Sew Expensive... A McCall 1987 hat pattern and what makes a buyer tick!

Many of you might come to expect by now that vintage hat patterns are worth a pretty penny. We've watched Millinery for Every Woman and McCall 1974 sell for quite a bit in past editions of Sew Expensive. We know that sometimes the artwork and sometimes the short window that the design was in style can increase a pattern's value.
And today's pattern is no exception to the rule. The artwork is beautiful, the pattern is flattering, and the hat in question was only in style for a short while in the early 1930's.

A few nights ago, I watched the lovely McCall 1987 sell for a predictable, and yet still shocking $223.37.

We've often discussed why patterns sell for more, but why hat patterns, specifically?

In general, accessory patterns don't survive as often as dress patterns. Maybe it's the small pieces, maybe fewer were originally printed, maybe both. But the fact remains that if you find one of these, it might be the only one you find in 20 or 30 years! Version B in this pattern is an especially rare design to see a pattern for. I know it's not in style right now, but don't you just want to wear that hat?

Not too long ago, our last Sew Expensive post got a very exciting comment left on it. A lady named Jan most graciously took the time to comment on the post to explain why she was willing to pay so much for (and she did in fact win!) this, and other patterns. Jan was sweet enough to allow me to share with you her comments, and so I present to you, my dear readers, the mind set behind some of our most Sew Expensive patterns!
----------------------

Pictorial Review 9072 sold at auction or just over $200.

 Jan:
"I had the winning bid on this pattern, and just snagged it by a few dollars margin, and although I really wanted it (see below), assumed it would go for more than my max.

I am also guilty of paying a huge sum for a 30s Vogue Couturier on Feb 24, 2014, for which I paid $643.33:

The original Ebay auction for Vogue 120.

Sew Expensive... McCall 6057 Evening Gown Pattern - A Record Breaker!

Hello my lovely readers. This morning I watched, mesmerized, as a vintage pattern sold on eBay. This particular pattern was something special. I knew that there wasn't a chance in hell that I would be able to afford it, so I stared at it in horrified fascination, like one watches a train wreck, or Keeping Up with the Kardashians.

It was so pretty, and it sold for so much darn money!

McCall 6057 Evening Gown Pattern from 1930.

I watched McCall 6057 climb over the last few days until it settled at an eye-watering $831.
We have a record-breaker in the Sew Expensive category here on A Few Threads Loose, Ladies and Gents! For my international readers, that's £498 or 610€.

Some of you might remember that our former heavy-weight expensive sewing pattern was McCall 1794. This lovely pattern held the record at $685 for nearly two years!

So why was this pattern so expensive? This is the perfect storm of vintage sewing pattern wonderfulness: The artwork is beautiful + it's from a hard-to-find era for McCall patterns + it's an evening gown pattern + it's right on the historical transition from 1920's-1930's hem lines + it's sexy as hell + I want one = $831.

And that is all, my dears.
Happy Sewing,