Another Ebay Fake?

[GreencoatCross]

I saw this on eBay tonight and something doesn't really mesh with this hat.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Civil-War-Infant...1%7C240%3A1318

I'm having a hard time with this one but I do have a list of "weird" features that don't quite fit. Thickness of hat felt, lack of sweatband and label, that painted "H" inside the hat looks exactly like the ones inside some modern dress hat blanks I have at home, the feather has somehow stayed perched delicately in position since the Civil War, every piece of insignia is still in place and utilizes the brass wire prongs rather than loops, the hat cord looks like it's been dyed or painted bright blue towards the tassels, and I don't know about you guys but I cannot enlarge the photographs for a better look at all of this.

What do you think? Am I just really, really tired tonight?

[Rear Guard]

Re: Another Ebay Fake?

I think it is a modern hat that has been chemically "aged" by the look of the brass coloration and also the water-spotting discoloration of the felt which almost looks to be bleached. However, the stitching around the brim still looks bright and new. I think it's a fake also.

[rogue]

Re: Another Ebay Fake?

Well, for all the horrific aging on the brass, note the pristine delicate feather.
"H" may well be Haetze Hatcrafters of another era completely.
Let the buyer beware!
S.Sullivan

[CompanyWag]

Re: Another Ebay Fake?

Saw it earlier. Noted it...and then promptly dismissed it.
I agree with all the observations noted above.

Paul McKee

[1st Maine Trooper]

Re: Another Ebay Fake?

Its a definate fake in my mind. There is no sweatband nor any evidence one ever existed. Nor is there evidence of the label inside the crown or the grosgrain ribbon. I feel bad the poor folks bidding on this fake.

Dave Myrick

[August77]

Re: Another Ebay Fake?

Agreed that this is a fake. The patina on the brass is horrible. I also noticed that nowhere in the sellers description does he call the hat 'original'. It does say authentic, but that does not necessarily mean this hat was worn or even existed during the Civil War. He could be trying to create a loop hole for when the poor sucker tries to get his money back. Just a thought.

[FloridaConscript]

Re: Another Ebay Fake?

Doesn't pass the smell test from here. And I had a set of hat cords IDENTICAL to those back in the farb days. Also, Company A, 1st regiment?? Sure it is possible, but kinda funny that it survived with the feather and all.

[thad gallagher]

Re: Another Ebay Fake?

My curiosity and pessimism got the best of me. I had to send the buyer a question and simply asked if it was an original Civil War hat, I'll post the return if I get one. All for fun.

[26th NC]

Re: Another Ebay Fake?

Fake. I have several original dug and non-dug hat ornaments, NONE of which look anything close to this, and then the wires. Add some clutchbacks and you're set. I have a chapeau-de-bras from my great-great uncle circa 1880's. Yeah, that's a bit later than CW, but the point is, it also has an original plume on it, but it looks more like wilted string and the feathering of teh plume is near non-existent on it to the point it's all but gone. This is too neat to be anything but a fake. About as original as a peroxide blonde.

Layton Pennington

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Another Ebay Fake?

Hallo!

IMHO, a very poorly done "shake-and-bake" fake.

But as shared, it is presented as an "authentic" not an "original."
;)

Curt
I don't know much about these things as I am a WWI collector. I obtained this in a box of WWI items from an estate sale down the street Mess

[Secesh]

Re: Another Ebay Fake?

Buyer beware!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Micah Trent]

Re: Another Ebay Fake?

As soon as I saw the photo, too many red flags popped up. I did not take the time to look into it anymore. I feel sorry the sucker who wins the bid on that hat.

[JordanRicketts]

Re: Another Ebay Fake?

Micah,

Did you think that looked way too much like your old hat?

Jordan Ricketts

[Micah Trent]

Re: Another Ebay Fake?

Micah,

Did you think that looked way too much like your old hat?

Jordan Ricketts

LOL...It gave me horrific flashbacks from when I first started in the hobby.
Two years I will never gain back. :cry_smile

[GreencoatCross]

Re: Another Ebay Fake?

I had a hat like this when I was a kid...it was a present from my parents when I was 10 years old because I was such a huge history nerd even back then. This eBay hat looks so much like the one they gave me it's uncanny!

I haven't seen too many "fakes" on eBay lately but this one sure stood out like a sore thumb.