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German & Austrian Hutmachers

davidraphael

Practically Family
Messages
790
Location
Germany & UK
Last weekend, In Mannheim, I went to one of the biggest flea markets I have I ever seen. It took nearly fours to look around....But I did not find ONE vintage hat, not a single one. Unbelievable.
(I was also looking for a hat stretcher, but of course that was even less likely)

I guess people from Mannheim did not wear hats (though as we know there were a couple of hutmachers in the neighbourhood)

I think the problem with Southern Germany and Bavaria is that if someone was going to spend X100s on a hat they would have been more likely to buy trachten than any other kind of hat. This of course wouldn't have happened in North Germany.

Anyway...

I've just found out that the town of Lindenberg (where the Mayser hat factory is) has an annual 'hat day' celebration. The whole town takes part.... Maybe I will have more luck there when I visit in May.
 

Chepstow

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,406
Location
Germany/ Remscheid
Last weekend, In Mannheim, I went to one of the biggest flea markets I have I ever seen. It took nearly fours to look around....But I did not find ONE vintage hat, not a single one. Unbelievable.
(I was also looking for a hat stretcher, but of course that was even less likely)

I guess people from Mannheim did not wear hats (though as we know there were a couple of hutmachers in the neighbourhood)

I think the problem with Southern Germany and Bavaria is that if someone was going to spend X100s on a hat they would have been more likely to buy trachten than any other kind of hat. This of course wouldn't have happened in North Germany.

Anyway...

I've just found out that the town of Lindenberg (where the Mayser hat factory is) has an annual 'hat day' celebration. The whole town takes part.... Maybe I will have more luck there when I visit in May.

yes your right David most people in South Germany wear trachten Hats.
i was on a flea market last week too but i didnt find a hat
i found at last week always old Trachten Hats mostly dirty and the sweatband dirty and demolished
 

Mario

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,664
Location
Little Istanbul, Berlin, Germany
I think a general problem with vintage hats and other attire (especially stuff from the 30's and 40's) in Germany is that a lot, if not most of the stuff simply got burned in in the fires of WWII - or worn to death in the years after the war.
 

Chepstow

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,406
Location
Germany/ Remscheid
I think a general problem with vintage hats and other attire (especially stuff from the 30's and 40's) in Germany is that a lot, if not most of the stuff simply got burned in in the fires of WWII - or worn to death in the years after the war.

Ja da könnte was wahres dran sein.
in the last weeks I was able to buy many great hats, Borsalino Panizza one other unknown brands.That what you want find you find it on ebay, but ist mostly more expensive as on a flea market.
Don't give up
on the flea market the next hat is mine:D
 
Last edited:
Messages
17,517
Location
Maryland
I think a general problem with vintage hats and other attire (especially stuff from the 30's and 40's) in Germany is that a lot, if not most of the stuff simply got burned in in the fires of WWII - or worn to death in the years after the war.

Definitely major factors but Italy is far worse. There are a good number of old Zylinder and Melone available. They were more prized at the time plus current day Karneval demand. I often hear from sellers that find old soft felt hats when cleaning out houses (see that dusty old Velour I just won). I also see some nice old hats pop up from Austrian sources. Based on pre 1940 American news paper ads I would expect to find more Austrian Velours but I have only found one JHS on US eBay after looking for 6 years.
 
Last edited:
Messages
17,517
Location
Maryland
Ja da könnte was wahres dran sein.
in the last weeks I was able to buy many great hats, Borsalino Panizza one other unknown brands.That what you want find you find it on ebay, but ist mostly more expensive as on a flea market.
Don't give up
on the flea market the next hat is mine:D

There are good number of post 1950s soft felt city hats available. The problem is finding older ones like this fantastic pre 1940 Brüder Böhm Velour. Talk about rare! :)

6277443806_3f48976dff_b.jpg
 
Messages
17,517
Location
Maryland
Last weekend, In Mannheim, I went to one of the biggest flea markets I have I ever seen. It took nearly fours to look around....But I did not find ONE vintage hat, not a single one. Unbelievable.
(I was also looking for a hat stretcher, but of course that was even less likely)

I guess people from Mannheim did not wear hats (though as we know there were a couple of hutmachers in the neighbourhood)

I think the problem with Southern Germany and Bavaria is that if someone was going to spend X100s on a hat they would have been more likely to buy trachten than any other kind of hat. This of course wouldn't have happened in North Germany.

