German & Austrian Hutmachers

[moehawk]

Excellent find, John. Don't see Lembert hats often. Why did it have to be green though...?

Thanks Stefan!
The color is fine! But why did it have to be a 60?

 

[mayserwegener]

Here is some more info on J. C. Förster & Sohn, Max Förster and other Altenburg Hat Factories.

No mention of J. C. Förster & Sohn, Gustav Förster or Max Förster in the following 1859 Address Book.

"Adressbuch aller Länder der Erde der Kaufleute, Fabrikanten, Gewerbtreibenden, Gutsbesitzer etc Zugleich Handelsgeographie, Produkten- u. Fabrikanten-Bezugs-Angabe · Volume 5 1859"

No mention of J. C. Förster & Sohn or Max Förster. Gustav Förster listed as a Hat Maker in this 1864 Address Book.

"Adreßbuch der Kaufleute, Fabrikanten und Gewerbsleute der Sächsischen Herzog- und Fürstenthümer Altenburg, Koburg-Gotha, Meiningen-Hildburghausen, Weimar, Reuß, u. Schwarzburg, Kreis Schleusingen, Schmalkalden, Suhl ; zugl. Handelsgeogr., Produkten- u. Fabrikaten-Bezugsangabe 1864"

J. C. Förster & Sohn (owner Gustav Förster) and Max Förster mentioned in this 1874 Handbook. Also included are the other Altenburg Hat Factories. What is interesting is August Schatte is the oldest Hat Factory in Altenburg. I need to look into August Schatte and the others.

"Handbuch der Leistungsfähigkeit der gesammten Industrie Deutschlands, Oesterreichs Elsass-Lothringens und der Schweiz Volume 2 By Christoph Sandler · 1874"

Only Max Förster is listed in this 1890 Address Book.

"Adressbuch aller Länder der Erde, der Kaufleute, Fabrikanten, Gewerbetreibenden, Gutsbesitzer etc Volume 12 1890"

Altenburger Hat Factory (acting company), formerly Max Förster. manor house owner at Neukirchen near Borna (hair and wool felt hat manufacturer) in this 1893 Address Book. No mention of Gustav Förster or J. C. Förster & Sohn.

"Adressbuch aller Länder der Erde der Kaufleute, Fabrikanten, Gewerbtreibenden, Gutsbesitzer etc Zugleich Handelsgeographie, Produkten- u. Fabrikanten-Bezugs-Angabe · Volume 5, Part 1 1893"

 

[mayserwegener]

Rehfus & Cie. "Kolibri / Hummingbird", French Point 6, possibly early 1960s. Rehfus & Cie. was located in Kehl am Rhein, Germany (directly across from Strasbourg, France) and closed in 1963. The Mélange Felt has a Rhau finish but a very soft hand. Rehfus & Cie. are less common but very high quality.

Open Crown

Hat Manufactory Of Rehfus & Co, Kehl Near Strasburg, Information On The Manufacture in English, German, French and Spanish languages, 1883.

The entire brochure is available here.

https://germanaustrianhats.invision...e-hutfabrikanten/?do=findComment&comment=1255

 

[steur]

Rehfus & Cie. "Kolibri / Hummingbird", French Point 6, possibly early 1960s. Rehfus & Cie. was located in Kehl am Rhein, Germany (directly across from Strasbourg, France) and closed in 1963. The Mélange Felt has a Rhau finish but a very soft hand. Rehfus & Cie. are less common but very high quality.

Open Crown

Hat Manufactory Of Rehfus & Co, Kehl Near Strasburg, Information On The Manufacture in English, German, French and Spanish languages, 1883.

The entire brochure is available here.

https://germanaustrianhats.invision...e-hutfabrikanten/?do=findComment&comment=1255

Very cool find of this rare brand, Steve.

 

[mayserwegener]

Very cool find of this rare brand, Steve.

Stefan, Thank you.! Now I have Hummingbird Hat.

 

[mayserwegener]

Johann Hückel´s Söhne, German 1921 Trademarks. Post WWI Moravia became part of Czechoslovakia and references to the Habsburg Empire removed. Also quality marks were introduced.

