Show Us Your Moth Nips

[alanfgag]

wow... I would prescribe a lengthy freezer quarantine followed by a pint of hat spackle.

 

[rlk]

Amazingly they never passed all the way through to make a hole despite what must have been hordes of hungry lunar explorers.

 

[Aureliano]

Oh. My. God.

 

[randooch]

I'd like to say something about this being an "unholy thread" . . . but then I'd be opunly mistaken.

 

[fluteplayer07]

Bartenders! Bartenders! Please!...

 

[randooch]

Bartenders! Bartenders! Please!...

I do hope that no one seriously wants this thread closed! Insect damaged hats are more common than pristine ones, and to scrutinize them is fascinating. Don't make me start a poll! :eeek:

 

[fluteplayer07]

Nah, but it sure is eye-watering to look through...

 

[randooch]

Whew! Had me worried for a sec there. It'd be like not being able to slow down and gawk when you see a gnarly auto accident!

 

[Aureliano]

Why close the thread if the solution is plain simple: if you find it not of your liking, don't visit it. It's a matter of tolerance. Getting rid of something usually never solves the issue. Axing this thread won't get rid of the moths lol lol

 

[bowlerman]

whoooah.

I'm pretty sure I saw something similar in The Lord of the Rings...oh here it is:

http://www.oafe.net/yo/lotrkotd.php

 

[EggHead]

I know, these are semi-colado fur felt fedoras!

 

[Aureliano]

That hat has already been posted in this thread (post #4) ...

A moth just ate my post

 

[splintercellsz]

The horror!!!! I just have to be that guy to revive this nightmarish thread.

1930s Penn-Craft
This is just one of the more noticeable moth tracks.

 

[Mojave Jack]

OK, folks, I am in a bit of a quandary. I recently bought a 1912 model campaign hat on ebay. The description read as follows:

"Here is a Pre-WWI or early WWI US Army wool 1911 campaign hat. This is the early hat with shoe string type chin straps. It is in nice condition but has light moth tracking but no holes. The leather sweatband is in good shape. All four grommets are intact."

You can view the original auction here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pre-WWI-1911-US-Army-campaign-hat-early-style-chin-strap-/200961350938?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT&nma=true&si=pOOlvSQNCh8L%252FNgsBljI9pnK%252Fhk%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

Here are a few of the original photos







Because the description said "light moth tracks" I took the dark patches on the hat to be staining or just not dusty. No. Every dark patch is mothing, including the one on the underside of the brim, which is one massive moth track. Here are some close ups.







My question is, did the description accurately portray the degree of moth tracks, or do I have an argument to return the hat? I would never have bid had I known that everything I took to be staining was, in fact, moth tracks, but I did not e-mail and ask that question. Naïve, it seems, in hindsight, but from the pictures it didn't look nearly as bad as it is, and I accepted the seller's estimation of light mothing. I can accept light mothing on a 100-year old hat, but this seems more in the category of heavy or extensive moth damage. I have not contacted the seller yet, and would be interested in what you folks think before I do.

 

[Lotsahats]

I'd call that extensive mothing, MJ. I'd call that a legit claim.

A

 

[fedoracentric]

That is no way "light moth tracks."

 

[SHOWSOMECLASS]

Don't walk, run! Ebay is totally slanted to buyers. If you meet their criteria you will be favorably judged.

 

[Mojave Jack]

Thanks, guys! I appreciate the feedback. I'm going to send the seller a note and let them know I am not satisfied with the condition of the hat. I'll let you know how it goes!

 

[Mojave Jack]

Well, so far, no response. Here's' the note I sent:

"Good afternoon,

I received the campaign hat on Wednesday, but have delayed contacting you to ensure I maintained some objectivity. The hat is very clearly what you stated in the description. It is a genuine 1912 model campaign hat, certainly. The issue at hand, however, is that the degree of mothing you indicated in the description was "light." This hat has extensive moth damage. Had I known the extent of the damage, or had the photographs clearly shown the moth damage, I would not have bid. I have consulted several sources, and there is simply no way to correct or conceal this degree of moth damage. This will be a serious issue for me, since I intended to use the hat in living history events in the historic district at my base. Due to the moth damage to this hat, I can't use it in that capacity. I would therefore like to discuss returning the hat. I don't believe you were intentionally misrepresenting the hat, as your description was otherwise accurate.

Thanks!"

I think that was a measured, reasonable e-mail, but he or she has not deemed it worthy of a rapid reply. I guess I can afford them a few days, since I took a few days to compose my message.

 

[dr greg]

I had a guy offer me $250 for this 1940's akubra last week, so i took it out of the sealed plastic box i put it in less than a fortnight ago...moths had got in, dunno how, and butchered it..UNBELIEVABLE..it had been sitting on a hat-

rack untouched for the last 3 years at least...seriously WTF...