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

[AbbaDatDeHat]

These listings always baffle me. If you're trying to sell a hat, why lead with a picture of a box? Still, curiosity got the better of me. After all, I am looking for a brown derby, so I thought maybe I'd get lucky:
View attachment 167391

Instead, this hairy beast was inside:
(Seller pic, not the greatest)
View attachment 167393

View attachment 167392

Quickly contacted the seller to get dimensions as none were listed. Said he would measure when he got home. Longest hour of my life as I desperately wanted to click BIN. (The listing had already been active for several hours.) Seller responded back with the dimensions I was hoping for, and with a 2-3/4" brim! To top it off, was able to haggle a bit with an offer and finally agreed counteroffer.

After combing through the forum this looks to be from the early 40s. So in the end I guess I still got lucky. Should arrive in a few days.

That looks to be a very good one.
Your obligatory review will be greatly anticipated!
B

 

[deadlyhandsome]

These listings always baffle me. If you're trying to sell a hat, why lead with a picture of a box? Still, curiosity got the better of me. After all, I am looking for a brown derby, so I thought maybe I'd get lucky:
View attachment 167391

Instead, this hairy beast was inside:
(Seller pic, not the greatest)
View attachment 167393

View attachment 167392

Quickly contacted the seller to get dimensions as none were listed. Said he would measure when he got home. Longest hour of my life as I desperately wanted to click BIN. (The listing had already been active for several hours.) Seller responded back with the dimensions I was hoping for, and with a 2-3/4" brim! To top it off, was able to haggle a bit with an offer and finally agreed counteroffer.

After combing through the forum this looks to be from the early 40s. So in the end I guess I still got lucky. Should arrive in a few days.

I like the poorly listed hats. Misspelling (Borsosilno), misidentified material (wool), and lousy first photos can result in the best deals.

Your Dobbs looks spectacular! I’d love to find one of that vintage. Can’t wait to see your photos and review.


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[drmaxtejeda]

I like the poorly listed hats. Misspelling (Borsosilno), misidentified material (wool), and lousy first photos can result in the best deals.

Your Dobbs looks spectacular! I’d love to find one of that vintage. Can’t wait to see your photos and review.


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I agree. Ignorance is bliss.

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[TheOldFashioned]

That looks to be a very good one.
Your obligatory review will be greatly anticipated!
B

I like the poorly listed hats. Misspelling (Borsosilno), misidentified material (wool), and lousy first photos can result in the best deals.

Your Dobbs looks spectacular! I’d love to find one of that vintage. Can’t wait to see your photos and review.


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This will be my first longhair so it'll be interesting to get my hands on it. Part of me is a bit apprehensive since the pics were a little blurry. Listings like these sort of throw up a red flag, like the seller is trying to hide something. Still, I couldn't resist.

I have a couple derbies from late 20s/early 30s, but this will be my oldest fedora. I'm particularly intrigued by the "improved felted welt edge" (evolution of Cavanagh edge) with this finish. I found a half dozen or so examples in the Dobbs Diner thread but none on a longhair.

Since you both have longhairs, any tips on brushing? Same as a more traditional finish, CCW with a horsehair brush? I've tried searching multiple threads for an answer but have come up empty so far.

 

[drmaxtejeda]

This will be my first longhair so it'll be interesting to get my hands on it. Part of me is a bit apprehensive since the pics were a little blurry. Listings like these sort of throw up a red flag, like the seller is trying to hide something. Still, I couldn't resist.

I have a couple derbies from late 20s/early 30s, but this will be my oldest fedora. I'm particularly intrigued by the "improved felted welt edge" (evolution of Cavanagh edge) with this finish. I found a half dozen or so examples in the Dobbs Diner thread but none on a longhair.

Since you both have longhairs, any tips on brushing? Same as a more traditional finish, CCW with a horsehair brush? I've tried searching multiple threads for an answer but have come up empty so far.

