Swiss Hat Companies

[Steve1857]

Found on eBay. I was waffling for a few days over whether I needed another black bowler when it went on sale at 30 percent off, so I just had to. Plus, Swiss hats don't pop up all that often.
National Extra quality by Hochstrasser Waedenswil.
Pardon the lint.

In the sun

The stamps and tags

The sweat looks reeded, but is an odd type that has no fabric tape behind the sweat, just the edge. Only other one I've seen is on my French Maximes mystery hat.

The liner is a beauty. Reminds me of a tuxedo shirt.

And a head shot. Fits nice!

It has a 5" crown and a 2" brim. 156g. The felt is in great shape, only one little dimple ro steam out. Feels like there may be wool in the blend as it has a somewhat coarse hand compared to some of my other bowlers. The sweat is a little dry, made me a bit nervous to turn it down for the pic. It survived unscathed (I hope) and should respond well to a Lexol-ing. Otherwise it has very little wear.
My thought on it's age is 30's. As always, all input to confirm or refute that assertion is welcome.


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A really nice find Moe. Sweet temptation at 30% off. By the look of the liner alone, I think your speculation about age is correct. 1930s would be my estimate, too.

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[moehawk]

Super! I had a list (photos from Kelly's Directory Of Merchants, Manufacturers And Shippers) of Swiss Hat Companies but not sure where they are now.

Thanks Steve!
Now I'm curious to know how many hatters were in Switzerland.

 

[moehawk]

Nice!! Congrats!!!

Sweet Swiss bowler, Moe!

Thanks guys!

 

[moehawk]

Thank

I saw so many of these hats at the Matterhorn. Not my style, but very nice. View attachment 143462

Thanks Moviehats!
I like to wear one on occasion. I dig the velour!

 

[moehawk]

A really nice find Moe. Sweet temptation at 30% off. By the look of the liner alone, I think your speculation about age is correct. 1930s would be my estimate, too.

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Thanks Steve!
Not a bad deal at all for 35 dollars including shipping...

 

[Steve1857]

Thanks Steve!
Not a bad deal at all for 35 dollars including shipping...

Not a bad deal at all. In fact, $35 plus the 30% would have been a steal in itself. At $35, I'd have been laughing all the way to the Swiss bank. Sweet Moe. I really like it.

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[steur]

Found on eBay. I was waffling for a few days over whether I needed another black bowler when it went on sale at 30 percent off, so I just had to. Plus, Swiss hats don't pop up all that often.
National Extra quality by Hochstrasser Waedenswil.
Pardon the lint.

In the sun

The stamps and tags

The sweat looks reeded, but is an odd type that has no fabric tape behind the sweat, just the edge. Only other one I've seen is on my French Maximes mystery hat.

The liner is a beauty. Reminds me of a tuxedo shirt.

And a head shot. Fits nice!

It has a 5" crown and a 2" brim. 156g. The felt is in great shape, only one little dimple ro steam out. Feels like there may be wool in the blend as it has a somewhat coarse hand compared to some of my other bowlers. The sweat is a little dry, made me a bit nervous to turn it down for the pic. It survived unscathed (I hope) and should respond well to a Lexol-ing. Otherwise it has very little wear.
My thought on it's age is 30's. As always, all input to confirm or refute that assertion is welcome.


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Very nice catch, John. Looks to be very well made. Love the liner.

 

[moehawk]

Very nice catch, John. Looks to be very well made. Love the liner.

Thanks Stefan!
It is very well made. I am now second-guessing my opinion of a wool blend felt and wondering if it's just a slightly hairier finish. They can't all be as fine as a fu Lazzaro or a Stetson.

 

[moehawk]

Something I noticed while conditioning the band. There is some sort of a flexible white filament around the top edge of the sweatband. It can be seen in this pic. Seems to be all around the edge.

It is flexible enough to bend the sweat down and stiff enough that it makes a pop when the sweat is folded back up. Never seen anything like it.

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[RJR]

Something I noticed while conditioning the band. There is some sort of a flexible white filament around the top edge of the sweatband. It can be seen in this pic. Seems to be all around the edge.

It is flexible enough to bend the sweat down and stiff enough that it makes a pop when the sweat is folded back up. Never seen anything like it.

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That is the reed.

 

[moehawk]

That is the reed.

But it's on the wrong edge of the sweat.

 

[Steve1857]

But it's on the wrong edge of the sweat.

Interesting Moe. My Moores' bowler has a similar "filament" as can be seen in the photos below. This bowler is from the 20s/30s. Perhaps this double reed effect was something done with bowler hats at that time.

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[moehawk]

Interesting Moe. My Moores' bowler has a similar "filament" as can be seen in the photos below. This bowler is from the 20s/30s. Perhaps this double reed effect was something done with bowler hats at that time.

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I just checked all of my other bowlers. All had a rolled free edge, but only my G. B. Borsalino fu Lazzaro & C. from the 20's also had a filament that I could feel.
Interesting.

 

[Steve1857]

I just checked all of my other bowlers. All had a rolled free edge, but only my G. B. Borsalino fu Lazzaro & C. from the 20's also had a filament that I could feel.
Interesting.

Very interesting. It seems like it could well be a 20s/30s thing. When I first acquired the bowler, I thought it had something to do with the claim "Vacuum Fitting" on the sweat band. The leather band is rather thick and "puffy" for want of a better word. It feels like a kind of suction cup effect once worn. It's a hat that won't easily be knocked off.
Is your Swiss bowler in any way like that, Moe? The sweat band on it looks thinner than the one on mine.

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[mayserwegener]

This is fairly common (reed on lower edge of sweatband) with Euro Stiff Felts of the 1920s and 1930s. It's self conforming related.

Even some liners have reed piping.

 

[Steve1857]

This is fairly common (reed on lower edge of sweatband) with Euro Stiff Felts of the 1920s and 1930s. It's self conforming related.

Even some liners have reed piping.

Thanks, Steve. Good to hear. I think that confirms my speculation.

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[moehawk]

Very interesting. It seems like it could well be a 20s/30s thing. When I first acquired the bowler, I thought it had something to do with the claim "Vacuum Fitting" on the sweat band. The leather band is rather thick and "puffy" for want of a better word. It feels like a kind of suction cup effect once worn. It's a hat that won't easily be knocked off.
Is your Swiss bowler in any way like that, Moe? The sweat band on it looks thinner than the one on mine.

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I had forgotten to check my Tirard Freres, also 20's to 30's. It has it as well, plus the reed edge. All three of mine are thin leather sweats.

 

[moehawk]

This is fairly common (reed on lower edge of sweatband) with Euro Stiff Felts of the 1920s and 1930s. It's self conforming related.

Even some liners have reed piping.

Thanks for the clarification!
Just something I'd never noticed before.
Is it a type of plastic?

 

[mayserwegener]

Thanks for the clarification!
Just something I'd never noticed before.
Is it a type of plastic?

I haven't looked closely at any. Also I am not sure I would be able to tell. I don't think they are any different than the reed used in the upper part of the sweatband.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Botta. 5 ¾” open crown and 2 ¾” raw edge brim. The felt is surprisingly nice.