Are there no hatters in Europe???

[JerseyJones]

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?

I will grant that there is certainly something to be said for that, but it still seems a bit dear given the actual costs of materials. Even if you quadrupled the amount it costs for a rabbit/beaver hood it would be about $200 +/- per unit. I would simply like to know that the extra money is actually relevant to the more humane harvesting process and that it's not simply a huge premium for the hype involved that's my thought. I don't mean to run the man down, but there are lots of folks who make claims that are not what they seem.

I add the caveat, that I have not read his website or advertising, so I am yet to be fully educated on the subject.

ken



Ken

 

[JerseyJones]

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.

Arnold Hats in New York sells several and there is a Hat and Shoe shop in Lakewood, NJ that also sells them to that community. I'll post if learn more.

Ken

 

[HungaryTom]

2500 EUROS

Gentlemen, thanks for the kind words.

The reason for posting was to bring us back to earth.

Rabbits and chinchillas are:kick: to get their fur for hats tame or wild.

A TONAK rabbit tump costs not too many dollars apiece this is what Veres, the hatter told me in Budapest.
The ready rabbit fedora costs 50 USD - HAND made.

I will go some day to ask him what he would do for 2500 EUR[huh]???

 

[tonyb]

Don't tell the kids.

 

[mtechthang]

Contact Marc anyway. . .

One half of Adventurebilt in in Germany -- but the unfortunate release of a certain movie has probably booked him up for a year or so.

Marc is swamped (at Adventurebilt) yes. But he's also a very nice and caring businessman. I think you should contact him and ask if he'd be willing to do a few repairs (he could probably use a break every now and again from Indy hats!). If he's too busy he'll let you know and would, I'm sure, be able to relay connections to other hatters! You'll notice on the web-site that he specifically lists re-blocking and other repairs are available.


website is: http://www.adventurebiltdeluxe.com/

 

[donCarlos]

I will go some day to ask him what he would do for 2500 EUR[huh]???

Probably a golden fedora with diamonds on the platinum ribbon, with the above mentioned papal bless lol
Now really - does this hatter of yours have a web page? edit: I didn´t notice the links. I should´ve known last year, when I was in Budapest...

 

[Matt Deckard]

I stopped by Gelot and 2 other shops when i was in France and... well they don't make hats like they used to and like the super priced European friend, they tend to sell their hats at super high prices. I did notice at the time though that the stores nearby such as the Samaritaine carried Stetson hats.

 

[J.T.Marcus]

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.

Does Europe know something the rest of the world doesn't? Like, how to make a rabbit or beaver stand still for a haircut?

 

[BellyTank]

Does he have them Papal blessed or something?



Ken

Papal blessed makes a change from Paypal blessed.

B
T

 

[tonyb]

Does Europe know something the rest of the world doesn't? Like, how to make a rabbit or beaver stand still for a haircut?

It's an old, old hatter's trick. First, you gotta hypnotize the critters ...

 

[HungaryTom]

The secret formula unveiled

It's an old, old hatter's trick. First, you gotta hypnotize the critters ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Castor_canadensis.jpg

+

http://www.davidlevinent.com/variety_acts/images/dle_hypnotist.gif

+

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/images/uploads/10-5-fusion.jpg

=

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Nacktmull.jpg

+
http://www.georgianindex.net/America/Hats/beaver_hats.jpg

***

Now you also know why there aren't any fur fedoras coming from the deserts of Somalia....

 

[PabloElFlamenco]

Well, by the looks of things (and this is merely my own personal view), Europe doth NOT know anything you guys "over there" don't know. Well, let me qualify that: not about hats

And, not about the commercial exploitation of the phenomenon called "internet".

The internet makes it look like,
¿you wanta get your vintage Porsche repaired? -->XXX in Alameda, CA.
¿you need a wooden turned tamper for your espresso machine? -->YYY in Buckwash, OR
The internet makes it look like all of the "experts" are in America, and like there isn't anything in Europe. I strongly suspect that is a distortion of reality, due to technological ...prowess.