I have found that the first thing to do with a long hair, in most cases, is to give it a good naphta bath. They come out with shinier, more orderly hair. I think of it as giving a dog a bath he hasn't had in 40 years. I only have one that I judged didn't need it.

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[TheOldFashioned]

I have found that the first thing to do with a long hair, in most cases, is to give it a good naphta bath. They come out with shinier, more orderly hair. I think of it as giving a dog a bath he hasn't had in 40 years. I only have one that I judged didn't need it.
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Yeah, I read in a thread about a naptha bath. Given this will be first and oldest I'm not sure I trust myself with that undertaking. I've already considered sending it out for a proper cleaning and blocking as I want to do this hat right. I'll have a better idea when it arrives.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I’ve had mixed results with naptha. If the hat is sound, the solvent cleans oils well and doesn’t seem to cause any negative effects. If, however, the sweatband has dry rot it can cause the leather to disintegrate. My fist Stetson One-Hundred sweatband fell to pieces in a naptha bath. Others faired much better. I sent my recent One-Hundred to VS for a clean, reblock, re-flange, etc.

As for normal care, steaming and brushing work small miracles. The felt is much more prone to show where it has been touched so either carry around a hat brush, live with marks in the felt, or learn to not touch the hat...hard to do when they beg to be pet.


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[deadlyhandsome]

Saw this unusual brim treatment on a western Stetson:

The binding (maybe better called treatment in this case) looks to be sewn to the bottom of the brim flush with the brim edge. I don’t know that I’ve seen a Stetson like this before.


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[carouselvic]

Under binding is not new, but was not super common. You will find it on
western hats in the old Miller-Stockman catalogues

 

[Bamaboots]

 

[deadlyhandsome]

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Thank you. I’ve seen it on a European hat, but not a Stetson. I like it.


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[Bamaboots]

Thank you. I’ve seen it on a European hat, but not a Stetson. I like it.


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You're welcome. The ones I've seen in the Miller-Stockman catalog were called the "Arminto" and "Arminty", I think. I've seen only a couple. @alanfgag, has a fine example that's considerably older than mine.

 

[alanfgag]

You're welcome. The ones I've seen in the Miller-Stockman catalog were called the "Arminto" and "Arminty", I think. I've seen only a couple. @alanfgag, has a fine example that's considerably older than mine.

Here is the one Greg is referring to:

 

[Michael R.]

4X Stetson Eddie Bauer ... (TAR)

 

[M Hatman]

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I see the sweat says "American Royal" at the front.....would be interesting to see the blocking tags on that one.....perhaps special commission for the men's shop??

 

[BobHufford]

4X Stetson Eddie Bauer ... (TAR)

I think you need to bold the 'T' in TAR for that on Micheal. Good to see you posting. Ran across this today ... one of your horses?

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

Here is the one Greg is referring to:

Another great museum piece Alan!
I do love looking at this one!!
B

 

[Michael R.]

I think you need to bold the 'T' in TAR for that on Micheal. Good to see you posting. Ran across this today ... one of your horses?

View attachment 167695

LOL !!! HAHA !

 

[BobHufford]

I see the sweat says "American Royal" at the front.....would be interesting to see the blocking tags on that one.....perhaps special commission for the men's shop??

American Royal is an organization and not a shop per se. Most likely a special commission like you state.

 

[Bamaboots]

I see the sweat says "American Royal" at the front.....would be interesting to see the blocking tags on that one.....perhaps special commission for the men's shop??

Mark, American Royal refers to the annual stock show held in KC. I think these hats were probably a special order for the American Royal Society or some such organisation. HJ dug up a little info on them. Seems right around the end of an era for decent special orders. No tags at all. Glued in embroidered last drop 3X liner and the stamp of the store that handled them; Emory, Bird Thayer men's store in KC.

These hats pop up on the bay or Etsy occasionally, usually adorned with pins. There was one listed that had over 80 attached.. This one only had 4 and I was able to mitigate the holes and the tarnish stain from two Sterling pins.