German & Austrian Hutmachers

[Mean Eyed Matt]

J. Hückel´s Söhne "Durit", FP 5 1/2, possibly late 1920s and made for the French Market. The Light Brown Velour has high gloss and easily dry creases. The wide Ribbon / Band is an interesting Reddish Brown. It has a tall 6 inch Open Crown and 2 1/2 inch Brim.

Open Crown

I was thinking 2 days ago, Steve hasn't shown a new acquisition in a while. And suddenly you show up with this beauty: Absolutely fantastic hat - congratulations!

 

[mayserwegener]

I was thinking 2 days ago, Steve hasn't shown a new acquisition in a while. And suddenly you show up with this beauty: Absolutely fantastic hat - congratulations!

Matt, Thank you! What's funny is I accidentally stumbled upon this find.

 

[Mean Eyed Matt]

Matt, Thank you! What's funny is I accidentally stumbled upon this find.

Hmmm, then I wish to stumble more often as well, if something so beautiful results from it ...

 

[steur]

P&C Habig Special Zefiro made for Willoughby of Paris. Size 60 with the raw edge brim at 5,5cm and the crown at 10,5cm at the center dent. Nice thin felt with a bit of heathering going on. Intended for spring or summer wear it seems as it has both the Ventilo treatment and two ventilation patterns on the side. The hat is really lightweight too, at only 92 grams. This thin ribbon style is uncommon for European hats.
We should be able to determine the production year from the label of Habig hats, but I can make heads nor tails of this one. Steve?

 

[mayserwegener]

P&C Habig Special Zefiro made for Willoughby of Paris. Size 60 with the raw edge brim at 5,5cm and the crown at 10,5cm at the center dent. Nice thin felt with a bit of heathering going on. Intended for spring or summer wear it seems as it has both the Ventilo treatment and two ventilation patterns on the side. The hat is really lightweight too, at only 92 grams. This thin ribbon style is uncommon for European hats.
We should be able to determine the production year from the label of Habig hats, but I can make heads nor tails of this one. Steve?

Stefan, Very interesting! It has Tracht elements. I really like the Bow design. I am not sure if I have encountered that paper Ventilo tag before. The paper label doesn't have a two digit year. I can't recall a pre 1950s example of Ventilo. In the past I have tried to research the Ventilo patent number but didn't find anything. I will have to give it another try.

 

[steur]

Stefan, Very interesting! It has Tracht elements. I really like the Bow design. I am not sure if I have encountered that paper Ventilo tag before. The paper label doesn't have a two digit year. I can't recall a pre 1950s example of Ventilo. In the past I have tried to research the Ventilo patent number but didn't find anything. I will have to give it another try.

Thank you, Steve.

 

[steur]

Mayser spezial homburg in black, Size 57 with the bound brim at 6cm and the crown at 10,5cm at the center dent. What can I say? Very attractive homburg with a great hand to the felt. There was a newspaper behind the sweatband with a 1969 date on it. Could be a little earlier though. Weighs 138 grams. Do I need another black homburg. NO! But if you twist my arm and sell it for €10 I can't say no. Sold originally by C. Heimbach in Hamborn, Germany. That would be Carl Heimbach and that is all I can find about him.

 

[mayserwegener]

Mayser spezial homburg in black, Size 57 with the bound brim at 6cm and the crown at 10,5cm at the center dent. What can I say? Very attractive homburg with a great hand to the felt. There was a newspaper behind the sweatband with a 1969 date on it. Could be a little earlier though. Weighs 138 grams. Do I need another black homburg. NO! But if you twist my arm and sell it for €10 I can't say no. Sold originally by C. Heimbach in Hamborn, Germany. That would be Carl Heimbach and that is all I can find about him.

Stefan, Somehow I missed this one. Super find!

 

[mayserwegener]

Stetson "Excellent" Made under License by Mayser, Especially Made for Carl Kellner Hamburg, measures 58cm, possibly early 1960s. The paper label is missing so not sure it's Black, could possible be a Dark Charcoal Gray. It's a later Form but the Felt is pliable and easily dry creases. I like the color of the the Band / Binding and also like the Bow design.

