German & Austrian Hutmachers

[davidraphael]

There's no paper behind the sweatband. The liner is stitched...

The text below the circle seems to read: "Ges.Gesch", which as you probably know, means legal/'by law'

I'll do some research, too; maybe we can nail down exactly who this hat maker is!

 

[mayserwegener]

Thank you for checking. I think it could be pre 1940 based on the liner and sweatband which makes it rare. Where did you find it and what is approximate size?

 

[davidraphael]

I found it in a local thrift store/charity shop. Typical - you scour the 'right places' for great items (that never show up) and then you find a great hat like this in a thrift store!

I'm guessing it's a 58, because that's the size I normally wear and it fits great.

pre-1940. wow.

 

[mayserwegener]

Super!

I am thinking it could be that old but it's just a hunch.

Is the listing you found regarding Zeumer Hut-Fabrik?

http://www.lot-tissimo.com/de/o/297.6-557/auk/6/zylinder_zeumer_hut-fabrik_mannheim_1_haelfte_20

I couldn't access the closed Austrian eBay auction.

 

[davidraphael]

Yes, that's the reference I found. It seems to fit logically, simply because I'm so near to Mannheim (10-15 mins in the car)
I couldn't access the Austrian e-bay auction either.

I can't find any other reference at all to 'Zeumer Hut'!

 

[mayserwegener]

If you are still in the area you might ask around. There is a former street address in the closed auction. I will do some additional hunting and will update if I find anything.

 

[davidraphael]

Ok, I've done some more research which has led me to Karlsruhe (about 45 mins from Mannheim)

"Qualitätsmarke Zeumer Hut Karlsruhe Kaiserstr. 125." (no longer there of course. I think the reference is from the 1920s or 30s)

I also found that there was a short-lived hutfabrik in Mannheim:
"Mannheimer Hutfabrik G.m.b.H, Mannheim 1931-1934"
which may explain the other listing we found about the Mannheim hutfabrik


..EDIT: I also found: "L.R. ZEUMER MANNHEIM" though he seemed to specialise in cap visors

 

[mayserwegener]

Mayser Melone, size 56cm. Not mine but the first pre 1940 Mayser I have come across that wasn't a Topper so very rare. I have never encountered a pre 1940 soft felt Mayser in any size or style.

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Very well preserved hat. The printing on the liner is very sharp and clear. From Germany eBay?

 

[mayserwegener]

Yes it was on German eBay. I have been looking for a pre 1940 Mayser (same with P. & C. Habig and Wegener) soft felt but haven't been able to find one in any style / size. Mayser (same with P. & C. Habig) sold into the US market at the beginning of the 20th century so one might pop on US eBay some day.

 

[mayserwegener]

Ok, I've done some more research which has led me to Karlsruhe (about 45 mins from Mannheim)

"Qualitätsmarke Zeumer Hut Karlsruhe Kaiserstr. 125." (no longer there of course. I think the reference is from the 1920s or 30s)

I also found that there was a short-lived hutfabrik in Mannheim:
"Mannheimer Hutfabrik G.m.b.H, Mannheim 1931-1934"
which may explain the other listing we found about the Mannheim hutfabrik


..EDIT: I also found: "L.R. ZEUMER MANNHEIM" though he seemed to specialise in cap visors

I checked The American Hatters 1911 German hat company list posted in this thread by RLK but Zeumer wasn't listed. Germany and Austria were filled with hat related companies prior to WWII but there is very limited information available online. Next time I am in Germany I plan to visit archives that might have this type of information.

 

[davidraphael]

If the archives are in Mannheim, Stuttgart or Frankfurt I can check and post anything I find....

 

[mayserwegener]

I would like to visit the patent archive in Leipzig. The Württemberg state archives located in Stuggart might be worth a visit. Mayser one of the famous manufacturers was oringinally located in Ulm. I know there were hat industry publications but I have never seen anything available online. I should also check the U.S. Library of Congress since I live right outside of Washington, DC.

http://www.landesarchiv-bw.de/web/49689

 

[davidraphael]

I frequently pass through Ulm on my way down to the Bavarian Alps. I could have a day there, mooch about, and see what I can find.
I'll also check out the Württemberg state archives. But it'll probably be a handful of months before I can get there.

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Would be great to get a hat retailers publication such as HatLife in German. I wish HatLife was available online. What fun it would be to read the August 1943 HatLife. I know that Many on the forum have run across copies of Hatlife. An somewhere there is a complete set of them sitting in a box waiting to be found.

