French Hats and makers.

[Rmccamey]

A beauty, for certain.

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.

 

[mayserwegener]

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

Wolfgang, Sorry I missed your post and this fantastic find. As Stefan mentioned I haven't seen one with such dimensions.

Side Note: Wolfgang is my friend from Salzburg. He made this super accurate translation of this very important article on Echter / Real Velour.

Hair Velour / Real (Echter) Velour / Prime (Prima) Velour Fabrikation von Damen- und Herren- Filzhüten, Der Deustchen Hutmacher Zeitung (1933)

Hair Velour / Real (Echter) Velour / Prime (Prima) Velour By C.A.P. Pellaio (English Translation By ErWeSa (Wolfgang)) Fabrikation von Damen- und Herren- Filzhüten, Der Deustchen Hutmacher Zeitung (1933) "What is wool?" - "The hair of a sheep." "What’s a sheep?" - "A sheep? An animal,of course." ...

germanaustrianhats.invisionzone.com

 

[mayserwegener]

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.

Wayne, Good see your post! I am sorry about the size but at least it's in good hands.

 

[mayserwegener]

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.

Stefan, Amazing finds! I kick myself for not securing such historical finds. Size shouldn't matter in such cases.

 

[steur]

Stefan, Amazing finds! I kick myself for not securing such historical finds. Size shouldn't matter in such cases.

Thank you, Steve. I admit I don't always do, but my curiosity got the better of me and the price was right.

 

[steur]

Berteil in brown. Size 60 with the overwelt brim at 6,7cm and the crown at 10cm at the center dent. This one was most likely made by Laubin for Berteil as the size label is the same they used.

 

[TheOldFashioned]

Thibet by Jean Bourrel Manufacture De Chapeaux:

Specs:

Crown	6" (open)
Brim	2-1/2" with 5/8" binding underside
Ribbon	2"
Weight	140g

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Thibet by Jean Bourrel Manufacture De Chapeaux:
View attachment 530608 View attachment 530609 View attachment 530610 View attachment 530611 View attachment 530612 View attachment 530613 View attachment 530614 View attachment 530615

Specs:

Crown	6" (open)
Brim	2-1/2" with 5/8" binding underside
Ribbon	2"
Weight	140g

That is a thing of beauty. It exemplifies everything I like about vintage hats.

 

[drmaxtejeda]

Thibet by Jean Bourrel Manufacture De Chapeaux:
View attachment 530608 View attachment 530609 View attachment 530610 View attachment 530611 View attachment 530612 View attachment 530613 View attachment 530614 View attachment 530615

Specs:

Crown	6" (open)
Brim	2-1/2" with 5/8" binding underside
Ribbon	2"
Weight	140g

Beauuutiful!

 

[BobHufford]

Thibet by Jean Bourrel Manufacture De Chapeaux

Great get Jonathan! Even the size sticker is beautiful.

 

[the_imperialist]

Latest arrival, a real beaut. Softest velour Fletchet. I'm estimating 40s/50s

 

[mayserwegener]

Latest arrival, a real beaut. Softest velour Fletchet. I'm estimating 40s/50s

Wayne, Fantastic! Amazing color and form. The finish looks Seal Velour like! I am thinking it might be older.

 

[Steve1857]

Latest arrival, a real beaut. Softest velour Fletchet. I'm estimating 40s/50s

Absolutely wonderful, Wayne. Congrats!

 

[the_imperialist]

Thank you gents, I'm definitely pleased with the proportions and quality...and the price

Wayne, Fantastic! Amazing color and form. The finish looks Seal Velour like! I am thinking it might be older.

Thanks Steve, it's pretty close to my Huckels (the hairs on the Flechet velour is just a tiny bit shorter). I'll defer to learned french hat experts, I just thought the label weren't as old as some of the ones I've seen though those were 20/30s one from memory.

 

[mayserwegener]

Thank you gents, I'm definitely pleased with the proportions and quality...and the price



Thanks Steve, it's pretty close to my Huckels (the hairs on the Flechet velour is just a tiny bit shorter). I'll defer to learned french hat experts, I just thought the label weren't as old as some of the ones I've seen though those were 20/30s one from memory.

