French Hats and makers.

[mayserwegener]

Stefan, Super finds! Great to see more French companies. That is an unusual front and back brim curl treatment on the E. Motsch Stiff Felt. I also don't think I have seen that before.

 

[steur]

Stefan, Super finds! Great to see more French companies. That is an unusual front and back brim curl treatment on the E. Motsch Stiff Felt. I also don't think I have seen that before.

Thank you, Steve. I'll be on the lookout for more French hats. Who knows what turns up?

 

[steur]

Mossant in black, camber style hat, which seems to have been popular in France. Size 56 with the overwelt brim at 5cm and the crown at 11cm at the center dent. Very soft felt and a nice hand. It's styling and finishes, like the non-flexible windcord and the textured sweatband, make me think this is an early, pre-war one. The label is not the usual Mossant label, which could mean it was an outsourced hat.

 

[mayserwegener]

Stefan, Really great find! Congrats!

 

[steur]

Stefan, Really great find! Congrats!

Steve, thank you!

 

[Mean Eyed Matt]

Mossant in black, camber style hat, which seems to have been popular in France. Size 56 with the overwelt brim at 5cm and the crown at 11cm at the center dent. Very soft felt and a nice hand. It's styling and finishes, like the non-flexible windcord and the textured sweatband, make me think this is an early, pre-war one. The label is not the usual Mossant label, which could mean it was an outsourced hat.

It's black and it's related to Homburg style - but IT IS SO COOL!

 

[steur]

It's black and it's related to Homburg style - but IT IS SO COOL!

Thanks, Matt. I know what you mean, but sometimes these oldies are too hard to resist.

 

[Mean Eyed Matt]

I would have taken it too - in my size...

 

[Daniele Tanto]

Here is an excellent Mossant Bayard for homburg lovers.
Very well preserved, seems new and unwore, it is a magnificent example of post-war French headwear.

Size 59cm, which is 6 for French measurement.
It is of medium weight, 125 grams and is unlined.

The color of the felt is "Gris africain" which means African gray.

The measures of the hat are as follows: the curled brims are 6 cm. the ribbon is 4 cm. and the open crown is 13.5 cm.

The ribbon is in contrast with the felt color and with the one that adorns the brims.

The color of the felt is a gray with a splash of light blue that makes it unique.
I like the way the French hats producers use the colors felt name and above all the grays palette that is unique

 

[Daniele Tanto]

Mossant in black, camber style hat, which seems to have been popular in France. Size 56 with the overwelt brim at 5cm and the crown at 11cm at the center dent. Very soft felt and a nice hand. It's styling and finishes, like the non-flexible windcord and the textured sweatband, make me think this is an early, pre-war one. The label is not the usual Mossant label, which could mean it was an outsourced hat.

Magnifico Stefan. I know I'm in late, but this hat deserves a plause.
The inside label is very similar to this that is in the Mossant Bowler, made some yeras later of your black gem. It seems that Mossant have some partners, here with full name, on yours only the initilas

 

[mayserwegener]

Here is an excellent Mossant Bayard for homburg lovers.
Very well preserved, seems new and unwore, it is a magnificent example of post-war French headwear.

Size 59cm, which is 6 for French measurement.
It is of medium weight, 125 grams and is unlined.

The color of the felt is "Gris africain" which means African gray.

The measures of the hat are as follows: the curled brims are 6 cm. the ribbon is 4 cm. and the open crown is 13.5 cm.

The ribbon is in contrast with the felt color and with the one that adorns the brims.

The color of the felt is a gray with a splash of light blue that makes it unique.
I like the way the French hats producers use the colors felt name and above all the grays palette that is unique

Daniele, Looks even more fantastic a second time.

 

[steur]

Here is an excellent Mossant Bayard for homburg lovers.
Very well preserved, seems new and unwore, it is a magnificent example of post-war French headwear.

Size 59cm, which is 6 for French measurement.
It is of medium weight, 125 grams and is unlined.

The color of the felt is "Gris africain" which means African gray.

The measures of the hat are as follows: the curled brims are 6 cm. the ribbon is 4 cm. and the open crown is 13.5 cm.

The ribbon is in contrast with the felt color and with the one that adorns the brims.

The color of the felt is a gray with a splash of light blue that makes it unique.
I like the way the French hats producers use the colors felt name and above all the grays palette that is unique

Super hat, Daniele. The colour is wonderful and I like the fact that it is unlined. Great find!

 

[steur]

Magnifico Stefan. I know I'm in late, but this hat deserves a plause.
The inside label is very similar to this that is in the Mossant Bowler, made some yeras later of your black gem. It seems that Mossant have some partners, here with full name, on yours only the initilas View attachment 316978

Thank you, Daniele. That is very interesting and good extra information. Apparently the engraving was made by an engraver named Stern between 1910 and 1925. It was patented in the US on march 15, 1910. We only see the mention of the other names on early hats. Hard to say when Mossant dropped the other names. Here are two other examples of the logo.

 

[steur]

Another find from the French hat industry.
Mossant Castor (beaver) made for Gérard Sools in the colour Cubba. There was a typo on the lable, so it could well be the colour was intended to be "cuba". Size 56 with the raw edge brim at 7cm and the crown at 11cm at the center dent. Weighs 122 grams. Hard to say when this one was made, but I'm going with forties at the latest, because post-war Mossant was very much in decline and ceased to produce felt hats in 1953 (according to one source) and concentrated on making sportwear and caps. They closed down in 1978 (sources differ on the year though).
The French seller was a pain to work with and wouldn't budge on the price, but I'm glad I stuck with it, because the hat is marvelous and in NOS condition.

