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French Hats and makers.

moehawk

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,841
Location
Northern California
I have not seen many of these up for sale on the secondary market. Only one, actually, and it had the Hermes name in it as well as Motsch Fils. I know of Hermes' reputation for quality (and high, high prices) so I figured that their hats must be pretty nice. When this one popped up on Etsy a few days ago for a decent price I couldn't help myself even though Iit was listed as a size 61.
It arrived yesterday. The seller's pics showed it to be a little bent up so I wasn't expecting anything pristine but this poor thing also suffered at the hands of an over-packager who had so much stuff wrapped around it that the brim was almost folded. I was hoping the seller measured it wrong, but alas, it was a couple sizes too big as I had feared. It shimmed down nicely with cork strips. so I can enjoy it and not have to trade it away.
Here's some pics.
Motsch Fils.

b6668988c2afb5ad412627e919307db4.jpg
134e70bb792badd909747572e7a2c663.jpg
ef0eb25ff642344e819a65280954a428.jpg
0a855ce0733b4b0bc6f62072079191ae.jpg


The factory sticker is also the tape that holds the swearband seam together.

d46b2c12df08e1f1bce060a4ec2aab2e.jpg


Guessing Ecuyer & Thomas made it for Motsch Fils. Never heard of them.

Sweatband stamp, size tag and a hard to see liner crest.

34d27de934c2892e37163cc872e138f2.jpg
1c53f064e5091e89d63a78faca06d840.jpg
aab7057f8618d659eae7fbe76af3c773.jpg


Felt is quite nice, very little stiffener, soft but with a slightly hairy feel. 142g total weight. Brim is 2 1/2", open crown at 5 1/2". 1 1/2" ribbon.

Creased.

ca552270616e6353cebf4d8e1c208d83.jpg
9dfe802daf002dc05d72bc9155a11aea.jpg
cdb5a4ab75f6a44527f470062e3ceec8.jpg


No clue about the age, but I would guess newer rather than older. But, I have been known to be wrong...any input always welcome!

Powered by happy thoughts
 
Messages
12,384
Location
Albany Oregon
I have not seen many of these up for sale on the secondary market. Only one, actually, and it had the Hermes name in it as well as Motsch Fils. I know of Hermes' reputation for quality (and high, high prices) so I figured that their hats must be pretty nice. When this one popped up on Etsy a few days ago for a decent price I couldn't help myself even though Iit was listed as a size 61.
It arrived yesterday. The seller's pics showed it to be a little bent up so I wasn't expecting anything pristine but this poor thing also suffered at the hands of an over-packager who had so much stuff wrapped around it that the brim was almost folded. I was hoping the seller measured it wrong, but alas, it was a couple sizes too big as I had feared. It shimmed down nicely with cork strips. so I can enjoy it and not have to trade it away.
Here's some pics.
Motsch Fils.

b6668988c2afb5ad412627e919307db4.jpg
134e70bb792badd909747572e7a2c663.jpg
ef0eb25ff642344e819a65280954a428.jpg
0a855ce0733b4b0bc6f62072079191ae.jpg


The factory sticker is also the tape that holds the swearband seam together.

d46b2c12df08e1f1bce060a4ec2aab2e.jpg


Guessing Ecuyer & Thomas made it for Motsch Fils. Never heard of them.

Sweatband stamp, size tag and a hard to see liner crest.

34d27de934c2892e37163cc872e138f2.jpg
1c53f064e5091e89d63a78faca06d840.jpg
aab7057f8618d659eae7fbe76af3c773.jpg


Felt is quite nice, very little stiffener, soft but with a slightly hairy feel. 142g total weight. Brim is 2 1/2", open crown at 5 1/2". 1 1/2" ribbon.

Creased.

ca552270616e6353cebf4d8e1c208d83.jpg
9dfe802daf002dc05d72bc9155a11aea.jpg
cdb5a4ab75f6a44527f470062e3ceec8.jpg


No clue about the age, but I would guess newer rather than older. But, I have been known to be wrong...any input always welcome!

