French Hats and makers.

[Daniele Tanto]

Daniele, I think A.F. could be Antonin France Chazelles sur Lyon. This is same location as B. Fléchet Chazelles sur Lyon. I found an A.F. advertisement in a digital copy of Revue De La Chapellerie (1912) that I have.

Bravissimo Steve! Grazie!
I said I had already seen the AF or FA mark. It is in a couple of hats (homburg or diplomatique) that I have from Antonin France that today I brought out of their lair to compare them. This one is much older than at least twenty years, but even the ones I have who are at the turn of the Second World War are without paper labels.

 

[Mighty44]

My first French hat, a Flechet Essor. I believe it could date anywhere from the late 1930s (the label refers to a 1937 award) to 1950s or '60s but would appreciate any assistance to place it more accurately. It came with a (to my eye) very French-looking center crease, identical to those in old Flechet ads I have seen online. In fact, the hat is quite similar to a Stetson Playboy and the felt is very soft and lightweight. Adding to it's jauntiness is the fact that the brim is longer in front (about 2 5/8") than back (about 2 1/2"). Thanks all!

 

[deadlyhandsome]

My first French hat, a Flechet Essor. I believe it could date anywhere from the late 1930s (the label refers to a 1937 award) to 1950s or '60s but would appreciate any assistance to place it more accurately. It came with a (to my eye) very French-looking center crease, identical to those in old Flechet ads I have seen online. In fact, the hat is quite similar to a Stetson Playboy and the felt is very soft and lightweight. Adding to it's jauntiness is the fact that the brim is longer in front (about 2 5/8") than back (about 2 1/2"). Thanks all! View attachment 357291 View attachment 357292 View attachment 357293 View attachment 357294 View attachment 357295 View attachment 357296 View attachment 357297 View attachment 357298 View attachment 357299

Absolutely gorgeous. The US made Flechet hats are…not so nice, but these older French hats can be fantastic! Great find!

 

[Mighty44]

And a pronunciation question—

Flea-shay? Fleh-shay? Or something else?

Thanks

 

[moehawk]

My first French hat, a Flechet Essor. I believe it could date anywhere from the late 1930s (the label refers to a 1937 award) to 1950s or '60s but would appreciate any assistance to place it more accurately. It came with a (to my eye) very French-looking center crease, identical to those in old Flechet ads I have seen online. In fact, the hat is quite similar to a Stetson Playboy and the felt is very soft and lightweight. Adding to it's jauntiness is the fact that the brim is longer in front (about 2 5/8") than back (about 2 1/2"). Thanks all! View attachment 357291 View attachment 357292 View attachment 357293 View attachment 357294 View attachment 357295 View attachment 357296 View attachment 357297 View attachment 357298 View attachment 357299

Nice. Could the date be so easy as 8 M (Mars or Mai) (19) 55 as is handwritten above the brand on the paper label? Would be convenient...

 

[belfastboy]

And a pronunciation question—

Flea-shay? Fleh-shay? Or something else?

Thanks

subject to correction but I have always pronounced it "Flesh ette"

 

[Mighty44]

Nice. Could the date be so easy as 8 M (Mars or Mai) (19) 55 as is handwritten above the brand on the paper label? Would be convenient...

I wonder led about that—would
be convenient! I was scrolling through previous posts in this forum to learn more and saw that you had a Flechet homburg posted in 2016 with an identical logo label inside the crown and a similar label ending in 39–so that could hold up.

Nice. Could the date be so easy as 8 M (Mars or Mai) (19) 55 as is handwritten above the brand on the paper label? Would be convenient...

 

[Mighty44]

subject to correction but I have always pronounced it "Flesh ette"

Thanks!

 

[belfastboy]

Thanks!

But trhe

Thanks!

But then I am an Anglophone Canuck and perhaps not to be trusted!!!!

 

[belfastboy]

But trhe

But then I am an Anglophone Canuck and perhaps not to be trusted!!!!

OK, I stand corrected!!!! I ran this by my brother who lives in Quebec City, fully bilingual, works in translation services. His definitive word: "Flesh eh"....the ending as in Chardonnay. To be a "Flesh ette" ...it would need to be spelled that way as in "Flechette". So now we know!!!!!!

 

[belfastboy]

OK, I stand corrected!!!! I ran this by my brother who lives in Quebec City, fully bilingual, works in translation services. His definitive word: "Flesh eh"....the ending as in Chardonnay. To be a "Flesh ette" ...it would need to be spelled that way as in "Flechette". So now we know!!!!!!

Oh, and he did add the caveat.......Who knows how the Americans will pronounce it.....all bets are off on that!

 

[Mighty44]

Haha—excellent. Thanks!

