German & Austrian Hutmachers

[Steve1857]

Now they're showing. Any labels under the sweat band?

As has been said previously, steam will help the reshape.

There you go

 

[Koechinggendoet]

Only that one in germans,other than that was just side label

 

[mayserwegener]

sorry i was in such rush last night

No problem.

Based on the paper label and stitched in liner my guess is early to mid 1960s.

Wegener made really nice Homburgs into this time period.

 

[steur]

Stefan, Unfortunately some of these hats end up that way. I look forward to seeing your de-modification. Thanks for saving it!

I posted this Hückel Extra last week and commented on its proportions. Based on an earlier comment of Steve I decided to take out the overwelt to see how that would go. Both the comment and a posting of Panos of a similar hat with an overwelt made me take a go at it. I think the results are very satisfying; totally different hat. Some trace of the former overwelt can still be seen here and there, but you'd have to take a pretty good look. It helps that the hat is a deep black.

Before:

After:

 

[Mean Eyed Matt]

Good job, Stefan!
The hat really won and now looks
even more fantastic than before anyway!
A good decision to give it a try.

 

[Mean Eyed Matt]

As with Stefan: Sometimes you just have to be lucky...
I gave a hat a chance, which was actually specified with 56 cm
and therefore intended for Panos. The condition and the bad pictures
made me/us suspect that it was an old (30s/40s) dark blue Woolie.
The price was unbeatable with 7€ (including shipping!) anyway...

When the package arrived yesterday, I was shocked at first,
because the box containing the hat was slightly larger than my hand!
I feared the worst...
Apart from the compressed state, it quickly turned out that the hat
unfortunately would not fit Panos - because it is a 58!
Lucky for me (sorry again, Panos).
A look at the logo on the sweat told me that it was a postwar hat
(certainly 50s): VEB Vereinigte Hutwerke Guben!
The actual dark blue felt (Yeah!) also turned out to be a wool-hair mix.
However, the condition was so badly deteriorated that I couldn't really tell
what the original shape was. I opted for an oldschool version with a deep
crease and gave the hat a lot of cleaning, brushing and steaming.
Here is the result:

The logo sadly is difficult to recognize

Later I found a hat on Steve's wonderful site that belongs to Chris
(here from the lounge) and is the same model in gray
- same shape/design of ribbon & sweat, same logo and label.
However, the lining has unfortunately been lost on mine.

 

[PanosChris]

As with Stefan: Sometimes you just have to be lucky...
I gave a hat a chance, which was actually specified with 56 cm
and therefore intended for Panos. The condition and the bad pictures
made me/us suspect that it was an old (30s/40s) dark blue Woolie.
The price was unbeatable with 7€ (including shipping!) anyway...

When the package arrived yesterday, I was shocked at first,
because the box containing the hat was slightly larger than my hand!
I feared the worst...
Apart from the compressed state, it quickly turned out that the hat
unfortunately would not fit Panos - because it is a 58!
Lucky for me (sorry again, Panos).
A look at the logo on the sweat told me that it was a postwar hat
(certainly 50s): VEB Vereinigte Hutwerke Guben!
The actual dark blue felt (Yeah!) also turned out to be a wool-hair mix.
However, the condition was so badly deteriorated that I couldn't really tell
what the original shape was. I opted for an oldschool version with a deep
crease and gave the hat a lot of cleaning, brushing and steaming.
Here is the result:

The logo sadly is difficult to recognize

Later I found a hat on Steve's wonderful site that belongs to Chris
(here from the lounge) and is the same model in gray
- same shape/design of ribbon & sweat, same logo and label.
However, the lining has unfortunately been lost on mine.

Matt, excellent and congrats again!! I am even more happy that fits you instead! I also like the old style crease!

And an interesting side note: that other VEB was also listed as 56 and was actually a 59, I know because it belonged to me (PanosChris ) Now, I believe Steve in Denmark still has it. For some reason these VEBs don't find their way to my head

 

[PanosChris]

I posted this Hückel Extra last week and commented on its proportions. Based on an earlier comment of Steve I decided to take out the overwelt to see how that would go. Both the comment and a posting of Panos of a similar hat with an overwelt made me take a go at it. I think the results are very satisfying; totally different hat. Some trace of the former overwelt can still be seen here and there, but you'd have to take a pretty good look. It helps that the hat is a deep black.

