German & Austrian Hutmachers

[mayserwegener]

I poked around a bit but didn't see anything about German and Austrian traditional hat styles. Here is some of my collection. I would be interested in seeing others.

Thanks!
-Steve

Bittner - Original Ischler Hut - Traunreiter

Zapf Collection Habsburg - Rotunde

Faustmann - Velour Oliv

Wegener - Graf Lemberg

Bittner - Austrian Straw - Bottlegreen

 

[mayserwegener]

Some more...

Bittner - Original Ischler Hut - Dino Plat - Black

Christl Wagner - Bamberg

Mayser - Faulk

Bittner - Original Ischler Hut - Hoschgall

 

[Colby Jack]

Those are some great looking hats!...Do you have any images of that German workers hat?[huh]

 

[mayserwegener]

Sorry about that. This one of my favorites.

Mayser - Gernot - Dark Brown

Edelweiss Close-up

 

[handlebar bart]

Wonderful hats. Here are acouple in action

 

[Yohanes]

Does Bittner refer to Franz Bittner? They're cool! I like the Wegener and Mayser too ... But maybe not the olive or long-haired types..

Are those fur or wool? I heard that wool hats from European producers are great.

 

[RBH]

I have been on the lookout for an Indy Mayser for the longest.

 

[mayserwegener]

Does Bittner refer to Franz Bittner? They're cool! I like the Wegener and Mayser too ... But maybe not the olive or long-haired types..

Are those fur or wool? I heard that wool hats from European producers are great.

Some are wool and some fur. You should check out the Zapf I posted in the new hats thread.

Yes Franz Bittner. I have a bunch of their hats. Very special company IMHO.

Unfortunately Mayser has moved away from producing / supplying traditional German hats. Luckily Faustmann and Wegener are still producing / supplying them.

The long haired ones are not for everyone but I love them. Same with the green variants.

I will post more pictures when I get a chance. If you have any of your collection please post.

 

[Shaul-Ike Cohen]

These are folklore hats, of course, and it's hard to say how much they're even standardised rather than "authentic". Some seem just to make loans of folkloristic elements.

Otherwise, German and Austrian hats are and were probably pretty much the same as French, British or American hats, no?

 

[BellyTank]

Well, Shaul Ike, he did say "Traditional"...

I guess it's the Tyrolean hat thing- there are many different styles but I think the names of them become mixed up and transposed, especially when we speak about them in English.

Here are my contributions to German/Austrian-
but only one(the last) in the Traditional, Tyrol/Alpen/Trachten/Jagt/Forst/Schützen/Bergstieger/etc. style.
(did I miss one?) There should be a couple more- I seem to have mis-placed a box of hats, since moving...

Vintage 1920s* "Gompertz" Fedora:

Vintage, 1930s* "Phönix" Homburg:

Vintage, 1930s* "India" Homburg-ish:

Here's my Traditional, Vintage- probably '70s/'80s, a "Goumbeck, Bavarian Velour",
in a Forest green, which is really closer to an Emerald- very luxurious,
a quality hat, complete with "Berg Heil" pin.
Excuse the dust, blur and natural lighting- getting very Autumnal here:

B
T

 

[mayserwegener]

These are folklore hats, of course, and it's hard to say how much they're even standardised rather than "authentic". Some seem just to make loans of folkloristic elements.

Wouldn't this apply to the fedora? Sure looks like it has a Tyrol influence (same with most of hats posted on this forum).

Also you can't throw them all into the same category. The Zapf hats I posted were designed for the Habsburg's. Certainly not common folk. Also the Bittner city hat.

Do you know how long companies like Mayser, Bittner, Zapf and Wegener have been making these type of hats?

Otherwise, German and Austrian hats are and were probably pretty much the same as French, British or American hats, no?

Actually no. I think you need to brush up on your history. The Alpine (southern Germany, Austria, northern Italy) influence is undeniable.

 

[mayserwegener]

Well, Shaul Ike, he did say Traditional...

I guess it's the Tyrolean hat thing- there are many different styles but I think the names of them become mixed up and transposed, especially when we speak about them in English.

Here are my contributions to German/Austrian-
but only one(the last) in the Traditional, Tyrol/Alpen/Trachten/Jagt/Forst/Schutzen/Bergstieger/etc. style.
(did I miss one?)

Vintage 1920s* "Gompertz" Fedora:

Vintage, 1930s* "Phönix" Homburg:

Vintage, 1930s* "India" Homburg-ish:

Here's my Traditional, Vintage- probably '70s/'80s, a "Goumbeck, Bavarian Velour",
in a Forest green, which is really closer to an Emerald- very luxurious,
a quality hat, complete with "Berg Heil" pin.
Excuse the dust, blur and natural lighting- getting very Autumnal here:

B
T

Wow those are spectacular!

Can you please tell me more about the "Goumbeck, Bavarian Velour"? Is the hat maker still in business?

Thanks!

 

[BellyTank]

Well, apart from the traditional, Alpine and Trachten hats, German and Austrian "dress/formal" hats are similar to other European hats- see mine, above.
I think this is what Shaul Ike is getting at, when he says "Otherwise".
I guess every country/culture has it's own take on a traditional/country hat style. And yes, the Tyrolean/Bavarian hats are unmistakable in their style.