 

[steur]

My first French hat, a Flechet Essor. I believe it could date anywhere from the late 1930s (the label refers to a 1937 award) to 1950s or '60s but would appreciate any assistance to place it more accurately. It came with a (to my eye) very French-looking center crease, identical to those in old Flechet ads I have seen online. In fact, the hat is quite similar to a Stetson Playboy and the felt is very soft and lightweight. Adding to it's jauntiness is the fact that the brim is longer in front (about 2 5/8") than back (about 2 1/2"). Thanks all! View attachment 357291 View attachment 357292 View attachment 357293 View attachment 357294 View attachment 357295 View attachment 357296 View attachment 357297 View attachment 357298 View attachment 357299

How did I miss this one? Great find and a gorgeous hat!

 

[steur]

Tirard Ragondia in Marron (that's brown for all the non-French speakers). Size 56 (originally) I think. Raw edge brim at 6,5cm and the crown at 10cm at the center dent. Unlined, although it may have had a liner once. The original sweatband was toast and just couldn't be saved, so I replaced it with another French one. Tirard was a manufacturer that had nutria (Rat Gondin - Ragondia) priced higher than beaver. Very nice hat with a smooth hand to the felt. Weighs 101 grams.
The simple bow style makes me think it's fairly early; late forties, early fifties maybe.
If anyone is wondering: Tirard is proncouced: tee-raar

 

[steur]

Another French one.
Mossant De Luxe homburg in grey, called gris d'Auvergne. Size 57 with the brim at 6cm and the crown at 11cm at the center dent. Made for J. Brosson of Toulouse. Brosson was quite a large retailer, that had shops in other places too. They closed down in 2002. Hard to tell the age on these Mossant hats, but I'm thinking late forties or early fifties for this one and it does show some signs of age (and/or character. High quality hat with a very nice hand to the felt. Reminds me a bit of the "castor" hat I had from them. Not a lightweight at 132 grams.

 

[Steinbockhase]

Hello my friends and fellow hat enthusiasts.
Here is a nice Flechet "Dandy" which will be leaving my collection soon.
Currently for sale on eBay; auction ends Nov. 7th.

Size: 58 cm = France 5 ½ = US 7 1/4

 

[steur]

Mossant de Luxe fedora in a brown colour called Silex. Size 57 with the brim at close to 7cm and the crown at 9cm at the center dent. These lower crowned hats were a French hat fashion that we find on sixties hats most often. This hat has been well worn and it is a bit of a beater. It does have some provenance to it though. It once belonged to the Mayor of Vireux-Molhain, just across the Belgian border in the north of France. Mr. Achille Nolevaux died in 1965 and the hat had been sitting in a box ever since. The owner moved house and had to get rid of some stuff, this hat among them.

 

[steur]

Mossant Jockey Club fedora in black. Size 57 with the raw edge brim at 6cm and the crown at 10,5cm at the center dent. The felt is like butter on this one and even if it weighs an average 108 grams it still feels like a lightweight hat. I am wondering about the age of this one. The Jockey club was founded in 1865 in Lyon and ceased to exist in 1917 when it joined two other clubs to form the Cercle de L'Union. Members only and only by invitation. Likely pre-war, but 1917? I have my doubts about that.

 

[Mean Eyed Matt]

Mossant de Luxe fedora in a brown colour called Silex. Size 57 with the brim at close to 7cm and the crown at 9cm at the center dent. These lower crowned hats were a French hat fashion that we find on sixties hats most often. This hat has been well worn and it is a bit of a beater. It does have some provenance to it though. It once belonged to the Mayor of Vireux-Molhain, just across the Belgian border in the north of France. Mr. Achille Nolevaux died in 1965 and the hat had been sitting in a box ever since. The owner moved house and had to get rid of some stuff, this hat among them.

Although I like the black Jockey Club below even more in terms of shape, Stefan,
this brown Mossant is something very special for me as a prehistorian:
"Silex" is another word for "flint", from which our ancestors made their tools
and which can have very different colors. One of the most famous and important
raw material deposits in Europe is the place Le Grand Pressigny in central France,
where already more than 4000 years ago very good, honey-brown flint was mined.
I'm pretty sure that the " Silex" color of your Mossant comes from this flint. Simply great!

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feuersteinmine_Le_Grand-Pressigny
https://www.prehistory-museum-grandpressigny.co.uk/
http://www.flintsource.net/flint/F_pressigny.html

 

[steur]

Although I like the black Jockey Club below even more in terms of shape, Stefan,
this brown Mossant is something very special for me as a prehistorian:
"Silex" is another word for "flint", from which our ancestors made their tools
and which can have very different colors. One of the most famous and important
raw material deposits in Europe is the place Le Grand Pressigny in central France,
where already more than 4000 years ago very good, honey-brown flint was mined.
I'm pretty sure that the " Silex" color of your Mossant comes from this flint. Simply great!

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feuersteinmine_Le_Grand-Pressigny
https://www.prehistory-museum-grandpressigny.co.uk/
http://www.flintsource.net/flint/F_pressigny.html

Thanks, Matt. Interesting information and I certainly had not made the connection between flint and this colour. Good to know.