German & Austrian Hutmachers

[mayserwegener]

Wegener "Seal", measures 58cm, probably late 1950s. Very nice felt color and finish.

 

[fedoracentric]

That triangle knot bow is pretty cool.

 

[mayserwegener]

Thanks! I have another hat with the identical bow but no company mark. I thought it might have been made by Wegener but now I am fairly positive.

http://germanaustrianhats.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/4-rm-wegener-hutfabrik/page__st__40#entry1025

 

[mikespens]

Beautiful hat Steve, great score!

 

[mayserwegener]

Mike, Thanks!

 

[mayserwegener]

Wegener Postcards, pre WWII

 

[mayserwegener]

Josef Pichler & Söhne Melone with an old Anton Pichler Graz box (they were brothers). Not mine but rare to see the old box plus hat. Also a really nice stiff felt.

 

[navarre]

Hey Mayser, I pretty sure this has been covered before, but what is the story on "Seal" velour

 

[mayserwegener]

It's a type of Velour finish by J. Hückel´s Söhne (Neutitschein, Austria up to WWI and Novy Jicin, Czechoslovakia after WWI, after WWII TONAK and Hückel Hutfabrik Weilheim, West Germany) that has wet Seal like appearance. As far as I know only specific Hare varieties were used as felt content (maybe some Nutria for felting). Here is a comparison I did a while ago of a J. Hückel´s Söhne Zephyr Seal Velour (late 1930s) vs. TONAK Formely Hückel Zephyr Seal Velour (late 1940s early 1950s).

http://germanaustrianhats.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/135-j-hueckel%C2%B4s-soehne-zephyr-seal-velour-late-1930s-vs-tonak-formely-hueckel-zephyr-seal-velour-late-1940s-early-1950s/

There is also the question of hand wet brushing Velour (Echter Velour / Real Velour) vs. later machine techniques (Fake Velour). The hand process was very time consuming and required highly skilled Brushers. It could take few weeks to complete the hand wet brushing Velour process. It didn't survive much after WWII because of the usual reasons (shrinking market, increased labor costs, lack of skilled workers). If you read through my website you will get an idea of what the hand process involved.

 

[mayserwegener]

I came across a interesting + recent (2009) patent application by Masarykova Univerzita, Tonak A.S. (Czech Republic). Since TONAK was JHS I decided to post it here.

"An Apparatus and Method for Improving Felting Properties of Animal Fibers by Plasma Treatment"

http://www.google.com/patents/EP2488690A1?cl=en

 

[fedoracentric]

Every time I see the word Hutmacher it reads huNt maRcher in my head! LOL I know, I know... stupid American.

 

[Dreispitz]

Wait a minute ....

Have a closer look at the liner ... it´s a Christy´s Bowler

German Melone, size 55cm, probably WWI era. Another fantastic liner and made of wool. Great condition especially considering the age.

 

[mayserwegener]

Deiter, Good to hear from you! I didn't make the connection. Could it be possible a German company used an English crown mark (supplier)?

 

[Dreispitz]

archer .... ha, ha

Every time I see the word Hutmacher it reads huNt maRcher in my head! LOL I know, I know... stupid American.

 

[Dreispitz]

Hello Steve!

have not been on the lounge for quite a while. Guess English hats simply ended up in Germany. I too own English bowlers ..... you know

Having said that, lots of Austrian bowlers (i.e. Habig) were imported to the UK. UK re-labeled and ... maybe sold abroad.

The "made in Britain" was definately a strong sales argument. Bowlers are genuinely British and you come across the same thing, today. Made especially for "X" shop.

 

[mayserwegener]

Hope you stick around! It has been lonely here on the German - Austrian thread! Looking forward to a Derbynator appearance!

Yes your fantastic Lincoln Bennett Bowlers! The only German maker I know with a direct link ( Sr. Maj. d. Königs v. England) was PH. Möckel because of the Edward VII connection.

http://germanaustrianhats.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/14-mockel-hutfabrik/#entry674

 

[Dreispitz]

It is getting chilly outside and mushrooms do proliferate allover the woods ... guess Bowlers will soon follow suite and pop up, too

Möckel catering hats to British royalty is no suprise because of the Homburgs. I remember having read something on Austrian hat export figures - maybe in this thread - some years ago.

Hope you stick around! It has been lonely here on the German - Austrian thread! Looking forward to a Derbynator appearance!

Yes your fantastic Lincoln Bennett Bowlers! The only German maker I know with a direct link ( Sr. Maj. d. Königs v. England) was PH. Möckel because of the Edward VII connection.

http://germanaustrianhats.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/14-mockel-hutfabrik/#entry674

 

[mayserwegener]

R.& M. Wegener, measures 58.5cm, crown 6 inches open, brim 2 1/2 inches, 1920s maybe older. This is the first pre WWII Wegener I have encountered, after looking for a long time, so a rare find. All the original parts are in place except for the sweatband ribbon, although the bow looks original. What is interesting is the crown tip patch is off center. This could be why the patched survived. There is a paper label behind the sweatband but I do not want to take a chance damaging the sweatband.

 

[Dreispitz]

What a splendid find! Quite a high crown!

 

[mayserwegener]

Thanks! The seller had it listed as 56cm but the numbers they provided made me believe it was larger. Luckily my hunch turned out to be correct.