 

[mayserwegener]

I am sure there was something similar (probably more than one) but I haven't run across any for sale or archived online. I know the Novy Jincin (was Neutitschein Austria) City Museum has a complete collection of Austria / Czech hat trade listings going back to the mid 1800s. Here are some photos of one of them but I don't remember what year. I am sure it was also available in German because all the hat related industry in it what is now the Czech Republic was German / Austrian based. I wish they would digitize these but they don't have the resources available.

I would think the Library of Congress has a complete collection (not online) of HatLife and The American Hatter. I will have to go down and take a look. They might even have some Euro based publications.

 

[mayserwegener]

I frequently pass through Ulm on my way down to the Bavarian Alps. I could have a day there, mooch about, and see what I can find.
I'll also check out the Württemberg state archives. But it'll probably be a handful of months before I can get there.

That would be fantastic!

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Google books does list the American Hatter but nothing to read.
Found this:
The Clothier and furnisher volume 23 plus other volumes at the bottom of the page.

http://books.google.com/books?id=pisAAAAAMAAJ&dq=editions%3ANYPL33433090911367&source=gbs_similarbooks

And this German book on Hat production:
http://books.google.com/books?id=RO9TAAAAYAAJ&dq=editions%3ANYPL33433090911367&source=gbs_similarbooks

 

[mayserwegener]

Thanks! I downloaded the German book.

 

[mayserwegener]

Ok, I've done some more research which has led me to Karlsruhe (about 45 mins from Mannheim)

"Qualitätsmarke Zeumer Hut Karlsruhe Kaiserstr. 125." (no longer there of course. I think the reference is from the 1920s or 30s)

I also found that there was a short-lived hutfabrik in Mannheim:
"Mannheimer Hutfabrik G.m.b.H, Mannheim 1931-1934"
which may explain the other listing we found about the Mannheim hutfabrik


..EDIT: I also found: "L.R. ZEUMER MANNHEIM" though he seemed to specialise in cap visors

I contacted the Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg and they came up the same locations as above. I will follow-up with the other archive sites that are mentioned.

"die Hutfabrik bzw. Kürschnerei Zeumer war nicht in Stuttgart, sondern in Baden angesiedelt. Bei einer kursorischen Recherche ließen sich Hinweise auf Firmen dieses Namens in Mannheim sowie in Karlsruhe ermitteln. Ob es sich um zwei verschiedene Unternehmen handelte oder um eine Firma, die an zwei Standorten produzierte, kann auf der Grundlage der hier vorliegenden Informationen nicht gesagt werden.

Im Hauptstaatsarchiv Stuttgart finden sich zwei Akten über die Gross-Kürschnerei Wilhelm Zeumer, Karlsruhe (EA 6/003, Bü 4509 und 5058). Es ist möglich, dass dieses Unternehmen das von Ihnen gesuchte dargestellt. Die beiden Akten enthalten allerdings lediglich drei Blätter über Fragen des Preisrechts (Laufzeit 1947 bzw. 1948). Einschlägige Informationen über die Hutkollektionen sind nicht enthalten.

Wenn Sie Interesse an den Dokumenten haben, fertigen wir gerne Reproduktionen der Unterlagen für Sie an. Die Kosten belaufen sich auf € 5,00 (Mindestbetrag). Die Bestellung kann formlos erfolgen, wir benötigen allerdings Ihre Postanschrift.

Wir empfehlen Ihnen auch eine Anfrage bei den Stadtarchiven in Mannheim und Karlsruhe sowie bei der Stiftung Wirtschaftsarchiv Baden-Württemberg in Stuttgart-Hohenheim. Dort können Ihnen eventuell konkretere Informationen über die Hutfabrik Zeumer bzw. die Geschichte der südwestdeutschen Hutfabrikation gegeben werden.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen

Google translation.

Skinning the hat factory and was set up not Zeumer in Stuttgart, but in Baden. In a cursory search could be references to identify companies that name in Mannheim and Karlsruhe. Whether it's two different companies or traded to a company that produced at two sites, may be based on the information presented here is not to be said.

In the Central State Archive Stuttgart, two files are on the large-Skinning William Zeumer, Karlsruhe (EA 6 / 003 Bü 4509 and 5058). It is possible that this represented the company you are looking for. The two acts, however, contain only three leaves questions about the price right (maturity 1947 and 1948). Relevant information about the Hutkollektionen are not included.

If you are interested in the documents, we are happy to produce reproductions of the documents for you. The cost is € 5.00 (minimum amount). The order can be made informally, however, we need your mailing address.

We also recommend that a request to the city archives in Mannheim and Karlsruhe, and the Foundation Business Archives Baden-Wuerttemberg in Stuttgart-Hohenheim. There, you may be able to more specific information about the hat factory Zeumer or the history of the southwestern hat manufacture are given."