German & Austrian Hutmachers

[Redfokker]

This is the plastic crown protector, it has the store logo on it too. I've seen this type of thing before somewhere.

 

[mayserwegener]

Mike, It was made Weilheim Germany. I would say later 1950s maybe very early 1960s. What time were you thinking it was from? The plastic protective inserts (provided by the retailer) are common with German hats from this time period.

 

[Redfokker]

Mike, It was made Weilheim Germany. I would say later 1950s maybe very early 1960s. What time were you thinking it was from? The plastic protective inserts (provided by the retailer) are common with German hats from this time period.

My main concern about dating this beauty is the paper thin sweat band. it is nice, but not as substantial as I would expect. I'll be posting some more detailed pictures of the innards this afternoon. Yesterday's shots were "quick and dirty".

 

[mayserwegener]

My main concern about dating this beauty is the paper thin sweat band. it is nice, but not as substantial as I would expect. I'll be posting some more detailed pictures of the innards this afternoon. Yesterday's shots were "quick and dirty".

It could be to reduce weight. I would have to see it. Hückel Weilheim workmanship is superior to anything made in America during the same time period.

 

[steur]

Hückel Weilheim "Derby", 58cm probably later 1950s. I really like the form and high side dents. Also really like the ribbon felt color contrast. Hückel Weilheim made fantastic looking Homburgs.

Natural Light

Again: great find, Steve. That hat has everything that defines a fantastic homburg for me.

 

[steur]

I finally can post a hat on this thread. Today my Hückel Chamois fedora in black arrived from France. The finish on the felt is so soft and smooth. It was a little crushed by the international travel, but responded to a little steam bath nicely. I am thinking this may be a newer hat. Some details like plastic lining behind the sweat and the shaped crown insert seem more modern. The sweatband is paper thin, not in a bad way, but not supple. The stamping on the sweat is of the same quality of a modern Stetson. Overall, a very nice hat. It is too big at 7 3/8, but shimming should help.

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Great hat, Mike. These Chamois finishes are addictive though, so beware!

 

[steur]

This is the plastic crown protector, it has the store logo on it too. I've seen this type of thing before somewhere.

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These crown protectors are quite common in Germany for some reason. I never see them in hats from other countries. Don't like them myself, so I always take them out.

 

[mayserwegener]

Echter Brabant Haarhut, 58cm probably mid 1960s. No paper label / company mark and the German trade mark search came up empty. I have come across a couple of these in the past. It has a classic form for a later Homburg.

Natural Light

 

[steur]

Echter Brabant Haarhut, 58cm probably mid 1960s. No paper label / company mark and the German trade mark search came up empty. I have come across a couple of these in the past. It has a classic form for a later Homburg.

Another great addition to the collection, Steve. As you say: classic form.

 

[mayserwegener]

Stefan, Thanks! This one came with the Hückel Weilheim "Derby". It's not a brand name hat but still of good quality for the time period.

Again: great find, Steve. That hat has everything that defines a fantastic homburg for me.

Stefan, Thanks again!

 

[Redfokker]

It could be to reduce weight. I would have to see it. Hückel Weilheim workmanship is superior to anything made in America during the same time period.

+1 True dat!

 

[mayserwegener]

IMPRÄGNOL Imprägniert

Echter Breiter (belongs to Stefan)

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/german-austrian-hutmachers.32103/page-305#post-2284260

https://www.impraegnol.de/en/history/

I was searching around and found out that the company is still around. This Mayser Milz & Cie (auction photo) also has the IMPRÄGNOL Imprägniert label. Not sure if I have seen it on any other branded hat so M.M. could be the source of some of no brand name hats (see Windsor, Echter Breiter).

 

[steur]

IMPRÄGNOL Imprägniert

Echter Breiter (belongs to Stefan)

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/german-austrian-hutmachers.32103/page-305#post-2284260

https://www.impraegnol.de/en/history/

I was searching around and found out that the company is still around. This Mayser Milz & Cie (auction photo) also has the IMPRÄGNOL Imprägniert label. Not sure if I have seen it on any other branded hat so M.M. could be the source of some of no brand name hats (see Windsor, Echter Breiter).