Wayne, I think you could be correct. Maybe someone will chime in.

 

[steur]

Latest arrival, a real beaut. Softest velour Fletchet. I'm estimating 40s/50s

That's a beautiful hat, Wayne. Good to see you around by the way. I think you're in the right spot with your estimate. Fléchet used the B. Fléchet in various forms on their hats for a good while. Difficult to say when they finnaly dropped the B, but it is somewhat later I think.

 

[mayserwegener]

I decided to post this here. This is Robert's (RLK) fantastic NOS French Velour find of December 2011. I believe it was only posted in the "Post New Hats Here" thread.

RLK - Robert Dec. 28, 2011

9 Chapeaux NOS Peluche

All are 56 or larger and genuinely unused or owned. From Marseilles.

The Silver/Gray are 2 @56/4-1/2.
Blacks are 57,59 and 2@60
Brown are 2 @ 59
1 Beige @57

All but the 2 60/6-1/2 have Fléchet labels, the others seem to be the same bodies but different labels. From Bodin.

Unbelievable find! Were they from a French source? Looking forward to more details.

They came direct from Marseilles. I am very excited and relieved. There were still more, but in tiny sizes and not cheap enough to speculate that I could find them homes.

Sample interior view:

RLK - Robert Dec. 29, 2011

Marron(Chestnut) Fléchet Velour

RLK - Robert Dec. 30, 2011

Antonin France? black Austrian Velour

Steve will be happy to learn that this one has an Austrian body. The two 6-1/2's have different liners and sweats but the same size tags with AF--the other says FRANCE on the tip. The felt is a little different although all the hats are about the same style and weight.

 

[mayserwegener]

Continued.

Gorgeous. Is the liner not sewn in?

Its about 60% sewn in. The liner and the top edge of the ribbon are basted in place for original shipping/stacking. This one had the liner folded over a bit and the rear of the ribbon pushed down a little. They could use a steam fluff but are not dusty or otherwise damaged. They probably spent decades stacked in the original boxes.

France Velour

The other 6-1/2 without a liner. This one had its own paper cover and was on top so is even more undisturbed.

These have about 6" open crowns and brims just over 2-1/4" and quite a bit of curve to the flanging.

This one is quite spectacular as well. Is the velour body and pile thicker on this example compared with the first, or is the ribbon simply sewn on more tightly?

The ribbon is smoother and tighter and the velour is fluffier as it hasn't been as compressed. The others would be similar with a brushing and careful steam. This photo is fresh from the wrapper without any work(other than soft center crease).

Chameau(Camel) Fléchet Velour

This beauty is a little unkempt from being inside another hat, but one of my favorites.

Heron Fléchet Velour

One of two different liner/sweatband styles on some of these hats. Also could benefit from some salon time.

 

[steur]

Continued.



Its about 60% sewn in. The liner and the top edge of the ribbon are basted in place for original shipping/stacking. This one had the liner folded over a bit and the rear of the ribbon pushed down a little. They could use a steam fluff but are not dusty or otherwise damaged. They probably spent decades stacked in the original boxes.

France Velour

The other 6-1/2 without a liner. This one had its own paper cover and was on top so is even more undisturbed.

These have about 6" open crowns and brims just over 2-1/4" and quite a bit of curve to the flanging.


The ribbon is smoother and tighter and the velour is fluffier as it hasn't been as compressed. The others would be similar with a brushing and careful steam. This photo is fresh from the wrapper without any work(other than soft center crease).

Chameau(Camel) Fléchet Velour

This beauty is a little unkempt from being inside another hat, but one of my favorites.

Heron Fléchet Velour

One of two different liner/sweatband styles on some of these hats. Also could benefit from some salon time.

Thanks for saving these, Steve. Robert's collection always had me in awe. These are no exception. Magnificent.

 

[mayserwegener]

Thanks for saving these, Steve. Robert's collection always had me in awe. These are no exception. Magnificent.

Stefan, Thank you! I thought they might have been posted in this thread but I couldn't find them. Robert has some other great finds that are only posted in "Post New Hats Here" thread.