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German & Austrian Hutmachers

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I don't think I've seen a sweatband joined with a blind seam like that.

My early 20th C. "Recherche" western from Greentree/Cheyenne is the only other I can remember seeing.

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(Very Rough Translation of the above article. There is some interesting information regarding hat bands and styles. Especially the connection with Edward VII and Marienbad also the Caruso hat band. )

From the series of the leading men of our hat industry once again one of the best has passed on. On November 30 after a long bought of suffering Anton Pichler passed away after 68 years of life.

Anton Pichler, both as regards its always your own circle of ideas sprung generation and personality of his , a typical individual phenomenon . He was tireless in the compilation of new colors and color mixes, oak which makes the company Pichler made it a world-renowned product , and he had what brought a him never deceptive sensation for on your market , traction received and became the hit.

When his father died in 1883 with his father for the first time a Viennese hat fashion either visited the late seventies and brought the illustrious generated by the company Steirischen Loden hats, he was besieged with orders . His father fended off , he said it was impossible to get so many orders for execution . But the young Anton Pichler was not intimidated, he returned quietly with all these orders to Graz back , worked and worked , and there were not only those orders which he had received in Vienna, carried out in a timely and exemplary, the Pichlerische Loden hat , from made merino wool, was rather started from that time Welf and widely known , and the Pichlerische company took on this success, basing quickly an unprecedented boom.
A number of years through the Loden hat was produced only with hat cord and sold into over the years but he was always more refined and came about at the turn of the 19th century around the fashion hat with the so-called Caruso hat band on the market. It is perhaps little known that Anton Pichler this hat band was the name that it has maintained since then.

Another famous specialty of Anton Pichler was called the Chevalier hat, in addition to its beauty and character owed its popularity also the generous propaganda which Anton Pichler his time in the "Munich Flyer" (newspaper) made.

The main strength of the European Pichler factory but were and are what let well known, the blends. Anton Pichler produced in a wonderful mix. Search in this regard was the safe flashing of the deceased mass and direction of print. He experimented until he believed to be the success sicker to be able to, and has almost never exchanged herein.

Are the Steirischen Loden huete the company Pichler become a widely recognized global brand, it sonwaren also in the field of fashion hat and many great successes granted. Even the Bürstelhut, the father of two Pichler around the middle of the last century, the rabbit hair up to fenigen hat, began to manufacture found everywhere well received. From the Chevalier hat we have already spoken. Hole in the following years, the Modehute the reputation of this company strengthened more and more.

It is interesting and characteristic, that the deceased King Eduard of England when one saw the Green band hat of factory Pischler his recurring every year, visits in Marienbad at the local Hatter Pistl, bought same and wore all of its outputs and trips in Marienbad.He took some pieces each with London, and this hat was there in court circles so much favor that almost all male members of the English king and the court house carried him mid the same, subsequently, in the fashionable world of London was input.

(This is a A. Pichler hat worn by Edward VII)

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Anton Pichler it , over and over again to create colors and shapes so that found unanimous approval understand. From few years have brought the known rust brown hat with green ribbon sun production. This hat was in the truest sense of the word a hit. He was carried almost exclusively in Styria, but also country top of this State and fiber Austria addition strongest paragraph. In the previous years en began with the creation of the so-called " Schladming " tourist hat, which is made in a variety of shades. Especially in the youngest time appeared the " Schladming " . Examined in Vienna quite strong , and the orders that are received on this hat for months in the factory Pichler, are legion.
Even as a personality was Anton Pichler of highly marked individuality. He was always gracious, he received - those who came to him , always with a warmth that was his great joy about the visit expression. He had a vain way to give yourself that wearing something special, extraordinary Sympathetic to be pride , self-conceit were far from him . He felt to his death than the simple hat maker , as what he had learned the hatters trade in the workshop of his father.
It should be a small episode mentioned, which is indicative of Anton Pichler : When we convening our Hatter conference to Graz in 1926 , we turned to the company Pichler with the request if it would be possible for the visitors , meeting visit the factory . We were immediately in the most amiable manner, the commitment. Anton Pichler was then staying to relax in a seaside resort and only learned to the days before the meeting of the imminent stand endets visit. He immediately interrupted his relaxing vacation and went to the night fast train to Graz , do so in time for the reception de, - Hatter in the factory to be present . Anton Pichler himself took over the leadership, he led visitors through all the rooms , ranging from those rooms , in which are the fabrication machines for raw, up to the Salle Garnier and the expedition rooms. He explained all the machines of which serves some of the raw production , had been set only shortly beforehand , gave over all stages of production information , was tireless in responding to the questions which are asked and you could see him during the nearly three hours -long walking tour at the factory, what a joy it was preparing this visit .
This little episode is certainly characteristic of Anton Pichler's mode of thought and spirit . Anton Pichler was a magnificent character, noble , kind-hearted , open and straight. Therefore, the excellent agreement in which he stood with his adoring workers and employees . Testimony in this respect shall from among others the obituary, which published the union of the Graz Hatter and the works of Anton Pichler in the Graz " Workers will and in which it is said : ' Anton Pichler enjoyed ' on the part of the workers full confidence because of his friendly , human action and because of the exemplary Contrary grain mens its factory personnel against which feels the loss especially painful : the staff is him always as a tribute to preserve "These words speak eloquently In fact : . . Anton Pichler was a real man !

