French Hats and makers.

[Daniele Tanto]

This hat arrived new long after it was produced in France.
It does not mention the name of the producer, but I believe it was made by the company that was created in the 70s, bringing together all the various hat producers, now in crisis. The execution is excellent and the high-class felt.

A. Meer Concorde feutre impermeable. Size 60. Made in France for a closed shop in Strasbourg, I think it was made by Mossant for the style show

Medium felt in grey/pale blue with contrasting ribbon in deep blue

The proportions are: trimmed brim at 5 cm. crown at 10.5 cm. and ribbon is 4 cm.

The basting stitches are still present on the ribbon

It is brend new. New-old stock came from the "A. Meer" field in Strasbourg

 

[RJR]

This hat arrived new long after it was produced in France.
It does not mention the name of the producer, but I believe it was made by the company that was created in the 70s, bringing together all the various hat producers, now in crisis. The execution is excellent and the high-class felt.

A. Meer Concorde feutre impermeable. Size 60. Made in France for a closed shop in Strasbourg, I think it was made by Mossant for the style show

Medium felt in grey/pale blue with contrasting ribbon in deep blue

The proportions are: trimmed brim at 5 cm. crown at 10.5 cm. and ribbon is 4 cm.

The basting stitches are still present on the ribbon

It is brend new. New-old stock came from the "A. Meer" field in Strasbourg

Good looking,I especially like the color.

 

[Redfokker]

This hat arrived new long after it was produced in France.
It does not mention the name of the producer, but I believe it was made by the company that was created in the 70s, bringing together all the various hat producers, now in crisis. The execution is excellent and the high-class felt.

A. Meer Concorde feutre impermeable. Size 60. Made in France for a closed shop in Strasbourg, I think it was made by Mossant for the style show

Medium felt in grey/pale blue with contrasting ribbon in deep blue

The proportions are: trimmed brim at 5 cm. crown at 10.5 cm. and ribbon is 4 cm.

The basting stitches are still present on the ribbon

It is brend new. New-old stock came from the "A. Meer" field in Strasbourg

Hard to tell this hat is from recent manufacture. Just perfect in every way! Love the colors.

 

[steur]

This hat arrived new long after it was produced in France.
It does not mention the name of the producer, but I believe it was made by the company that was created in the 70s, bringing together all the various hat producers, now in crisis. The execution is excellent and the high-class felt.

A. Meer Concorde feutre impermeable. Size 60. Made in France for a closed shop in Strasbourg, I think it was made by Mossant for the style show

Medium felt in grey/pale blue with contrasting ribbon in deep blue

The proportions are: trimmed brim at 5 cm. crown at 10.5 cm. and ribbon is 4 cm.

The basting stitches are still present on the ribbon

It is brend new. New-old stock came from the "A. Meer" field in Strasbourg

The felt and colours are outstanding on this one, Daniele.

 

[Daniele Tanto]

Good looking,I especially like the color.

Thanks a lot!

Hard to tell this hat is from recent manufacture. Just perfect in every way! Love the colors.

Recent is about 40 years ago, more or less and French until they existed as hatters made very high standard production

The felt and colours are outstanding on this one, Daniele.

Thanks Stefan, The color is one of my favourite, It is a pity it ia too wide for my head

 

[Tonio]

Chapeau Tardy custom hatter from La Maison Francaise at Rockefeller Center in New York City. The building was constructed in 1934. I've walked by here many times oblivious to it's history https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Maison_Francaise_(Rockefeller_Center). This hat is of very high quality. Navy blue felt "selected beaver twenty five". The ribbon is an interesting choice, however it's a fine hat.

 

[steur]

Chapeau Tardy custom hatter from La Maison Francaise at Rockefeller Center in New York City. The building was constructed in 1934. I've walked by here many times oblivious to it's history https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Maison_Francaise_(Rockefeller_Center). This hat is of very high quality. Navy blue felt "selected beaver twenty five". The ribbon is an interesting choice, however it's a fine hat.

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Wonderful find, Tonio. You really do have some hat finding ninja skills. This hat does leave me wondering though if it's really of French manufacture or if it's an American made hat and marketed as French, you know for hat certain "je ne sais quoi".
I ask this because I doubt if the French would advertise "real english roan" on their hats or "selected beaver" for that matter. It is a superb looking hat though and I like that ribbon actually; sets it apart without being "in your face".

