German & Austrian Hutmachers

[Mario]

Mario, Thank you for posting all the detailed photos! This such a super find! Now I wish I bid on the small velour from the same seller just hold and pet it.

The Gruesome Brigade Of The Nasty Hat Molesters...

 

[Dreispitz]

New to my collection: A very old Austrian hat from Bregenz at the shore of Lake Constance, made by Otto Matt.

The hat is jet black and comes with an unfinished brim, unreeded sweat and no liner. The sweat carries the name of the hatter, Otto Matt, embossed i golden letters.

I believe that the hat is from the late 20's/early 30's. There is a stamp on the inside of the sweat with a date. I think it says 1928 but it's so faint that I can't really discern it for sure.

The felt is extremely soft, thin and supple and it took quite a bit of steam to convice the hat to keep the diamond crease I gave it. The lid could probably use a naptha bath but for now I only gave it a rather thorough brushing.

Contrary to the size given by the seller (54 or 6 3/4") it turned out to be a slightly large 6 7/8 (German 55).

Crown (creased): 4 7/8"
Brim: 2 3/4"
Ribbon: 2"

Voll Geilomat! Was the diamond crease original to the hat? lol :eusa_doh: :eusa_clap

 

[Mario]

One more for the road: A very old velour-finished hat from either Austria or Germany. I'm not sure about the name. Liner and sweatband both have a logo that says 'Favorit' (hard to make out). The tag says G.J.M. and that's what I'll call it in the future. I think it's again from the late 20's or early 30's. The tag also makes a reference to mountains and has the word 'hochland' (highlands) in it, so I'd guess that the hat is actually from Austria, even though I can't be sure about it.

Color: Jet-black
Crown (creased): 4 7/8"
Brim: 2 3/8", raw edge
Ribbon: 2"
Sweatband: Gray, unreeded

 

[mayserwegener]

Mario, Thank you for the detail pics of this gem! I have a couple old German - Austrian hats where the company only uses initials. For example the old Boater I just landed is "M. E. G. & C". I will do some searching around on "G.J.M." but I think it will be difficult to find out anything. There were so many hat companies back in that time period.

 

[rlk]

Beautiful hats!! I enjoyed a few days in Bregenz back in 1984, unfortunately not hat-hunting then.
Looks like the second hat says Machland on either side of the G.J.M.? Here's a factory from the area (Upper Austria)

How it looks now:http://www.stiftung-severin.at/inside/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=12&Itemid=21

Didn't see your reference to hochland-hard to make out the first letter.

 

[Mario]

Beautiful hats!! I enjoyed a few days in Bregenz back in 1984, unfortunately not hat-hunting then.
Looks like the second hat says Machland on either side of the G.J.M.? Here's a factory from the area (Upper Austria)

How it looks now:http://www.stiftung-severin.at/inside/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=12&Itemid=21

Robert - I have to hand it to you: your eyesight is obviously better than mine. That way it makes more sense than 'Hochland'... :whistling

 

[mayserwegener]

Beautiful hats!! I enjoyed a few days in Bregenz back in 1984, unfortunately not hat-hunting then.
Looks like the second hat says Machland on either side of the G.J.M.? Here's a factory from the area (Upper Austria)
Didn't see your reference to hochland-hard to make out the first letter.

I guess the "M" in "G.J.M" could be "Machland". I tried searching Machland Hutfabrik / Hutmacher but nothing.

Cool find on Carl Blum Hutfabrik!

 

[Mario]

Yes, this makes sense. Even more so if you consider the fact that the Carl Blum Hutfabrik was specifically built to manufacture velour hats (they obviously made other hats as well, but there seemed to be a particular accent on velour hats). Good find indeed!

The hutfarbrik.at website says that the factory was founded in 1874 while another source mentions 1834... [huh]

 

[mayserwegener]

Could be although nothing on the label points to that other than general location. I do know companies sourced hats to shops with special names (what we would call an OEM today).

 

[mayserwegener]

Hückel Superior Crystall Velour

1930s or older gray Hückel Superior Crystall Velour, size 54cm. This velour is a higher grade than my black Hückel Seal Velour and similar to my black Hückel Sigma Velour. It has a similar sweatband and hanging cord as my other two Hückel Superiors (not velours) and is in very good condition. The bow work is unique and it doesn't have a country of origin.

 

[Mario]

Wow, Steve... :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[mayserwegener]

Mario, Thanks! It actually exceeded my expectations. It is museum worthy.

I actually found some information on Lorenz Jungwirth of Waging a. See, Bavaria who was the owner of the hat.

The first Waging team of TSV in 1932 from left: Louis Penninger, Franz Waldherr, Josef Bauer, Lorenz Jungwirth, Dusi Fischer, Franz (Pauli) Waldherr, Hans Kronbichler; Josef Krieger, Hans Weth, Anton Schmid, Louis Feil

Died in WWII so this hat is definitely 1930s.

Corporal Lorenz Jungwirth
born 1911 Waging
22/07/1941, 30J. Russia

 

[Lloyd]

I concur. That's an amazing hat

Wow, Steve... :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[jimmy the lid]

Steve -- that is just amazing. Truly, a spectacular find. :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[rlk]

Böhm Wien

Tough act to follow...Pretty nice quality felt. The first Böhm I've seen in person. Sold at Kolle in Hameln, Germany. Hat band is black felt with holes made by specially trained Austrian Moths.

 

[rlk]

Hückel

No sweatband(friction fit leather band for head photo) but otherwise in good but dusty condition. Has the exterior baste-stitches along the top edge of the hatband.
A short hair velour like the Borsalino XXX.

 

[rlk]

Mayser

A large 56 cm. size more like 57.

 

[daizawaguy]

1930s or older gray Hückel Superior Crystall Velour, size 54cm. This velour is a higher grade than my black Hückel Seal Velour and similar to my black Hückel Sigma Velour. It has a similar sweatband and hanging cord as my other two Hückel Superiors (not velours) and is in very good condition. The bow work is unique and it doesn't have a country of origin.

Superb!:eusa_clap

 

[Dreispitz]

1930s or older gray Hückel Superior Crystall Velour, size 54cm. This velour is a higher grade than my black Hückel Seal Velour and similar to my black Hückel Sigma Velour. It has a similar sweatband and hanging cord as my other two Hückel Superiors (not velours) and is in very good condition. The bow work is unique and it doesn't have a country of origin.

What a gem of a hat! I think Hückel really made the finest velours. :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[mayserwegener]

What a gem of a hat! I think Hückel really made the finest velours. :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

Thanks!

I totally agree. The look and feel are the finest I have encountered.