Czech Republicans: Tonak, Huckel, no name

[Hagwood]

Janyška Gazela chamois in glorious blue. Size 55 (@Hagwood are you paying attention?) with the raw edge brim at 5,5cm and the crown 10cm at the center dent. I think "gazela" refers to the finish (much like "antilope") and the "New Style" on the liner to the model. Janyška was founded in 1921 and got nationalised after the war into Tonak. I don't think they kept the brand name alive after WWII. So they weren't around for long and I can't recall having ever seen one before.
I tend not to bring along hats smaller than my size, but this one is in such a great colour and condition that it had to come. Kind of a funny story actually: I found four (of friday's five hats in total) in the same shop. Appears they have a shop policy though that you can only buy two of the same item (to prevent dealers coming in). I've known about this, but usually the shop help isn't that concerned once I tell them I'm a collector. Not this girl though; she wouldn't budge a millimeter. Well, what to do? I made my choice and paid for two hats. As soon as she was helping other customers I grabbed the two others and trundled down the stairs (the hats are upstairs) and paid for the other two at the downstairs cashier's desk. Felt a bit like I was shoplifting or doing something else illegal, but I got my hats!

Ha ha, great story, and beautiful hat !!

 

[steur]

I've done something similar at the meat case at a grocery store. This particular store limits you to purchasing 4-lbs of sausage, which clearly is not enough for a summer BBQ with family/friends. I go back after a shift change and get waited on by a different clerk. Sometimes I'll change my hat just for good measure.

Speaking of which, lovely shade of blue on this one.

Thanks, Tim. In a way I can understand why they're doing it, but it's not like I was taking the whole shelf of hats in one go. Come to think of it: I did take ten Borsalinos once in one of their shops. It caused no more than a frown then.

 

[steur]

Ha ha, great story, and beautiful hat !!

Thanks, Tim. Glad you like it!

 

[Hagwood]

Too much of a good thing and I’m not sure that it isn’t actually alive.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Ha ha, my thoughts exactly.

 

[TheOldFashioned]

Thanks, Tim. In a way I can understand why they're doing it, but it's not like I was taking the whole shelf of hats in one go. Come to think of it: I did take ten Borsalinos once in one of their shops. It caused no more than a frown then.

Whether it's one dealer buying ten or five individuals buying two I assume it's the same amount of money in the end for the shop. The dealer may try to negotiate a bulk price since he's buying in quantity. Or five individuals may buy other things besides hats and end up spending more total than just a dealer buying hats specifically. Oh well, their store their policies. Just have to play the game. Part of the hunting fun.

 

[mayserwegener]

Janyška Gazela chamois in glorious blue. Size 55 (@Hagwood are you paying attention?) with the raw edge brim at 5,5cm and the crown 10cm at the center dent. I think "gazela" refers to the finish (much like "antilope") and the "New Style" on the liner to the model. Janyška was founded in 1921 and got nationalised after the war into Tonak. I don't think they kept the brand name alive after WWII. So they weren't around for long and I can't recall having ever seen one before.
I tend not to bring along hats smaller than my size, but this one is in such a great colour and condition that it had to come. Kind of a funny story actually: I found four (of friday's five hats in total) in the same shop. Appears they have a shop policy though that you can only buy two of the same item (to prevent dealers coming in). I've known about this, but usually the shop help isn't that concerned once I tell them I'm a collector. Not this girl though; she wouldn't budge a millimeter. Well, what to do? I made my choice and paid for two hats. As soon as she was helping other customers I grabbed the two others and trundled down the stairs (the hats are upstairs) and paid for the other two at the downstairs cashier's desk. Felt a bit like I was shoplifting or doing something else illegal, but I got my hats!

Stefan, Another super find! I have a good number of Janyška hats mostly from my May 2016 NOS Czech find. I visited the old factory site back in September 2019. Here is some more on Janyška.

https://germanaustrianhats.invisionzone.com/topic/194-janyška-cie/

https://germanaustrianhats.invision...tion-historical-information-september-9-2019/

 

[Steve1857]

Great find, Stefan. Super colour.

Janyška Gazela chamois in glorious blue. Size 55 (@Hagwood are you paying attention?) with the raw edge brim at 5,5cm and the crown 10cm at the center dent. I think "gazela" refers to the finish (much like "antilope") and the "New Style" on the liner to the model. Janyška was founded in 1921 and got nationalised after the war into Tonak. I don't think they kept the brand name alive after WWII. So they weren't around for long and I can't recall having ever seen one before.
I tend not to bring along hats smaller than my size, but this one is in such a great colour and condition that it had to come. Kind of a funny story actually: I found four (of friday's five hats in total) in the same shop. Appears they have a shop policy though that you can only buy two of the same item (to prevent dealers coming in). I've known about this, but usually the shop help isn't that concerned once I tell them I'm a collector. Not this girl though; she wouldn't budge a millimeter. Well, what to do? I made my choice and paid for two hats. As soon as she was helping other customers I grabbed the two others and trundled down the stairs (the hats are upstairs) and paid for the other two at the downstairs cashier's desk. Felt a bit like I was shoplifting or doing something else illegal, but I got my hats!

