to pay for a hat unseen and unheld in hand and no assurance it'll fit when it comes.
Right now it's a seller's market. Unfortunately you can blame us loungers. Look at the number of people that are registered now, it's approaching 2000 and the lurkers are more than that. A few years ago it was a fraction of that. All of which translates into more people being in the know about what is and what isn't a good hat to buy. So the old law of supply and demand comes into play and the prices go up.

fedoralover

 

[Magus]

Really depends on the hat. Vintage means little if it's not Vintage.

Another thing... All Borsalinos say Allesandria inside.

Sorry you were outbit... post it here when the auction ends.

Good to know about the Allesandria thing (as I said..a newbie to higher end hats). This one claimed to be from the 1940's

 

[epic610]

while all borsalino's...

are marked "allesandria" inside, they do have a specific "allesandria" model. gets confusing

 

[feltfan]

Alessandria

I just checked five easy-to-reach vintage Borsalinos.
Only three had the word "Alessandria" anywhere in the
hat. It appears in the logo in the liner. Not all
Borsalinos will carry that word. What it means, I don't know.

Price, of course, depends on your hat size, who
spots the listing, how it is listed, how much risk
you want to take, etc etc. Bargains still appear.

Good things sometimes cost money. $100 is still
a good deal when you consider what new Borsalinos
cost and how much better most of the vintage
Borsalinos are, both in construction and material.
Many are nicer than any hat you can buy for any
money today.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

Allessandria was where the Borsalino hat factory was in Italy.
I bought mine for $65 at a vintage shop here in Boston. I am really glad I did. It is a 7 1/2 and fits very well.

Good luck in finding one. Stick to it and you will find one.

 

[Magus]

Thanks guys....I have my sights set on one as we speak...but...like any "game" the prey might bolt at the last second...lol.

 

[Mr.Astor]

Thanks Feltfan- I also have three borsalinos vintage and none have the word " Allesandria"printed anywhere in the liner.

 

[VetPsychWars]

If it's a rare color I don't have, and it's a good quality hat, I go as much as $400. Or if it's darn near NOS. Most thin-ribbon bound-edge Borsalinos, I wouldn't pay more than about $175.

That can backfire on you; I recently got a pre-war Stetson Stratoliner for $365 that was a color I'd never seen before. After cleaning?

Common brown color. There was much swearing. But, that's life.

Tom