 

[Tonio]

Wonderful find, Tonio. You really do have some hat finding ninja skills. This hat does leave me wondering though if it's really of French manufacture or if it's an American made hat and marketed as French, you know for hat certain "je ne sais quoi".
I ask this because I doubt if the French would advertise "real english roan" on their hats or "selected beaver" for that matter. It is a superb looking hat though and I like that ribbon actually; sets it apart without being "in your face".

Thanks! Yes I agree it is certainly possible this may be more of a French inspired item. Haven't been able to find much about info on "Chapeaux Tardy". The ribbon will stay. I admire its uniqueness.

 

[Daniele Tanto]

Well my dear loungers, I would like it to be my size. This together with the other Sools arrived today is one of my oldest finds since the passion for hats devours me. A pair of Borsalino are in Netherlands and another pair of antique hats are in America.
Unfortunately, nobody remained in my hands. because of the big size of my head. Honestly, I tell you that when I'm going to make a hat this will be his form

Sools was a famous hat sellers in Paris. Many important brands produced for this high end house

This Sools is made of a lightly hairy beige felt. In these picture the beige has the best rendition

As for the other, the width of the sweatband, the lack of lining and the only tip glued to the top of the crown, make me think it may be the same age, perhaps the years 20. I have others French old hats and they have the same features

The finish is masterful. The seam of the brim is unique in its kind and fantastic shape.

These the dimensions: the brim is 6 cm. over sewn with three seams, the crown at the lowest point is 12 cm. and the contrasting ribbon in black is 5 cm.

There are no signs of moths, but I think it is appropriate to wash it well and recondition the sweatband

Its size is a large 56. The paper label is only hand-written with a fountain pen

It's like being in a restaurant ready to eat one of the favorite dishes, but suddenly the cook runs away from the kitchen.
It is destined to leave me , we will see where it will go

 

[mayserwegener]

Daniele, It's really fantastic! What is the logo at the front of the sweatband?

 

[Redfokker]

Well my dear loungers, I would like it to be my size. This together with the other Sools arrived today is one of my oldest finds since the passion for hats devours me. A pair of Borsalino are in Netherlands and another pair of antique hats are in America.
Unfortunately, nobody remained in my hands. because of the big size of my head. Honestly, I tell you that when I'm going to make a hat this will be his form

Sools was a famous hat sellers in Paris. Many important brands produced for this high end house

This Sools is made of a lightly hairy beige felt. In these picture the beige has the best rendition

As for the other, the width of the sweatband, the lack of lining and the only tip glued to the top of the crown, make me think it may be the same age, perhaps the years 20. I have others French old hats and they have the same features

The finish is masterful. The seam of the brim is unique in its kind and fantastic shape.

These the dimensions: the brim is 6 cm. over sewn with three seams, the crown at the lowest point is 12 cm. and the contrasting ribbon in black is 5 cm.

There are no signs of moths, but I think it is appropriate to wash it well and recondition the sweatband

Its size is a large 56. The paper label is only hand-written with a fountain pen

It's like being in a restaurant ready to eat one of the favorite dishes, but suddenly the cook runs away from the kitchen.
It is destined to leave me , we will see where it will go

What a wonderful and interesting french hat. A pity that you cannot wear it.

 

[Daniele Tanto]

Daniele, It's really fantastic! What is the logo at the front of the sweatband?

Finest fur is stamped on the front sweat band. No other indications of the maker.
May be in the paper label, written in fountain pen more, but I carefully take a small sight on it because the leather is a little bit in needs of cure and I was unable to decipher more.

 

[Tukwila]

Chapeau Tardy custom hatter from La Maison Francaise at Rockefeller Center in New York City. The building was constructed in 1934. I've walked by here many times oblivious to it's history https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Maison_Francaise_(Rockefeller_Center). This hat is of very high quality. Navy blue felt "selected beaver twenty five". The ribbon is an interesting choice, however it's a fine hat.

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A wonderful hat with great history. I, too, would keep the ribbon intact. A grand chapeaux with elegant navy felt.

 

[Tukwila]

Well my dear loungers, I would like it to be my size. This together with the other Sools arrived today is one of my oldest finds since the passion for hats devours me. A pair of Borsalino are in Netherlands and another pair of antique hats are in America.
Unfortunately, nobody remained in my hands. because of the big size of my head. Honestly, I tell you that when I'm going to make a hat this will be his form

Sools was a famous hat sellers in Paris. Many important brands produced for this high end house

This Sools is made of a lightly hairy beige felt. In these picture the beige has the best rendition

As for the other, the width of the sweatband, the lack of lining and the only tip glued to the top of the crown, make me think it may be the same age, perhaps the years 20. I have others French old hats and they have the same features

The finish is masterful. The seam of the brim is unique in its kind and fantastic shape.

