APEC shirts could fetch a pretty penny

They’ve never been worn, at least not in public. But the 19 aloha shirts and two women’s blouses given to President Barack Obama and other world leaders for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit could command big bucks if ever put up for auction in a private sale or for charity.

David Bailey, the owner of Bailey’s Antiques and Aloha Shirts on Kapahulu Avenue, said he thinks the shirts could sell for several hundred dollars or as high as tens of thousands of dollars.

"It would depend on the leader," Bailey said. "Japan, China or Russia would probably be worth a lot more than Brunei."

Obama’s shirt would likely bring in the most money, Bailey said.

Collecting aloha shirts is a huge business that does better than the stock market, Bailey said.

A 1950s "thousand tiger" pattern aloha shirt in a rare color combination sold for $25,000 two years ago, Bailey said.

There’s no way to really know what the APEC shirts would fetch, said Jennifer Hayes of the Hana Shirt Co., a vintage aloha shirt dealer in Arizona.

The celebrity factor and the rarity of the shirts would add to the value, and collectors of political and celebrity memorabilia might also bid on the shirts, increasing the demand, she said.

Josh Feldman, president of Tori Richard Ltd., the company that designed and made the shirts, said only 21 shirts and blouses were produced as a gift to the leaders and that no more will be made or sold.

Feldman said Tori Richard donated the shirts to the White House, which gave them to the other leaders.

The pattern, selected with input from the White House, includes the Hawaii state flower, the hibiscus, tapa patterns and indigenous fish, Feldman said.

There had been a tradition for APEC leaders to don the garb of the host country during the "family photo" taken at the end of the summit. But instead of the aloha shirts, the leaders wore suits at the end of this year’s Hawaii summit, to the great disappointment of news photographers and aloha shirt supporters.

That could also affect the price collectors might pay for the shirts, said Dale Hope, the author of "The Aloha Shirt Book."

"The value increases if you have a picture," Hope said. "If they had them and never wore them, it’s probably not as valuable. If they didn’t like them and didn’t wear them, that could be a problem."

Bailey wonders whether any of the aloha shirts will ever be made available to private collectors. It would have to be a special circumstance, he thinks, perhaps a charity auction.

A White House spokesman said it is not clear yet what the president will do with his shirt.

In general, gifts to the president are logged and the value is assessed, according to the White House gift policy. The president may keep gifts. The shirt could also end up in the National Archives or, perhaps down the road, in a future presidential library.