Open Crown

 

[Wangenheim]

Today I have a fake-velour Fedora in a brown-beige-greenish grey (haha) with a brown hat band in Size 57. The brim is 5,2 cm, the hat band 4,1 cm wide and the crown height 10,5 cm.

Fake-velour, because this is made of wool (I think) and just imitates a velour hat, as I already had a dark blue one. The felt is very soft, but the touch is irregular (and no real direction) as you can also see in the photos. So it was a cheaper alternative for an expensive velour hat. This is supported by the total lack of any markings or label behind the sweat band or embossings. Maybe there was something attached at the crown inside - but the stain is off center, so this was something else. And there is a white thread left on the inside of the front of the hat, as if a lining was attached (but is this done there?).

To me the hat has the proportions of a 30s hat, but behind the sweat band, there was a newspaper, dating 1953. On the other hand, it was inserted all around. That means it was too big for the last wearer. Therefore I don't think it was the original owner - or decades later, when his head had shrunk. It's a Swiss newspaper. But maybe it is really a 40s or even early 50s hat?

The last picture (indoor) is a better represantation of the color, I think. Because it's not just grey.

 

[mayserwegener]

Today I have a fake-velour Fedora in a brown-beige-greenish grey (haha) with a brown hat band in Size 57. The brim is 5,2 cm, the hat band 4,1 cm wide and the crown height 10,5 cm.

Fake-velour, because this is made of wool (I think) and just imitates a velour hat, as I already had a dark blue one. The felt is very soft, but the touch is irregular (and no real direction) as you can also see in the photos. So it was a cheaper alternative for an expensive velour hat. This is supported by the total lack of any markings or label behind the sweat band or embossings. Maybe there was something attached at the crown inside - but the stain is off center, so this was something else. And there is a white thread left on the inside of the front of the hat, as if a lining was attached (but is this done there?).

To me the hat has the proportions of a 30s hat, but behind the sweat band, there was a newspaper, dating 1953. On the other hand, it was inserted all around. That means it was too big for the last wearer. Therefore I don't think it was the original owner - or decades later, when his head had shrunk. It's a Swiss newspaper. But maybe it is really a 40s or even early 50s hat?

The last picture (indoor) is a better represantation of the color, I think. Because it's not just grey.


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I also think it's later 1930s early 1940s. If it is indeed made of Wool and not mostly Hare fur than it's technically not Echter / Real Velour. I actually like hats like this. There was definitely Wool Velour because I have seen listings for it in pre WWII German Hatmaker News (which didn't survive WWII). I am not sure I have any but it's highly possible I do.

 

[Wangenheim]

I also think it's later 1930s early 1940s. If it is indeed made of Wool and not mostly Hare fur than it's technically not Echter / Real Velour. I actually like hats like this. There was definitely Wool Velour because I have seen listings for it in pre WWII German Hatmaker News (which didn't survive WWII). I am not sure I have any but it's highly possible I do.

I also like these cheaper hats, they are all the more mysterious without any name, make, but nice hats nonetheless. And one can be sure not to have something out of the ordinary, but as the common man would have worn.

Espeacially because from two meters distance you can't really tell if it's such a no-name mall hat or a high end velour (OK, I am short-sighted). The only thing I don't like is, that it's very soft, so that the brim for example get's instant waves if you touch it. Or: the crown shape changes if you don't grab it very cautious. That it has in common with my Hückel Crystall Velour, but this new hat is even softer.

Have you ever tried to stiffen a hat with hairspray, as people obviously do? Or what can I do to make it a little more retaining its shape?

 

[steur]

Stefan, Somehow I missed this one. Super find!

Stetson "Excellent" Made under License by Mayser, Especially Made for Carl Kellner Hamburg, measures 58cm, possibly early 1960s. The paper label is missing so not sure it's Black, could possible be a Dark Charcoal Gray. It's a later Form but the Felt is pliable and easily dry creases. I like the color of the the Band / Binding and also like the Bow design.

