TREASURE HUNT!
Hawaiian Shirts

   Dad's favorite old shirt could be worth a bundle. Men's Hawaiian shirts, made until the 1950s, can bring thousands of dollars from collectors and some go for many hundreds.
   According to Kovels, expert appraisers and top resource for collectors, the most expensive are rayon shirts with a single design on the back such as the Madame Pele shirt shown right. The second best have patterned borders. The most common shirts have "all-over" patterns such as the Land of Aloha shown at bottom.
   The most valuable shirts are rayon, made between 1924 to the early 1950s.
   One of the reasons rayon shirts fetch more is the Dupont Company. Dupont began manufacturing rayon fabric in 1924. After the plant burned down in the 1950s, tropicals were made of cotton or other fabrics. Synthetic rayon doesn't wash-out, deteriorate or fade like cotton. For the most part, colors remain bright and prints intact, giving them a long shelf life.
   The prints on older shirts also make them collectible for their gorgeous "retro" style elements. The whole appeal behind Hawaiian shirts is they represent a vision many Americans hold dear: that of exotic island freedom where life is simple and leisure is perpetual, enjoyed with a cocktail in warm surf, sun and sand.
   Hula Girls and Tiki Gods are some of the most popular images depicted on tropical shirts. Since the 1960s, surfers have worn tiki gods around their necks for good luck, becoming an important symbol of cool. Hula girls are represented in a variety of ways, symbolizing exotic beauty and culture.
Adding to collectiblity is the comfort and styling which has made tropical shirts a favorite male garment. Putting one on is a getaway in itself.
   Price guides, such as those published by Schiffer Books, attempt to place value on particular shirt makes and designs. Those with the highest price tags are considered rare, but not impossible to come across.
The web site Aloha Vintage Hawaiian Shirts (http://www.alohavintagehawaiianshirts.com) is a great resource to price your finds. Nothing on the site goes for under $300.
   Start searching your closets or keep your eyes peeled at Kobey's garage sales where vintage and retro clothes abound on rows I - J, Q-T.

Do you have a treasure finding story to share with us? Call (619) 523-2700 x318 or write: Kobey's Magazine, Attn: Editor, P. O. Box 81492, San Diego CA 92138 or email: liz@kobeys.com