I had the same problem with the photos as Marcel first time around, Stefan. Now I can see them.
Nice Willoughby.
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French Hats and makers.
- Thread starter BellyTank
- Start date
Nice Willoughby.
Thank you, Steve.
Pellie
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Fléchet Pilote Imperméable. Size is 59, but it's unfortunally more like 57,5. So i have to stretch it
Good looking hat, Marcel. Strange about the size though; the French hats are usually true to size.
Pellie
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Thanks Stefan. This one not. I hope i can stretch it!
Pellie
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Mossant de Luxe lordshat. In 100% mint condition. Unfortunally you can't read the label because of the lining which is stitched over it. The hat is grey, but there something of purple in the brimbinding. Beautiful hat!
Chapeau de qualité, Marcel. Magnifique!
Pellie
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Merci beaucoup Stefan
Daniele Tanto
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Every now and then a rarity appears on the market: an antique wool Peille - Esperaza.
This French manufacturer made hats in huge quantities, but very few noteworthy ones have come to my eyes.
Espéraza is a French commune of 2,096 inhabitants located in the Aude department in the Occitania region. It was the second European center for the manufacture of wool hats. Here is the link to the hats museum https://musee-chapellerie.com/en/home-3/
The hat I found, a stroke of luck, has a peculiarity that is not often found in finds: it was worn with a pin inside that kept the crown curled. You can see it well in the photos.
The hat, a Lord hat that is, a homburg without the ribbon on the brims, is made of wool and has a fantastic color as well as the felt finish.
These are the measurements, the curled brims are six centimeters, the crown is 13 high and the ribbon is 4 centimeters high.
The hat was sold in Belgium in Ypres and arrived in 2025 practically new.
No indication under the sweatband, only the size 57 centimeters, unfortunately for me
I consider myself lucky to have found an old hat so well preserved with the clip mark under the crown, but with the Pellies I have no luck because of the size, this one is small and another, even older probably from the early years of the century is large...
This French manufacturer made hats in huge quantities, but very few noteworthy ones have come to my eyes.
Espéraza is a French commune of 2,096 inhabitants located in the Aude department in the Occitania region. It was the second European center for the manufacture of wool hats. Here is the link to the hats museum https://musee-chapellerie.com/en/home-3/
The hat I found, a stroke of luck, has a peculiarity that is not often found in finds: it was worn with a pin inside that kept the crown curled. You can see it well in the photos.
The hat, a Lord hat that is, a homburg without the ribbon on the brims, is made of wool and has a fantastic color as well as the felt finish.
These are the measurements, the curled brims are six centimeters, the crown is 13 high and the ribbon is 4 centimeters high.
The hat was sold in Belgium in Ypres and arrived in 2025 practically new.
No indication under the sweatband, only the size 57 centimeters, unfortunately for me
I consider myself lucky to have found an old hat so well preserved with the clip mark under the crown, but with the Pellies I have no luck because of the size, this one is small and another, even older probably from the early years of the century is large...
Last edited:
Pellie
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- Enschede, Netherlands
It's not a Pellie (that's me ;-)), but a Peille. Great hat!Every now and then a rarity appears on the market: an antique wool Pellie - Esperaza.
This French manufacturer made hats in huge quantities, but very few noteworthy ones have come to my eyes.
Espéraza is a French commune of 2,096 inhabitants located in the Aude department in the Occitania region. It was the second European center for the manufacture of wool hats. Here is the link to the hats museum https://musee-chapellerie.com/en/home-3/
The hat I found, a stroke of luck, has a peculiarity that is not often found in finds: it was worn with a pin inside that kept the crown curled. You can see it well in the photos.
The hat, a Lord hat that is, a homburg without the ribbon on the brims, is made of wool and has a fantastic color as well as the felt finish.
These are the measurements, the curled brims are six centimeters, the crown is 13 high and the ribbon is 4 centimeters high.
The hat was sold in Belgium in Ypres and arrived in 2025 practically new.
No indication under the sweatband, only the size 57 centimeters, unfortunately for me
I consider myself lucky to have found an old hat so well preserved with the clip mark under the crown, but with the Pellies I have no luck because of the size, this one is small and another, even older probably from the early years of the century is large...
