Pellie
Call Me a Cab
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Thanks Steve.
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German & Austrian Hutmachers
- Thread starter mayserwegener
- Start date
jeffgarf
One Too Many
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While this part of the thread goes back some years, I know that @steur and @mayserwegener are still active, of course. Without a dedicated Polish hatters thread, I found nowhere else to post this hat. Finding the 2020 discussion about a Polish-made hat leads to me believe that I should drop this here. Similar to the hat @steur found then, this is a Skoczów-made hat, surely post WWII, and probably like the other hat listed, a PolkaP. If anyone has come up with anything in recent years about these hats only marked by their place of manufacture, I'd be interested to learn.
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Jeff, This hat is post WWII. Probably the earliest being late 1950s. You can see they are using the JHS crest with an "S" in the middle instead of "JHS".
I would have to see if I have any info on the JHS Skoczów location. It and the Ratibor factory location date back to the mid 1920s.
I don't have the latest status on PolkaP but there website is still active. I will have to visit someday.
POLKAP – kapelusze damskie, męskie, specjalne
www.polkap.pl
Radek Polách from the Novy Jicin City Museum visited PolkaP back in 2014 and took some exterior photos.
jeffgarf
One Too Many
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Thanks for your response.
I think I saw, in further researching, that the PolkaP website, at least in translated Polish, claims that their heritage goes back to JHS. I think the Polish ownership only is post WWII, with the factory being nationalized by the Germans during the war and owned by JHS prior. Some good history here.
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Yes, it was JHS. There were issues post WWI exporting from Czechoslovakia to German markets. The Ratibor factory was in Silesia so they could export into German markets. I don't know Skoczów factory could export to German market so will need to check into that. During WWII occupation Novy Jicin, Czechoslovakia and Skoczów. Poland factories war converted to war production. Same with the Silesia factory but they were already in Germany prior. I know the Hückel family maintained ownership of JHS Main Factory in Novy Jicin, Czechoslovakia up to end of WWII. It was the same with Ratibor, Silesia and the Skoczów. Poland factories.
This is the English translation from the PolkaP site. The Skoczów factory was taken over by the state at the end of the war / 1945.
"Skoczowska Fabryka Kapeluszy Polkap SA is a company with traditions dating back to 1924.
In 1924, the then-hat company "Hückel Sohne" (with its parent plant in Nový Jičín, as well as branches in Racibórz and Vienna) opened a branch in Skoczów. Initially, production was seasonal, reaching approximately 500 products per day. Ten years after the factory's founding, the workforce reached 230, and during the peak season, 450 workers were employed. At that time, production consisted of men's hats made of hair felt in three different finishes: smooth, suede, and velvet, caps and cones for women's hats, and berets. During World War II, the plant produced socks for the military. In May 1945, several dozen workers began rebuilding the halls, repairing the roofs and bringing in machinery from Nový Jičín and the completely destroyed plant in Racibórz using their own transport. At the same time, the Skoczów branch was taken over by the state, and from that moment on, the systematic development of the only manufacturer of high-quality hair felt hats in the country began. Production then reached 2,500 hats per year. In 1972, production reached 1 million hats, employing nearly 1,100 workers. Simultaneously, the plant was modernized, new halls were built, and some of the machinery was replaced."
Since 2005, following the liquidation of the state-owned enterprise, the company has been in the hands of private shareholders.
https://www.polkap.pl/o-firmie/
I am more interested on how the factories all worked together prior to WWII but I haven't been able to find that information. I actually found this document regarding the Ratibor factory which I a sent digital copy to Novy Jicin City museum. A photo of the Ratibor factory is at the bottom of the document.
https://germanaustrianhats.invisionzone.com/topic/6-johann-hückel´s-söhne-hückel-hutfabrik-weilheim/page/3/#comment-961
Here is some more information.
There is also a lot of information on my website but it's not well organized.
