French Hats and makers.

[ErWeSa]

Quite some time ago I bought my very first top hat and it happened to be a real early Gibus collapsible one:

For the others have a look at Steve's homepage (https://germanaustrianhats.invisionzone.com)

or here e. g.: https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/german-austrian-hutmachers.32103/page-411#post-2628104

 

[Rmccamey]

That is a very classy color combo. It stands out, but not overstated.

This hat was generously gifted to me by Daniele @Daniele Tanto. So a big thank you goes to Verona for this one. Funny thing is I've never seen a Fléchet homburg before. Apparently not a model they saw as a market for them. They probably should have though, because it's a very fine quality hat.
Fléchet qualité superieure homburg in dark brown. Size 56 with the bound brim at 6cm and the crown at 11cm at the center dent. Liner used to have a cellophane covering as there are traces of it left on the liner. Nice hand to the felt, but it takes a bit of work to shape it.

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I buy fewer and fewer hats, but the ones that arrive under the wisteria must have some particular quality.
This Flechet is a top class homburg with fantastic color and the finish is superb.
Bought blind it turned out to be a size too small, so who better to wear it than Stefan?
He is another passionate for French hats so I like to see it photographed and worn, here it was enclosed in a cardboard cage without air. It is a pity

 

[steur]

That is a very classy color combo. It stands out, but not overstated.

Thanks, Randy. That's one of the things I like about it; adds something different to the collection.

 

[steur]

Quite some time ago I bought my very first top hat and it happened to be a real early Gibus collapsible one:

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For the others have a look at Steve's homepage (https://germanaustrianhats.invisionzone.com)

or here e. g.: https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/german-austrian-hutmachers.32103/page-411#post-2628104

That's a really cool find. You can find these claques readily enough, but not in this specific style with the narrow brim. Nice.

 

[steur]

A lottery hat I decided to go for last week. I'd say it's a winner.
Ryn'h (probably pronounced "rinnash") woolfelt fedora in grey heather. Size 58 with the raw edge brim at 5,5cm and the crown at 10 cm at the center dent. Likely thirties or maybe early forties. Weighs 134 grams, which isn't too heavy for a woolfelt hat. The felt is quite thin as well. The moth certainly had a go at it, but it doesn't show all that much on the heather felt. It has lost its crown patch along the way. Nice woolfelt survivor.

More on the maker in the second post.

 

[steur]

Part II

Ryn'h was located in Espéraza, a French hatting community in the Aude Valley, near the Spanish border. In 1929, the hat activity employed nearly 3,000 workers in the 14 local factories which made the glory of Esperaza on all the continents; the hat-making city reached the second-largest worldwide production of the wool felt hat after Monza in Italy with a production of 1,400,000 hats in 1949. RynH lasts until 1955 when it files for bankruptcy.

Two adverts/posters from 1925

This was all I had to go on when deciding on the hat.

Pictures from the hat museum that is now located in Espéraza.

 

[Steve1857]

Part II

Ryn'h was located in Espéraza, a French hatting community in the Aude Valley, near the Spanish border. In 1929, the hat activity employed nearly 3,000 workers in the 14 local factories which made the glory of Esperaza on all the continents; the hat-making city reached the second-largest worldwide production of the wool felt hat after Monza in Italy with a production of 1,400,000 hats in 1949. RynH lasts until 1955 when it files for bankruptcy.

Two adverts/posters from 1925
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This was all I had to go on when deciding on the hat.
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Pictures from the hat museum that is now located in Espéraza.
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Fantastic hat history lesson, Stefan. Wonderful photos!

 

[steur]

Fantastic hat history lesson, Stefan. Wonderful photos!

Thank you, Steve. It was nice finding this information. I had never heard of Ryn'h before.

 

[Mean Eyed Matt]

Fantastic hat history lesson, Stefan. Wonderful photos!

I have to second that: Thank you for the interesting background infos 'bout Esperaza, Stefan!

 

[Mean Eyed Matt]

A lottery hat I decided to go for last week. I'd say it's a winner.
Ryn'h (probably pronounced "rinnash") woolfelt fedora in grey heather. Size 58 with the raw edge brim at 5,5cm and the crown at 10 cm at the center dent. Likely thirties or maybe early forties. Weighs 134 grams, which isn't too heavy for a woolfelt hat. The felt is quite thin as well. The moth certainly had a go at it, but it doesn't show all that much on the heather felt. It has lost its crown patch along the way. Nice woolfelt survivor.

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More on the maker in the second post.

But I have to say: Wonderful lottery win, too!
From the photo shown to put his hands on it or bid on it is brave - and then to get such a rare piece: Bravo! Too bad that the crown sticker is missing, but for that the felt is all the more fantastic!

