Classic Hat Makers List

[Golden Earache]

Here is a link to Frank Schobles' house, copyrighted material.

http://books.google.com/books?id=bX...hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=11&ct=result

 

[Dinerman]

Finchley was a store. Their hats were made by Berg.

 

[Lefty]

Nice job on Schoble. It's good to finally have at least something on that company.

Here is a link to Frank Schobles' house, copyrighted material.

http://books.google.com/books?id=bX...hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=11&ct=result

 

[Lefty]

Finchley was a store. Their hats were made by Berg.

Nice. Here are a few more that I don't think made the list.
Connett 1924

Paragon 1944

Hardeman 1921

Ferry 1932

 

[pplepic]

Dalton

I picked up a Dalton Homburg, just like new, but don't know how old it actually is because the Dalton name is hard to research. It doesn't appear ever to have been worn.

 

[pplepic]

Dalton

I can't get a picture to upload, but this black Dalton Homburg is just like new and inside the crown it says America's Finest Dalton New York and the sweatband is stamped Dupont process water repellant. The price sticker that came with the hat says $10.95 and the size says Custom made 6-7/8.
Also the sweatband says Wilton's 1265 K Street Sacramento, but the store no longer exists and I can't find anything about it. If you have any ideas about Dalton and/or how old this hat is, please post a reply. It's a nice hat with a grograin trim around the brim and from the $10.95 price tag, I imagine it has to be pretty old. I never used to wear hats years ago so I don't know when that money would buy a nice hat. I haven't worn this hat either. Keep your brim dry!

 

[bolthead]

Cool.....

Finchley was a store. Their hats were made by Berg.

I have a Straw Berg.....

 

[Lefty]

Berg is pretty hard to come by. Aside from the Finchley, which I didn't even realize was a Berg, here's all I've got - and this is full size.
1940

1937

 

[Cigarband]

Three more for the list.

These showed up recently on Ebay.

Alexander
Hadley
Tilden

Release the Hounds!

 

[bigballsofholly]

What about "Barcelona" hats. Is Barcelona a brand rather than a maker? Any info would be appreciated.

 

[pplepic]

Penney

Did Lee also manufacture the Penney's Towncraft hats?

 

[mingoslim]

Thought an update was in order . . .

 

[mingoslim]

The List

 

[jamespowers]

Did Lee also manufacture the Penney's Towncraft hats?

From all the decent information I can find---yes. Lee was one o the largest contract hat makers around. They supplied a lot of private labels to companies who requested them. Thin ribbon and thin edge binding are classically what Lee referred to as their "farmer's hat." They made a ton of them.

 

[jamespowers]

Do we have the "Celebrated Emerson Hat, 200 Fifth Ave., New York, Murphy-Gorham Co."

 

[RBH]

Do we have the "Celebrated Emerson Hat, 200 Fifth Ave., New York, Murphy-Gorham Co."

An ad from 1929

 

[mingoslim]

They are on the list now . . .

Emerson Hats
Established in 1888 in Danbury CT, Emerson Hats were manufacturer by the Murphy-Gorman Company.

 

[mayserwegener]

Habig Hutfabrik

Here is some better info on Habig.

Habig Hutfabrik:

The Habig family is originally from Freiburg and its family history goes back to the year 1550. Peter Habig moved to Vienna in 1853. He served his 5-year-apprenticeship as a hat maker and became a journeyman. From 1865 onwards, his brother Carl assisted him in the workshop, where they exclusively manufactured silk hats as well as the then much soughtafter "Chemisse Galett" hats.

It was at that time that they made their first humble attempts of manufacturing felt hats. Winning a gold medal at the international exhibit in Kassel in 1870 was the first step towards internationalisation for the newly established company "P. u. C. Habig" ("P. and C. Habig"). Having been honoured with the sought-after "Hors concours Juror" at the Vienna World Exposition was an important turning point in their career and eventually brought about the establishment of Habig as an international brand.

In 1874, P. and C. Habig opened an exclusive retail store located in downtown Vienna (Kärntner Strasse). In 1882, a new building was added to the former workshop located on Wiedner Hauptstrasse. The new and modern factory was equipped with the latest technology, allowing the staff to meet all export orders from Germany and overseas. A particularly exclusive branch opened in 1888 in downtown Berlin (Friedrichstrasse).

This complex was well positioned and equipped to meet all requirements ahead and included a state-of-the-art factory as well as living. "Kommerzialrat" Peter Habig was the founder of the Austrian Hat Makers' Society and also played a major role in the Austrian Hat Fashion Association as well as the Vienna Hat Makers' Co-operative. He served as president of international exhibit committees on several occasions.

Being socially inclined, he was the first to offer loyalty bonuses to workers of more than 20 years' seniority in his business. In addition to that he also rewarded especially hard working apprentices. He was appointed as a member of the arbitration committee of the Industrial Association of Lower Austria. He personally provided funds for a demonstration hat maker's workshop at the Vienna Technical Museum. Peter Habig, who had been awarded many decorations, was among the first to establish a renowned Viennese fashion scene. He was one of the pioneers of the Austrian clothing industry. He passed away on January 4, 1916, in Vienna.

