Berets, Anyone?

[esteban68]

Afraid not, I bought it about 4 years ago and she was down to her last few then!

 

[Daan]

I call them 'Hybrids', the crossovers between Basque and Military berets. Not quite an army beret, not quite a Basque and they come in different variations. Some have the txortena (the "wick", or "piquito") still in place in combination with the military style leather (or synthetic) rim on the outside of the head-opening, others have the txortena shorn of, but have the large diameter of a txapela in combination with a colourful lining.

I find it interesting to see how these berets are adopted by specific groups op beret wearers. Two stand out: musicians (and then mainly jazz musicians; Dizzy Gillespie, Bob DeVos, John Montesante...) and Scandinavians. For some reason that I fail to understand (so far), many Norwegians, Swedes and Danes seem to prefer this kind of beret (like artist -and beret addict- Bertill Vallien, or film director Ingmar Bergman).

Personally, I don't like the military berets much, but I do like some of the hybrids. The Czech made Service Star is an absolute favorite of mine, a large (11.5") diameter beret with a drawstring rim, three air vents in an excellent wool quality.

A light and easy to wear beret. They used to come with a tartan lining, which was unfortunately replaced by silver-grey satin. I have bought the last of my suppliers stock and wonder if this beret will return to the market.

Another hybrid that I enjoy much is this German made "Baskenmütze". I don't know it's manufacturer, but I ordered mine from this company in Germany. Not cheap, but very good quality, silk lining and real leather headband. It has two air vents and the txortena still in place. Comes in black and navy.

 

[Italian-wiseguy]

A side note on the diameter of military berets:

in Italy, in the days of conscription (not so long ago) recruits were issued black berets (unless you were in some particular corps like Alpini or Bersaglieri etc. that had its own peculiar headdress).
These berets were "military" and not true basque, in all but the size, that happened to be quite large (not like the "tarte" of the French Chasseurs, but more or less the same size as the Belgian Chasseurs Ardennais or the pontifical Swiss Guard, also).

I don't know exactly why: maybe it was simply the size in which they were made by the firm that produced them, or maybe someone in the "high brasses" thought, quite correctly, that a larger size offered more protection to sun&rain.

The soldiers mighty disliked them, and replaced them as soon as possible with smaller diameter ones, in order to less like (in their own words) "french painters", and more like "though guys".

for some elusive reason, the smaller ones were called "spanish" (probably some of them came actually from a spanish brand).

I don't know what they are issued now, but judging from photos I think some of them "professionals" we have now has started t use slightly larger berets, in order to fold with a crease behind the insignia, against the regulation, but imitating the american soldiers; which would be impossible with the so-called "spanish" berets.

ciao!

 

[Daan]

Interesting. Thanks, Italian Wiseguy.
I have no material on Italian army berets since WW2, but during the war, their berets were definitely larger in diameter than the average army beret these days.

This is an Italian beret of the RSI Black Brigades during the latter years of World War II

At the same time, Walter Audisio (pictured below) wore the very small diameter, skull cap like berets that became his trademark.

I have no idea who the beret manufacturer was that supplied the post-WW2 Italian army, but at some stage (1970's, '80's??), Spanish Boinas Elosegui berets were used by the Italian forces.

 

[PADDY]

It's great beret weather here in Northern Europe right now!

The smallish "skull cap" type beret (above), where can one get this style today?

 

[esteban68]

Not sure Paddy, I seem to recall seeing a website on berets a while ago the small ones I seen to recall were made or at least worn for outrdoor pursuits so climbing, cycling, skiing etc...it makes sense when you think about it also that many of the French Alpine etc troops military personel preferred the smaller size.
I dare say there is a little old shop somewhere in Northern Spain with a back room full of them!

 

[Daan]

The smallish "skull cap" type beret (above), where can one get this style today?

That smallish skull cap type beret looks identical to the Czech made un-lined, headband-less Radiovka (click here).

Other berets in that style would be the Boinas Elosegui Exposicion Fina in 244mm or the more upmarket Super Lujo with headband in 244mm diameter.

 

[Daan]

many of the French Alpine etc troops military personel preferred the smaller size.

I dare say there is a little old shop somewhere in Northern Spain with a back room full of them!

While the larger diameter beret may be disliked by many in the (US and UK) military, that is definitely not the case with the Chasseurs Alpins, who wear their tarte as a symbol of pride. The same for the Chasseurs Ardennais, even though their beret is slightly smaller than the French Chasseurs'.

As for a little old hatshop in Northern Spain, I think you would struggle to find one. More likely in Castille or Asturias. The Basques generally prefer a good diameter for their txapelduns.

 

[Moca]

I was just handed my Bakara Excellence beret from South Pacific Berets and dare say I am impressed! I have worn berets for the last 40 years, my best ones brought to me by visitors from the old world (always and still hard to find a decent beret in this part of the world), but also have a Chinese and an Indian beret (the Indian actually being a fairly decent affair).
Now I can see the whole lot going to the Sally's it being pretty hard to wear anything else but my new Bakara. Excellent finishing, velvety touch of (Australian) merino and comfortable from the word go.

Now I just need to figure out how to post a picture from my camera on here. All I'm able to is post a picture from the south pacific web site (any help with this appreciated!)

Great thread, this beret thing. I'll be back!

 

[Daan]

Another one in the series of beret-related felt hats: the traditional felt hats from Georgia, generally referred to as "Kakhetian hats", are really from Tusheti, a small and almost inaccessible region in the high Caucasus Mountains, bordering Chechnya and Dagestan in the north and Kakheti in the east.

