German & Austrian Hutmachers

[Chepstow]

Great detective work, Steve and nice ad!


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[hatsRme]

Awesome stuff, Steve! [emoji1360]

@mayserwegener... Plus, PLUS!! Thanks, Steve.

 

[mayserwegener]

Manfred, Thanks! I remembered you had one.

Charlie, Thank you!

 

[steur]

Continued.

Meanwhile, we have arrived in the time in which the exclusive atmosphere of the world-famous health resort created a particularly positive climate for the production and the paragraph(sale) of elegant hats full of quality. Illustre guests, known and unknown, young and old appear well protected on old photos always " " (Fig. 7). The factory contemporary fashionably and technically belonged to the sights of the city. The prince of Wales z B - as an Edward VII late English king - insisted on visiting the factory with his frequent stays at a health resort in Homburg. He was considered as fashionably leading, according to his model the elegant man's world orientated itself. With his nephew, the later emperor Wilhelm II, he had seen a hat which inspired him.

Of that become green " court hunt uniform hat ", a hat with high, obliquely running up head and laterally of rolled up brim, produced naturally with "Möckel", it can be created in a more civilian and elegant version in gray felt. This comfortable, light(easy) and casual hat pushed at least in Homburg and in the surroundings of the fashionably leading prince - cylinder and Bowler, the previous favorites on man's mains, to the border (Fig. 8). Under the name "Real Homburg Hats " it brought to its producers new fame and patents as court suppliers of the English and Prussian Royal houses. But for quality and ease speaking logo of the firm (Fig. 9), the pigeon with the hat in the beak, not only the quality of the most famous product characterized. For a long time big outlets had opened far beyond the borders for "Möckel Hats".

Fig. 6: Workforce of the company Möckel, 1890. Photo Coll. E. Möckel, Iserlohn. In the middle of their workers the then bosses, Philipp and Heinrich Möckel.

Fig. 7: Society in front of Elisabethen Fountain, photo around 1897, Museum Bad Homburg. Young and old is "well hatted". Many men wear the "Homburg Hat".

In 1881, hats were delivered to Switzerland, Holland, Sweden, Norway, Greece, South America, Asia and Australia. August Möckel, one of the sons of Philip, had opened up overseas markets and established a branch in Manila in the course of years in Asia. He died in 1887, only 32 years. His brother Heinrich, who had been a shareholder since 1876 and owner of the company since 1894, was also to witness the decline of the company,

Up to the First World War the company expanded to 120 to 130 employees, war time and inflation could be surpassed, in the twenties the production even doubled.

The number of employees rose to about 250. However, overseas trade had already fallen sharply as a result of customs measures, as the global economic crisis brought the domestic market to a standstill after 1929. Who bought a new hat in the face of mass unemployment, poverty and misery? In June 1931, the company celebrated its 125th anniversary - a celebration was canceled. An article in the German Hat Maker Newspaper (No. 25, June, 63, June 1931) is optimistic, but the necessity of "adapting to the present conditions of time" and of the tradition and the claim of cheaper hats, to produce.

Fig. 8: The Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII of England and other famous bathers in Homburg around 1890. Photo Museum Bad Homburg. The "Homburg Hat", which the fashionable Prince had raised from the baptism, pushed the cylinder and bowler, the previous favorites on men's heads, in the truest sense of the word to the side.

At the end of that year, on the 31st of December, 1931, the Möckel hat factory had to stop production. Wilhelm Möckel, a son and a shareholder of Heinrich Möckel, worked for a while at a hat-house at Louisenstraße 103. The "Homburg Hat" survived his birthplace, and he was still produced in smaller factories in Bad Homburg and Friedrichsdorf. Today, it is part of the repertoire of the large hat factories. An investigation carried out in 1969 by the "Hat and Cap" in the Rhineland revealed that "Homburg" accounted for 10% of sales in the men's hat business.

Fig. 9: Signet from the letterhead of the company Möckel, 1926, Museum Bad Homburg. The dove with the hat in the beak speaks for the particular lightness of the "Möckel-hats".

Fig. 10: Two "Homburg Hats" from the collection of the Museum Bad Homburg, the old form until 1914, the new form on the right, and the hat of the former Federal Chancellor Dr. Konrad Adenauer.

In its more than 100-year history, it has slightly changed its form and image: its crown is slightly lower and no longer has as much taper. Instead of the original gray, black is the preferred color.

If it was originally a light, casual hat which fitted with the walk on the promenade, in the health-resort gardens and to the fountains absolutely in the society(company) sporting "Canotiers", the "Boater", now it is the classic hat for official and solemn occasions with which preferably diplomats and politician's mains are coy (Fig. 10).

Another great piece of history, Steve, Thanks for this. It may have taken a year, but it was worth the wait.

 

[steur]

A type of hat that may have been posted here before, but Steve's post above made me think I haven't posted my Rehfus&Co here before. So here it is. This one weighs only 102 grams in total. Rehfus&Co Zephyr extra extra qualität in black, size 4 1/2. Bought this one for very little money, but unfortunaltely the seller decided to stuff the hat in too small a box, so it came out a bit dented. Still amazing how they managed to make the hat this light.

 

[mayserwegener]

Stefan, Thanks! That is a really great Rehfus & Cie Zephyr Stiff Felt! Interesting that yours doesn't mention the 70 grams and is 13 grams lighter than Manfred's Zephyr one which is about the same size. 102 grams is super light weight.

 

[splintercellsz]

That brim profile is beautiful!

