German & Austrian Hutmachers

Dr Doran · Jul 2, 2009

mayserwegener said:
I think most still do but you are safe on this thread until they kick us out. Please post some pictures of your hat.

Kick us out? No, only for rudeness or for non-vintage- and non-classic style- related matter.

I'd take photos but I'm too busy today.

Has anyone heard of that hat company (West Hamm)?

mayserwegener · Jul 2, 2009

I think some might consider some of hats rude and offensive

but I don't. They are part of hat history and shouldn't be ignored.

I haven't heard of West Hamm. It is possible they are not even a German or Austrian hat company. If possible please take pictures of all the labels (under the sweat).

Brad Bowers · Jul 2, 2009

I check out all the new posts on this thread. I'm not necessarily a big fan of some of the styles, but I can appreciate them and the history that goes along with them. I'm interested in learning about all hat companies, not just American manufacturers.

Brad

le.gentleman · Jul 3, 2009

Ok here are some pics of the first one - it's from Hückel which was founded in 1799 and held a Royal Warrant (k.u.k.) from the Austrian emperor. After WWII the owners were expropriated by the communist Czech Republic and subsequently Hückel was renamed into Tonak:

mayserwegener · Jul 3, 2009

le.gentleman said:
Ok here are some pics of the first one - it's from Hückel which was founded in 1799 and held a Royal Warrant (k.u.k.) from the Austrian emperor. After WWII the owners were expropriated by the communist Czech Republic and subsequently Hückel was renamed into Tonak:

Thank you for posting the picture. Can you check the paper labels on this one to verify orgin? This looks like a 60s era hat that could have been made by TONAK or some other source under license.

Dreispitz · Jul 4, 2009

Doran said:
Kick us out? No, only for rudeness or for non-vintage- and non-classic style- related matter.

I'd take photos but I'm too busy today.

Has anyone heard of that hat company (West Hamm)?

Hamm is a town in Westphalia, Germany. Did not find anything on hats related to that place. [huh]

Dreispitz · Jul 4, 2009

Doran said:
An eye-opening thread. I assumed (from some comments a couple of years ago) that everyone on the Lounge hated Germano-Austrian velvety hats. This thread makes me want to wear mine more (it's by West Hamm, whoever that is, and has the metal round initial things in it).

The same with me. I am now paying closer attention to vintage and non vintage German etc. traditional alpine style hats. It is quite amaizing how well and luxuriously they were made in terms of craftsmanship and material.

Apart from the vast number of traditional styles, there are all the international styles in high quality. One should not forget the many small production hatters that were working over here. That opens up some discovery potential other than finding another hatter that hopped on the Open Road train. Hm, still haven´t got a Stetson 100 OR in silverbelly

By the way, who else has got a melusine Hückel Super Sport?

le.gentleman · Jul 4, 2009

mayserwegener said:
Thank you for posting the picture. Can you check the paper labels on this one to verify orgin? This looks like a 60s era hat that could have been made by TONAK or some other source under license.

In this one, there is a paper label which only says 60 on it which refers to the size. Apprently it was made for the 60th anniversary of the store "Hut Spanke" in Münster, Westphalen Prinzipalmarkt 4. Unfortunately, I cannot find anything about that store on google.

Moreover, on the inside of the sweatband there is a stamp with the number " 2840/15" and "Chevreau taube".

le.gentleman · Jul 4, 2009

This is a nice navy Mayser. It's tag says " HR City Finale 60
75868 0178 101971" I tmust be from the 60's -70's.

mayserwegener · Jul 4, 2009

le.gentleman said:
In this one, there is a paper label which only says 60 on it which refers to the size. Apprently it was made for the 60th anniversary of the store "Hut Spanke" in Münster, Westphalen Prinzipalmarkt 4. Unfortunately, I cannot find anything about that store on google.

Moreover, on the inside of the sweatband there is a stamp with the number " 2840/15" and "Chevreau taube".

That must be the model name. It appears Hückel made hats in Weilheim after WWII (see pic below). Dreispitz do you know anything about this?

Dreispitz · Jul 4, 2009

mayserwegener said:
That must be the model name. It appears Hückel made hats in Weilheim after WWII (see pic below). Dreispitz do you know anything about this?

Unfortunately, I could not find anything on a Weilheim hat factory. However, Weilheim is not that far away from Augsburg, where Hückel had some of its German structure after the war.

mayserwegener · Jul 4, 2009

le.gentleman said:
This is a nice navy Mayser. It's tag says " HR City Finale 60
75868 0178 101971" I tmust be from the 60's -70's.

Nice one!

Dreispitz said:
Unfortunately, I could not find anything on a Weilheim hat factory. However, Weilheim is not that far away from Augsburg, where Hückel had some of its German structure after the war.

