German & Austrian Hutmachers

[mayserwegener]

In 1909 J. Hückel´s Söhne (major producers of Austrian Velours and other soft and stiff felt hats) produced ~ 5,000 fur felt hats a day and processed 16,000 pelts a day at their main factory in Neutitschein, Austria (now Novy Jicin, Czech Republic). I believe they more than doubled those numbers by the late 1930s (4,000 workers at 3 factories). JHS was the largest hat company in central Europe. A. Peschel, A. Pichler and Brüder Böhm also had factories in Neutitschein up to the start of WWII.

 

[TheDane]

Yes, it's hard to grasp when you see the industry today. In the late 1800s there were more hatters in Denmark than brick layers and carpenters, combined

 

[mayserwegener]

Approximately 8,000 people worked in the hat industry in Neutitschein / Novy Jicin. Guben, Germany (see my Wilke avatar) was another giant hat making center (6 million hats per year / 7,000 employees).

 

[Chepstow]

Is truly a shame! The bigest hat industry is gone but we are here and keep the hat alive!

 

[Chepstow]

Newly acquired Mayser Homburg Spezial, very nice Hat in mid gray!
Some soiling at the liner and some stains on the ribbon!
Otherwise in good Condition!

 

[mayserwegener]

Manfred, Great Mayser Spezial Homburg! Hopefully you can get the stain out of the ribbon.

 

[Chepstow]

Thanks Steve, the stains are not to remove. I guess a replacement is better!
Have you seen my new Borsalino Melone? Borsalino thread!

 

[ManofKent]

Nice Homburg. I've never got stains out of a ribbon - felt yes, ribbon no. A good find anyway, and well worth a new ribbon.

 

[Ghost Rider]

Is truly a shame! The bigest hat industry is gone but we are here and keep the hat alive!

... But thankfully there's still some that just keep on going. I've just got home after paying Faustmann a visit this afternoon. The wife will not be happy with me when she gets home, but at least I've got something for the "Post new hats" thread tomorrow

 

[Chepstow]

Richard, thanks! You are right with what you say, the stains are not to remove.

Ghost, :eusa_clap

 

[mayserwegener]

I was on travel yesterday so wasn't able to look in detail. Yes definitely a replacement situation.

 

[mayserwegener]

(from Die Hutmacherkunst: ein Handbuch für den Klein- und Grossbetrieb By Carl Bortfeldt 1902)

Top Quality Velour

Pure (100%) hare saddle of mature furs, own cut, 3 parts

Pure (100%) hare saddle of mature furs, purchased cut, 2 parts

Pure (100%) Russian hare saddle, own cut, 3 Parts

Raw cut Hare, best, 2 Parts

Raw Muskrat back hair, 1 Part

Raw Muskrat belly hair, 1 Part

 

[mayserwegener]

(from Die Hutmacherkunst: ein Handbuch für den Klein- und Grossbetrieb By Carl Bortfeldt 1902)

Nutria and Vicuña pelts from Argentina were usually poisoned with arsenic (for pest control) so didn't require any treatment prior to storage but required very careful handling / processing.

 

[mayserwegener]

(from Die Hutmacherkunst: ein Handbuch für den Klein- und Grossbetrieb By Carl Bortfeldt 1902)

Nutria pelts were heavily loaded with grease and dirt and required a different cleaning process than hare and rabbit. This was also the case with Australian Rabbit (Australischen Kaninchen) which Bortfeldt said were of low quality (warm climate being a major contributing factor).

 

[mikespens]

Fascinating formula for Velour Steve, sounds like anybody could do it

 

[mayserwegener]

From Die Hutmacherkunst: ein Handbuch für den Klein- und Grossbetrieb By Carl Bortfeldt 1902.

Finishing Castor (Beaver) and Velour Hats

The bristle brush is useful to use just about as follows: The bristle brush handle in the shape of a
parallelogram of about 16 to 17 cm long and 6 cm height. The edges of the handle must be
somewhat rounded, so that it is comfortable to hold with the thumb up. The bristles have to be
located very stiff in clusters of about 8 mm distance from each other and clasped and have
approximately 20 mm in length.