Daniele Tanto
I'll Lock Up
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- Verona - Italia
You are absolutely right Marcel. Corrected the mistake
The hat is unique and particularly beautiful. The size is a problem, but looking from afar it is almost a rule
A beauty, Daniele and a really good find. I have reason to believe Jean Peille switched from manufacture to wholesale somewhere along the line. Plenty of hats around with their name, but I've never seen one even near as good as this one.Every now and then a rarity appears on the market: an antique wool Peille - Esperaza.
This French manufacturer made hats in huge quantities, but very few noteworthy ones have come to my eyes.
Espéraza is a French commune of 2,096 inhabitants located in the Aude department in the Occitania region. It was the second European center for the manufacture of wool hats. Here is the link to the hats museum https://musee-chapellerie.com/en/home-3/
The hat I found, a stroke of luck, has a peculiarity that is not often found in finds: it was worn with a pin inside that kept the crown curled. You can see it well in the photos.
The hat, a Lord hat that is, a homburg without the ribbon on the brims, is made of wool and has a fantastic color as well as the felt finish.
These are the measurements, the curled brims are six centimeters, the crown is 13 high and the ribbon is 4 centimeters high.
The hat was sold in Belgium in Ypres and arrived in 2025 practically new.
No indication under the sweatband, only the size 57 centimeters, unfortunately for me
I consider myself lucky to have found an old hat so well preserved with the clip mark under the crown, but with the Pellies I have no luck because of the size, this one is small and another, even older probably from the early years of the century is large...
Daniele Tanto
I'll Lock Up
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- Verona - Italia
Yes, Stefan, it is really difficult to find hats marked Peille. I leave aside the "modern" that have that brand because they are products of Eperaza in the decadence marked with Peille. I am almost certain that the department of French wool hats (Esperaza) have, after the war, considered the decadence of the article hat, made a union like the main French manufacturers of the period who gathered as "Chapeaux de France" to face the perils of the market. I have another one marked Peille even older, black in perfect conditions (it came with the original covering paper), but it is a size 61 cm. for me too big, alas. It is on the list, like this one, of the departing ones, if there is anyone who wants them.
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Pellie
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I bought this Mossant "Tanagra" because of the heather felt and it turns out to be great felt. I knew it was not a wide brim, but i like the hat very much. Good color also. I even like the ribbon on this one.
Cool find, Marcel. Nicely coloured heather felt.
Pellie
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Thank You
Rmccamey
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Very nice. I like that it leans towards the look of a Tyrolean style.
Pellie
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Yes, you can say that!
Mean Eyed Matt
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This one was a bit of a shot in the dark (especially in terms of size):
It's definitely a hit, but unfortunately turns out to be too small...
Fléchet in chocolate brown (the photos of the inside show it best);
Everything about this hat screams 1930s to me: shape, sweat and stitching,
the crown patch names the 1900 silver medal and exposition of 1931...
size 56; open crown 14 cm (dented 10 cm); brim 5 cm; band 4 cm
The condition is very good except for a few tiny traces of age.
I'm really annoyed that it doesn't fit, because I think it's perfectly proportioned...
The hat was sold in Cholet (Dép. Maine-et-Loire):
Unfortunately, not much can be found about the shop, except that the owner
was Ch(arles) Perrault - and apparently also sold very high-quality top hats
https://collections-musees.cholet.f...-textile-e770186b-076b-4426-9d4b-bceaace93abc
There is also a hatbox for sale in the bay right now:
But here is the hat...
There's no label except the size label:
It's definitely a hit, but unfortunately turns out to be too small...
Fléchet in chocolate brown (the photos of the inside show it best);
Everything about this hat screams 1930s to me: shape, sweat and stitching,
the crown patch names the 1900 silver medal and exposition of 1931...
size 56; open crown 14 cm (dented 10 cm); brim 5 cm; band 4 cm
The condition is very good except for a few tiny traces of age.
I'm really annoyed that it doesn't fit, because I think it's perfectly proportioned...
The hat was sold in Cholet (Dép. Maine-et-Loire):
Unfortunately, not much can be found about the shop, except that the owner
was Ch(arles) Perrault - and apparently also sold very high-quality top hats
https://collections-musees.cholet.f...-textile-e770186b-076b-4426-9d4b-bceaace93abc
There is also a hatbox for sale in the bay right now:
But here is the hat...
There's no label except the size label:
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