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German & Austrian Hutmachers

rlk

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,100
Location
Evanston, IL
Germany 1911

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Messages
17,489
Location
Maryland
Mayser Supra

This one has a unique sweatband that I haven't seen before on Mayser. Beautiful liner and ribbon / bow work. Overall it is a really nice example of the style. Could be early to mid 1950s.

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danofarlington

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,122
Location
Arlington, Virginia
Perhaps the German hatmaking companies were not so far removed geographically from Borsalino and the other Italian makers. I wonder to what extent they felt competitive with each other, and tried to one-up each other in making hats for the European market? That would be the counterpart to Stetson-Dobbs-Knox-Mallory competition which existed in the United States. If they did consciously compete, I wonder how that showed up in their offerings year to year.
 

Joshbru3

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,409
Location
Chicago, IL
This one has a unique sweatband that I haven't seen before on Mayser. Beautiful liner and ribbon / bow work. Overall it is a really nice example of the style. Could be early to mid 1950s.

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That looks like an extremely straight crown block. I love the crown shape! That is such an excellent looking hat. The quality overall is just outstanding!! Great find, Steve.
 
Messages
17,489
Location
Maryland
Dan, The Italian hat companies are in the north so they share Alpine connection. Mayser was / is the big hat company in Germany. Mayser also built Stetson hats (very popular in Germany) for the German market. Borsalino was / is much more famous in Europe and all over the World. The German market was / is the biggest in Europe so Borsalino produced hats specifically for that market (see Echter Borsalino). I think if you looked at the overall hat business the USA was way out ahead of everyone followed by Germany.
 
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Messages
17,489
Location
Maryland
That looks like an extremely straight crown block. I love the crown shape! That is such an excellent looking hat. The quality overall is just outstanding!! Great find, Steve.

Josh, It does look really straight in that photo. I shot it from a high angle to show the bow so that is probably the reason.
 

danofarlington

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,122
Location
Arlington, Virginia
Dan, The Italian hat companies are in the north so they share Alpine connection. Mayser was / is the big hat company in Germany. Mayser also built Stetson hats (very popular in Germany) for the German market. Borsalino was / is much more famous in Europe and all over the World. The German market was / is the biggest in Europe so Borsalino produced hats specifically for that market (see Echter Borsalino). I think if you looked at the overall hat business the USA was way out ahead of everyone followed by Germany.

I am interested because I think I generally like the European styles more than the American styles of men's dress hat. Maybe it's the narrower ribbons they seem to have used, but they look somewhat cooler to me.
 
Messages
17,489
Location
Maryland
I am interested because I think I generally like the European styles more than the American styles of men's dress hat. Maybe it's the narrower ribbons they seem to have used, but they look somewhat cooler to me.

As mentioned both Mayser (other German / Austrian companies) and Borsalino (other Italian companies) share a Germanic influence so that could be a factor. You see varying ribbon widths from the American companies. The differences would be in the bow designs and ribbon materials. Also the felt type, blocking and finishes.
 
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Messages
17,489
Location
Maryland
VEB Lukenwalder Hutfabrik Velour

This turned out to be a very nice find. Size 59cm with unique gun metal gray Velour. Made in the GDR probably early 1960s.

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Interesting blocking.

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