Powered by happy thoughts
Very nice John. It has some wonderful stories to tell I'm sure.
 

Daniele Tanto

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,246
Location
Verona - Italia
Guessing Ecuyer & Thomas made it for Motsch Fils. Never heard of them.
Interview with Ms. Éliane Bolomier, curator and director of the Chapellerie Atelier-Musée du Chapeau de Chazelles-sur-Lyon.
"In 1976, when the four big factories closed, Fléchet, France, Morreton and Fournand - Beyron, in 1976 there remained only a small factory, the Écuyer-Thomas factory which closed in 1997. If it closed It was not because there was no market, but because Mr. Squire wanted to retire and he could not find anyone to take over his estate. It was quite dramatic, because big fashion houses, notably Hermes, used felts at Echuyer's house. They had great difficulties to find a felt of such good quality. Now they go to northern Italy where there is another small factory. At Chazelles the raw material was made at once, that is to say the felt bell, and it was turned into hats. Houses like Ecuyer-Thomas, like all factories, sold both hats and their felt bells to hatters-processors and milliners. In France there are always many hatters and milliners. Today the hatters-transformers, that is to say, who buy these felted bells and turn them into hats, just like millinery [creators of hats], are used abroad. Like us, since we have a small production workshop. There are six factories in Europe manufacturer of hair felt. There is one in Portugal, one in Spain, two in Italy, one in Poland and another in the Czech Republic. When you buy only a few bells of felt, you get supplies from wholesalers; but larger hatters with more employees buy directly from the factory. For example, for all our men's hats we buy our felt bells in Portugal. For women's hats we need more colors, so we use at wholesalers. There is always activity in France, but it is the hatters who make the transformation, or milliners of course who make the transformation of bells into hats. There is a lot of surface work on the material, allowing to obtain different qualities: velvet quality, etc. The hatters usually buy the bells at this stage. For example, we get them when they come out of the dye, since we have a workshop that allows us to do this work on the surface of the felt. "
John I have a very interesting Ecuyer & Thomas homburg I showed some time ago here in FL.
 

moehawk

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,841
Location
Northern California
Interview with Ms. Éliane Bolomier, curator and director of the Chapellerie Atelier-Musée du Chapeau de Chazelles-sur-Lyon.
"In 1976, when the four big factories closed, Fléchet, France, Morreton and Fournand - Beyron, in 1976 there remained only a small factory, the Écuyer-Thomas factory which closed in 1997. If it closed It was not because there was no market, but because Mr. Squire wanted to retire and he could not find anyone to take over his estate. It was quite dramatic, because big fashion houses, notably Hermes, used felts at Echuyer's house. They had great difficulties to find a felt of such good quality. Now they go to northern Italy where there is another small factory. At Chazelles the raw material was made at once, that is to say the felt bell, and it was turned into hats. Houses like Ecuyer-Thomas, like all factories, sold both hats and their felt bells to hatters-processors and milliners. In France there are always many hatters and milliners. Today the hatters-transformers, that is to say, who buy these felted bells and turn them into hats, just like millinery [creators of hats], are used abroad. Like us, since we have a small production workshop. There are six factories in Europe manufacturer of hair felt. There is one in Portugal, one in Spain, two in Italy, one in Poland and another in the Czech Republic. When you buy only a few bells of felt, you get supplies from wholesalers; but larger hatters with more employees buy directly from the factory. For example, for all our men's hats we buy our felt bells in Portugal. For women's hats we need more colors, so we use at wholesalers. There is always activity in France, but it is the hatters who make the transformation, or milliners of course who make the transformation of bells into hats. There is a lot of surface work on the material, allowing to obtain different qualities: velvet quality, etc. The hatters usually buy the bells at this stage. For example, we get them when they come out of the dye, since we have a workshop that allows us to do this work on the surface of the felt. "
John I have a very interesting Ecuyer & Thomas homburg I showed some time ago here in FL.
Thank you for this information, Daniele!
Ecuyer & Thomas products must be fairly rare, as I didn't see much info about them online.
Do you still have the Homburg?
 