I believe that to be the price Europeans in general (and, Belgians first and foremost) pay for not (sufficiently) taking advantage of the incredible shopping window the Internet provides.

We (Europeans) are (self-responsible for) missing out on great opportunities, due to the failure to recognize that the world is becoming one large shopping place.

The hatter I spoke in Antwerp says "I need this machine and it is too expensive". Indeed, he might have a few dozen customers in Antwerp. If he went to the length of making a proper website, he could have all of Europa as customer-base.

BTW, that expensive hatter in Vienna most definitely does not have the hats blessed by -any- pope, no way! And, yes, he is expensive. So is any "haute couture", the casino at Monaco and the best caviar from the Kaspian. I wouldn't, personally, like to ridicule him.

Cheers,
Paul

 

[DrSpeed]

I live in the north of the Netherlands where in the city of Groningen (I went to University there :cheers1: those were the days...) the hatshop H. Witting & Zn (Witting & son) is located since 1876.

http://www.witting.nu/

I sent them a mail to ask if they did any repairs, and they invited me to stop by and see what they could do, because, yes, they did.
I can't vouch for them as I've got no experience with them as yet, but I'll keep you posted when I have.

Here's a short item (originally for local TV I think) about them (in Dutch, but don't worry about it):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhe8_NUkj1M&eurl=http://www.witting.nu/wittinghoedenfilm2.htm

 

[besdor]

Hatters in Europe

First, I will have to say that this was one of the most interesting and informative threads in a long time that I have seen. I had no idea that there were that many hatters left in Europe. I know that countries like England and Germany as well as Italy still have a few decent shops, but Hungary I was not aware of. I know that there are two factories still producing hats there.
The internet realy connects the world together. As far as not killing the animal to get the fur , totaly not true. I wish it was but in order to get the fur , the animal must become someones dinner. You try and give a beaver a haircut!!



Steven
www.bencrafthats.com

 

[tonyb]

And I must congratulate all of us gentlemen on not making the obvious joke about how one might collect the fur from that broad-tailed aquatic rodent.

 

[PabloElFlamenco]

Thank you all, thank you Dr. Speed ("merci" in good Flemish). I have set up a meeting with the lady hatter I found in Belgium, to discuss and, if that conversation be in any way indicative of quality work (hope to see some of her work...), entrust her with one or more of my hats (for sewing in a leather sweatband with reed). I'm curious as to how she will receive my request that the sweatband stay somewhat clear of the felt (I forgot the term for that); is she is aware of that technical "detail", I'll be rather reassured...
I'll be sure to keep you all informed via this thread.
Paul

 

[mtechthang]

Well. It could be worse.

The internet really connects the world together. As far as not killing the animal to get the fur , totally not true. I wish it was but in order to get the fur , the animal must become someones dinner. You try and give a beaver a haircut!!

lol lol lol Of course, it could be worse (no, not raining). Hats could be made from badger!! Now that'd be a hair cut!!! lol lol lol

 

[DrSpeed]

Thank you all, thank you Dr. Speed ("merci" in good Flemish). I have set up a meeting with the lady hatter I found in Belgium, to discuss and, if that conversation be in any way indicative of quality work (hope to see some of her work...), entrust her with one or more of my hats (for sewing in a leather sweatband with reed). I'm curious as to how she will receive my request that the sweatband stay somewhat clear of the felt (I forgot the term for that); is she is aware of that technical "detail", I'll be rather reassured...
I'll be sure to keep you all informed via this thread.
Paul

I visited the hatter I mentioned before, and depending on the state of the hat it would cost about 20-25 Euro's to replace a sweatband.

 

[cookie]

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.

No animal has been hurt in the creation of this object of intense (FL) desire! lol

lol lol lol Of course, it could be worse (no, not raining). Hats could be made from badger!! Now that'd be a hair cut!!! lol lol lol

At least you would not be as bald as badger!

 

[Topper]

There a still a few traditional ones in England, and I also know of traditional hatters in France, Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, Sweden, Italy, and Finland to name but a few.

In addition there are still hat manufacturers (large ones) in England and Europe.