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Ok, now we enter the realm of just plain silly! (With apologies)

Rick Blaine

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D'OH!

Tommy Fedora said:
I've paid premium dollars in the past for a hat that really wanted, such as an OR. And I think that most are still worth the price that may seem inflated to others. But I just saw an OR on ebay go for $283.50. Yes, it looked in perfect shape but for that price I'd call Art and get a custom.

... yeah, I was keeping an eye on than 'un...HOLY MOLEY! :eek:

Yeah, I KNOW that it was a 7 1/2, but what SLAYS me is that comprable ORs in 6 7/8 - 7 1/4 go wanting for 24 bucks :rage:
 

feltfan

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Tommy Fedora said:
But I just saw an OR on ebay go for $283.50. Yes, it looked in perfect shape but for that price I'd call Art and get a custom.

Actually, the sweat band looked pretty messed up.
If I have to pay to replace the sweat band (and lose
the original sweat band!), the hat better be pretty
cheap or pretty exceptional.

Here's hoping it wasn't messed up, for the buyer's sake.
 

squid

One of the Regulars
Messages
178
Location
Florida
MattC said:
A few years ago you could get great vintage hats for very little. Even a year and a half ago, great bargains came along from time to time; I found a gorgeous old wide brimmed Stetson 3x with a Cav edge for $9; I got a pale green '49 Dobbs Homburg for $13. So when I paid--gasp--$145 for a Bone Borsalino with a Cav edge a few months back, or $215 for a NOS light grey Cavanagh with a 21/4" brim, it seemed like a lot. Except when I realized that you can't get a modern Borsalino Alexandra for less than about $200, nowhere near the felt quality and forget the Cav edge, and the Cavanagh felt can't be had at any price. Then it didn't seem so bad.

Three years ago I spent 150 Euro on my Borsalino. And while it's a nice hat I would trade it for a 50 year old used Borsalino, in good condition, in a heartbeat.
 

Razzman

One Too Many
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1,357
Location
South of Boston
I agree. I have a new Borsalino and a Vintage one. There is really no comparison. The new one is nice, but not near the quality of the vintage one.
 

squid

One of the Regulars
Messages
178
Location
Florida
Razzman said:
I agree. I have a new Borsalino and a Vintage one. There is really no comparison. The new one is nice, but not near the quality of the vintage one.

My new Borsalino isn't nearly the quality of the old Resistol I just bought. I really though I had joined an exclusive club when I bought that hat. I will say it is the nicest new hat I've seen.
 

MattC

A-List Customer
Messages
426
Location
San Francisco and New York City
Its all relative

A few years ago you could get great vintage hats for very little. Even a year and a half ago, great bargains came along from time to time; I found a gorgeous old wide brimmed Stetson 3x with a Cav edge for $9; I got a pale green '49 Dobbs Homburg for $13. So when I paid--gasp--$145 for a Bone Borsalino with a Cav edge a few months back, or $215 for a NOS light grey Cavanagh with a 21/4" brim, it seemed like a lot. Except when I realized that you can't get a modern Borsalino Alexandra for less than about $200, nowhere near the felt quality and forget the Cav edge, and the Cavanagh felt can't be had at any price. Then it didn't seem so bad.
 

Rick Blaine

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3,958
Location
Saskatoon, SK CANADA
... I don' wanna hear this...

MattC said:
...I found a gorgeous old wide brimmed Stetson 3x with a Cav edge for $9; I got a pale green '49 Dobbs Homburg for $13....

(with fingers in ear & tounge in cheek)
shutup, shutup, shutup!!! ;)
 

Twitch

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City of the Angels
Just goes to prove you should NEVER surpass your planned upon max limit. I never do on anything. There's another one of whatever item you're looking for coming along soon. Patience wins out.;)
 

Byrne Sherwood

Familiar Face
Messages
57
Location
New Orleans, Louisiana
I would venture a guess that the Lounge and its members have driven up the cost of vintage hats by educating readers about the virtues of said hats and making them more in demand. I have certainly been educated in the few months that I have been onboard, although perhaps not yet converted. I have altered my hat-buying habits, though; I am now a more saavy shopper and I thank all of you who have contributed to that education.
I have spent plenty of time trolling the eBay waters and have scored a few times and bombed a time or two, hats and other stuff. But, I find it is a habit I can do without. You score a good deal and you want more, spending time searching for that one-time-only opportunity. You know it's out there. You find something you like and you bid. You monitor the auction hourly and become increasingly emotionally invested. You wonder, "Will it fit?", "What if there is some hidden blemish?", "How do I justify this to my wife?", "How much should I spend?"... You get into a bidding war and go over your intended limit, or maybe you've got it free and clear, nobody else is interested, then all of a sudden you get taken down by a low-down, dirty sniper lurking in the shadows....
Well, you all know how it goes. I know for some that the thrill of the chase is part of the fun. Personally, I would rather spend my time doing other things. For the price of the winning bid that spawned this thread, I recently bought a couple of Akubras and bypassed a lot of the time investment that eBay entails and I know I will get new, good quality hats that fit.
 

Marc Chevalier

Gone Home
Messages
18,192
Location
Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California
Byrne Sherwood said:
You score a good deal and you want more, spending time searching for that one-time-only opportunity. You know it's out there. You find something you like and you bid. You monitor the auction hourly and become increasingly emotionally invested.

In other words, you become a gambling addict. For some, eBay is like Vegas.

.
 

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