German & Austrian Hutmachers

[mayserwegener]

Steve, thanks. The finish on this one is more what you'd expect from a woolfelt hat. Certainly not as smooth as other bowlers I have. It's not really lightweight either at 138 grams.

Stefan, Interesting. Mine is very smooth + dense and about 110 grams so very light in weight for a Stiff Felt.

 

[mayserwegener]

That's not what I wanted to hear but I needed to hear it. I guess I'll touch it up and put it on the block

You can try felt spacers if the sweatband is ok.

 

[Giftmacher]

Great looking old hat. I don't think the ribbon, more specifically the bow, needs to be sewed to the hat. I have a few of these old hats and it seems on some of them the bows were not sewed to the crown on purpose. That seems to be the case here too.

Right part of the bow is sewed to the crown, the left one isn't. There is a long thread coming out of it, so I guess it should be sewed too.

 

[mayserwegener]

Mayser "Torry", 59cm, Crown Open 5 1/2 inches, Brim 2 1/2 inches probably very late 1950s. This one turned out much better than expected. Really like the Felt (colors, finish and hand) and Bow design/work.

Open Crown

Natural Light

 

[steur]

Right part of the bow is sewed to the crown, the left one isn't. There is a long thread coming out of it, so I guess it should be sewed too.

I stand corrected. Had not noticed that on the pictures. Loose threads should be corrected of course. Older hats do have the most odd ribbon and bow arrangements sometimes though.

 

[65 Classic]

Mayser "Torry", 59cm, Crown Open 5 1/2 inches, Brim 2 1/2 inches probably very late 1950s. This one turned out much better than expected. Really like the Felt (colors, finish and hand) and Bow design/work.

Open Crown

What beautiful felt.

 

[65 Classic]

You can try felt spacers if the sweatband is ok.

The hat is 2 hat sizes too big. The sweatband is in good condition. I'll try anything as long as it doesn't hurt the hat.

 

[mayserwegener]

They might possibly damage the sweatband if it's dried out. The hat might look a little big (in my opinion just another look option) but it's not like spacers were not used back in the day.

 

[65 Classic]

They might possibly damage the sweatband if it's dried out. The hat might look a little big (in my opinion just another look option) but it's not like spacers were not used back in the day.

I have found quite a bit of spacers in hats that I've acquired. Thank you for your words of hope Mayserwegener.

 

[mayserwegener]

What beautiful felt.

Thanks!

 

[mayserwegener]

There's no real reason why I should post this hat here, except that almost all of my chamois, antilope or wildleder finished hats are of German manufacture. And they did make an awful lot of hats under a wide variety of brand names. This one I picked up yesterday as a replacement for a Peschel I sold recently that was slightly too big for me (and didn't get any wear because of that). It's not a complete match but it comes close enough and it does fit me better. Diana antilope, size 56 in brown. Bound brim at 6,5 cm and crown 10 cm at the pinch. No label inside the hat. My guess would be late fifties to mid sixties.

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Stefan, I was searching through some documents and I discovered the name of the company for this hat was Hans Zimmermann "Diana" Solingen-Ohligs (close by Manfred). They are listed as a Manufacturer, Wholesaler and Importer so not sure if they made the hat (see photo below). I will have to see if I can find more.

This is the publication (1954) that had the H.Z. advertisement.

 

[Redfokker]

Mayser "Torry", 59cm, Crown Open 5 1/2 inches, Brim 2 1/2 inches probably very late 1950s. This one turned out much better than expected. Really like the Felt (colors, finish and hand) and Bow design/work.

Open Crown

Natural Light

Catching up. This one is just right. Finish, gills and brim. I can go to bed now, thanks.

 

[steur]

Mayser "Torry", 59cm, Crown Open 5 1/2 inches, Brim 2 1/2 inches probably very late 1950s. This one turned out much better than expected. Really like the Felt (colors, finish and hand) and Bow design/work.

Open Crown

Natural Light

I've said in the other thread too: fantastic, Steve! That's a real beauty. Quite a bit of brim on it as well. The felt reminds me a bit of the look of a borsalino m. gris fer. A winner in every way.

 

[steur]

The hat is 2 hat sizes too big. The sweatband is in good condition. I'll try anything as long as it doesn't hurt the hat.

It's worth a try, but two sizes too big is a lot and these Garant hats don't run small (on the contrary: most German hats tend to run large in my experience). I let mine go because even with spacers it still looked like a hat that was too large for my head. It sat unused in my attic for a couple of years before I could let it go and found a new home for it. I hate it when that happens. But then I count my blessings because I have such a small hat size, much like yourself, and there are so many hats for us out there to choose from.

 

[steur]

Stefan, I was searching through some documents and I discovered the name of the company for this hat was Hans Zimmermann "Diana" Solingen-Ohligs (close by Manfred). They are listed as a Manufacturer, Wholesaler and Importer so not sure if they made the hat (see photo below). I will have to see if I can find more.

This is the publication (1954) that had the H.Z. advertisement.

Steve, that's a fabulous find! Great research. I never thought something like this would turn up. Very interesting and it never stops to amaze me how large the hatting industry in Germany was, with so many manufacturers.

 

[steur]

This is an interesting piece I found this week. Another Stetson made under license in Germany (don't find any for years and then two turn up within weeks of eachother). Stetson Stetsonian, size 58 in charcoal, 7x beaver felt. Overwelt brim at 5,5cm and crown 10,5cm at the pinch. The felt is really quite nice; very thin and dense, but with a lovely soft finish. Not a cheap hat in its day looking at the price.

 

[65 Classic]

It's worth a try, but two sizes too big is a lot and these Garant hats don't run small (on the contrary: most German hats tend to run large in my experience). I let mine go because even with spacers it still looked like a hat that was too large for my head. It sat unused in my attic for a couple of years before I could let it go and found a new home for it. I hate it when that happens. But then I count my blessings because I have such a small hat size, much like yourself, and there are so many hats for us out there to choose from.

Yes, not going to work and there will be others along the way. Thanks Steur

 

[65 Classic]

This is an interesting piece I found this week. Another Stetson made under license in Germany (don't find any for years and then two turn up within weeks of eachother). Stetson Stetsonian, size 58 in charcoal, 7x beaver felt. Overwelt brim at 5,5cm and crown 10,5cm at the pinch. The felt is really quite nice; very thin and dense, but with a lovely soft finish. Not a cheap hat in its day looking at the price.

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Nine hat indeed. Without looking at the $ tag, it doesn't look cheap.

 

[mayserwegener]

I've said in the other thread too: fantastic, Steve! That's a real beauty. Quite a bit of brim on it as well. The felt reminds me a bit of the look of a borsalino m. gris fer. A winner in every way.

Stefan, Thank you. I am not sure what to make of this felt from a production stand point. It's clipped but has some white hairs sticking out and doesn't have high gloss. I guess it might be considered a Flamand assuming it has Hare content and Velour related processing.

 

[mayserwegener]

Catching up. This one is just right. Finish, gills and brim. I can go to bed now, thanks.

Mike, Thank you! I am also catching up.