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

[belfastboy]

A victory:
This old Knox is now in the freezer as I don't trust it not to be harboring critters and the sweat band is detached in a few spots but the price was less than a tank of gas. Put a crease down the center and I'll have a have a hat that I won't feel is too nice to use all the time.
View attachment 215891

A tank of gas in Canada or the USA? Big difference.

 

[belfastboy]

Since I doubt anyone on the lounge is my tiny head shape, I think it's safe to post here. I stumbled upon this, although I have a silverbelly 1950s Stetson so I don't really need another, unless it's a different tone (lighter than mine) and I could change up the ribbon. What are your thoughts? Yay or nay? Seller didn't mention date but they never really write the right one anyway

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/Dobbs-Westw...104332?hash=item2f3970004c:g:hZcAAOSwc8Zd1W-y

Not knowledgeable about vintage hats but I do like the few Dobbs I have, generally nice felt. The hat looks great. If I find a hat I am sort of interested in and they ask for offers then shoot an offer. I tend not to low ball as that puts them on the defensive but one that is a number that I am comfortable with. If I get it great but if not then I can walk away clean. If nothing else you will find out if they are motivated. Another tactic is to wait until the day before the listing closes. If no bids or offers they may jump at a late hour offer.

 

[Frunobulax]

Since I doubt anyone on the lounge is my tiny head shape, I think it's safe to post here. I stumbled upon this, although I have a silverbelly 1950s Stetson so I don't really need another, unless it's a different tone (lighter than mine) and I could change up the ribbon. What are your thoughts? Yay or nay? Seller didn't mention date but they never really write the right one anyway

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/Dobbs-Westw...104332?hash=item2f3970004c:g:hZcAAOSwc8Zd1W-y

Westwards are great hats, and you would really like it. For, your size, however, I think it's overpriced by at least 30%. Especially with that shipping.

 

[SteveFord]

JessieJames,
Yes, I know what you mean but not all of the recent Stetsons are like that.
My Firenze is on the floppy side and I suspect the Pinnacle will be similar.
Of my two Saxons one is stiff as a board and one isn't. The stiff one is brand new.

I wonder how much of it has to do with shellac breaking down over time and with actual use?
It can't all be due to using modern squirrel bedding and belly button lint.

I wasn't around when a lot of my hats were new and if I'm still around in 40 years I won't know what the hell you're talking about!

 

[JessieJames]

Not knowledgeable about vintage hats but I do like the few Dobbs I have, generally nice felt. The hat looks great. If I find a hat I am sort of interested in and they ask for offers then shoot an offer. I tend not to low ball as that puts them on the defensive but one that is a number that I am comfortable with. If I get it great but if not then I can walk away clean. If nothing else you will find out if they are motivated. Another tactic is to wait until the day before the listing closes. If no bids or offers they may jump at a late hour offer.

oh good tip! thanks! I'm wondering, just how many silver bellies do I need, this is absolutely the wrong place to ask such a question ha

 

[Frunobulax]

oh good tip! thanks! I'm wondering, just how many silver bellies do I need, this is absolutely the wrong place to ask such a question ha

Just one more.

Always just one more.

 

[SteveFord]

A tank of gas in Canada or the USA? Big difference.

A tank of regular in a Ford Focus cheap.

I think I know what Stetson is doing with so many of their modern hats by using the old finger micrometer: less material to cut costs, more shellac so they'll hold their shape and, undoubtedly, less concern for the quality of the material as they're making them more rigid so it doesn't really matter.

Not all of their line, of course, but a lot of it.
It seems the make or break line is currently $200 retail from what I can tell. I'd know more if I lived in NYC or somewhere like that where I could go into JJ Hat Center and poke around a bit.

 

[Just Daniel]

These are pretty sweet, the Dobbs line also includes 40s, 50s, and 100s but they are quite rare.

The advice on pricing and shipping looks spot on.

Daniel

Since I doubt anyone on the lounge is my tiny head shape, I think it's safe to post here. I stumbled upon this, although I have a silverbelly 1950s Stetson so I don't really need another, unless it's a different tone (lighter than mine) and I could change up the ribbon. What are your thoughts? Yay or nay? Seller didn't mention date but they never really write the right one anyway

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/Dobbs-Westw...104332?hash=item2f3970004c:g:hZcAAOSwc8Zd1W-y

 

[belfastboy]

A tank of regular in a Ford Focus cheap.

