Want to buy or sell something? Check the classifieds
  • The Fedora Lounge is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

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

ccorsair

One of the Regulars
Messages
159
Location
USA Nor-cal
I look at many of the higher end priced hats some i love to own but many seem too clean to be vintage.. the Dobb'd fifteen i got was one i didn't know if i could get for good price the bidding i seen for the hats the seller has start at $15 to $18 but end way higher $30 to $60's range. HE has good write up and picture so you can see the hats he seem to me to be some who has hat shop off line as well or access to a lot of clean vintage hats. I want good hat that is wearable and and not something I have to put under glass..
I have one hat i ware daily it just a Felt Outback Scala Dorfman Pacific Brown hat that is fading due to all my time in it out on the road .
I not going to over wear the Dobb's like that one but it is going to make me change hats at some part of the day lol.
I may pick up one two more hats off ebay but Not going to even touch the over priced ones.
I made one mistake buy of a Dorfman Pacific hate it was cheap (under $9) but it was too big for me (my bad for not looking at the size).
It's in very good shape needs some cleaning other out side of dust but over all good for resale at some time.
Lot hats listing that look bad some that are price fair other what over priced neat $40 to $50 that would need an act of God to get back into looking like a hat.
I try to shop with a mission but i also come back here to see what everyone here has to say on a hat and style of hats. What is Vintage and what is some turn out to be a current made hat.
The Chinese seem to be doing that seen I few that were not US made hats at Steampunk event Some thought they had a Vintage but looking at it we could it was made in the last 3 years. Why are they ding that? Seem a bit daft to make hats to sell to limit Fringe group of people. Costume hats are one thing but to make one and work at passing it as vintage is wrong .
Ebay is getting some listing of them but filter my search to US only.
My rule fore buying it to keep to the vender with a good record and history of good deals .
I do try to sen message or two to some dealers on the items if i have info they should know.
I found one guy was selling a leather top hat and a 1800's hat box (clear it was vintage)..
The top hat I knew and own are from the 70's I let them know and they were happy to corrected their listing. Some it works some time it does not like one estate sell try to sell again the same hat saying it was Vintage 80's for $150. told them the average price was around $40 used no answer it didn't sell and they didn't re-listed it .
I think eBay is always got yo have it ups and downs in buying and selling.
Some time you get deal and some time you can't find one. hope some people think you will buy a DVD marked 3 time what it in the store will sell is beyond me . Same for the hats I see listing there , But then again Don't see ebay as how you price something true value..
Those prices are what some THINKS they can get not the true price.
A classic vintage hat is worth a lot to some and nothing to other. best rule is buyer beware Sell be true and fair on ebay.
 
Last edited:

Mystic

Practically Family
Messages
882
Location
Northeast Florida
You're right there. My problem about the over priced hats is so many are now wanting the same price for small sizes as the larger more in demand sizes.
 

fedoracentric

Banned
Messages
1,362
Location
Streamwood, IL
My problem about the over priced hats is so many are now wanting the same price for small sizes as the larger more in demand sizes.

On the other hand, those of us with a good vintage can put a buy it now at a reasonable price--one considerably cheaper than these nuts who think every hat is worth $400, but a price that is still a good one--and we'll probably get it! After all If we have anything under $250 on a hat everyone will think it's a bargain!
 

ccorsair

One of the Regulars
Messages
159
Location
USA Nor-cal

Joao Encarnado

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,776
Location
Portugal
Do you have a max-price per square foot, Joao? ;)
No. But at $50 shipping + import tax I had to step out and I already have a brown furry, so this one would be another one.