The company was deeply affected by the aftermath of World War I - inflation and a generally bad economic situation - and could not keep its core staff of workers, despite all efforts.

At the beginning of World War II, the company production was reduced to a minimum due to the scarcity of raw materials and the lack of workers.

After the end of World War II P. and C. Habig were among the first to start manufacturing hats made from old stock, selling them in exchange for ration cards and clothing cards. The main business activity back then, which was an important factor in keeping the company afloat, was the mending of old hats.

After the retail shop in downtown Vienna (Kärtnerstrasse) was sold, Carl F. Habig, born in 1942, became the sole director of the company on March 20, 1969. He was the fourth family member in a row to hold this position. It was time to modernize the company and to streamline the production process.

Excerpt of: Die Staatswappenträger Österreichs; Jupiter Verlagsgesellschaft mbH, Wien 1978

In 2006 Barbara Habig (daughter of Carl F. Habig) is launching a new line of luxury hats. A mixture of exclusive, extraordinary materials is significant for the exquisite hat collection.

http://www.putyourhaton.com/history.php

 

[mayserwegener]

Hückel Hutfabrik

Here is some better info on Hückel (now TONAK).

Hückel Hutfabrik Update:

Founded in 1799 in Neutitschein, Austria (now Novy Jicin, Czech Republic)

The beginning of millinery manufacture in Novy Jicin dates back to 1630 when the Town Council approved the Articles of the Hatters’ Guild. In 1799, young journeyman Johann Nepomuk Hückel was admitted to the Guild and soon afterwards opened a millinery shop. The quality of his products matched that of previous handicraft and the new products soon penetrated the Austrian and other foreign markets. In 1865 Johann Nepomuk Hückel installed new machinery and equipment, pioneering mechanized production of fur felt hats. Two years later, he built a large factory fully equipped with modern machinery. On January 1, 1869, the business was taken over by the public company J. Hückel and Sons and kept this name until it was nationalized after WWII and TONAK, a state-owned enterprise, was established.

http://www.tonak.cz/index.php?typ=TSB&showid=8

J. Hückel and Sons locations.

Neutitschein (today Nový Jičín) - headquarters (became TONAK)

Skoczów(in Czech Skočov)- today a part of Poland (became PolkaP)

Racibórz (in Czech Ratiboř, in German Ratibor)- today a part of Poland

Wien - Austria

After WWII the Hückel family (Fritz Hückel) were expelled from Czechoslovakia and established Hückel Hutfabrik, Weilheim. They manufactured under the Hückel brand name in Germany (exported as Fritz Hückel Hutmacher) until 1975. About 10 years ago the Hückel family sold the name rights for Germany only (TONAK owns the Hückel name outside Germany) to Friedrich W. Schneider (FWS) of Cologne who also own the Stetson name rights for Europe. FWS tried one collection under the Hückel brand name but it was not successful.

 

[mayserwegener]

Mayser Hutfabrik

Here is some better information on Mayser.

On 27 September 1800, Leonhard Mayser founds "Hutmacherey Mayser". In the following years, the small hatmaker quickly develops to become a hat factory with several production sites in Germany.

In 1858 Leonhard Mayser's son, Friedrich Mayser, decides to take a spectacular step. He leaves the workshop environment behind him and is the first hatmaker in Germany to introduce extensive mechanized production. Together with his son Fritz, he further develops his own company, helps to finance other companies and plays a major role in industrialisation in Ulm. In 1875, the former craft enterprise has developed to become Ulm's second largest industrial enterprise.

The company has reached a size which makes greater financial leeway for future activities necessary. In 1886, the company becomes a stock corporation (AG). By the standards in Baden-Württemberg, Mayser is now one of the federal state's large stock corporations.

With the participation of Anton Seidl, the owner of the J. A. Seidl hat factory in Munich, the company is transformed into a GmbH (private limited company) in 1914. The partners are Carl Mayser and Anton Seidl, who takes over sole ownership of the Mayser hat factory four years later (1918).

In 1924, Anton Seidl introduces production of ladies' hats and is thus able to double production. The name Mayser, which stands for high-quality hats, is registered at the patent office in Berlin.

In 1929, the competitor in the Allgäu region is bought out and integrated into the Mayser company.

In 1940, Curt M. Zechbauer, the son-in-law of Anton Seidl, takes over management of the company and transforms it into a general partnership.

The Wirtschaftswunder years bring Mayser one success after the other. The high point comes in 1963, when Mayser produces 3.5 million hats and sells them worldwide.

In 1954, Curt M. Zechbauer's son, Peter M. Zechbauer, acquires the licence of the American hat factory of Stetson for Mayser.

In 1971, restructuring of production leads to the hat production being relocated to the sister factory in Lindenberg.

http://www.mayser.de/english/unternehmen/historie.asp