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

[Joshbru3]

Hey look, Josh is back! And bought a hat out from under me already...

LOL.

LOL. Oh crap, was that you who I bid over yesterday??? I've been a little absent the last couple of weeks. I just moved apartments about 2 weeks ago and everything has been super hectic. I still have to pack up those C.D.'s for you. I know they are packed in one of the boxes I have stacked up in the apartment....

 

[gtdean48]

I bought this one yesterday for an upcoming western conversion. I've been looking for a nice tall crown to do a deep center crease. The color seems to be a green hue, but the seller said its gray. We will see. Either way, I'm just happy not to do another brown western conversion. This hat is going to have a 5 3/4 creased crown, 2 1/4 inch brim and a 2 inch or possibly 2 1/8 inch wide frayed ribbon. I'm hoping to have a flange by the time I finish this conversion because I have been curling/flanging the brim by hand and that takes forever

VINTAGE RESISTOL STAGECOACH FELT COWBOY HAT SZ 7

Good luck Josh. This one started out just like that one back in the late 1970's. I just didn't go for the band & binding back then... =

 

[bowlerman]

Looks like a nice one to work with Josh! Will you put the binding back on the edge after you trim/flange it?

Nice to see you and Alan had a good time in Chicagoland, as well!


So what did I buy here? I haven't received it yet, but not sure if it's a derby with an inappropriate crease, or a stingy homburg, especially since the ribbon (at least from these photos) appears so wide. Any ideas?

 

[Joshbru3]

Good luck Josh. This one started out just like that one back in the late 1970's. I just didn't go for the band & binding back then... =

Thanks very much, Tom. I really like the way that one turned out. It actually looks more authentic without the binding and with the new band that you put on. The original look of the stagecoach looks too "movie-esque" in my opinion. There's always something about that horsehair band that really gives a western hat that real western touch. How tall was the crown when you popped out the original crease? It looks about 6 1/4 but, that's just a guess. Also, is the felt extremely stiff like todays westerns or is it slightly workable?

 

[Joshbru3]

Looks like a nice one to work with Josh! Will you put the binding back on the edge after you trim/flange it?

Nice to see you and Alan had a good time in Chicagoland, as well!


So what did I buy here? I haven't received it yet, but not sure if it's a derby with an inappropriate crease, or a stingy homburg, especially since the ribbon (at least from these photos) appears so wide. Any ideas?

Thanks, bowlerman. I am going to leave it a raw edge just to go with that 20's/30's theme.

Well sir, you bought a "Stingy" homburg.
They were popular for a short time in the late 50's/ early 60's. Brims on fedoras got short and so did the brims on homburgs. Not all homburgs though.

Here's a 1959 Dobbs Ad that shows a stingy homburg, a stingy bowler, and a stingy fedora.

 

[hatophile]

Yeah, B-man, Josh hit it on the head. Stingy homburg, probably 60'sh. Looks cool, though.

 

[Justin B]

LOL. Oh crap, was that you who I bid over yesterday??? I've been a little absent the last couple of weeks. I just moved apartments about 2 weeks ago and everything has been super hectic. I still have to pack up those C.D.'s for you. I know they are packed in one of the boxes I have stacked up in the apartment....

Yeah, but I wasn't just overly serious about it...I just liked the colorful ribbon. The CD's you can send along whenever, but it's a good thing I didn't go ahead and ship out the ADAM as it would have been to your old address. You'll have to PM me the new one.

 

[Joshbru3]

Yeah, but I wasn't just overly serious about it...I just liked the colorful ribbon. The CD's you can send along whenever, but it's a good thing I didn't go ahead and ship out the ADAM as it would have been to your old address. You'll have to PM me the new one.

Sorry about that. :eusa_doh: Well I tell ya what buddy, I'm not going to use the ribbon, so its all yours. It should fit any size 7 hat. I will send it along with the C.D's.