Anton Pichler was born on July 2, 1863. He began his apprenticeship where October 1, 1879 with his father, was there for two years in teaching and learned the hatter trade from the ground up . From 1 October 1881 to March 1, 1882 , he learned to Johann Zehme , royally Bavarian court supplier , was acquitted on March 2, 1882 in Munich. He came to this one as an assistant at Schuchart in Darmstadt , but had to return home due to the illness of the former foreman of the Graz factory. 1882 moved Anton Pichler military one , but was on leave after the place in the year 1883 death of his father about the time of leaving prison memoir and took now the whole management of the company , which was enabling him in that breaks him were granted in his military service - the . On 1 January 1890 Anton Pichler took over at the same time with his brother Josef, the company in its own possession. Soon proved the factory premises, which had been found to get at the fish place in Graz, as too small, and it was a self in the house No. 26 of Karlauerstraße. Fabriks large buildings erected. The transition to exclusively machine-noble operation took place in 1899. Due to the further rapid upswing, which the company took mainly by the ever-increasing export, a large addition was listed in 1906, which was followed by another new building in 1913. As then broke out in 1914, the World War and the wool was seized, the Pichlerische operation was doomed to a standstill. After the war, the two brothers worked with iron wool from their company back on the amount of the pre-war period up-bringing, and the position, the same now holds for years, proves that the sacrifice of effort and work not-otherwise had been brought.

Anton Pichler has often, also rendered great services, among others in the social sphere. He was for several years on the board of the Workmen's Accident Insurance Institution in Graz as an employer representative acts and received in dignity ending his outstanding ministry in 1925 the title of Kommerzialbank Council.

For the simple nature, which he had preserved up to his end of life ', it is significant that it was his last will to be worn without sound and song to the grave. But his employees and workers, it could be nevertheless not accept to give expression to their grief, and managed alongside all based in Graz Nationals end hat industry her boss deeply moved to final resting place.

Anton Pichler's "Comfortable-Hut" newspaper ad from 1897. Notice the vent on the side!

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In late 19th Century early 20th Century Germany and Austria the word Modehut (Fashion Hat) is often used to describe what today would be called a Homburg style hat (see the above hat).
 
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Hi Folks
Hi Mayserwegener--- Thank you for you're informative,educational and very interesting history of Pichler.
Your post will make my first Pichler hat purchase that much more enjoyable. I will post my purchase when the aforementioned hat arrives.
Thank you again. Best regards.
CCJ
 
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Lembert Reiner Haarfilz, probably mid 1950s. Very nice medium weight felt on this one. The crown tip patch is missing. Also came with a hat stand from the shop that sold it.

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17,521
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It appears hats sold into the German market after WWI were made in or shipped from this factory due to import tariffs / restrictions (not sure how long they lasted) on hats produced in Czechoslovakia (Austria up WWI).

The factory at the top of the document is the main factory in Neutitschein (Novy Jicin, Czechoslovakia, became TONAK after WWII). The factory at the bottom of the document is the Ratibor factory. They also had factories / operations in Skoczów, Poland (now PolkaP) and Vienna, Austria. J. Hückel's Söhne was the largest hat company in Europe.

Rough Translation

J. Hückel's Söhne Hat Factory Ratibor, Silesia, Germany (1925)

The ' hat factory J. Hückel's sons , Ratibor , is a foundation of the German market also best- known house. J. Hückel's sons , Neutitschein , Czechoslovakia. The motives which have led to the construction of a factory on German soil are best characterized by the position of the German market in the postwar period. That have occurred with the reparations import disabilities were calculated to make almost impossible the Neutitscheiner factory to operate the decades loyal customers , and so probably had or could but just a factory on German soil alone offer the guarantee to continue the German Hat market play a leading role .

It probably belongs to the founding story of the young factory when those data are reported briefly that address also the parent company and its origination.

The establishment of the Neutitscheiner house dates back to the 1719 return , in which the former Hatter Johann Nepomuk Hückel , a native of Fulnek in Moravia , in Neutitschein acquired the master rights . In 1811, his brother Augustin, the two brothers followed ouch after Neutitschein , and now operated here for everyone , the Hatter trade . The generation was marked by the old craft custom. In 1836, took over the son of Augustin Hückel, Johann Hückel , the com-mercial and his father in a storm in 1848 also that his uncle to continue it under the old form unites .