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[KarlCrow]

A type of hat that may have been posted here before, but Steve's post above made me think I haven't posted my Rehfus&Co here before. So here it is. This one weighs only 102 grams in total. Rehfus&Co Zephyr extra extra qualität in black, size 4 1/2. Bought this one for very little money, but unfortunaltely the seller decided to stuff the hat in too small a box, so it came out a bit dented. Still amazing how they managed to make the hat this light.

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That's astounding

 

[steur]

Stefan, Thanks! That is a really great Rehfus & Cie Zephyr Stiff Felt! Interesting that yours doesn't mention the 70 grams and is 13 grams lighter than Manfred's Zephyr one which is about the same size. 102 grams is super light weight.

That brim profile is beautiful!

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That's astounding

Steve, Justin and Karl, thanks. I don't wear my bowler hats I must admit, but I do greatly admire the craftmanship with which they are made. I weighed this one because of the ads I found here claiming it weighed 70 grams. As Steve said: it must have been only the body. But still: an incredible piece of work.

 

[splintercellsz]

C.1930s (?) Richard Schwarz WIEN I

From Steve, "The last record I could find is from the 1944 Vienna City directory". Will post more as information is found

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[mayserwegener]

Justin, Super find! Based on the paper label photo you sent me (see below) it was made by Carl / Karl Ceschka Wien (District VII, Kaiserstrasse 123, Vienna, Austria). Richard Schwarz Wien 1 (1 is the District) must have been the retailer. I don't think I have come across a Carl Ceschka Wien before so this is a first. Your find made my day!

They are listed here in the Austrian Hat Industry Guide 1926 (see page 14). Robert Ceschka must be a relative.

http://germanaustrianhats.invisionz...7-austrian-hat-industry-guide-1926/#entry1237

I also found them listed in the December 20, 1930 Austrian Hat Makers News. This is the Vienna Hat Makers Coop.

I haven't been able to find any post WWII record of the company. It appears the company goes back to at least the mid 1800s. The last record I could find is from the 1944 Vienna City directory. The building looks like it's still intact so not sure what happened. The hat looks older to me so my guess would be later 1930s maybe early 1940s but might a bit older. It really has a great form and it really looks great on you! If find anything new I will update.

Update 1:

I also found Robert Ceschka listed in December 5, 1933 Austrian Hat Makers News. He is one of two Kommerzialrat (Counsellor of Commerce) listed which is an honorary title so he was an important figure in the Austrian Hat Industry. You can see the number of donors are way down and there is a plea for help. This is due the very bad economic situation.

Donations for the support fund of the Viennese Hatter Cooperative.

Colleagues! Take care of the destitute masters and assistants as well as master and assistant widows and give plentifully to the support fund of our cooperative!

Commercial Councilor Heinrich Sandmann, Head of Department.

 

[Chepstow]

Stefan, very nice and rare find your Melone! Congrats!!
Justin, really nice that you found the old guy, looks great!


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[Redfokker]

C.1930s (?) Richard Schwarz WIEN I

From Steve, "The last record I could find is from the 1944 Vienna City directory". Will post more as information is found

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This is an interesting hat in so many ways. That back bow treatment is unique. Love the brim too. Nice one!

 

[steur]

C.1930s (?) Richard Schwarz WIEN I

From Steve, "The last record I could find is from the 1944 Vienna City directory". Will post more as information is found

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As the others have said: super find. To my eye it looks close the original homburg shape, but with a wider brim. Congrats! You keep coming up with the most wonderful hats.

 

[steur]

Been kinda busy the last couple of weeks, so haven't had much time to do a lot of posting. I will try to make it up to you. Here's a first one of my recent finds. Not a spectacular hat but because it does have a shark gill bow I thought it was worth posting anyway. Wegener fedora in a warm grey (if that's possible), size 56 with a raw edge brim at 7cm and the crown at 11 cm at the pinch. Nice shark gill bow in a slightly different colour. No label inside the hat. Not a vintage hat; my guess is mid seventies to mid eighties.

 

[steur]

Might as well add a second one, if only the keep the pictures going. Habig fedora in camel (or light brown), size 56 with a raw edge brim at 5,3 cm and the crown at 10cm at the pinch. Dated on the label 1984. Not too sure what to make of this one; the felt is stiffer than I'm used to with Habig and the crown has quite a bit of taper to it. The colours are great but the flange of the brim looks a bit odd on my head. Maybe I'm just spoiled and it posed well enough for the pictures. The hat was sold by Oberwalder in Vienna, which still exists today (last picture).

 

[splintercellsz]

As the others have said: super find. To my eye it looks close the original homburg shape, but with a wider brim. Congrats! You keep coming up with the most wonderful hats.

Thank you!! It reminds me of a homburg, just softer, and an overwelt brim.

Beautiful new find to you as well!

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[Chepstow]

Great hats, Stefan! The Habig is my fav!


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[mayserwegener]

Stefan, Great! The P. & C. Habig Wien is from near the end (1989).

 

[steur]

Thank you!! It reminds me of a homburg, just softer, and an overwelt brim.

Beautiful new find to you as well!

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Great hats, Stefan! The Habig is my fav!


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Stefan, Great! The P. & C. Habig Wien is from near the end (1989).

Justin, Manfred, Steve, thanks. I did jump on the Habig as soon as it came up for auction and it is a fine quality hat. But somehow when it's on my head it doesn't quite agree with me. I have a few other hats like that; nothing you can pinpoint exactly but still a bit "off". O well, guess I need a replacement hat for this one.