Before:
View attachment 334286 View attachment 334287

After:
View attachment 334278 View attachment 334279 View attachment 334280 View attachment 334281 View attachment 334282 View attachment 334283 View attachment 334284 View attachment 334285

Stefan, great and thanks for showing the way

 

[Mean Eyed Matt]

Matt, excellent and congrats again!! I am even more happy that fits you instead! I also like the old style crease!

And an interesting side note: that other VEB was also listed as 56 and was actually a 59, I know because it belonged to me (PanosChris ) Now, I believe Steve in Denmark still has it. For some reason these VEBs don't find their way to my head

Hah, what a coincidence!
I had already wondered who this "Chris" is!
Thank you for responding so sympathetically,
especially since it is now already the second VEB Guben,
which "does not want to come to you"!
Was yours also from a wool-fur mixture?

 

[steur]

Good job, Stefan!
The hat really won and now looks
even more fantastic than before anyway!
A good decision to give it a try.

Thanks, Matt. Amazing how resilient these felts are. Took a bit of work but it came right back to life.

 

[steur]

As with Stefan: Sometimes you just have to be lucky...
I gave a hat a chance, which was actually specified with 56 cm
and therefore intended for Panos. The condition and the bad pictures
made me/us suspect that it was an old (30s/40s) dark blue Woolie.
The price was unbeatable with 7€ (including shipping!) anyway...

When the package arrived yesterday, I was shocked at first,
because the box containing the hat was slightly larger than my hand!
I feared the worst...
Apart from the compressed state, it quickly turned out that the hat
unfortunately would not fit Panos - because it is a 58!
Lucky for me (sorry again, Panos).
A look at the logo on the sweat told me that it was a postwar hat
(certainly 50s): VEB Vereinigte Hutwerke Guben!
The actual dark blue felt (Yeah!) also turned out to be a wool-hair mix.
However, the condition was so badly deteriorated that I couldn't really tell
what the original shape was. I opted for an oldschool version with a deep
crease and gave the hat a lot of cleaning, brushing and steaming.
Here is the result:

The logo sadly is difficult to recognize

Later I found a hat on Steve's wonderful site that belongs to Chris
(here from the lounge) and is the same model in gray
- same shape/design of ribbon & sweat, same logo and label.
However, the lining has unfortunately been lost on mine.

Nice catch. Can't beat it for the money! I think it looked like this one.

 

[steur]

Stefan, great and thanks for showing the way

Thank you, Panos. It was worth giving it a try on this one. Good luck!

 

[PanosChris]

Hah, what a coincidence!
I had already wondered who this "Chris" is!
Thank you for responding so sympathetically,
especially since it is now already the second VEB Guben,
which "does not want to come to you"!
Was yours also from a wool-fur mixture?

Good question. Hard to say since I don't have it hand for some time now. As far as I remember that one was more fur than wool. What I can say for sure is that I was quite sad it was that large, very well made hat and one of my first 3-4 vintage finds back then

 

[mayserwegener]

Good question. Hard to say since I don't have it hand for some time now. As far as I remember that one was more fur than wool. What I can say for sure is that I was quite sad it was that large, very well made hat and one of my first 3-4 vintage finds back then

Panos, I believe they were mostly Fur Felt post WWII. Guben got hit hard in WWII so VEB (DDR / GDR) Vereinigte Hutwerke Guben (up to WWII Guben was the largest Wool and Fur Felt production center in Germany) was located in what survived of the Berlin-Gubener Hutfabrik/ Hat Factory. I have information on my site.