Founded in 1833, the Mossant company experienced considerable growth to achieve international fame even in the interwar period with the manufacture of the Mossant felt hat. This company, jointly owned by Marie Antoine Vallon, Ferdinand-André and Antoine-Marie Argot and Casimir Mossant, descendant of the founder, practically stopped operating during the First World War. Then it reached its peak in 1929 Mossant caps the world: 2000 hats per day come out of the Mossant factory requiring the work of 1200 workers; 55% of the turnover comes from exports of which 45% for the United States (cowboy hat in beaver hair and fedoras). The famous brand wins numerous prizes in world exhibitions. The industrial site occupies several hectares and employs several generations of inhabitants before collapsing after the Second World War.
The earlier hats have the names of Vallon and Argot next to the Mossant name on the logo. We have no information when this stopped.

 

[PanosChris]

Another find from the French hat industry.
Mossant Castor (beaver) made for Gérard Sools in the colour Cubba. There was a typo on the lable, so it could well be the colour was intended to be "cuba". Size 56 with the raw edge brim at 7cm and the crown at 11cm at the center dent. Weighs 122 grams. Hard to say when this one was made, but I'm going with forties at the latest, because post-war Mossant was very much in decline and ceased to produce felt hats in 1953 (according to one source) and concentrated on making sportwear and caps. They closed down in 1978 (sources differ on the year though).
The French seller was a pain to work with and wouldn't budge on the price, but I'm glad I stuck with it, because the hat is marvelous and in NOS condition.

View attachment 317892 View attachment 317893 View attachment 317894 View attachment 317895 View attachment 317896 View attachment 317897 View attachment 317898 View attachment 317899 View attachment 317900 View attachment 317901

Founded in 1833, the Mossant company experienced considerable growth to achieve international fame even in the interwar period with the manufacture of the Mossant felt hat. This company, jointly owned by Marie Antoine Vallon, Ferdinand-André and Antoine-Marie Argot and Casimir Mossant, descendant of the founder, practically stopped operating during the First World War. Then it reached its peak in 1929 Mossant caps the world: 2000 hats per day come out of the Mossant factory requiring the work of 1200 workers; 55% of the turnover comes from exports of which 45% for the United States (cowboy hat in beaver hair and fedoras). The famous brand wins numerous prizes in world exhibitions. The industrial site occupies several hectares and employs several generations of inhabitants before collapsing after the Second World War.
The earlier hats have the names of Vallon and Argot next to the Mossant name on the logo. We have no information when this stopped.

Another fantastic Mossant Stefan! Great condition and color too

 

[steur]

Another fantastic Mossant Stefan! Great condition and color too

Thanks, Panos. This one was a must have.

 

[Just Daniel]

AWESOME.

Another find from the French hat industry.
Mossant Castor (beaver) made for Gérard Sools in the colour Cubba. There was a typo on the lable, so it could well be the colour was intended to be "cuba". Size 56 with the raw edge brim at 7cm and the crown at 11cm at the center dent. Weighs 122 grams. Hard to say when this one was made, but I'm going with forties at the latest, because post-war Mossant was very much in decline and ceased to produce felt hats in 1953 (according to one source) and concentrated on making sportwear and caps. They closed down in 1978 (sources differ on the year though).
The French seller was a pain to work with and wouldn't budge on the price, but I'm glad I stuck with it, because the hat is marvelous and in NOS condition.

View attachment 317892 View attachment 317893 View attachment 317894 View attachment 317895 View attachment 317896 View attachment 317897 View attachment 317898 View attachment 317899 View attachment 317900 View attachment 317901

Founded in 1833, the Mossant company experienced considerable growth to achieve international fame even in the interwar period with the manufacture of the Mossant felt hat. This company, jointly owned by Marie Antoine Vallon, Ferdinand-André and Antoine-Marie Argot and Casimir Mossant, descendant of the founder, practically stopped operating during the First World War. Then it reached its peak in 1929 Mossant caps the world: 2000 hats per day come out of the Mossant factory requiring the work of 1200 workers; 55% of the turnover comes from exports of which 45% for the United States (cowboy hat in beaver hair and fedoras). The famous brand wins numerous prizes in world exhibitions. The industrial site occupies several hectares and employs several generations of inhabitants before collapsing after the Second World War.
The earlier hats have the names of Vallon and Argot next to the Mossant name on the logo. We have no information when this stopped.

 

[steur]

Thanks, Daniel.

AWESOME.

 

[steur]

This took some time, but I found my first Morreton. I have seen a few before, but their later hats lost a lot of the quality. This is an earlier one.
Morreton homburg chamois finish in grey. Size 56, with the brim at 6cm and the crown 11,5cm at the center dent. Still needs some shaping and steaming, but it was in a bit of a state when it arrived. Morreton is a French maker we don't see that often and a chamois homburg is unusual.

 

[steur]

II
The colour is called "etain" (tin). The second size label underneath the sweatband is an older model, which convinced me it's an older hat.

Morreton was not considered to be a high end manufacturer, but they did well in selling their hats through marketing. Here are a few of their ads. The factory closed in 1976.

And an early ad for their chamois felt. Note the "D. Morreton".