It's the extra on shipping gets you over every time.. If there is shipping i factor that in on what look at. $8 is okay if it under $25 but over $30 and $11 for ship kills it for me.
the pit falls of find your hat size at the same time ever one else does too.
Yes it is. A $40 hat for me ends like a $100 hat for you in the US.
 

ccorsair

One of the Regulars
Messages
159
Location
USA Nor-cal
Yes it is. A $40 hat for me ends like a $100 hat for you in the US.[/QUOTE]
Ouch.. I think there has to be some way for people to request cheaper postage. I hate getting anything with shipping that is high. I still can't figure out why the hat in this state cost me $11 and yes one from the east cost cost me $8. The both seem to weigh the same . None came in flat rate poles more like plastic store bags and normal cardboard boxes.
I have over 247 buys. I done lot of Auctions and it not easy try to figure out what the next bid will be as i don't bid till the last few second. I won more bids than lost . i study ever items i shop for and I do my best to stay in budget and I gone over only 2 or 3 times.
I look at a dozen seller of hats and I think the ones i bought from at good at marking them low.. One sells nothing but hats. One was selling a hat he didn't like they other one that didn't fit and I helped him find some listing of hats and pointed him to the site here to learn more about what he was looking for.
I know what style i want for my self. i will hunt it out and i will search for the style I want and get it.
I do this for any items I get online or when out hitting stores(thrift store and Antique stores) I have over 180 or more item on my watch list to what current pricing and selling habits.
I don't bid till those last seconds of auction. If i want to win i have to guess the right price the last guy made.
It kind of addicting . That build of of the final click and if you have won. I am very happy to won each of the hats I have. None were a buy now all The fedoras and the one I got for my Steampunk collection were bids. The Dobb's is the highest price one at $36. The lowest was Collapsible intact Top hat(pic it posted here some place)the seller was an estate seller and didn't know the hat i got for $14.29 plus $4 or so shipping was selling for more like $180 on ebay as those hats are in BIG demanded by a lot of people who do costume work and Steampunk people.. the fun thing is it fits and I get to be the envy of a lot of people at conventions and events lol.
I Do think you can request slow shipping it's Cheaper but you lose tracking and i had a few item go off course and had to be replaced or refunded(not easy to replace one of kind Vintage items too) I have my spending limits and my wife is very critical i keep with in them. She given me some room on the hats as she seem to like seeing me in them (if the wife is turn on by an item that can have some forgive going over a bit I found) I buy many thing for resale that too help doubling or tripling my money make me and her happy. Factoring that shipping cost into the resale does help too. Buying for your self not so much.
 

TheDane

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,670
Location
Copenhagen, Denmark
ccorsair : This is an international forum, and you're responding to posts from all over the World ;)

I live in Denmark, and Joao lives Portugal, and usual shipping fees are around $40 - $50 from the US to our countries. Ontop of the price (plus shipping!) comes customs and 25% VAT ... and we shouldn't forget the "import-fee", around $30 here in DK. Our situations are not comparable.
 

fedoracentric

Banned
Messages
1,362
Location
Streamwood, IL
One Stetson on ebay from the early 1900s has a 5X marking and a clear beaver imprint. First time I ever saw an early 5X for sale. Unfortunately it is a tiny, tiny size--like a 6-3/4. Still neat to see the markings.
Stetson_Early_5X_ClearBeaver_logo_01.jpg
Stetson_Early_5X_ClearBeaver_logo_02.jpg
Stetson_Early_5X_ClearBeaver_logo_03.jpg
 
Last edited:

Joao Encarnado

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,776
Location
Portugal
I live in Denmark, and Joao lives Portugal, and usual shipping fees are around $40 - $50 from the US to our countries. Ontop of the price (plus shipping!) comes customs and 25% VAT ... and we shouldn't forget the "import-fee", around $30 here in DK. Our situations are not comparable.

True. I think the limit is $40 in Portugal. Items with less value does not pay VAT nor customs taxes. VAT here is 23% but this 23% are calculated with item value + shipping cost!!
Things got complicated since the government sold it's share from Mail Services.
For example I have a hat dispatched from the US in June, 26th. It's being retained in the customs house since July, 8th. It's sitting there for 20 days. Before the government did such stupid thing, itens were dispatched in the same say they arrived, now takes 1 month or more!!
Have another hat dispatched by ebay GSP that should arrive this week. This hat was dispatched on July, 21th!!!
Things sent from the US by ebay GSP ends being cheaper and faster.