The effect of the brush has not only the purpose to fetch the hair out , he is also at the same time
get the Einwalkung of the hat, a fact that places high demands on the skill of the worker concerned.
We now observe such a skilled worker:

The felt is flat on the board walk with the tip turned to the boiler, the felt is doused with hot water and then brush out in an arc so that they always pulling, thrusting never touches the felt. The slope of the brush surface must always be as indicated on Figure 40 below presents the felt, L is the brush, which moves in the direction of the arrow, dar. level by this tendency of the brush is the shifting get the Einwalkung pressure of the felt.

The hair becomes thicker and gets a high gloss, which is not or only slightly attenuated by the
dyeing and also in use. If the hat is run up to 3 fingers onto the measure (that means, has shrink only
3 fingers wide) as intended for Castor felts are rolled out, smoothed, dried and again schariert to be
then brushed up onto the measure. At this stage, in a usual way, it is always allowed to knead and
roll the hat. For Velour specific hats the hair are mostly cut, they think, that the bristle brush has a better contact to the short hair and the hair comes out better!

Figure 41 shows such a shearing machine Tondeuse of Coquefils. The obvious here cone of to be
sheared stumps spanned exact, erected the hair using a comb or brush and now the effects of shear
(a cloth scissors very similar) exposed; while passing by turning the handle the scissors even in very
rapid rotation added, very slowly, the cone to rotate about its axis. After a few turns of the stumps
located on the cone is roughened again and continued the scissors in the same way. After a short
time the surface of the Stumpens will have a velvety surface area! In the rule the hats come back to the kettle and they will be brushed again and again. The shear can be made after brushing once or twice!

Dressing of Castor (Beaver) and Velourhüte Bürstelhüte

Although these products are truly beautiful presently not favored by the fashion, the author believes,
he must handle the producing process about Kastorhüte (Beaver Hat). All Kastorhüte should, after careful rinsing with clear and hot water back onto the form and dry! After drying the hats will be washed again with a bristle brush and destillated water ( a shiny ). After drying the hats they were watered with a sponge,and ironed with a hot Iron. After that first ironing it is better to do the same process once again!

For the shorn Velour hats is it the same process. Only the direction how to brushed the hair is
changed from the right to left. Also the ironing, now from left to right! The following process, the hair to straighten up goes with this mixture:

1 part rainwater
1 part ammonia
1 part spirits / alcohol

the hats are still on a form which are moistened with a soft sponge, then the smoothed hair will be
with a soft brush brushed in the other direction that is perpendicular to the flat lying hair from the edge first then upward and then returned back.

The above-described work is carried out ever so carefully but still results in Faserchen (little fibers) on the surface of the hair which need to be removed. This is done by pulling the whole hat quickly through a straw flame (the singeing). The hats are then beaten with a whip and are now ready.

(Thanks to Manfred for helping me with the translation. This was difficult because of the old style German.)

 

[Chepstow]

Nothing to thanks Steve. I am glad I could help a bit!



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

 

[TheDane]

Pure (100%) hare saddle of mature furs, own cut, 3 parts

Pure (100%) hare saddle of mature furs, purchased cut, 2 parts

Pure (100%) Russian hare saddle, own cut, 3 Parts

Raw cut Hare, best, 2 Parts

Raw Muskrat back hair, 1 Part

Raw Muskrat belly hair, 1 Part

Does the original recipe mention anything about blending? Shaken or stirred?

Very interesting stuff, Steve. Thanks for sharing - and to Manfred ("The Old Style German") for making it easier accessible

 

[Chepstow]

Gladly Ole!

 

[mayserwegener]

J. Hückel´s Söhne Flexible Melone, Size 6 1/4 Point, Brim 2 inches, Crown 5 inches, Weight 5.46 oz, Very good condition with original box (missing lid). The liner color is a unique light magenta. Probably from the 1930s maybe the 1920s. The city (Reichenberg) where the shop that sold it was located is now (Liberec) in the Czech Republic.