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

[randooch]

Not a bad grab for $35...

It's a Stetson...not sure about anything else. I'll see when it gets here.

Hopefully the inside's as nice as the out. I wonder if people purposefully place the hat backwards sometimes . . .

 

[Justin B]

In this case yes. To show the small spot on the edge.

 

[HatsEnough]

My latest. A Whippet with a 2-3/4 inch brim in a Whippet box, too.

A steal at $80!!

It is a 6-7/8 size, but I slammed the stretcher in, steamed it up and now it fits my size 7 noggin perfectly.

This makes the 6th Whippet I've got. I think I need to stop buying these darn things.

 

[Justin B]

Ya know...if'n you'd like to pass one of those Whippets in a size 7 off...

 

[HatsEnough]

I do have an extra one I have been considering selling. I have one from the 1950s (all my other ones are a bit older) with a 2-1/2 inch brim that I don't think looks as cool as the larger brimmed ones.

 

[Justin B]

I actually like the shorter brim. I'll drop you a PM and we'll chat.

 

[ebb]

Picked up this Towncraft . I am tickled pink. i love this hat. Almost pristine. 30 bucks shipping included !!

 

[danofarlington]

Well, my 7X was made in the late 60s or the 1970s. The 25 is definitely an early 1950s model. The 25 OR is far, far better than the 7X. The 25 is buttery soft, yet resilient as heck. It has the nicest feel to the felt and the leather sweat on the 25 is loads better quality than that of the 7X. I am not at all impressed by the 60s/70s era 7X, to tell the truth. My 25 is one of my favorite hats.

It's good to hear you say that. I only have a 25, not having been able to land either a 7x clear beaver or a 100. I like the 25 fine, don't know when it's from really. It's nearly pristine, good felt and though it may not be as good quality as yours, I'm happy that someone likes a 25 well enough to prefer it to a 7x.

 

[gtdean48]

It's good to hear you say that. I only have a 25, not having been able to land either a 7x clear beaver or a 100. I like the 25 fine, don't know when it's from really. It's nearly pristine, good felt and though it may not be as good quality as yours, I'm happy that someone likes a 25 well enough to prefer it to a 7x.

Remember a 7X CB is a different animal than a 7X. I am only addressing 7X Clear Beaver here. I know some folks don't add the CB but mean it.
I have & had all 3 at the same time. My 7X CB is older than HatsEnough. There is no comparison between it & my 25. I had an OR styled 25, early 1950s, & have a 7X CB mid 1950s. I also have a 100 mid 1950s. What you are reading has been covered on the Lounge = you cannot compare hats from other time periods using the "levels". My 7X CB is on par with my 100 except for the details that are blatantly obvious. I also had a 3X Open Road from this same period. The 25 was a notch above the 3X. The 25 is a great hat, an excellent hat but it is not on the level of a 7X CB of that period. The hand, the density, the shaping-ability of the crown & the brim are not on the same level. I only have the 7X CB & the 100 because I will wear them in every occasion that the 3X or the 25 would suit. I have had & held newer model 100s that don't rank with my 7X CB & nowhere near my 100. The early to mid 1950s seem to be the heyday of these models. JMHO

 

[Lefty]

+1 on the CB vs. 25. The difference on mine, of the same era, is obvious.

On a different note, Knox Vagabond, 7 3/8 and, as an Ohio hat, it's worth at least double that

 

[HatsEnough]

The early to mid 1950s seem to be the heyday of these models. JMHO

I have to agree here. All my 1960s and later Stetsons are just not at all satisfactory on quality. It seems like the whole system just collapse on Stetson with the end of the 1950s. Oh, the post 50s hats are OK, don't get me wrong. But when you handle a 60s or later Stetson and compare it to the ones in the 50s... well, the difference is obvious even to an amateur like me. It's like every knowledgeable hat maker disappeared off the face of the earth on Jan. 1 1960!

 

[Lefty]

Champ, 7 1/2, gets little love

 

[HatsEnough]

Gentlemen, I give you a stove pipe tophat.

The person I bought this from swears it is from the 1860s (you know, Lincoln era).

I don't know enough about toppers to dispute him, but I do know that top hats rarely exceed 7 inches and this one is 7 and 5/8 inches tall. It is taller than my other topper (which is 6 and 3/4 tall).

I have to say, it certainly has the feel of an 1860s topper. The brim is flat, for one thing.

I am absolutely amazed at the shape it is in, too. It's wearable, even.

It is an American manufacturer, too.

I am not a top hat wearer or collector, but something about this thing just screamed out to me that I should buy it. Don't ask me why.

 

[hatophile]

Looks like old Abe could have worn it to me!

 

[Lefty]

That's a lot of hat. It doesn't date the hat, but here's a reference to the maker.

 

[HatsEnough]

Thanks for the info, there, Lefty! I think I am satisfied that the date of somewhere around the 1860s is right. Hats this tall went out of favor pretty quickly after the Lincoln era, for sure. Also, the seller is a vintage clothing expert and he seems pretty sure and having looked at his other stuff and seen his knowledge, it seems like he'd be a good one to bet on being right about it. Regardless, this is def. a pre 1900s era topper.

... and, yes, it is quite a lot of hat. It looks huge on me in height. It's just my size, too. Fits perfectly.

Now to hide it from my wife. I don't even think that's possible!

 

[zetwal]

[...] Now to hide it from my wife. [...]

 

[Levallois]

Now to hide it from my wife. I don't even think that's possible!

Geez, son, don't hide that hat! Be a man . . . . . and just out-and-out lie like me. "Oh no, I've had that hat for years, sweetheart. I'm surprised you didn't notice it. I traded that old grey one for it so it didn't cost me a thing......etc. For this to work, you must own at least twenty hats - many in boxes - so you can bring them out and put some away on occasion, so she can never memorize them all.

On second thought, given how different your new hat is this may not work. Yeah, you're right, hiding is the way to go.

 

[HatsEnough]

Geez, son, don't hide that hat!

LOL. Yep, it is impossible to hide it, anyway. After all this one is going in the trophy room and it is waaay to big to hide! I didn't even bother trying to hide this one, for sure. Besides, she went to the door when it was delivered.

A regular fedora, she doesn't notice so much. But this monster... no way to hide it.

 

[Levallois]

Besides, she went to the door when it was delivered.

Oh, well, then it's mea culpa gift time.