 

[bowlerman]

Yeah, B-man, Josh hit it on the head. Stingy homburg, probably 60'sh. Looks cool, though.

Thanks guys-- exactly what I was hoping for! I don't think I need any more black derbies. Might have to shape the front of the brim a bit, though. Can't wait to see it in person.

 

[Justin B]

Sorry about that. :eusa_doh: Well I tell ya what buddy, I'm not going to use the ribbon, so its all yours. It should fit any size 7 hat. I will send it along with the C.D's.

Sweet!

 

[Joshbru3]

A nice curl in front would be perfect. I always curl my homburgs in front because I never like when the brim is flat around. It just doesn't look right. If Resistol gave that hat a 6 inch open crown and a straight block, you could curl the brim and make it look like an early "soft hat." Some of the early soft hats had real short 1 3/4 and 1 1/2 inch curled brims. I was actually thinking of making one. I would take a homburg with a really tall crown, add stiffener to the brim, give the brim a drastic curl and it should look pretty close to one.

 

[gtdean48]

Thanks very much, Tom. I really like the way that one turned out. It actually looks more authentic without the binding and with the new band that you put on. The original look of the stagecoach looks too "movie-esque" in my opinion. There's always something about that horsehair band that really gives a western hat that real western touch. How tall was the crown when you popped out the original crease? It looks about 6 1/4 but, that's just a guess. Also, is the felt extremely stiff like todays westerns or is it slightly workable?

The crown is at least 6" open. The brim is stiff but the crown is workable. HTH

 

[Lefty]

7XCB OR, 6 7/8

 

[T Rick]

Oops... I think I just cost one of our Members a bit of coin on this nice looking 1940's Stratoliner. I may be mistaken, but I think that's Alan who came in one second after me, and at least a couple of bucks higher. Ah well, the silver lining is, at least I didn't pay that much for a hat! Worth it IMO, but still a lot to pay for it.

Alan, if it was you, sorry to have cost you, I'll look forward to some pics here!

 

[irfan.wayang]

I really loved the look of this vintage Borsalino when it was $19.99. About 24 hours before close it started spiralling up. I took a deep breath and decided to set my own limit at the price of a new Akubra, or around $150. When I checked it out, it had closed at $255! I remember reading a thread here when someone asked what their hat was worth, and someone else replied "A hat is worth what someone is prepared to pay for it." Yes, true -- but was this completely over the top, or about normal for a vintage Borsalino?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/330608737596?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Normal price of Boralino's now days.

 

[irfan.wayang]

Hmm. Might buy a couple of Akubra's instead ....

 

[gtdean48]

Hmm. Might buy a couple of Akubra's instead ....

As you've seen, some folks set their price for a vintage Borso & other makers & models at the price of a new custom hat or just below.
They don't make 'em like they used to....

 

[alanfgag]

Oops... I think I just cost one of our Members a bit of coin on this nice looking 1940's Stratoliner. I may be mistaken, but I think that's Alan who came in one second after me, and at least a couple of bucks higher. Ah well, the silver lining is, at least I didn't pay that much for a hat! Worth it IMO, but still a lot to pay for it.

Alan, if it was you, sorry to have cost you, I'll look forward to some pics here!

No worries, T Rick, If it hadn't been you it would have been someone else. It's an early Strat and it had a lot of watchers. I didn't plan to bid so high, but raised my budget at the end. It looks to be a similar vintage to my early Playboy which I love. Here's hoping the color is good and it comes in as clean as the seller describes... and that Lefty has a couple more airplanes up his sleeve.

 

[alanfgag]

They don't make 'em like they used to....

That's it in a nutshell... and replacement cost both drives and controls the price when a good vintage example comes along.

With current production Borsalino fedoras retailing at $230 and up depending on the store, a desirable or rare vintage example in excellent condition can certainly command this price. When you compare new to old side by side you appreciate what causes the fever and drives the bidding.

Fortunately, there are still many great bargains to be found.