These the dimensions: the brim is 6 cm. over sewn with three seams, the crown at the lowest point is 12 cm. and the contrasting ribbon in black is 5 cm.

There are no signs of moths, but I think it is appropriate to wash it well and recondition the sweatband

Its size is a large 56. The paper label is only hand-written with a fountain pen

It's like being in a restaurant ready to eat one of the favorite dishes, but suddenly the cook runs away from the kitchen.
It is destined to leave me , we will see where it will go

A super hat, Daniele. Too bad it's not your size. It's even too small for my wife and daughter. I love the blocky crown, wide ribbon, wonderful brim and the elegant sweat treatment.

 

[Daniele Tanto]

I always have a bit of emotion when I open the packages and I surely know I will find really ancient hats.
Yesterday, it was the same emotion, when the two Sools arrived from France

The second, Sools in grey, is a hat that, as it was built, the lack of the lining and the width of the sweatband and the thin felt, given as a finding of the 30s.

The hat is in good condition, except for the traces of moths that I have highlighted

The felt is very malleable and I am sure it was brought with the flat brims

After a good cleaning and a few minutes of steam this is the hat.
The following picture show the color better

The measures are as follows: raw brim to 6.5 cm., crown to 10.5 cm. and the ribbon is 3 cm.
Felt ia a pale grey with black contrasting ribbon

The hat is very light weigths about 96 grams. The size is 56

It needs a good cleaning
Thanks for your appreciations and likes on the Sools beige
Buona giornata a tutti

 

[Tonio]

Wonderful find, Tonio. You really do have some hat finding ninja skills. This hat does leave me wondering though if it's really of French manufacture or if it's an American made hat and marketed as French, you know for hat certain "je ne sais quoi".
I ask this because I doubt if the French would advertise "real english roan" on their hats or "selected beaver" for that matter. It is a superb looking hat though and I like that ribbon actually; sets it apart without being "in your face".

Pure coincidence, today I was thumbing through an old copy a 1958 edition of the Hat Life Yearbook and look at the last entry!

The Tardy Manufacturing Importers Company, Inc. Importers of d'Arsac, Fraenkel, Gelot, Mossant. I'd imagine that the hat was possibly made for them by one of these firms.

 

[alanfgag]

Wow, Daniele, Tonio... fabulous additions.

 

[steur]

Arlesia in brown. Judging by its fit a size 57 with a brim at 6cm and a crown at 10,5cm at the pinch (if it had one). It is in fact a lords hat in brown and in woolfelt. First one I've seen, ever. French make and pre-war. I'm guessing early thirties, but could well be earlier. The basting stitches are still in, but the sweatband is toast and will crumble just by looking at it. The brim holds its shape very well and has an excellent curve, but the crown is not nearly as stiff and the felt is quite rough to the touch.

 

[steur]

We don't see this brand around very often (if at all), which is strange considering its standing. Guiseppe Borsalino was an apprentice there and it kind of shows I think. Many thanks to Daniele, who pointed this one out to me, and with a little e-mailing back and forth to France it came about.
Berteil castor. Size 56, with the raw edge brim at 6,5cm and the crown 10cm at the pinch.

So, how does it compare? Well, very favorably I can say. If you wouldn't know better you would be forgiven to think that this was a Borsalino, judging just by the look of it. Shape, proportions, flange are all very close to the house from Alessandria. Even the colour is almost the same as the Borsalino Caffe colour. A tad lighter and a bit more reddish.
Where Borsalino improved upon his old teacher was the finishing though. The sweatband is not of the highest standard (a more common problem with French hats) and the liner is not fitted as tight as one in a Borsalino. But I'm really nitpicking here.
This is a beaver hat (those two beavers on the sweatband are there to advertise that) and the felt came to life almost instantly when I lightly steamed it. Shapes like a dream and has a lovely hand and feels like it will last forever. Nice thin felt and the hat is fairly lightweight at 105 grams.
There are no labels inside the hat unfortunately, but the sweatband and especially the liner make me think this is probably forties, maybe even late thirties.
I would buy these all day long, thank you.

 

[Tukwila]

Gorgeous!