“Men's Hats” – Daryle Lambert's Antique and Collectible Blog – Five Dollars into $100.

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I have always been fascinated with hats and over the years I have worn almost every style you can imagine. I was a fan of Humphrey Bogart and you may remember when he would pull that hat down over his eyes in the movies and people would listen to what he had to say. The women also seemed to like it and there was always a beauty nipping at his heels. Then there was coach Paul Bear Bryant of Alabama who was never seen without his plaid hat. Who could forget the Duke (John Wayne) with that ten gallon hat that never seemed to fly off no matter how fast he rode the horse. There is just something special about a man wearing a hat and most powerful men wear a hat that sets them apart from others.

Over the years styles have changed but not the dapper Dans that wanted to wear them. You all have seen pictures of the gentlemen in the exquisite beaver top hats escorting the ladies in the hoop shirts riding in the carriages of the day. How about the business men in the felt bowlers that they would gently tip your way as they passed, giving you a greeting. Perhaps my favorites are the cowboy hats because they represent another time and also a different life style than most people will ever experience.

You must be asking where my love for hats started and it was when Vickie, my wife, and I began going to a ranch in Sheridan, Wyoming where everyone wore a cowboy hat. We have gone to the ranch maybe 5 to 10 times and over those visits I purchased several different hats until I finally found one that made the statement I wished to express as I rode through the beautiful Big Horn Mountains. You know just wearing the right hat truly makes you feel like a cowboy but the boots and jeans add the final touch.

With the feeling that I receive from wearing a cowboy hat, it makes it possible for me to envision how others must have felt wearing hats at different times in our history. Hats through the ages have served in many ways, like the coonskin hats that were used for warmth and the Panama straw hats that were used to protect against the sun. Probably most hats were used to make a statement as to status. But the question is can we make money by finding vintage hats and the answer is yes. I was teaching one of my first pupils and on a buying trip in a second hand shop we found a vintage hat with its original box that was priced at $15.00. I soon explained to the clerk what we were doing and negotiated a purchase price of $5. If my memory serves me well, the pupil sold the hat on eBay for about $136.

Here are a few other examples from eBay: autographed Stetson cowboy hat $1000, Beaver Top Hat $250, a mink hat $200, Panama Straw Hat $129, Felt Bowler $100 and last but not least the old beaver hat for $75. For a purchase price of $5 to $10 dollars I would say that these make great purchases. I have seen even the best Beaver Top Hats for $25 at garage and house sales. Men's hats can be a way for you to start your journey up through the 31 Steps that we have set out to climb and there is a ready market, especially if the hat has its original box. Keep the sun out of your eyes by wearing the hat of your choice.

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