The then nascent Austrian hat industry knew nothing of the world market of the dominant foreign competitors customs obtaining units. It was a credit to Johann Hückel, he slowly moved toward also brought the issues of expansion of its production, and the technical perfection of great interest. His three sons August, John and Charles, who had learned and all, the craft of Hatter after the ancient custom, were sent by him into the world to gain experience that should usefully be employed in their own businesses. The result of this pioneering work was because even that Johann Hückel in Austria by establishing a dreipferdigen steam engine transformed its operation as the first in a mechanical in 1865. Thus, the path was broken to rapid further development , and already in 1867 the establishment had to be moved because they proved to be too small compared to the demands placed on them . 1868 I handed Johann Hückel his three sons running the business , but he remained still for long years the most zealous advisers. His merits were recognized as well by awarding the Gold Cross of Merit at the highest point . The now resulting in an area outside the city factory had the necessary expansion possibility , and the circumstances of the time as well as the efficiency of owners had the company rapidly aloft bloom and in a short time a dominant position not only in Austria but also on occupy the world market . The base was created in hard work, and restless it went with all his energy to the development of relations with foreign countries and therefore also to justify the reputation of the company.

It will surely meet general interest, when here on the greetings ratios of Neutitscheiner trunk factory, some data are reported that give everyone a clear picture of the development of the company from small beginnings to its present greetings and significance. The factory today covers an area of 48,000 square meters, the factory built-up area of ​​22,000 square meters, the future for the fabrication into consideration surface 36,000 square meters. The factory employed before the war against 3,000 workers with a daily production of more than 6,000 pieces. As a result of war conditions and the course appearing in the wake of economic distress, the number of workers and the production is significantly decreased, but no 'doubt that entry with more or less normal conditions the old capacity is again can be achieved. Mention will be even that the factory has Tailoring own hair and therefore the raw material making-up even further its own workshops for the production of the necessary professional work, such as metalworking shop, foundry, and carpentry shop, and cardboard packaging so that the products can post shipped ready to leave the establishment. The growing from year to year increase in production and the related additional work caused the company owner to refer to the sons and current owner of the company to employees for years before the war.

The outbreak of World War I and the related inhibition of the whole of economic life has acted on standing even in high years, owner of J. Hückels atonement adversely , but still managed their tireless energy and drive to maintain the operation of the whole time and even partially convert the production to other products . The consequences of this extraordinary effort remained not fail to happen . 1917 died in rapid succession, the two owners of August and Johann Hückel , and in 1919 followed them her brother Charles in a better afterlife. Recognition was the work of the fin holder in the award of the title " Imperial and Royal Court hat manufacturers ' and Off, the two brothers August and Johann Hückel drawing with the Iron Crown, 3 class. The products of the company have been repeatedly awarded a prize , so in Vienna in 1873 with the Progress Medal , 1876 at the World Exhibition in Philadelphia with the highest distinction , 1878 in Paris with the Golden medal and in Paris in 1900 with the Grand Prix.

As far as the history of the parent company. Now to the business itself Ratiborer The factory was available at a parts in Purchase, another had to be done from scratch. Today, the factory covers an area of ​​13,000 square meters, of which 4,500 square meters are installed and the work area is about 9,000 square meters. It is driven electrically , the electrical energy is required for this purpose by a 300 hp. Steam machine delivered . State of the art furnishings are also the heating and boiler systems whose supply by means monorail is done directly by the railroad cattle car . For all hygienic requirements expectant ventilation of the work area care is taken . Similarly, the factory for the performance of any repairs to the machines own metal workshop and carpentry workshop. Currently, 500 workers find their bread . Even with the establishment of this factory had to be , so to speak starting with the smallest , and only gradually was the veritable production are taken from the crude product . It was an all out energy persecuted plan whose motive is to be called the preservation of the German market . The company produces only hair hats, as a specialty , the velour hats , enjoying the best reputation in the world.

The 1923 encroaching on Germany disaster has probably this young company hit hard , but in spite of all obstacles never the further development and perfection have been disregarded. And you can now safely say that J. Hückel's Sons , Ratibor their intention to get the German market , has enforced . Of course, the expansion of this plant has its limits, in the first place probably those which are caused by the separation of formerly German territories. Output suffer these losses , will probably mean a more intensive processing of the remaining area.

The story of a company means its value, this assertion has received well- confirmed their full right to exist in most of the German industrial creations, and also the history of the company from the company J. Hückel's Sons will be surety for that will be tirelessly advanced stage of the structure of the economic power of Germany , which must be he rings the goal and aspiration of the entire German people again.
 
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(1895)

EXTRA EXTRA QUALITY

The lightest elegant men's stiff felt hat available. The sweatband carries in gold print the above factory mark of unsurpassed durability. Wonderful new ventilation system. Stocked in the finer hat shops at home and abroad.

Manfred actually has one of these. Total weight is 115 grams so the 70 grams was for the hat body only. I would guess around 100 grams without liner which is amazingly light for a stiff felt hat.

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