One Stetson on ebay from the early 1900s has a 5X marking and a clear beaver imprint. First time I ever saw an early 5X for sale. Unfortunately it is a tiny, tiny size--like a 6-3/4. Still neat to see the markings.
It looks really really nice!! tiny tiny size...
 

fedoracentric

Banned
Messages
1,362
Location
Streamwood, IL
Wonderful. Now we have another guy who claims to be a knowledgable collector of antique hats with a bunch of hats that are decidedly NOT antiques. Most of them seem to be 60s era or latter and he's selling many of them as "Depression" era.

He even has one he is selling as a "Rare Antique Tom Mix Stetson Cowboy Hat" that is not marked Stetson. Plus he has a date of 1901 on it when Tom Mix didn't start making movies until 1909! (And didn't become a star who people would name hats after for a few more years after that, even)

Where do these hucksters come from?

Naturally he has $300 and $400 price tags on all of them.

I mean, I can take a few little honest errors in a description (even a wrong date on a lone auction), but when a guy is selling a slew of 1960s hats as "rare antiques" from the depression era, that edges into lying and misleading buyers, then.
 

DTQ

New in Town
Messages
31
Location
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Hit or miss?

Hello everyone, my name is Dan and I wear a hat.

Well, hats actually, and usually some sort of cap. But a few years ago I started wearing a fuzzy fedora I won on ebay for about $30 including a replacement liner. Last week I found two Stetsons in a thrift shop; a Bullet colored 4x "Open Road" and a Brown 4x "Range" (I think) each with a few moth divots and a total cost of $6.

The green fuzzy fedora works really well with a green Filson Double Mackinaw Cruiser I wear in the winter and now the Bullet Open Road will go well with an old grey Filson Mac I also wear occasionally.

Now to the point of this post:

I have googled and poked around and I still do not know much about the quality or value of my fuzzy green fedora. Please, what can you tell me? Thanks in advance.

Green-Fedora-1_zpseadb3cc4.jpg

Green-Fedora-2_zpsc61089ba.jpg

Green-Fedora-4_zps6612235b.jpg

Green-Fedora-3_zpsf44d736c.jpg
 

TheDane

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,670
Location
Copenhagen, Denmark
It seems, mjggg is a soon banned spammer [huh]

DTQ : Welcome to The Lounge. We have a very nice and extremely knowing member, mayserwegener. I'm sure, he has something to tell you, when he sees your question. He's an expert on vintage Central European hats.
 

ccorsair

One of the Regulars
Messages
159
Location
USA Nor-cal
Wonderful. Now we have another guy who claims to be a knowledgable collector of antique hats with a bunch of hats that are decidedly NOT antiques. Most of them seem to be 60s era or latter and he's selling many of them as "Depression" era.

He even has one he is selling as a "Rare Antique Tom Mix Stetson Cowboy Hat" that is not marked Stetson. Plus he has a date of 1901 on it when Tom Mix didn't start making movies until 1909! (And didn't become a star who people would name hats after for a few more years after that, even)

Where do these hucksters come from?

Naturally he has $300 and $400 price tags on all of them.

I mean, I can take a few little honest errors in a description (even a wrong date on a lone auction), but when a guy is selling a slew of 1960s hats as "rare antiques" from the depression era, that edges into lying and misleading buyers, then.

I think I seen the guy posting .. I had an Uncle that collected ton of the early movie Cowboys Mix hats were in there and this was when I was a kids in the 60's So He could call it a hat in the Tom Mix style but not true Mix hat. I wish Ebay had way to report this type of seller. Really it give people a bad name who are selling true Vintage hats.
 
Last edited:
Messages
15,077
Location
Buffalo, NY
The Lounge is not the repository of perfect and correct hat knowledge... let's extend the courtesy to eBay sellers who are also learning their history.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
109,097
Messages
3,074,081
Members
54,091
Latest member
toptvsspala
Top