I think I know what Stetson is doing with so many of their modern hats by using the old finger micrometer: less material to cut costs, more shellac so they'll hold their shape and, undoubtedly, less concern for the quality of the material as they're making them more rigid so it doesn't really matter.

Not all of their line, of course, but a lot of it.
It seems the make or break line is currently $200 retail from what I can tell. I'd know more if I lived in NYC or somewhere like that where I could go into JJ Hat Center and poke around a bit.

I have had a few modern Stetsons but have sold them all except for two 150 Anniversary Stetsonians. I had a few Chathams and another who's name escapes me and yes, they were cardboard like felt, stiff as a board. My Stetsonian have wonderful felt but they were a price point above most of the Stetson line. But Stetson put on cheap generic black ribbon work that cheapened the overall look of a $260 hat. Then the tack marks attaching the ribbon were clumsily executed and that too cheapened the look of a really nice hat.

 

[belfastboy]

oh good tip! thanks! I'm wondering, just how many silver bellies do I need, this is absolutely the wrong place to ask such a question ha

Whenever I ask myself the tough question of 'how many of...….do I need.' Invariably the answer comes back...."one more!"

 

[drmaxtejeda]

 

[drmaxtejeda]

I just bought this Antonelli "The Forty". Based on the sweatband "Air Cushioned Confort" and the dense look of the felt I am hoping it was made by MacLachlan.

 

[drmaxtejeda]

Stevens

 

[JessieJames]

These are pretty sweet, the Dobbs line also includes 40s, 50s, and 100s but they are quite rare.

The advice on pricing and shipping looks spot on.

Daniel

I wrote them for more information, and there is a tiny stain, not too bad, and a small pinhole I couldn't see in photos.
She also said it's more of a desaturated type of color, so I'm thinking it might be less yellow than my Stetson so.. hmmm. I don't have a 2.5in brim in my collection

is it a big deal if it's a long oval and I'm a regular?

judging by info I found from https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/the-fedora-lounge-guide-to-dating-dobbs-hats.76443/
I'd say the hat is a 1960s maybe even 1970s

 

[Rmccamey]

A couple of very nice ones, Steve.

Also scored a Stetson Pinnacle for about half the price of new. I've wanted one for a while and patience and persistence finally paid off.
I figure this will be a really good cold weather hat.
Purchased just as the polar ice caps melt and prepare to drown us all.
Timing is everything...
View attachment 215900

 

[Blare]

A victory:
This old Knox is now in the freezer as I don't trust it not to be harboring critters and the sweat band is detached in a few spots but the price was less than a tank of gas. Put a crease down the center and I'll have a have a hat that I won't feel is too nice to use all the time.
View attachment 215891

Beautiful hat

 

[Blare]

When this about 7inch square box showed up containing the $9.95 shipping included Cavanagh hat for a moment I thought.. should I be concerned?

Nahh. Of course not. This fuzzy velour like felt could probably been wadded up and shoved in an envelope and been fine.

So nothing to be concerned about on that cheap shipping....

Hmm... I have three hats coming from a seller that agreed to combine shipping on them... and two are straws.... OK. Time to worry again. LOL

 

[new2hats]

40, 50, 100 represent how much the hat cost in dollars at the time.

Stetson 3X cost $15 (some big brims $20) from as early as the 1910s all the way through the 50s. You can imagine that if the price point stayed the same all that time the quality came down in inverse proportion with inflation.

There are Stetson Twenty hats and Knox 20 hats from the 1920s, you can imagine they are pretty fine.

A Knox 40 was always a fine, fine hat. One from the 30s would be a dream. I think one has shown up on the Lounge. Realistically you want one from the late 40s up to mid 50s, like this one.

The Stetson 7X Clear Beaver cost $50 for much of its run. They ran from the late 30s through probably the early 60s. 99% are cowboy hats. Knox and Dobbs and Cavanaugh 50s and 100s are super rare and almost all westerns as well, almost all silver belly.

That’s a not so straight explanation. In sum: several decades had the same price point for hats, so earlier decades naturally had higher quality.

PS Avoid late 50s hats and beyond.

Its a good thing I read this; I thought that the number was the % of beaver in the felt!!

How does one know if it late 50's? the liner? Arent they better than today's in general?

 

[deadlyhandsome]

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Regardless of who make it, that’s a good looking hat, Max. Just from the photos the felt looks fantastic.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Regardless of who make it, that’s a good looking hat, Max. Just from the photos the felt looks fantastic.

There are all sorts of threads here on dating by crests, lot numbers, liners, size tags, etc. it takes some work, but that’s part of the fun.