Berets, Anyone?

[Daan]

Excellent! (Is that a DEER Basque in wool I see on your head?)

Anthony Quinn and Anna Karina would approve

 

[Two Types]

Here's a selection of photos from the archives of a Romanian photographer Costica Ascinte:

 

[Two Types]

And some more:

 

[Daan]

Great finds! Thanks for sharing these photographs.

 

[J.B.]

Swell pics, Two Types.

Thanks!

:first:

 

[Daan]

Hard to compete with the great pictures 1280almas posted here, but after a recent trip to tropical Queensland, I can at least try:

On expedition with my sun-washed green boina Tolosa Tupida in a chopped off Nissan Patrol (Atherton Tablelands)

Crocodile spotting on the Daintree River (Northern Queensland) with UCA Basque beret in Bordeaux

But, likely more interesting for beret aficionados, are the brand new berets made by Boneteria Auloronesa. At the risk of putting myself out of (the beret-) business on the longer term, I would say these are the best berets to be found, anywhere!

South Pacific Berets bought the whole first batch in four colours (navy, grey, brown and Bordeaux) and in three plateaus (10pouces/28cm, 11p/31cm and the ultimate Tarte version in 12p/336mm diameter.

All models are made in the most luxurious foulard quality and fitted with a liquette, the ingenious internal drawstring that makes these foulards perfectly size adjustable. Click here for more information or ordering.

 

[zebulon]

Wow - finished....

I have Holidays - and therefore i have had much Time this Week - Time to read all 91 Pages of this Thread ! And allthough it has been quiut a little bit of "Work" - i really enyoyed it !

It has been very, very interessting - specially because of all the Articles written by Daan (Dankjewel - mjin Ouders zijn okk Nederlanders, maar ik woon in Duitsland) who seems to know everything about the "French Beret" or as we say in Germany "Baskenmütze" - and all this absolultly amazing Pictures and Videos of Berets.

I don't know if i'm gonna be writing here more often, or still just reading - because my English is not that good - but i just wantet to let you know how much i like this Site.

Having 2 Flatcaps/Irish Caps by "John Hanley" ("Schiebermütze" in german/"Batschkapp" in the region of Germany where i live) and a so called "Castro-Cap" by "Stetson" , i also own 2 Berets Basque - one is a 10 inch Laulhere (Vrai Basque) with Headband, the other (which i like much more) is a 11 inch Elosegui Super Lujo without Headband. Without Headband is much more comfortable to me - but since it is quit hot right now in Germany, i actually mostly were just the "Castro-Cap".
What made me happy was the reaction when first wearing a beret - i thought People would give some silly Comments/or Smile - but till now nothing in this Way happend. But there are not much other People wearing a Beret - mostly you see Baseballcaps arround here, somtimes Flatcaps. But i like the look and the Feeling of a Frenchberet/Boina...

 

[Daan]

Willkommen in der Fedora-Lounge, Zebulon! And congrats on the feat of reading 91 pages of 'Berets, Anyone'.

Talking about reading about berets, my new book 'Basque Berets' is very close to publication. Going through the last proofs, adding and deleting a few bits and pieces and hopefully it will be available by mid-September (to be continued).

Apart from that, I believe to have some news that will make a number of Fedora Lounge visitors very happy. With the closure of beret manufacturer Blancq-Olibet, earlier this year, it was also the end of the famous Berrueta label; berets specifically made with the outdoors, hiking, mountaineering and hunting in mind. Berets in loden-green and cadmium-orange with their own label. South Pacific Berets had the very last batch of these berets (the last berets made by B.-O.) and these were sold in no time at all. Since then, many customers have asked if there is any chance of the label being reinstated through manufacturer Laulhere.

No, that is not going to happen, but: exclusively for South Pacific Berets, Laulhere will manufacture an identical beret under the Vrai Basque label, in loden green, with later headband in 10 pouces (28cm diameter). The very same as used by the officers of the Belgian regiment of Chasseurs Ardennais (one of the few military units in the world that wear Basque berets). below a first sample from my own collection (mind: the difference in colour has all to do with the photographs - they are similar).

The berets are meant to be here (and available on the web site) by late September.

 

[Daan]

It has been awfully quiet at this thread and I am very happy to break the silence with the announcement of my latest book: Basque Berets.
At the time of writing this, the books are being printed and will be available from early September 2014; from it's own web site (details to follow later), South Pacific Berets and specialized book stores.

From the back cover:

'Basque Berets' takes the reader on an exploratory journey through the rich world of the Basque beret. From the far right to the far left and anywhere in between, beret wearers have made their mark. Ché Guevara, Ernest Hemingway, Pablo Picasso, Madonna, but also the Spanish Falange and ultra-conservative Carlists, South American gauchos and French 'Chasseurs Alpins'; they all share a love for a simple piece of round felted wool material.