That is great new information you found there, Steve. I would have to look which of the hats I have carry this label (I have a few of them). I'll check out the site to see what the process was (if they give any insight that is).

 

[Redfokker]

I finally got the chance to take a few proper pictures of the Hückel Chamois. The ribbon treatment reminds me of a hat I saw Steve displaying. I searched under the entire sweat and did not find a manufacture tag. Is this common to Hückel? The wind trolley is the elastic cord type, the button has come off leaving the exposed knot. This will have to be fixed.

 

[steur]

I finally got the chance to take a few proper pictures of the Hückel Chamois. The ribbon treatment reminds me of a hat I saw Steve displaying. I searched under the entire sweat and did not find a manufacture tag. Is this common to Hückel? The wind trolley is the elastic cord type, the button has come off leaving the exposed knot. This will have to be fixed.

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It seems to be more common with Hückel, Mike. I checked and found that three of the six Hückel hats I've owned did not have a label. Form and finish of that hat look great.

 

[steur]

Eight Borsalinos and a Hückel. Sounds like a title for a novel, but it was what I brought back with me from Rotterdam this week. The Borsalinos can be found in that thread, but the Hückel belongs here. It's an interesting one too, even though it has a small flaw. Hückel Special in grey (with a cool blue tone to it), size 58 with a bound brim at 6,2 cm and crown at 10,5 cm at the pinch. This one was made by Tonak. Interesting is that it came from the shop of Paavo Nurmi of Helsinki. Most of you will know who Paavo Nurmi was, but just in case: he was a Finnish long distance runner who won several olympic gold medals (before WWII). After his running career he started a haberdashery in Helsinki. He had a keen sense for business, because he had a career in developing real estate too and eventually became one of the richest men in Finland.
This is a beautiful hat with a nice form and a great colour. Only flaw it has is that there's a cut on the underside of the brim (only discovered it when I steamend and brushed the hat). Seems to be recent, so could be from unpacking the hats for the vintage store I got it from. Not terrible, but a pity nontheless. The wrinkles in the ribbon I can steam out easily.

 

[KarlCrow]

Eight Borsalinos and a Hückel. Sounds like a title for a novel, but it was what I brought back with me from Rotterdam this week. The Borsalinos can be found in that thread, but the Hückel belongs here. It's an interesting one too, even though it has a small flaw. Hückel Special in grey (with a cool blue tone to it), size 58 with a bound brim at 6,2 cm and crown at 10,5 cm at the pinch. This one was made by Tonak. Interesting is that it came from the shop of Paavo Nurmi of Helsinki. Most of you will know who Paavo Nurmi was, but just in case: he was a Finnish long distance runner who won several olympic gold medals (before WWII). After his running career he started a haberdashery in Helsinki. He had a keen sense for business, because he had a career in developing real estate too and eventually became one of the richest men in Finland.
This is a beautiful hat with a nice form and a great colour. Only flaw it has is that there's a cut on the underside of the brim (only discovered it when I steamend and brushed the hat). Seems to be recent, so could be from unpacking the hats for the vintage store I got it from. Not terrible, but a pity nontheless. The wrinkles in the ribbon I can steam out easily.

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Colour!

Eight Borsalinos and a Hückel. Sounds like a title for a novel, but it was what I brought back with me from Rotterdam this week. The Borsalinos can be found in that thread, but the Hückel belongs here. It's an interesting one too, even though it has a small flaw. Hückel Special in grey (with a cool blue tone to it), size 58 with a bound brim at 6,2 cm and crown at 10,5 cm at the pinch. This one was made by Tonak. Interesting is that it came from the shop of Paavo Nurmi of Helsinki. Most of you will know who Paavo Nurmi was, but just in case: he was a Finnish long distance runner who won several olympic gold medals (before WWII). After his running career he started a haberdashery in Helsinki. He had a keen sense for business, because he had a career in developing real estate too and eventually became one of the richest men in Finland.
This is a beautiful hat with a nice form and a great colour. Only flaw it has is that there's a cut on the underside of the brim (only discovered it when I steamend and brushed the hat). Seems to be recent, so could be from unpacking the hats for the vintage store I got it from. Not terrible, but a pity nontheless. The wrinkles in the ribbon I can steam out easily.

