Are there no hatters in Europe???

[PabloElFlamenco]

I have found it incredibly frustrating not to find a reliable hatter in Europe.

A few days ago I spoke (in American English) with a probably Jewish hatter in Antwerp, asking him if he could change sweatbands (with reed). During the course of this friendly conversation, he replied that he didn't have the proper machine...

In another attempt, I visited a store selling beautiful Borsalino's in both Brussels and Antwerp. They only service hats sold in their shop, keeping the hypothetical repairer "top secret".

I just sent Mr. Shapira http://www.szaszi.com/en/meister.htm a message asking whether he could recommend, -in Europe-, a good hatter.

I have one hat with Optimo in the US, in whom I have full confidence, but I'm ever afraid of US and European customs departments, like when sending hats back and forth between different customs constituancies.
Having my hats repaired in Europe would avoid this obstacle, since we are one zone now.

Who can recommend a good hatter to me in the European Union???

I will be forever thankful...

Paul

 

[PabloElFlamenco]

I received the following reply ... no mention of the price, though.

Dear Mr. Franssen,

Mr. Shapira from Szaszi-Hats will be glad to replace your sweatband and restore your hat. He is, of course, the best hatter you could find in Europe. His work is pure art and his bespoke hats are world-famous.
You can send your hat to:

Firma SZASZI-Hüte
Mariahilferstrasse 4-6
1070 Wien
Austria

With best regards,

Pessy Marilus
secretary, PR, Szaszi-Hats

 

[donCarlos]

How humble Szaszi is lol

 

[Graemsay]

Szaszi hats are very expensive.

His bespoke line is around 2500 euros, though his ready to wear hats are around 600. So quite a bit more pricey than an Adventurebilt.

Who was the Jewish hatter in Antwerp?

There are a few remnants of the British hat industry around Luton, such as Walter Wright:

http://www.buyhatsonline.co.uk/

And this list might suggest a few more:

http://www.hatsuk.com/hatsuk/hatsukhtml/directory/furfelthatman.htm

 

[PabloElFlamenco]

Szaszi hats are very expensive.

Who was the Jewish hatter in Antwerp?

Be-Thanked (adapted from Dutch) Graemsay, I'll look around some more...

The Antwerp hatter is
Top Hats Belgium
Lange Kievitstraat 32
Phone +32 495 464676 (mobile)

Paul

 

[DrSpeed]

I'll see what I can dig up in the Netherlands, because I'm having the same problem as Pablo, and we're neighbours as it is .

 

[Graemsay]

Dank u wel Pablo.

The only hatmaker that I know of in Amsterdam runs the Petsalon shop. Unfortunately she specialises in caps:

http://www.petsalon.nl/

There are a couple of hat shops (The English Hatter and Hoeden BV) in Amsterdam, and another up in Gorinchem. But I think that they're retailers, rather than the kind of hatter you're looking for.

 

[donCarlos]

Eastern Europe seems like where this sort of thing would still be done, and more cheaply. You could try some Google searches for hat brand names plus "site:.pl" and the like.

That´s quite a naive thought Eastern europe is just like rest of the world - hatless.
Even in big cities, there are nearly no places to buy a quiality hat, not to mention have one done. The situation is so alarming that I´ve already thought of starting such a bussiness. Who wouldn´t like to be a hatter, right?

Anyway, try contacting Tonak, they might be able to make a bespoke hat for a reasonable price.

 

[Tomasso]

Szaszi hats are very expensive. His bespoke line is around 2500 euros

That makes Optimo look downright inexpensive.:eusa_doh:

 

[Rittmeister]

Germany

There used to be a fine shop in Hamburg that sold many types of hats and caps. From their website, it appears that they only do caps (beautiful ones). The website is: http://www.muetzenmacher.com.

I am going to Munich in the fall. I plan to investigate the situation there. Since Bavarian's still wear traditional hats, their manufacturers might make fedoras and dress hats. If anyone knows of any companies or brands based in Munich, please let me know. Thanks.

 

[Rittmeister]

German Hat Manufacturer

I just found this German manufacturer. http://wegener-headwear.de/en/index.html. I will check out their hats when I am there.

 

[donCarlos]

I was under the impression that your country is a large supplier of fur felt hoods and capelines. At any rate, Hueckel is a Czech manufacturer, isn't it?

Yes, it´s an export mark of Tonak company, but I strongly doubt that they use beavers, I think it´s all rabbit felt due to legal protection of beavers here.
Lil´ advert: http://www.tonak.cz/index.php?typ=TSB&showid=2

 

[Stan]

Hi,

Then, too, the felters are usually different folks than hatters anyway. So, finding a felter might only be useful insomuch as they could then direct you to a hatter.....

