Are there no hatters in Europe???

[donCarlos]

I have to revive this thread, because I´m so angry... Prague is absolutely hatless city, now I know it for sure. I spent the whole yesterday´s evening on the internet by looking for a place where they could sell supplies for making and repairing hats (especially a stretcher, sweatband and stiffener). The only place I found was a shop where they make women´s hats. I thought "it´s ok, they will have the necessary things". I went there with the hat I need to restore.

When I came there, I was told that they don´t sell their supplies and the saleswoman didn´t even know where they get their supplies from. My request for a sweatband was rejected because "we make only women´s hats and they don´t have them, we don´t even know how to sew it". So I proposed that the sweatbad may be flattened by stretching the hat while the sweatband is inside - that was the only thing she could do for me because they have the stretchers (what a surprise!). When I was leaving, I remembered that I wanted to stiffen the brim, so I told the lady to do so. Again "We make only sewn hats, we have no use for stiffener. Try a hairspray. We do it..."

Oh my god, what an experience. It looks like there is absolutely no way of getting hat accessories in this country...

 

[PabloElFlamenco]

Ano, Don Carlos, I know how you feel. It seems often these trades are an unnecessarily, and -more to the point- unproductively overprotective, corporative world, built on the vestiges of the middle-ages. You just try to find a good "carrossier" (bodywork metalworker) to do work on your prized Tatra...

Quite often, I have found the solution on the internet, meaning, abroad, but that invariably turns into something expensive, and it is so utterly ...unnecessary! Because, sometimes, the solution is hidden away in a small, dusty, tradesperson's shop. But, how to find them out? These people are not on the internet...it's as if they want to pine away unknown other than to the initiated!

I guess I got very lucky indeed. I've meanwhile had half a dozen hats, some of them very prized ones, refitted with leather sweatbands and other "hatter's" work performed on them by this lady hatter, not far from my home, that I did find on the net. Whilst the work is not Optimo standard, it is good, the sweatbands are leather, and fit. And the prices, whilst on the higher side (we are, after all, in Euroland here...), are acceptable, and I'm happy to pay what she asks for rendering my hats ... fully in order.

 

[donCarlos]

The thing is that it seems there are not even the small shops that are not on the internet. Each time I go out, I scan streets for useful thrift stores, hat shops etc. and all hat shops I could find were only reselling Tonaks, this one was the only one with its own workshop - obviously badly supplied.

The lady was right - there is absolutely no demand, so there is no supply.

 

[avedwards]

I know of two good hatmakers is Germany.

One is called Wegener headwear and I think it is based in Hessen. I have a fedora/tracht hat (it is a mixture of both by them), and the felt is smooth with a bound edge, so I cannot tell if it is wool or fur, but it holds its shape well and it has been worn in heavy rain before.

The other hatmaker is called Mayser and I'm quite sure it is based in Bavaria. My father has an old (about 30 years) fury open-crown fedora by them. This is comparable to a vintage hat in quality.

I do not know where they are made as I bought my hat in a hat shop in Offednbach, near Frankfurt which sells hats from all over the world.

 

[PabloElFlamenco]

Hi AvEdwards, yes, I've seen Wegener hats and I own one Mayser: well made hat (a homburg, this one). But these are not people selling millinery supplies nor repairing hats, as far as I know.
In another thread, I mentioned I'd signed up for a hattery course at "my lady hatters". The underlying intention is learning to do my own repairs. I just can't afford sending hats to Optimo...(in spite of the GRAND work they do!).

 

[mayserwegener]

Here are some other hat makers in Germany.

Hutkönig, Regensburg

http://www.hutkoenig.de/index.php

H.M. Brömme GmbH & Co. KG, Nürnberg

http://www.hutbroemme.de/index.php

http://www.hutmuseum-broemme.de/

Faustmann

http://www.g-faustmann.de/

Jürgen Eifler, Köln

http://www.hut-classic.com/

Hut-Neubarth, Augsburg

http://www.hut-neubarth.de/html/hats_and_caps.html

 

[N2S3]

Hatter in Cologne

I second last post, Jürgen Eifler in Cologne seems not to far from Belgium or Netherlands.
Have a look to the web: http://www.hut-classic.com

 

[demian]

Dear Pablo:

MAny varied replies...

M suggestion is this, and I ahve done the reasearch like you.

If it were me, one of two options.

Send it to Optimo of Chicago. He does the best restoration work, is fast, knowledgeable, and is experienced shipping abroad. The prices are very reasonable, especially thinking in euro.


I live in Florence, Italy.

The only other historic hatter of grand repute (other than Art, Gary, Graham)

I would use is Melegari in Milan.

They are precisely the same in character as the above milliners and use the old machines, tooling, and craftsmanship as the above.

Second or third generation family run, kind, generous, and honest.

they speak broken English well. Apparently run on ebay items occasionally.

Best Wishes

 

[mayserwegener]

D

The only other historic hatter of grand repute (other than Art, Gary, Graham)

They are precisely the same in character as the above milliners and use the old machines, tooling, and craftsmanship as the above.