 

[steur]

Stefan, Another super find! I have a good number of Janyška hats mostly from my May 2016 NOS Czech find. I visited the old factory site back in September 2019. Here is some more on Janyška.

https://germanaustrianhats.invisionzone.com/topic/194-janyška-cie/

https://germanaustrianhats.invisionzone.com/topic/440-janyška-cie-visit-to-factory-location-historical-information-september-9-2019/

Thank you, Steve. A pleasant surprise indeed to find this one. I looked on your site, which is always enlightening, before I posted this one. And I saw you posted the Tonak Gazela yesterday.

 

[steur]

Great find, Stefan. Super colour.

Thanks, Steve!

 

[mayserwegener]

Thank you, Steve. A pleasant surprise indeed to find this one. I looked on your site, which is always enlightening, before I posted this one. And I saw you posted the Tonak Gazela yesterday.

Stefan, Thanks! Janyška became Tonak after WWII. The factory was in operation until the very early 1960s.

 

[DaveProc]

Selentino Queen. I like this hat much better than my velour Prince. Wore it for a three mile walk in the rain today. The water just rolled off. Performed much better than any of my modern Stetsons.

 

[Pellie]

Selentino Queen. I like this hat much better than my velour Prince. Wore it for a three mile walk in the rain today. The water just rolled off. Performed much better than any of my modern Stetsons. View attachment 223673 View attachment 223674

Nice pipe also

 

[DaveProc]

Nice pipe also

Thank you! It's a Stanwell.

 

[mayserwegener]

Selentino Queen. I like this hat much better than my velour Prince. Wore it for a three mile walk in the rain today. The water just rolled off. Performed much better than any of my modern Stetsons. View attachment 223673 View attachment 223674

Dave, Looks great! As you probably know Selentino = Tonak. You might want to check out the following.

https://germanaustrianhats.invisionzone.com/topic/426-tonak-factory-september-6-2019/

https://germanaustrianhats.invisionzone.com/topic/447-nový-jičín-vistors-center-exposition-on-hats-september-7-2019/

https://germanaustrianhats.invisionzone.com/topic/6-johann-hückel´s-söhne-hückel-hutfabrik-weilheim/?do=findComment&comment=2284

https://germanaustrianhats.invisionzone.com/topic/428-nový-jičín-town-of-chimneys-september-7-29-2019/

 

[DaveProc]

Looks great! As you probably know Selentino = Tonak. You might want to check out the following.

https://germanaustrianhats.invisionzone.com/topic/426-tonak-factory-september-6-2019/

https://germanaustrianhats.invisionzone.com/topic/447-nový-jičín-vistors-center-exposition-on-hats-september-7-2019/

https://germanaustrianhats.invisionzone.com/topic/6-johann-hückel´s-söhne-hückel-hutfabrik-weilheim/?do=findComment&comment=2284

https://germanaustrianhats.invisionzone.com/topic/428-nový-jičín-town-of-chimneys-september-7-29-2019/

Thank you!

 

[mayserwegener]

Thank you!

Dave, Thanks! Here is another one.

https://germanaustrianhats.invision...tfabrik-weilheim/?do=findComment&comment=2283

 

[Pellie]

Thank you! It's a Stanwell.

Great pipes those Stanwells!

 

[belfastboy]

Dave, Thanks! Here is another one.

https://germanaustrianhats.invisionzone.com/topic/6-johann-hückel´s-söhne-hückel-hutfabrik-weilheim/?do=findComment&comment=2283

Viewing this history brings a tear to my eye. Does it make any sense to be nostalgic for a time I never knew and a place I never visited? Or is the 'ideation' sufficient to evoke the response?

 

[mayserwegener]

Viewing this history brings a tear to my eye. Does it make any sense to be nostalgic for a time I never knew and a place I never visited? Or is the 'ideation' sufficient to evoke the response?

In my opinion definitely worth being nostalgic. With Nový Jičín / Neutitschein and Tonak you have the history plus the last original (1868) operational large scale (fur preparation, felt production, hat production) factory in world.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Hückel: I had high hopes for this hat. The felt is exactly as I expected: it’s rabbit fur, soft (bordering on floppy), and has a great hand. However, the hat has considerable taper, which isn’t a “bad” thing, but it’s not pleasing my eye. Perhaps worse is the low crown: 5” open. The brim is exactly 2 3/4 inches. The hat was made 25 March, 2005 (stemmed on back of sweatband). This hat will be moving on.