Daniele Tanto

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,246
Location
Verona - Italia
Thank you for this information, Daniele!
Ecuyer & Thomas products must be fairly rare, as I didn't see much info about them online.
Do you still have the Homburg?
Yes John I still have the homburg made in France in the Ecuyer & Thomas facility.
It is a "member" of the "diplomatiques de France". A series of homburg I bought in "A. Meer" remains in the past years and some Others in the EU market
I will provide some pictures as soon as I can
 

moehawk

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,841
Location
Northern California
Yes John I still have the homburg made in France in the Ecuyer & Thomas facility.
It is a "member" of the "diplomatiques de France". A series of homburg I bought in "A. Meer" remains in the past years and some Others in the EU market
I will provide some pictures as soon as I can
Thanks!
I'm interested to know if the factory tag is the same and used as the seam tape like on mine. Looking forward to pics.
 
Messages
18,448
Location
Nederland
I have not seen many of these up for sale on the secondary market. Only one, actually, and it had the Hermes name in it as well as Motsch Fils. I know of Hermes' reputation for quality (and high, high prices) so I figured that their hats must be pretty nice. When this one popped up on Etsy a few days ago for a decent price I couldn't help myself even though Iit was listed as a size 61.
It arrived yesterday. The seller's pics showed it to be a little bent up so I wasn't expecting anything pristine but this poor thing also suffered at the hands of an over-packager who had so much stuff wrapped around it that the brim was almost folded. I was hoping the seller measured it wrong, but alas, it was a couple sizes too big as I had feared. It shimmed down nicely with cork strips. so I can enjoy it and not have to trade it away.
Here's some pics.
Motsch Fils.

b6668988c2afb5ad412627e919307db4.jpg
134e70bb792badd909747572e7a2c663.jpg
ef0eb25ff642344e819a65280954a428.jpg
0a855ce0733b4b0bc6f62072079191ae.jpg


The factory sticker is also the tape that holds the swearband seam together.

d46b2c12df08e1f1bce060a4ec2aab2e.jpg


Guessing Ecuyer & Thomas made it for Motsch Fils. Never heard of them.

Sweatband stamp, size tag and a hard to see liner crest.

34d27de934c2892e37163cc872e138f2.jpg
1c53f064e5091e89d63a78faca06d840.jpg
aab7057f8618d659eae7fbe76af3c773.jpg


Felt is quite nice, very little stiffener, soft but with a slightly hairy feel. 142g total weight. Brim is 2 1/2", open crown at 5 1/2". 1 1/2" ribbon.

Creased.

ca552270616e6353cebf4d8e1c208d83.jpg
9dfe802daf002dc05d72bc9155a11aea.jpg
cdb5a4ab75f6a44527f470062e3ceec8.jpg


No clue about the age, but I would guess newer rather than older. But, I have been known to be wrong...any input always welcome!

Powered by happy thoughts
Cool hat and quite rare brand. Never seen one before.
 

Daniele Tanto

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,246
Location
Verona - Italia
Thanks!
I'm interested to know if the factory tag is the same and used as the seam tape like on mine. Looking forward to pics.
Here there are the pics of Ecuyer & Thomas fresh made for your pleasure
4fvgon.jpg

The felt is very light and malleable with a medium finish in the Others components
x394j8.jpg

The sweatband is thin and a little bit poor. It seems a mid season homburg
nx6dyv.jpg

The felt and the color are astounding. It seems made before the WWII
No paper label inside, but only the size tag
 
Messages
12,384
Location
Albany Oregon
Here there are the pics of Ecuyer & Thomas fresh made for your pleasure
4fvgon.jpg

The felt is very light and malleable with a medium finish in the Others components
x394j8.jpg

The sweatband is thin and a little bit poor. It seems a mid season homburg
nx6dyv.jpg

The felt and the color are astounding. It seems made before the WWII
No paper label inside, but only the size tag
Wow! This one is really special Daniele. The color is phenomenal!
 

moehawk

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,841
Location
Northern California
Here there are the pics of Ecuyer & Thomas fresh made for your pleasure
4fvgon.jpg

The felt is very light and malleable with a medium finish in the Others components
x394j8.jpg

The sweatband is thin and a little bit poor. It seems a mid season homburg
nx6dyv.jpg

The felt and the color are astounding. It seems made before the WWII
No paper label inside, but only the size tag
That is a beautiful color. I can imagine how nice the felt must be. A shame there aren't more of them around to enjoy.
 