Unchanged for many centuries, these hats are still made according to local tradition and with skilled craftsmanship in the Tusheti Region. Hats always were the most important element of traditional Georgian garments. Apart from everyday use, these hats were worn by warriors under their steel helmets, to soften the blows by swords.
Similar to the manufacturing process of berets in the French Pyrenees, 2 centuries ago, these Kakhetian felt hats are made from hand-pressed felt and decorated with a cross shaped string. Now (only) available at South Pacific Berets in black and white @ $ 39.50.

[video=youtube;uQvLYh6oqvE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQvLYh6oqvE[/video]

 

[Daan]

An interesting news clip about French beret manufacturer Beatex-Laulhere. Interesting viewing, but most interesting are the title and contents where it mentions Beatex being the last remaining French manufacturer! Of course, Blancq-Olibet - the world's oldest beret manufacturer (since 1819), is still very much alive with labels Bakarra, Vrai Basque and PeBeO!

[video=youtube_share;m9ClPPqJo6I]http://youtu.be/m9ClPPqJo6I[/video]

 

[Moca]

My second and third beret in son many weeks: a green cotton Castila from Uruguay

and a cotton Tollosa Tupida in cream

. Always thought a beret had to be made of felt, but these babies here are just the perfect thing for summer. Very classy, beautifully made. Smart fella there across the ditch, who would have thought you'd find such treasures in NZ!
Now, someone tell me how to upload my own pictures? Seems I can only copy published pictures with a URL...

 

[Daan]

Hemingway

It looks like Hollywood is doing it's bit to raise the beret's profile with the upcoming film about the lives of Ernest Hemingway and Martha Gellhorn. The film tells the story of one of America's most famous literary couples.

Ilya Ehrenburg and Gustav Regler with Hemingway in Spain, 1937

At the beginning of the film in a Florida bar, Hemingway is already a well known writer, while Martha Gellhorn is at the start of a career that would make her one of the greatest war correspondents of the 20th century.
Of course, the film concentrates on the Spanish Civil War which was intensively covered by both journalists/writers from the Republican side. It was Gellhorn who inspired Hemingway to write his most famous novel For Whom the Bell Tolls.

Hemingway, during a Pamplona bullfight, 3rd from right

The film will be directed by Philip Kaufman and began shooting in San Francisco in March 2011. It is scheduled to air in May 2012.

Hemingway, Trout Fishing in Horton Bay, Michigan 1919

Apart from Hemingway (Clive Owen), who was a known beret adapt already long before the conflict started in 1936, we'll see many berets, like on Zarra (Rodrigo Santoro) and Dutch director Joris Ivens (Lars Ulrich).

Ernest Hemingway and Joris Ivens, Guadalajara, 1937

Nicole Kidman, Clive Owen, Lars Ulrich and Rodrigo Santoro film scenes for the TV movie 'Hemingway & Gellhorn'

 

[DNO]

Found this one for 99 cents at a thrift store today...my size (59), though the hat band is about shot. I love the label.

 

[PADDY]

Gents - As much as the Military quip was "tongue in cheek," the dry humour probably doesn't add to this thread, so move along from it please. Please don't mistake this as a choice Gentlemen.
Now return to the sensible & civil nature of this great thread.

Thankyou.

 

[DNO]

You're quite right of course, Paddy...sorry.

Allow me to share some berets made in Canada. I have a couple of French-made basque berets that I wear, particularly when winter rears its ugly head but I also have several military berets made by the Dorothea Knitting Mills here in Toronto.

The Canadian Army adopted the khaki beret for all troops duing in the Second World War. This had been preceded by the adoption of the black beret for armoured troops and the maroon beret for paratroops. All of the khaki berets I’ve encountered have been made by the Dorothea Knitting Mills. Here is my example:

There is no stiffener on the inside to support the cap badge.

And the inside:

Aside from the three holes from the original cap badge, it's in great shape.

Beret manufacturers being somewhat scarce on this side of the pond, Dorothea Knitting became the primary supplier for the Canadian Army and even for the early green berets worn by U.S. Special Forces.

Several years ago I attended an estate auction for a former RCAF officer. I was able to obtain an absolutely mint UN blue beret from the original UNEF mission in 1956…the first peacekeeping mission. The fellow had been a navigator flying troops and supplies from a base in Italy and had been issued the beret. He later told his brother in law (who I spoke to at the auction) that he never wore the beret, claiming he worked for the RCAF, not the U.N., and continued to wear his officer’s peaked cap. He kept the beret, however, as a souvenir. It too is made by Dorothea Knitting Mills:

And finally, a similar UN blue beret, actually worn in the ‘60s in Gaza, I believe (still Dorothea Mills). This one has been made more fashionable by its wearer:

Dorothea Knitting Mills still exists. Whether they are still supplying the Canadian Forces, I don't know. I just discovered that they have a factory retail store...sweaters, gloves and hats. I'm going to drop in one of these days and see what they currently manufacture.

 

[Daan]

...I'm going to drop in one of these days and see what they currently manufacture.

Interesting material, DNO. I look forward to reading more about the Dorothea Knitting Mills. I have a few labels in my collection, like this 1951 Canadian Military Police beret:

and this 1974 Paratroopers beret, both under the Fleur de Lis label of the Dorothea Knitting Mills

Interestingly, despite the outcry a few years ago about Chinese made berets for the US military, US Army green berets were (are?) made by this Canadian manufacturer as well:

and also by another Canadian beret manufacturer: the Canadian Commercial Corp. from Ottawa, Canada. See below:

 

[PADDY]

Me le gusta!

 

[Daan]

Boina Castilla.

Nice one!

This is my boina Castilla in navy cotton, up Mt Ruapehu, New Zealand's Central North Island.

 

[alanfgag]

Fabulous photo.