Open Crown

Thanks, Steve.
Wonderful licensed Stetson you've found there. They really went for quality with these. I like to find more of these, but they're pretty scarce.

 

[mayserwegener]

Thanks, Steve.
Wonderful licensed Stetson you've found there. They really went for quality with these. I like to find more of these, but they're pretty scarce.

Stefan, Thank you! Yes, they are scarce but some have popped up lately.

 

[mayserwegener]

Have you ever tried to stiffen a hat with hairspray, as people obviously do? Or what can I do to make it a little more retaining its shape?

Personally I wouldn't use hairspray. You can try wetting the brim felt (make sure it's saturated) with distilled water but make sure to turnout the sweatband so it doesn't get wet. You can form the brim by hand (or with a brim flange) + brush the Velour with a firmer bristled brush and let it dry. This might bring back some stiffness. You could also use a firmer bristle brush + steam (or a spray of distilled water) to get the Velour to look better.

 

[Wangenheim]

Today I have a black wool (?) fedora in size 56 from Apia. There definitely was a clip on the inside of the crown, and I just left the shape as it is from this tool. There was a brand label at the top inside of the crown, but only some glue remains are left. The felt is not as rough as with a cheap wool hat and considerably thinner. So I guess a rather fine wool or a rough fur felt.

It has a very wide brim of 6,8 cm and a crown height of 10,5 cm at the back (which would be the same with a regular shape I guess) and 9,5 cm at the front, because of the deep crease in the crown. The hat band is 5 cm.

It's not only my first hat with a back ribbon, but also the only fedora with a lace around the crown - to tie it down when windy? I only have a boater with this feature.

I don't know what the trademark Apia is, but to me it seems this makes it a mid-prize mall hat: not a real hatmaker, but some kind of brand name put on a Guben hat maybe, but expensive enough, to have something embossed into the sweat band.

I'm not sure about the decade. I always had the feeling, that these back ribbons were not very fashionable in the 30s anymore - is that right? Also the deep crease with the clip says 20s to me.

 

[mayserwegener]

Today I have a black wool (?) fedora in size 56 from Apia. There definitely was a clip on the inside of the crown, and I just left the shape as it is from this tool. There was a brand label at the top inside of the crown, but only some glue remains are left. The felt is not as rough as with a cheap wool hat and considerably thinner. So I guess a rather fine wool or a rough fur felt.

It has a very wide brim of 6,8 cm and a crown height of 10,5 cm at the back (which would be the same with a regular shape I guess) and 9,5 cm at the front, because of the deep crease in the crown. The hat band is 5 cm.

It's not only my first hat with a back ribbon, but also the only fedora with a lace around the crown - to tie it down when windy? I only have a boater with this feature.

I don't know what the trademark Apia is, but to me it seems this makes it a mid-prize mall hat: not a real hatmaker, but some kind of brand name put on a Guben hat maybe, but expensive enough, to have something embossed into the sweat band.

I'm not sure about the decade. I always had the feeling, that these back ribbons were not very fashionable in the 30s anymore - is that right? Also the deep crease with the clip says 20s to me.

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Sorry I missed this one! Great find! Yes, most likely from Guben. There are many Wool Stiff and Soft Felt Hats with that similar paper label. I started to put together a list of them but need to to update it.

 

[mayserwegener]

S. J. Fraenkel Wien "Siror", 57cm possibly late 1950s. I would like to thank Brent for letting me know about this fantastic Velour. The high quality golden brown Velour is very closely cropped and has high gloss. Great looking thin ribbon / band color and bow design. Also the close cropped Velour allows for the matching Brim Binding.

 

[Rmccamey]

Lovely liner in that hat!

S. J. Fraenkel Wien "Siror", 57cm possibly late 1950s. I would like to thank Brent for letting me know about this fantastic Velour. The high quality golden brown Velour is very closely cropped and has high gloss. Great looking thin ribbon / band color and bow design. Also the close cropped Velour allows for the matching Brim Binding.

 

[mayserwegener]

Lovely liner in that hat!

Randy, Thank you!