1799 HÜCKEL
"Standard"
23/4 1921. Czechoslovakia, 25/2 1921. J. Hückel's Söhne, Neutitschein (Moravia). Representative: Patent Attorney A. W. Brod, Berlin SW. 11. 23/7 1921. Business: Hat factory. Goods: Hats and caps (complete and semi-finished products).

1799 HÜCKEL
"Standard"
23/4 1921. Czechoslovakia, 25/2 1921. J. Hückel's Söhne, Neutitschein (Moravia). Representative: Patent Attorney A. W. Brod, Berlin SW. 11. 23/7 1921. Business: Hat factory. Goods: Hats and caps (complete and semi-finished products).

1799 Hückel
"SPECIAL"
23/4 1921. Czechoslovakia, 25/2 1921. J. Hückel's Söhne, Neutitschein (Moravia). Representative: Patent attorney A. W. Brod, Berlin SW. 11. 23/7 1921. Business: Hat factory. Goods: Hats and caps (finished and semi-finished products).

 

[mayserwegener]

Johann Hückel´s Söhne, 1925 German Trademarks. After WWI exports from Czechoslovakia to Germany and Austria were blocked so Johann Hückel´s Söhne Neutitschein (Moravia) built a factory in Ratibor, Silesia. I haven't encountered these trademarks so I don't believe they were used in production. Here is information on the Ratibor factory and as far as I know this is the only information currently available. I found this document back in 2014.

https://germanaustrianhats.invision...utfabrik-weilheim/?do=findComment&comment=961

1799
Finest Quality Hückel
PRIMA VELOUR
7/3 1925. J. Hückel's Söhne, Ratibor. 22/7 1925.
Business:
Hat Factory. Goods: Hats.

1799
Finest Quality Hückel
EXTRA VELOUR
7/3 1925. J. Hückel's Söhne, Ratibor. 22/7 1925.
Business:
Hat Factory. Goods: hats.

1799
Hückel STANDARD VELOUR
7/3 1925. J. Hückel's Söhne, Ratibor. 22/7 1925.
Business:
Hat Factory. Goods: hats

1799
Finest Quality Hückel
PRIMA ETUI VELOUR
7/3 1925. J. Hückel's Söhne, Ratibor. 22/7 1925.
Business:
Hat Factory. Goods: Hats.

1799
Finest Quality Hückel
PRIMA ETUI VELOUR
7/3 1925. J. Hückel's Söhne, Ratibor. 22/7 1925.
Business:
Hat Factory. Goods: Hats.

1799
Finest Quality Hückel
EXTRA FOULARD VELOUR
7/3 1925. J. Hückel's Söhne, Ratibor. 22/7 1925.
Business:
Hat Factory. Goods: hats.

 

[Guven]

Hi …I am a new member who started a thread to try and find out more about this hat. I am here based on the suggestion of another member that I might find out more about it here. My hat does look like some of the ones featured in the photos here. I am guessing rabbit felt-long hair finish-it says "seal" on the black leather sweatband which I assume refers to the finish. I would appreciate any input on origin, materials, dating of the hat that more experienced members could provide.

 

[mayserwegener]

Hi …I am a new member who started a thread to try and find out more about this hat. I am here based on the suggestion of another member that I might find out more about it here. My hat does look like some of the ones featured in the photos here. I am guessing rabbit felt-long hair finish-it says "seal" on the black leather sweatband which I assume refers to the finish. I would appreciate any input on origin, materials, dating of the hat that more experienced members could provide.

I will follow up later this evening.

 

[Guven]

I look forward to it-thank you

 

[Mean Eyed Matt]

Hi …I am a new member who started a thread to try and find out more about this hat. I am here based on the suggestion of another member that I might find out more about it here. My hat does look like some of the ones featured in the photos here. I am guessing rabbit felt-long hair finish-it says "seal" on the black leather sweatband which I assume refers to the finish. I would appreciate any input on origin, materials, dating of the hat that more experienced members could provide.

