German & Austrian Hutmachers

[mayserwegener]

Yes I was thinking something similar but couldn't find a Stolzf.... that fit. I checked online dictionaries and Google. It could*be something they made up or is obscure.

 

[mayserwegener]

OK, I'll post some of the results tomorrow. Most of the current manufacturers are producing for industry, but at least one started out producing felt for hats,

I am not aware of any companies making hat felt in Germany and Austria. I know Mayser stopped making felt a while back and a couple years ago they moved hat production to Slovakia. Before WII there were many producers.

 

[Ghost Rider]

These are the main German felt manufacturers today, although as mentioned already, it's generally industrial felt (although Filzfabrik Wurzen make felt for piano hammers):

http://www.vfg.de/en/our-company/chronicle.html

http://www.filzfabrik.de/en/company.html

http://www.filzfabrik-fulda.de/en/our-company/history.html

http://filzfabrik-wurzen.de/unternehmen/firmengeschichte/# (This site in German only)
http://www.bwf-group.de/de/unternehmen/firmengeschichte.html (This site in German only)

Happy reading

 

[mayserwegener]

Thanks! I will look through the sites. It would be fantastic if we could find a master list of hat / felt companies from the 1950s back to the late 1800s. I have a few copies of Deutsche Hutmacher-Zeitung from the early 1900s but they don't contain any member lists. I also have copies of Österreichisch-ungarische Hutmacher-Zeitung and Österreichisch Hutmacher-Zeitung which contain member lists which have proved very helpful.

 

[mayserwegener]

These are the main German felt manufacturers today, although as mentioned already, it's generally industrial felt (although Filzfabrik Wurzen make felt for piano hammers):

http://www.vfg.de/en/our-company/chronicle.html

http://www.filzfabrik.de/en/company.html

http://www.filzfabrik-fulda.de/en/our-company/history.html

http://filzfabrik-wurzen.de/unternehmen/firmengeschichte/# (This site in German only)
http://www.bwf-group.de/de/unternehmen/firmengeschichte.html (This site in German only)

Happy reading

Highly possible the Lemberts mentioned in the last link (BWF-Group) are related to the ones that started K & R Lembert Hutfabrik Augsburg (still in business today).

"1896 Establishment of a Filzfabrik in Offingen by the Augsburg entrepreneurs John and William Lembert and Franz Baptist Silbermann."

 

[feltfan]

Something I saw for sale at an antique store in San Francisco this weekend.

 

[Hatter4]

There is a YouTube video of a Jewish hatter, from Germany I think, its called VJ75 Der Hutmacher. Does anyone know who he is?

 

[TheDane]

That is Shmuel Shapira from Szaszi in Vienna. Probably the only hatter in the World, using shorn hair. As he claims: "Only the hair is used, the animal is not hurt" ... wel, well, well lol

He is mentioned from time to time on TFL, but I never heard of a member who actually owns one of his hats. They are very costly, that's all I know.

 

[Hatter4]

Thank you for the information on Shmuel Shapira from Szaszi in Vienna. I looked up his web site. there are some nice photos of his shop .

 

[TheDane]

Yes, it's a wonderful biedermeier shop. Wouldn't trust him with a hat or any of my money, though [huh]

 

[joeyorav]

This one is by Gottfried Kiniger of Sillian, Austria (near the Italian Alpine boarder). He makes he is own felt (see video clip above) so a bit out of the ordinary. I visited his shop on a recent trip through Austria and I picked up this natural velour hat. It has some Seal Velour qualities and came with as nice open crown block. The sweat, ribbon and liner quality aren't the best but they are functional. My guess is Gottfried and his wife are over 80 years old.

 

[splintercellsz]

Very nice! I enjoy the sheen that felt shows in the light!!

 

[mayserwegener]

Actually that is my hat. I visited Gottfried Kiniger back in 2011. Not sure if he made the felt for this hat. He does make some of his own felt. I have the complete Der Hutmacher film somewhere. The Youtube preview is no longer available. The film shows him making a fur and wool felt hoods. The wool hood is machine assisted while the fur hood is made by hand (like in old engravings). I believe he is now 86 years old.

I found the Der Hutmacher film so I will see if I can post it for download.

 

[Chepstow]

Splendid hat Steve! I am very interested to see that Film !



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[ManofKent]

Steve - that's a piece of living history. Wonderful.

 

[Hatter4]

I too would like to see that film "der hutmacker"

 

[mayserwegener]

It's in German.

http://www.mediafire.com/watch/eevaqu9o74xo7gi/Der%20Hutmacher.avi

 

[Chepstow]

Can't load that Film! Maybe I try it again.



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[The Wiser Hatter]

Manfred its an AVI file you will have to download it to watch it doesn't stream.

 

[mayserwegener]

Ed, Could you download and watch it?

Manfred, The "Download" tab is at the lower right under "Share". It's ~ 350 MB file.