There are certainly others. Most of the companies I listed fit your description.

 

[JessieJames]

This is so old but Hornskov
https://www.hornskovkobenhavn.com/

I got a sample kit from him, the felt is AMAZING. European felt is something else. Prices are very decent as well.

 

[Pellie]

In the netherlands we have Sylvester Maria alias "Schaduwloper"
This is the link of his Instagram page: https://instagram.com/schaduwloper?igshid=t9y35t5c2fk7
Sylvester makes modern wide brim distressed hats.

 

[Pellie]

This is so old but Hornskov
https://www.hornskovkobenhavn.com/

I got a sample kit from him, the felt is AMAZING. European felt is something else. Prices are very decent as well.

I do have a Hornskov hat.... I love this hat very much, 100% beaver.

 

[scottyrocks]

I can very highly recommend Hufvud.

Mikeal made me a custom that I am still so enthralled with after 2+ months that I've barely put anything else on my head.

It's a rabbit/hare blend that rivals a lot of beaver, and sweat that is as comfortable as things I cannot mention here. And he nailed the look I wanted 101%

https://www.hufvud.com/

 

[JessieJames]

I can very highly recommend Hufvud.

Mikeal made me a custom that I am still so enthralled with after 2+ months that I've barely put anything else on my head.

It's a rabbit/hare blend that rivals a lot of beaver, and sweat that is as comfortable as things I cannot mention here. And he nailed the look I wanted 101%

https://www.hufvud.com/

I'm thinking it's the felt that they get there, it's just a better tighter felt that makes the end product just perfect. Because the craftsmanship I've seen throughout the hatters on the lounge is that it's good. Once you got the technique but beyond that, it's the felt. I mean it's 2 parts: material, craftsmanship.

I've had some really basic sandwiches that when every single ingredient in that sandwich is just quality and elevated, you go, godamn, that's a good sandwich.

 

[JessieJames]

I do have a Hornskov hat.... I love this hat very much, 100% beaver.

I wanted to get one from him after getting the sample kit and seeing how soft the felt was, even the rabbit one! But he wasn't as responsive and his felt colors were very limited.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I'm thinking it's the felt that they get there, it's just a better tighter felt that makes the end product just perfect. Because the craftsmanship I've seen throughout the hatters on the lounge is that it's good. Once you got the technique but beyond that, it's the felt. I mean it's 2 parts: material, craftsmanship.

I've had some really basic sandwiches that when every single ingredient in that sandwich is just quality and elevated, you go, godamn, that's a good sandwich.

Dress weight FEPSA beaver hats are rare in the US, and I too am working on getting one. The FEPSA rabbit and hare blend felt I have is better and worse than the ubiquitous offerings from Winchester; it’s just different. Even within a manufacture there are substantial differences. Some of my 100% dress weight beaver hats made from Winchester felt are low density and almost spongy, but others are dense and tightly felted. Some are soft and easily molded and others are very firm and take lots of steam to shape. As Max said earlier today in another thread, the best of the current felt, including European, isn’t as good as the better felts from 60+ years ago. If you’re lucky enough to have a hat size where the vintage market is your friend you are very lucky indeed.

Gannon makes a great hat, and I wouldn’t be at all surprised to find I’m disappointed when I eventually get my FEPSA beaver. I’ll also add that the nicest modern felt I’ve seen is the recently discontinued Stetson Excellent quality pure beaver...if the hat (New York LE) had larger dimensions ,I’d buy another and send it to a hatter to make me a custom.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Pellie]

I wanted to get one from him after getting the sample kit and seeing how soft the felt was, even the rabbit one! But he wasn't as responsive and his felt colors were very limited.

Not responsive? Strange, i talked to him a lot about my wishes on my hat. I did that on Instagram due PM. He always response, even till now.

 

[mayserwegener]

Khust Felt Wears Ukraine is another possible source (see link below). I know they are using Bahner machines. I might meet with Bahner next week so I will see if I can find out more about them. I would ask the hatters where they are getting the felt from. If they don't tell you I wouldn't buy from them. Keeping machinery in good working condition is very important and from what I hear FEPSA does this. Also fur quality is lacking compared to the old days but there isn't much you can do about.

https://hust-filts.biz-gid.com/

This has more of a description after "2 - а сторінка" although poor translation.

https://who-is-who.ua/main/page/develop/208/80

 

[Rmccamey]

No offense intended to anyone but what exactly is causing the difference in the felt from 60 years ago until now.?Certainly the beavers have not changed (at least not to my knowledge) so it has to be something about the process that is different and if it something about the process then you would think someone could find a solution.

 

[mayserwegener]

No offense intended to anyone but what exactly is causing the difference in the felt from 60 years ago until now.?Certainly the beavers have not changed (at least not to my knowledge) so it has to be something about the process that is different and if it something about the process then you would think someone could find a solution.

From what I hear it's more about having to taking what is available. For example having take non-mature or non prime season skins. Also major sources of wild Rabbit like Australia are no longer available (not that this was ever high quality wild Rabbit fur). This is just addressing the fur itself and not processes (aging, pickling, cutting) prior to felting.