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[Redfokker]

Eight Borsalinos and a Hückel. Sounds like a title for a novel, but it was what I brought back with me from Rotterdam this week. The Borsalinos can be found in that thread, but the Hückel belongs here. It's an interesting one too, even though it has a small flaw. Hückel Special in grey (with a cool blue tone to it), size 58 with a bound brim at 6,2 cm and crown at 10,5 cm at the pinch. This one was made by Tonak. Interesting is that it came from the shop of Paavo Nurmi of Helsinki. Most of you will know who Paavo Nurmi was, but just in case: he was a Finnish long distance runner who won several olympic gold medals (before WWII). After his running career he started a haberdashery in Helsinki. He had a keen sense for business, because he had a career in developing real estate too and eventually became one of the richest men in Finland.
This is a beautiful hat with a nice form and a great colour. Only flaw it has is that there's a cut on the underside of the brim (only discovered it when I steamend and brushed the hat). Seems to be recent, so could be from unpacking the hats for the vintage store I got it from. Not terrible, but a pity nontheless. The wrinkles in the ribbon I can steam out easily.

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Super find Stefan, great color and classic lines. Interesting lineage too.

 

[mayserwegener]

I searched under the entire sweat and did not find a manufacture tag. Is this common to Hückel?
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It seems to be more common with Hückel, Mike. I checked and found that three of the six Hückel hats I've owned did not have a label. Form and finish of that hat look great.

This is case with Hückel Weilheim (Germany). My guess is it's related to Hückel Trademark issues post WWII.

 

[mayserwegener]

Eight Borsalinos and a Hückel. Sounds like a title for a novel, but it was what I brought back with me from Rotterdam this week. The Borsalinos can be found in that thread, but the Hückel belongs here. It's an interesting one too, even though it has a small flaw. Hückel Special in grey (with a cool blue tone to it), size 58 with a bound brim at 6,2 cm and crown at 10,5 cm at the pinch. This one was made by Tonak. Interesting is that it came from the shop of Paavo Nurmi of Helsinki. Most of you will know who Paavo Nurmi was, but just in case: he was a Finnish long distance runner who won several olympic gold medals (before WWII). After his running career he started a haberdashery in Helsinki. He had a keen sense for business, because he had a career in developing real estate too and eventually became one of the richest men in Finland.
This is a beautiful hat with a nice form and a great colour. Only flaw it has is that there's a cut on the underside of the brim (only discovered it when I steamend and brushed the hat). Seems to be recent, so could be from unpacking the hats for the vintage store I got it from. Not terrible, but a pity nontheless. The wrinkles in the ribbon I can steam out easily.

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Stefan, Great + Interesting find! I think this one is from the very late 1950s maybe early 1960s. As I mentioned above there were Trademark issues (I don't have written details but just reference hats). I think at this point in time Hückel Weilheim had the German market (not sure if they officially had the Trademark but possible Tonak didn't want to challenge it?) and everywhere else Tonak had the Hückel Trademark. Factory 101 (Tonak 1) was Johann Hückel´s Söhne main factory (Neutitschein, Nový Jičín) which is still in operation today.

If you (or anyone) want to know what happened post WWII in Czechoslovakia you can check this out (rough translation).

http://germanaustrianhats.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/186-z-dějin-klobouků-tonak-1799-170-1969-jičín-čsovák/?hl=tonak

Janyška & Cie. (Tonak 2)

http://germanaustrianhats.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/194-janyška-cie/