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Mayser "Grand Prix" "R", 58 cm, 154 grams, possibly late 1920s early 1930s. Made by Mayser Ulm for the Swiss market "Chapellerie Krämer Basel". Mayser Ulm Stiff Felts are difficult to find and this one is in excellent condition. I have five Mayser Ulm Stiff Felts and they all have the same width Bands and similar length Bows.
The Initials were removed.
The exterior size label is still present.
"M U" Mayser Ulm Paper Label, "Chapellerie Krämer Basel 2550" Paper Label
"Albert Krämer Spalenberg 41. Basel" Annuario del commercio italo-svizzero / Yearbook of Italian-Swiss Trade, Published 1934
The Initials were removed.
The exterior size label is still present.
"M U" Mayser Ulm Paper Label, "Chapellerie Krämer Basel 2550" Paper Label
"Albert Krämer Spalenberg 41. Basel" Annuario del commercio italo-svizzero / Yearbook of Italian-Swiss Trade, Published 1934
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P. & C. Habig Wien "Special", 58 cm, possible production year 1959. The Black Felt has a fine Smooth Finish and easily Dry Creases. As usual great Form and Component quality. The overall condition is excellent.
Open Crown
Open Crown
Mean Eyed Matt
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As is so often the case, you can already see the quality of this Habig in the photos. Great one, Steve!P. & C. Habig Wien "Special", 58 cm, possible production year 1959. The Black Felt has a fine Smooth Finish and easily Dry Creases. As usual great Form and Component quality. The overall condition is excellent.
Open Crown
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Matt, Thank you!
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Johann Gärner, Gärner Hüte, "9535U", Back Bow, Under Welt, 57 cm possibly early 1960s. This Form was popular Germany and Austria in the late 1950s into the 1960s. I believe this hat was made by Johann Gärner Hüte Wien although they also sourced hats. Gärner Hüte Wien goes back to the late 19th Century. There were two brothers, Georg and Johann, associated with Gärner Hüte Wien and their small factory was located at Fröbelgasse 10, Wien. I come across Gärner Hüte Wien hats often but all in very small sizes. Here is an old Georg Gärner, Gärner Wien Wool Stiff Felt I found in 2013.
Brim Up
Brim Up
jeffgarf
One Too Many
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Not our usual post, but I found this in a modern hat for sale under the Mayser brand.
Designed in Germany, but made in Slovakia. Hmmm?
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Mayser moved all hat production from Lindenberg, Germany to Roznava, Slovakia in 2011.
The URL below includes an interesting video of Mayser Lindenberg production circa 2001 although some parts are older.
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Dobesch Wien "Standard", with "Dobesch Conformatic", 57 cm, possibly 1960s. This is a very well made later Homburg Hat. The Light Gray Felt has a fine hand and is pliable. The Black Sweatband has a special finish and is of high quality. This Homburg Hat was custom made for the well known Josef Pichler & Söhne Graz.
Open Crown
Open Crown
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Pellie
Call Me a Cab
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I bought this Hückel. Seller said it was a 59, and could not find a sizetag. It turned out to be a 58, but fits really well. It came with a weird (my opinion) hatband, see last pic, so i took that off and made it original. Very lightweighted and thin felt.
Wonderful hat and a great find, Steve. Very nice colour and shape. We don't see Dobesch that often.Dobesch Wien "Standard", with "Dobesch Conformatic", 57 cm, possibly 1960s. This is a very well made later Homburg Hat. The Light Gray Felt has a fine hand and is pliable. The Black Sweatband has a special finish and is of high quality. This Homburg Hat was custom made for the well known Josef Pichler & Söhne Graz.
Open Crown
jeffgarf
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Jeff, Super find! Dobesch Wien made really fine Homburg Hats!
jeffgarf
One Too Many
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It seemed too fine to pass on and rare, apparently.
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Marcel, Great find and rescue work! Hückel Weilheim hats are great to wear!
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Stefan, Thank you! It's a later one but I wanted to take a look. It must be from near the end of Dobesch Wien.