AbbaDatDeHat

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,850
Greetings All:
I believe this might be the best place to pose this question.
Can anybody point me in the right direction to find out information concerning The Berteil Hat manufacture of Paris? I have a lovely example i want to post but first i would like to have enough knowledge base to carry out an intelligent conversation. I do know Borsalino began his hat making career as a worker at Berteil, some 5 years and allegedly took with him a “hand full of felt” from a vat when he left to begin his endeavors. Info seems in short supply.
So, any referrals would be welcomed.
Be well. Bowen
 
Messages
18,448
Location
Nederland
Here there are the pics of Ecuyer & Thomas fresh made for your pleasure
4fvgon.jpg

The felt is very light and malleable with a medium finish in the Others components
x394j8.jpg

The sweatband is thin and a little bit poor. It seems a mid season homburg
nx6dyv.jpg

The felt and the color are astounding. It seems made before the WWII
No paper label inside, but only the size tag
Fantastic homburg, Daniele. Like the other have said: a great colour.
 
Messages
18,448
Location
Nederland
Greetings All:
I believe this might be the best place to pose this question.
Can anybody point me in the right direction to find out information concerning The Berteil Hat manufacture of Paris? I have a lovely example i want to post but first i would like to have enough knowledge base to carry out an intelligent conversation. I do know Borsalino began his hat making career as a worker at Berteil, some 5 years and allegedly took with him a “hand full of felt” from a vat when he left to begin his endeavors. Info seems in short supply.
So, any referrals would be welcomed.
Be well. Bowen
I'm afraid there is precious little to be found on French hatmaking anywhere, Bowen. Information is scarce on the subject both on the internet or in print to the point of non-existant. I haven't been able to find anything of any substance on Berteil (or other French hatmakers for that matter). The Maison Berteil still exists, but is a retailer these days.
 

AbbaDatDeHat

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,850
I'm afraid there is precious little to be found on French hatmaking anywhere, Bowen. Information is scarce on the subject both on the internet or in print to the point of non-existant. I haven't been able to find anything of any substance on Berteil (or other French hatmakers for that matter). The Maison Berteil still exists, but is a retailer these days.
I as well. I’ll put something together, thought i’d ask about first. Thank you. It is quite a hat and quite old. I look forward to sharing. Bowen
 

Daniele Tanto

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,246
Location
Verona - Italia
Wow! This one is really special Daniele. The color is phenomenal!

That is a beautiful color. I can imagine how nice the felt must be. A shame there aren't more of them around to enjoy.

Fantastic homburg, Daniele. Like the other have said: a great colour.
Thank you for your appreciation. I had some problems with the home computer and I was dumb these days.
Ecuyer & Thomas were producers of felt mainly for the hatters of the region, the heart of the French hats production in the glorious days.
The French hats of the time have very precise characteristics: very well constructed and of great quality in felts and other components, they often have a sweatband of modest quality. Some of them are masterpieces for colors and elegance.
Today the Ecuyer & Thomas will be on air
 
Messages
18,448
Location
Nederland
Picked this one up last week. It was listed as a bowler (and used as such), but it didn't look like a bowler to me. Tirard Fréres Supra homburg in black. Size 57 with a brim at 6cm and the crown 10,5 cm at the pinch. It's an earlier one, because it still has the name Tirard Fréres in the liner and sweatband. I have another Tirard which just has Tirard as the brand name. I cannot find anything useful on the brand online however, so I can't tell when the change happened.

tirard noir_01.jpg
tirard noir_03.jpg
tirard noir_04.jpg
tirard noir_05.jpg
tirard noir_06.jpg
tirard noir_08.jpg
tirard noir_10.jpg
tirard noir_11.jpg
tirard noir_12.jpg
 

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