I have a contact in Augsburg that might have some information.

mayserwegener · Jul 4, 2009

Movie "One, Two, Three" featuring Mayser Hats and Boxes

I was told about a scene featuring Mayser hats and boxes from the comedy / farce "One, Two, Three" by Billy Wilder staring James Cagney. The movie was shot in Berlin around 1960 prior to wall going up. I was able to purchase a copy so I put a clip of the scene "Speeding Crash Course" on YouTube. It is worth checking out the entire movie if you get a chance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKaRLlGPfAE

By the way you can still purchase the same Mayser hat box featured in the clip. I have a few of them.

le.gentleman · Jul 4, 2009

Maybe the hat Museum in Nový Jičín has more information about when Hückel hats were produced under a license:

# Tel: 556 701 156
Fax: 556 705 393
e-mail: ovmnj@atlas.cz
Web Site: www.muzeum.novy-jicin.cz

mayserwegener · Jul 4, 2009

le.gentleman said:
Maybe the hat Museum in Nový Jičín has more information about when Hückel hats were produced under a license:

# Tel: 556 701 156
Fax: 556 705 393
e-mail: ovmnj@atlas.cz
Web Site: www.muzeum.novy-jicin.cz

Thanks for the info. I will try to make contact and see what they have to say. There was production in Germany after the war but I am not sure for how long (1970s?). I know now the hats made under the Hückel brand are from TONAK.

le.gentleman · Jul 5, 2009

mayserwegener said:
Thanks for the info. I will try to make contact and see what they have to say. There was production in Germany after the war but I am not sure for how long (1970s?). I know now the hats made under the Hückel brand are from TONAK.

Great! Where did you get to know that Tonak made all Hückel hats? I also have to ask Mr. Beermann at the hat store next time I go there - he might know.

Here are a few more Hückel pics:

This one lacks a tag as well - just some numbers and "Chevreau mgrau" stamped on the inside of the sweatband. Chevrau probably revers to the leather sweatband and the second word stands for the color of the lining - in this case midgray whereas the other Hückel had a dove colored (dove = Taube) lining.

mayserwegener · Jul 5, 2009

le.gentleman said:
Great! Where did you get to know that Tonak made all Hückel hats? I also have to ask Mr. Beermann at the hat store next time I go there - he might know.

This one lacks a tag as well - just some numbers and "Chevreau mgrau" stamped on the inside of the sweatband. Chevrau probably revers to the leather sweatband and the second word stands for the color of the lining - in this case midgray whereas the other Hückel had a dove colored (dove = Taube) lining.

I don't have any current Hückel hats but I have read that they were made by TONAK. It appears the company SELCO (Selentino) has use of the name but are not using the umlaut. I believe SELCO pretty much equals TONAK.

By the way I wrote to the Nový Jičín museum and asked them following questions about Hückel.

What were the Hückel manufacturing sites prior to the end of World War II?

After World War II did the Hückel family move operations to Weilheim, Germany?

Who owned the Hückel brand after World War II?

When did TONAK start making hats under the Hückel brand?

I also asked them about the Hückel hat in my profile picture and if they can date it. This hat was made in Germany. Was it pre, during or post WWII?

Will be interesting to see if I get a response.

I also asked the owner of Hut Neubarth in Augsburg if he has any information on Weilheim factory.

I am sure Mr. Beermann would know something about what happened. Look forward to what he has to say. Could you ask him about my hat too?

I looked back at your pictures and noticed Hut-Ceska which might point to Czech (TONAK) so that could rule out Weilheim (unless they were importing?). Maybe you can get a rough production date from Mr. Beermann. Based on the glued liner I am thinking post 1970.

le.gentleman · Jul 5, 2009

Great - let's see whether you get a reply.

Your Hückel Superior looks nice and is older than my hats for sure. The one hat says Hut Geske which is the name of the hat store where it was bought...

mayserwegener · Jul 5, 2009

le.gentleman said:
Great - let's see whether you get a reply.

Your Hückel Superior looks nice and is older than my hats for sure. The one hat says Hut Geske which is the name of the hat store where it was bought...

Thank you for the clarification. The sweat on your hat is similar to the Hückel Weilheim Fabrick sweat pic I posted. That one has the same Hückel pin.

I searched the FL and found this hat that was made by J. Hückel & Söhne.

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=25889

This one is from Czecho-Slovakia so it is pre WWII and was definitely made in Nový Jičín(Neutitschein). I have no idea about my hat (made during German occupation or after in Germany?). It has a similar liner material to the J. Hückel & Söhne but the logo is similar to your later hat (just Hückel).

I didn't get back any good information from my contact in Augsburg regarding the Weilheim Hutfabrik. Still waiting on a reply from the museum in Nový Jičín(Neutitschein).

I did find this label pick on eBay that is similar to my hats paper label but made in Czecho Slovakia which makes it prior to WWII. It has the same logo too (just Hückel).

Mario · Jul 6, 2009

I just arrived home from a folk, roots and worldmusic festival here in Germany - just in time to find find that, a few hours ago, while I was on the road, heading home, my sniper scored this beautiful Mayser for me. It probably dates back to the late 50s, maybe early 60s. It's a size 7. The color (NOT the felt finish!) is called Antilope. 13.10 € inlcuding shipping.

I'll take some photos as soon as the prey has been savely hidden in my lair...

!BV(ospw!2k~$(KGrHgoH-CUEjlLlvS+VBKSLUFPy5Q~~_1.JPG

!BVb-MV!!Wk~$(KGrHgoH-D!EjlLlz,uWBKSg-YWgew~~_1.JPG

!BVb-n(w!2k~$(KGrHgoH-D!EjlLl1kKDBKSh!jh-9w~~_1.JPG

!BVb-Zz!CGk~$(KGrHgoH-CsEjlLltsWbBKSg+cwPJ!~~_1.JPG

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