Anyway...

I've just found out that the town of Lindenberg (where the Mayser hat factory is) has an annual 'hat day' celebration. The whole town takes part.... Maybe I will have more luck there when I visit in May.

I don't think you are going find much at the Lindenberg Festival regarding men's vintage hats. They will mostly be modern Tracthen and maybe some modern city styles. By the way Mayser moved all hat production to Slovakia as of 2010.

I know some hat shops have old new stock but they usually only go back to the 1960s. From what I gaither customers are not interested so they keep them stored away.

Also here in America flea market antique mall finds are very regional. For example in the DC area where I live you may come across the occasional nice vintage find but they are far and few between. You move to say the Milwaukee area (see Buler) and the odds get much better.
 
Messages
17,517
Location
Maryland
Size 58cm, gray with an Antilope like finish. There is no maker mark only Präzentra on the liner. Has bug bites on the top but not noticible while wearing. Probably mid 1960s maybe a bit later.

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Chepstow

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,406
Location
Germany/ Remscheid
Size 58cm, gray with an Antilope like finish. There is no maker mark only Präzentra on the liner. Has bug bites on the top but not noticible while wearing. Probably mid 1960s maybe a bit later.

6279643947_5a7cefda4c_b.jpg


6279649389_4e33c3772c_b.jpg


6280138262_91327085e8_b.jpg


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6280140314_114ba6241a_b.jpg

Very nice beauty Steve, looks like a Mayser you have.The ribbon looks great
Today I was in a second hand shop.
When I looked as through the window I saw one hanging on a hat stand.
It was a Hückel Trachten hat. In almost new condition.
The sweatband without signs of wear.
The sweat band is stamped with 1969

hckeltracht.jpg

hckeltracht1.jpg

hckeltracht2.jpg

hckeltracht3.jpg
 
Messages
17,517
Location
Maryland
Manfred, That is a nice Hückel Weilheim Trachten. You can tell they made really nice hats even into the late 1960s.

There is a paper label in the Präzentra but no company information. Probably just another no name shop model common to that time period.
 

Chepstow

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,406
Location
Germany/ Remscheid
Manfred, That is a nice Hückel Weilheim Trachten. You can tell they made really nice hats even into the late 1960s.

There is a paper label in the Präzentra but no company information. Probably just another no name shop model common to that time period.

it's a shame would have liked to know who made it
Präzentra is a term used for all sorts of things.
I googled Präzentra bicycles, camera, lens, etc.

Yes the Hückel's really pretty and of good quality
 
Messages
17,517
Location
Maryland
Yes it would be interesting to know who made these non brand name hats. I have a good number from this time period from different unknown makers. You can see the quality difference compared to the brand names of the time like the Hückel you just posted. Still they were good quality for the price. We would all love to have a production hat made of this quality today.
 

Chepstow

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,406
Location
Germany/ Remscheid
two new hats are arrived today the first one a Echter Mayser Grand Prix in gray
i think mid 1950 maybe early 1960
the other one a Wegener gray green mid 1970 to 1980
The Mayser are in very mint condition
Wegener lightly worn and in good condition


echtermayser.jpg

echtermayser1.jpg

echtermayser2.jpg

echtermayser3.jpg

echtermayser4.jpg


wegenerausseer.jpg

wegenerausseer1.jpg

wegenerausseer2.jpg

wegenerausseer3.jpg
 

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