This hat should be 1960s/70s - based on design. The 'Seal - Extra' is indeed the designation of the long hair finish - material should be fur felt (rabbit/hare - not wool). Unfortunately, there are no other stamps on the sweat that could tell us anything about the maker & seller, and the lining that may have originally been there is not. The paper label has just numbers, so it's difficult too. But the '58' is the metric size, so it should be a German product.
Just some ideas - others will find more maybe.

 

[Guven]

Thank you for the input. I was hoping that it was a bit older based on the mélange type long hair felt designated as being of "seal extra" finish and what seems to me to be a reeded sweatband-somethings that were a bit anachronistic and would make the hat more unique and place it earlier (in the 1930s/40s). But it seems like it is definitely vintage (like me). And the material I also suspected to be rabbit/hare since like you noted the size is in cm which would make this a European hat and rabbit is much more common here than say the coveted beaver felt. It is a shame about the liner though which would have given more clues.

 

[mayserwegener]

Sorry that I didn't get back. I will follow up on what Matt posted. I have to research the paper label type. This is not a branded hat. Possibly tomorrow.

 

[Guven]

No hurry...thanks again for looking into it.

 

[mayserwegener]

No hurry...thanks again for looking into it.

I can't add anything to what Matt posted. I haven't seen that "Seal Extra" mark before. Normally "Seal" is associated with Velour (originally by J. Hückel´s Söhne Austria/Czechoslovakia) so this might be a "Flamand". I wasn't able to find another non branded hat with the same paper label type although there might be. There isn't any German wording present so I can't say for sure that it's German but the Fur Felt type and finish, form, dimensions were common in the time periods Matt mentioned. Does it appear to have had a Liner? You might see glue residue inside the Crown. Sorry that I can't tell you more.

 

[Guven]

Hello again...I appreciate you looking into it. I checked for glue residue inside the hat and under the sweatband and could see none...what is a "Flamand"? Do you mean Flemish/Belgian in origin?

 

[Daniele Tanto]

I agree about the dating that Matt expresses. It could be a French felt due to the type and color of melange. I have several very similar ones and they were all made between the Sixties and Seventies.
"Flamand" is the felt type of finish.

 

[Guven]

Thank you for the verification of the date and the clarification Daniele...do your similar hats have a brand/maker?

 

[mayserwegener]

Hello again...I appreciate you looking into it. I checked for glue residue inside the hat and under the sweatband and could see none...what is a "Flamand"? Do you mean Flemish/Belgian in origin?

If the Hat didn't have a Liner it had a Crown Tip Patch. The Liner or Crown Tip Patch might give us additional information but as I mentioned I believe it's a Non Branded Hat so wouldn't probably be helpful. The Paper Label has no Company Mark and the format doesn't match any Branded German hat company (I can check some more). The Paper Label could also be from Distributor but again No Mark.

As Daniele pointed out there are French hats with similar Form, Dimensions and Felt + Finish from the time period mentioned by Matt. Same as others such as Tonak (Czechoslovakia).

"Flamand" is a French term but it was also used by German Hat Companies. The German definition of Flamand is the following.

"The unclipped (unshorn) velour hair is called “Flamand”, in this case the hair is long, undulated, soft and glossy as it reflects a lot of light."

Hair Velour / Real (Echter) Velour / Prime (Prima) Velour Fabrikation von Damen- und Herren- Filzhüten, Der Deustchen Hutmacher Zeitung (1933)

Hair Velour / Real (Echter) Velour / Prime (Prima) Velour By C.A.P. Pellaio (English Translation By ErWeSa (Wolfgang)) Fabrikation von Damen- und Herren- Filzhüten, Der Deustchen Hutmacher Zeitung (1933) "What is wool?" - "The hair of a sheep." "What’s a sheep?" - "A sheep? An animal,of course." ...

germanaustrianhats.invisionzone.com

 

[mayserwegener]

Borchert Berlin W, 58cm, date stamped Dec. 13, 1957. This is a really great Homburg. I am fairly certain it was made by Mayser. The Felt is fantastic but of a heavier weight so looks great without side dents.

I believe the number sequence is actually a date. It's either 2.11.56 or 21.1.56. Either is a good a match for the Sweatband stamped date.

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