When I was looking for a hatter a few months back, my (admittedly web-limted) researching turned up only 29 hatters here in the US - and most of those specialize in cowboy hats....

I turned up a lot more milliners than hatters, but that didn't help me a whole lot (milliners being those that make ladies hats).

Heck, I even had a hard time finding hat *shops*. Even in the large US cities, there were precious few. Sigh.[huh]

One thing I have noticed, though: There's a sudden popping up of el-cheapo hats on racks in just about every grocery store. Even the town and country animal feed stores have them as well. The hats are horrid by any standard, but they *are* hats - not the usual ballcaps.

Perhaps people will start wearing hats again because they see something that catches their eye in the grocery store. Then, after a bit, those same folks will want a *good* hat and, eventually, lead to a resurgence in hat shops - and hatters.

Or, am I just wishfully thinking here? :eusa_doh:

Later!

Stan

 

[HungaryTom]

You.must. learn. Hungarian. Tanulj meg magyarul!

http://kalap.lap.hu/

http://anykalap.hu/index_eng.html

http://kalapszalon.hu/product/pro2.html

Gulyas hats:
http://www.vkbalmaz.c3.hu/varos/kultura/mihalko/

http://www.bathokalap.hu/

http://www.vereskalap.hu/

Tanulj meg magyarul! lol

 

[PabloElFlamenco]

Hungarytom, I like "kalap" and, putting zwei und zwei together, I even think I understand "kalapszalon" then...lol
Earlier today I spoke to a lady not very far from my home in Belgium who lays claim to being "a hatter, not a modiste" and having done her training with an allegedly well-known Belgian hatter. She stated putting in a new "sweat band with reed" is no problem at all for her to do, by hand, so it looks promising. I'm most probably going to visit her on saturday, bringing my hats.
Meanwhile, here's here website
http://www.hoeden-martineverstraeten.be/
I'm sure to report back on this.

Any case, I note the response to my question is great, and thank you all for it. It also means we all have the same problem, i.e. finding a reliable hatter. I recall that was, also, said to be a problem as far back as the 19th century...that's where John B. Stetson stepped-in; unfortunately, his grandchildren stepped out

 

[tonyb]

Where would we be without you, Hungary Tom? Take good care of yourself, man, for our sake.

I've stumbled across that Szazi web site before. It's among the better looking hat-related sites around. (Optimo's is a looker, too, as is Vintage Silhouettes's.) I would think that the cost of an elegant web presence would be money well spent. The guy is selling "image," after all. (Yes, a hat does indeed protect its wearer from the elements, but really, you don't need anything so pricey just to keep the rain from trickling down your neck.) Good photos and well-written copy inspire considerably more confidence.

But 2500 euros? Sheesh! That's breathtaking.

 

[tonyb]

On second thought ...

But then, I read this ...

Szaszi hats are made of the finest raw materials. The stumps are delivered by the very best factories only. The felt is made out of shorn hair of rabbits, wild rabbits, nutria, beaver, mink, sable and chinchilla. Only the hair is used, the animal is not hurt.

... and I have to rethink a couple of things.

 

[JerseyJones]

$2500 Euro? Optimo, Steve Delk, Art Fawcett and Borsalino themselves are not this expensive for a bespoke hat? Does he have them Papal blessed or something?

More power to him, but WHEW that's steep.

Ken

Szaszi hats are very expensive.

His bespoke line is around 2500 euros, though his ready to wear hats are around 600. So quite a bit more pricey than an Adventurebilt.

Who was the Jewish hatter in Antwerp?

There are a few remnants of the British hat industry around Luton, such as Walter Wright:

http://www.buyhatsonline.co.uk/

And this list might suggest a few more:

http://www.hatsuk.com/hatsuk/hatsukhtml/directory/furfelthatman.htm

 

[Rittmeister]

Hasidim

One of the very few groups to still wear dress hats are the Hasidim (orthodox Jewish community), of which there is perhaps the largest U.S. community here in New York. Does anyone know where they get their hats? I will ask around and post any info I get.

 

[tonyb]

$2500 Euro? Optimo, Steve Delk, Art Fawcett and Borsalino themselves are not this expensive for a bespoke hat? Does he have them Papal blessed or something?

More power to him, but WHEW that's steep.

Ken

But Ken, he's getting fur from wild hares and beavers and nutrias (nutrii?) and sables and minks and chinchillas without harming the animals! Why, anybody who can do that deserves his 2500 euros. No?