 

[steur]

But I have to say: Wonderful lottery win, too!
From the photo shown to put his hands on it or bid on it is brave - and then to get such a rare piece: Bravo! Too bad that the crown sticker is missing, but for that the felt is all the more fantastic!

Thank you, Matt. There are braver men than I Gunga Din! It's not like I bet the farm on this one getting it for less than €10 (and that included shipping)

 

[Mean Eyed Matt]

Thank you, Matt. There are braver men than I Gunga Din! It's not like I bet the farm on this one getting it for less than €10 (and that included shipping)

OK! I got that point! Spectacular price!

 

[steur]

Bit of a backstory to this one. A few weeks ago our fellow lounger Wayne @the_imperialist posted a Berteil he won on the bay. I was approached about that same hat by another of our fellow loungers, because seller supposedly wouldn't ship overseas (except that he did anyway). It didn't work out and Wayne became the new lucky owner. But as luck would have it I knew of another Berteil that was on sale and so the hunt was on and here's the result.
Berteil fedora in blue or "bleu mattan" (matt blue) as the makers would have it. Size 59 with the raw edge brim at 6,5cm and the crown at 10cm at the center dent. High quality hat and felt as we've come to expect from Berteil. Berteil did source their hats elsewhere though and the manufacturer of this one can be traced as well. The colour "bleu mattan" is one used by Mossant, so we know this one is made by them.

 

[moehawk]

Bit of a backstory to this one. A few weeks ago our fellow lounger Wayne @the_imperialist posted a Berteil he won on the bay. I was approached about that same hat by another of our fellow loungers, because seller supposedly wouldn't ship overseas (except that he did anyway). It didn't work out and Wayne became the new lucky owner. But as luck would have it I knew of another Berteil that was on sale and so the hunt was on and here's the result.
Berteil fedora in blue or "bleu mattan" (matt blue) as the makers would have it. Size 59 with the raw edge brim at 6,5cm and the crown at 10cm at the center dent. High quality hat and felt as we've come to expect from Berteil. Berteil did source their hats elsewhere though and the manufacturer of this one can be traced as well. The colour "bleu mattan" is one used by Mossant, so we know this one is made by them.

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Wow!
Nice catch!

 

[steur]

Wow!
Nice catch!

Thank you, John. Strange thing is that it was sitting there on sale for months with no interest whatsoever.

 

[moehawk]

Thank you, John. Strange thing is that it was sitting there on sale for months with no interest whatsoever.

I bet it would have sold a little faster if it was a size 56.

 

[steur]

Nowhere near as crisp as Randy's recent additions, but very interesting in their own right. From the lottery hat dollar bin here are two for the staggering price of €5.
Paris Mondain bowler hat with the brim at 5cm and the crown at 12cm. Size 53 or 54 by the looks of it. Very neat and lightweight little bowlerfrom Chalon sur Saone, France. What is special about this one is that the d'Orsay curl is completely flattened and sewn down with a double stitch.
Couldn't find anything on the retailer, but this is a very early one. Felt feels almost flocked on the shell.

 

[steur]

Not strictly a bowler, but I wouldn't know what else to call it. It was part of the two hat deal and it was the one that caught my eye. In style it resembles as Cambridge bowler, but to keep it French let's call it a Melon Sorbonne (which isn't a thing, but has a nice ring to it).
Mouroux & Cauzeret chapeau melon. Size 55 with the brim at 5cm and the crown at 13cm. Corded and with a clasped bow set halfway between a side bow and a backbow. Two gromets on either side and a cord of unknown function. I think this a very early style and the hat certainly shows its age with the felt won down to the shellac on most of the brim and either mothing or wear has done a number on the front of the crown as well. Can't wear it but I still like it.

 

[the_imperialist]

After a long wait my Berteil finally arrived! Looks to be the forest green (or Charmille 'arbor') companion to @steur wonderful blue Berteil. Wonderfully dense and pliable felt, just as good as the older pre wars I e handled.

To my heartbreak, the tags reveal it's actually a 6 1/2 punti as opposed to the listed 57cm... Alas.

 

[steur]

After a long wait my Berteil finally arrived! Looks to be the forest green (or Charmille 'arbor') companion to @steur wonderful blue Berteil. Wonderfully dense and pliable felt, just as good as the older pre wars I e handled.

To my heartbreak, the tags reveal it's actually a 6 1/2 punti as opposed to the listed 57cm... Alas.

Sorry to hear it's the wrong size, Wayne. Looks like a nice one (I'll forget that it's green). Being a size 6 1/2 punti I'm sure there'll be a new master for it.