The traditional Italian Alpini hat is part of the Tyrolean hat culture, of course.
The European Alpine regio, whether Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, etc-
they all use the similar Alpen style.


B
T

 

[BellyTank]

mayserwegener,

The "Goumbeck", now that I investigate further, is "Trachtenhaus Goumbeck", Weisbaden. I guess they are/were a traditional outfitter for the Trachten folks-
I can't find any maker's information in the hat, just the colour and size and now I can see that it is "FlaschenGrun", bottle green. Sorry, I guess it was made by a "known" hatmaker but as to which, we will probably never know.

Another member here, Douglas, has at least one Tyrolean style hat in his vast sea of hats- the one I'm thinking of is green velour and nicer than the one of mine, above.


B
T

 

[mayserwegener]

Well, apart from the traditional, Alpine and Trachten hats, German and Austrian "dress/formal" hats are similar to other European hats- see mine, above.
I think this is what Shaul Ike is getting at, when he says "Otherwise".
I guess every country/culture has it's own take on a traditional/country hat style. And yes, the Tyrolean/Bavarian hats are unmistakable in their style.

The traditional Italian Alpini hat is part of the Tyrolean hat culture, of course.
The European Alpine regio, whether Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, etc-
they all use the similar Alpen style.


B
T

I would say the Apline/Alpen influence extends to dress/formal hats.

I posted some dress/formal hats. Shaul Ike lumped them all together.

 

[BellyTank]

UPDATE! GOLIMBECK!

Goumbeck is actually "Golimbeck"!!!

The gold printing in the hat is in squared block capitals and the "L" and "I" are joined(bad typography!)- Googling "Golimbeck" gave some results but this particular Trachtenhaus seems now defunct, although there is/was another by the same name elswhere in Germany. Actually, Googling yielded an on line CV of a German guy who was Hausmeister of "Trachtenhaus Golimbeck" from '83-'86, although this was in Taunusstein, rather than Wiesbaden, although both towns are in Hesse/n and only 10km apart!
Maybe 1986 saw the end of Trachtenhaus Golimbeck..?

"Trachtenhaus Golimbeck" turns up on a few eBay items...


Trivia...


B
T

 

[mayserwegener]

mayserwegener,

The "Goumbeck", now that I investigate further, is "Trachtenhaus Goumbeck", Weisbaden. I guess they are/were a traditional outfitter for the Trachten folks-
I can't find any maker's information in the hat, just the colour and size and now I can see that it is "FlaschenGrun", bottle green. Sorry, I guess it was made by a "known" hatmaker but as to which, we will probably never know.

Another member here, Douglas, has at least one Tyrolean style hat in his vast sea of hats- the one I'm thinking of is green velour and nicer than the one of mine, above.

B
T

Thank you for the follow-up. I really love that hat!

 

[BellyTank]

Actually, I don't see any true, formal hats in your selection- they are all Country/Tracht/Shooting hats, regional styles- maybe some finer than others but none of them are really Town/dress hats, although I know that German folks wear regional hats to town. Dressier versions of regional hats, sure but what I mean by dress/formal hats are like the Homburgs and Fedora I posted.

As an example, your "Traunreiter" hat, to my eye, is quite a shining example of a Schützenhut/Shooting hat, although the name betrays the style- the name would suggest the hat as more of a walking hat, Wanderhut.

If you look around the web, you'll see the names for many of these hat styles used interchangeably- which they shouldn't be.


B
T

 

[mayserwegener]

Goumbeck is actually "Golimbeck"!!!

The gold printing in the hat is in squared block capitals and the "L" and "I" are joined(bad typography!)- Googling "Golimbeck" gave some results but this particular Trachtenhaus seems now defunct, although there is/was another by the same name elswhere in Germany. Actually, Googling yielded an on line CV of a German guy who was Hausmeister of "Trachtenhaus Golimbeck" from '83-'86, although this was in Taunusstein, rather than Wiesbaden, although both towns are in Hesse/n and only 10km apart!
Maybe 1986 saw the end of Trachtenhaus Golimbeck..?

"Trachtenhaus Golimbeck" turns up on a few eBay items...


Trivia...


B
T

It wouldn't surprise me if they went out of business. I will have to keep an eye on eBay.

There is a hatmaker (Hutkönig) in Regensburg that uses a similar green velour. I am making a point to stop by again on my next visit to Germany.

BTW the velours that I posted are more vibrant. The flash washed them out.

 

[mayserwegener]

Actually, I don't see any true, formal hats in your selection- they are all Country/Tracht/Shooting hats, regional styles- maybe some finer than others but none of them are really Town/dress hats, although I know that German folks wear regional hats to town. Dressier versions of regional hats, sure but what I mean by dress/formal hats are like the Homburgs and Fedora I posted.

As an example, your "Traunreiter" hat, to my eye, is quite a shining example of a Schützenhut/Shooting hat, although the name betrays the style- the name would suggest the hat as more of a walking hat, Wanderhut.

If you look around the web, you'll see the names for many of these hat styles used interchangeably- which they shouldn't be.


B
T

I have seen the Zapf Rotunde worn in a very formal setting. I don't see why a formal dress hat can't have regional folk influences. I see the same thing in the homburgs and fedoras you posted.