VEB Vereinigte Hutwerke Guben

https://germanaustrianhats.invisionzone.com/topic/55-veb-vereinigte-hutwerke-guben/

C. G. Wilke Guben

https://germanaustrianhats.invisionzone.com/topic/16-c-g-wilke-hutfabrik-guben/

Berlin Gubener Hutfabrik

https://germanaustrianhats.invisionzone.com/topic/15-berlin-gubener-hutfabrik/

 

[mayserwegener]

Nice catch. Can't beat it for the money! I think it looked like this one.
View attachment 334379 View attachment 334380 View attachment 334381 View attachment 334382 View attachment 334383

Stefan, This is great example of early production at VEB Vereinigte Hutwerke Guben. Some how I forgot to add it to my website. Thanks for posting it again. I will definitely post it now.

 

[mayserwegener]

As with Stefan: Sometimes you just have to be lucky...
I gave a hat a chance, which was actually specified with 56 cm
and therefore intended for Panos. The condition and the bad pictures
made me/us suspect that it was an old (30s/40s) dark blue Woolie.
The price was unbeatable with 7€ (including shipping!) anyway...

When the package arrived yesterday, I was shocked at first,
because the box containing the hat was slightly larger than my hand!
I feared the worst...
Apart from the compressed state, it quickly turned out that the hat
unfortunately would not fit Panos - because it is a 58!
Lucky for me (sorry again, Panos).
A look at the logo on the sweat told me that it was a postwar hat
(certainly 50s): VEB Vereinigte Hutwerke Guben!
The actual dark blue felt (Yeah!) also turned out to be a wool-hair mix.
However, the condition was so badly deteriorated that I couldn't really tell
what the original shape was. I opted for an oldschool version with a deep
crease and gave the hat a lot of cleaning, brushing and steaming.
Here is the result:

The logo sadly is difficult to recognize

Later I found a hat on Steve's wonderful site that belongs to Chris
(here from the lounge) and is the same model in gray
- same shape/design of ribbon & sweat, same logo and label.
However, the lining has unfortunately been lost on mine.

Matt, The "8" is probably 58. This is how C. G. Wilke Guben marked their hat sizes. For example this is size 58 cm.

Great find! Also congrats on getting it back into form.

 

[mayserwegener]

I posted this Hückel Extra last week and commented on its proportions. Based on an earlier comment of Steve I decided to take out the overwelt to see how that would go. Both the comment and a posting of Panos of a similar hat with an overwelt made me take a go at it. I think the results are very satisfying; totally different hat. Some trace of the former overwelt can still be seen here and there, but you'd have to take a pretty good look. It helps that the hat is a deep black.

Before:
View attachment 334286 View attachment 334287

After:
View attachment 334278 View attachment 334279 View attachment 334280 View attachment 334281 View attachment 334282 View attachment 334283 View attachment 334284 View attachment 334285

Stefan, Thank you for bringing it back to original ( my feeling) brim dimensions. This fits the time period / location.

 

[Mean Eyed Matt]

Nice catch. Can't beat it for the money! I think it looked like this one.
View attachment 334379 View attachment 334380 View attachment 334381 View attachment 334382 View attachment 334383

Hah - that's it! Thanks for showing: really nice hat in great condition, Stefan!
Interesting, that the liners of Panos's/Steve's and your's show different styles/names.
Is it a 100 % fur felt hat - like Steve said most of them were made of after WW II?
Because maybe I'm wrong with my assessment of wool-fur mix?

Matt, The "8" is probably 58. This is how C. G. Wilke Guben marked their hat sizes. For example this is size 58 cm.

Great find! Also congrats on getting it back into form.

Interesting info on the Guben hats - would also fit with the label of Stefan's hat!

 

[steur]

Stefan, Thank you for bringing it back to original ( my feeling) brim dimensions. This fits the time period / location.

Thanks for putting me on the right track, Steve. I think your assessment was spot on. Its current proportions and raw edge brim are far more in keeping with other hats from the time period.

 

[steur]

Hah - that's it! Thanks for showing: really nice hat in great condition, Stefan!
Interesting, that the liners of Panos's/Steve's and your's show different styles/names.
Is it a 100 % fur felt hat - like Steve said most of them were made of after WW II?
Because maybe I'm wrong with my assessment of wool-fur mix?



Interesting info on the Guben hats - would also fit with the label of Stefan's hat!

I'd have to dig it up to refresh my memory a bit, but as I recall it was likely a mix (not as refined as a pure fur felt).