'Basque Berets' tells of the beret's history and origins, about famous people who adopted the beret, tells interesting anecdotes, talks the reader through the manufacturing process of berets, highlights groups of beret wearers and touches on its role within the military.

Author Daan Kolthoff is a writer, living between the hills of Wellington, New Zealand and, when not writing, meditating or looking after his three daughters, he is usually researching, reading about or ordering berets from around the world.

 

[Daan]

Yes, it happened! 'Basque Berets' - the book, is now available!

Some tasters?

'Basque Berets' can be ordered here at $ 33.50.

 

[RJR]

Interesting.

 

[zebulon]

Yes, it happened! 'Basque Berets' - the book, is now available!
'Basque Berets' can be ordered here at $ 33.50.

Great - and i'm very interestet, the Price for the Book is a little bit high, but still ok - but....

Ordering it to Germany costs a lot more Money:

"Shipping and handling: loading$15.20"

This is nearly 50 % of the book Price ! Never will i pay that....

Any Chance of getting it via Amazon (without paying that horrible Shipping Price) ?

Actually no- but in the Future ? And how many Sites are in this Book ?

 

[B1ggles]

I have a Bakarra that I bought in a Bath hat shop some 20-odd years ago. I never felt comfortable wearing it out a great deal and, now it's faded from black to a kind of chocolate colour, I wear if for gardening, for which it's absolutely superb - it protects my head from any kind of thorns as well as all weathers. It is, as it claims, 'impermeable'.

 

[Daan]

Great - and i'm very interestet, the Price for the Book is a little bit high, but still ok - but....

Ordering it to Germany costs a lot more Money:

"Shipping and handling: loading$15.20"

This is nearly 50 % of the book Price ! Never will i pay that....

Any Chance of getting it via Amazon (without paying that horrible Shipping Price) ?

Actually no- but in the Future ? And how many Sites are in this Book ?

Yes, the postage cost is high, but you'd be surprised to find out that I take part of the postage cost on me for customers in Europe and North America. As you can calculate on the NZ Post web site, the real postage cost for a parcel of 468 grams to Germany is $ 19.96; the cost charged to the customer is $ 15.20.
Like the berets I sell through South Pacific Berets, this is not a money making venture - I just like to see this book being read! Unfortunately, based at the bottom of the world makes transport an expensive affair...

 

[Daan]

The béret Berrueta was one of the most popular berets made by Blancq-Olibet. Unfortunately, the closure of the oldest French beret manufacturer also meant the end for this illustrious beret; a loden-green beret in 10 pouces (28cm diameter) that was very popular with hikers and trampers, outdoors enthusiasts, vintners, hunters and many more.

It was also identical to the beret used by the Belgian regiment of Chasseurs Ardennais; a light infantry regiment that specializes in mountain warfare and that -very rare in the military- wears Basque berets (with the cabilliou in place), similar to the French Chasseurs Alpins.

In cooperation with Laulhère, South Pacific Berets has come up with an alternative: an identical beret that carries the age old Vrai Basque label, the same label used for the officer's berets of the Chasseurs Ardennais.
These berets, with and without leather headband, are now available here.
The sized version comes in a luxurious gift box.

 

[1mach1]

Very cool, Daan! Great information.

 

[zebulon]

Why not Amazon ? (Spec. because there are some other Books from you there...)

 

[zebulon]

Yes, the postage cost is high

Sad to see that you did'nt answer two Parts of my Question - so once again:

!.
Any Chance of getting it via Amazon (without paying that horrible Shipping Price) ?

2.
And how many Sites are in this Book ?

 

[zebulon]

Mr. Zebulon, could you please stop doing this and use the PM? YES, YES?

Why ? These Questions may be interessting to other Readers too....

Selling this book on Amazon and similar sites, would raise the price with an extra 40 percent – the margin booksellers would have to put on.

Ok, thanks for the Information

As for your 2nd question (How many sites are in this book?), I am sorry to say I really don’t understand your question.

What's so hard to understand on this ?
The same Price for a Book with (for Example) 120 Sites is different to a Book with 300 Sites. And it is quit usual to give the Information how many Sites a Book has...

And - don get me wrong - your allways telling us your not making "South Pacific Berets" for the Money - but looking at the same spanish Boinas Beret on a Site like Ron Greer, you are shurley on a much higher Price. And that has nothing to do with the Cost of Sendung it to Europe ! The same if i buy a Boinas Beret directly from Elosegui....

It's ok if you do your own Price, but as i see i can buy a lot of your hats for a less Price directly from the Company - so i don't understand why you are allways telling your not making any money with your Store ?
I do not believe that !

And that's why i am asking about the Price of your Book.....

The book is some 170 pages with illustrations on practically every page – is that what you wanted to know?

Right !

 

[RJR]

Second that!