German & Austrian Hutmachers

[steur]

Part II

 

[mayserwegener]

Sometimes a stroke of luck comes unexpectedly.

Two Wilkes arrive from the same seller in Germany, each with a magnificent Melousine felt hat.

Both are leftovers from a warehouse or store; the outside size is still attached to the ribbon.


I'll show you a preview of them as soon as they arrive.

There's still some left on the fur felt side, which arrived in the last few days, and then we'll move on to hats suitable for the season.

Daniele, Somehow I missed your post! Both are really fantastic! Great colors and Soleil Velour finishes. I know the Wilke trademark was acquired post WWII but I have look back on the information I have. Also need to see if I can detect anything from the paper labels.

 

[mayserwegener]

Stefan, That is a really great early Tonak "Formerly Hückel" "Zephyr" "Seal Velour"! Thank you for posting the photos.

 

[Daniele Tanto]

Daniele, Somehow I missed your post! Both are really fantastic! Great colors and Soleil Velour finishes. I know the Wilke trademark was acquired post WWII but I have look back on the information I have. Also need to see if I can detect anything from the paper labels.

Steve, congratulations on the "special" hat made by Huckel for Meyer - Bratislava.
I'm going back to the two Wilkes in Melousine. I found them at a German seller and bought them immediately.
The shape of the hats is the one that was fashionable in the 1970s and 1980s, I think. The felt is fantastic despite their "modern" construction. If you can identify the manufacturer, I'd be happy to know. Thanks.

 

[mayserwegener]

Steve, congratulations on the "special" hat made by Huckel for Meyer - Bratislava.
I'm going back to the two Wilkes in Melousine. I found them at a German seller and bought them immediately.
The shape of the hats is the one that was fashionable in the 1970s and 1980s, I think. The felt is fantastic despite their "modern" construction. If you can identify the manufacturer, I'd be happy to know. Thanks.

Daniele, Thank you! I am still looking into the post WWII Wike trademark. I thought i had some information but I haven't been able to find it, so might have to start over. So far, I have I haven't been able to place the paper label format.

Fantastic British Soft Felt Hat from you today! I saw it after making this post. The color combinations are really great! Also I agree regarding the Form being Stetson Whippet Like!

 

[mayserwegener]

Anton Peschel Dinkelsbühl "Norma", 57 cm, possibly late 1950s. The Black Felt has very nice Finish and Soft Hand. Shown here without Side Dents. I like that Anton Peschel Dinkelsbühl used a narrower Brim Binding on some of their Homburg Hats. The overall condition is excellent.

Open Crown

 

[Pellie]

Wegener "Seal" in color Bamberg. My guess 50's or early 60's. Beautiful soft malleable felt. Chamois finish i think. You can shape it without steam. Good color and proportions. Also a nice windcord on it. Fits perfectly. Love this one.

 

[mayserwegener]

Wegener "Seal" in color Bamberg. My guess 50's or early 60's. Beautiful soft malleable felt. Chamois finish i think. You can shape it without steam. Good color and proportions. Also a nice windcord on it. Fits perfectly. Love this one.
View attachment 779034 View attachment 779035 View attachment 779036 View attachment 779037 View attachment 779038 View attachment 779039 View attachment 779040 View attachment 779041 View attachment 779042 View attachment 779043

Marcel, It"s a real beauty! Wegener made very high quality hats (Felt, Components, Workmanship)..

 

[Pellie]

Marcel, It"s a real beauty! Wegener made very high quality hats (Felt, Components, Workmanship)..

Thanks Steve. You can feel that on this hat. It's my first vintage Wegener. I have a modern one, but you can see and feel the difference between them! I really like it and i hope to find more.

 

[mayserwegener]

Václav Čekan Praha, 58 cm, Crown Height 14 cm, Brim Length 31 cm, Brim Width 25 cm, possibly late 1920s. I am listing this Silk Top here because Václav Čekan Praha goes back to Austria Hungary and there might be a connection with P. & C. Habig Wien Berlin. I was made aware of this New Old Stock Silk Top Hat from a seller I know in the Czech Republic.

Center Rear.

Center Front.

Left Center Back to Front.

Right Center Back to Front.

Liner Stitching.

Side View of Hat Box with Václav Čekan Praha Silk Top Hat.

Side View of Hat Box.

Top View of Hat Box.

Inside of Hat Box Lid.

Inside of Hat Box.

The Inside Style Type and Location (Center Rear, Center Front, Right Center Back to Front, Left Center Back to Front) are similar to P. & C. Habig Wien Berlin.

P. & C. Habig Wien Inside Style Type.

Václav Čekan Praha

"The Most Beautiful Shapes!" "Václav Čekan" "Large Factory of Fashionable Hats" "Smooth Hats Factory" "Václavské nám PRAGUE-Vodičkova ul" (1908)

Václav Čekan, Revnice, Date of birth: 1879, Place of birth: Prague, Date of death: 1956, Place of death: Řevnice

He was the owner of a hat factory in Prague, which was founded in 1846 by his grandfather Václav Čekan (1811–1895) and continued to be run by his father Václav (1839–1896). The Čekans had several shops in Prague, the first one was in Vodičkova Street and the second, the most famous, down on Wenceslas Square. Čekan's factory successfully exported hats abroad, and the export of top hats to the USA was significant.

https://www.amaterskedivadlo.cz/main.php/pic/www.twitter.com/index.php?data=osobnost&id=8057

Václav Čekan's daughter Anna Čekanová was a well known dancer and her husband Otakar Kukula Jr., studied agricultural and forestry engineering in Prague and then became an employee of his father-in-law, Václav Čekan, in the family business Klobouky Čekan. He later became the director of the entire company. Anna Kukulová is listed as a co-owner of fashion factories, together with her husband, father and brother. One of them was called "Koruna", which was located right in the Koruna Palace on Wenceslas Square. In the 1930s, they made foreign business trips, including to the USA in 1935.

https://www.facebook.com/janackovon...-výročí-úmrtí-anny-anky-čeka/380820451703373/

 

[steur]

Hückel Special unlined fedora in brown. Size 58 (damn) with the raw edge brim at 6,5cm and the crown open for now (couldn't bring myself to crease it after steaming). Wonderful hand to the felt as expected from Hückel. Great shape and proportions. Now why couldn't it just be my size as the seller said it was?

 

[mayserwegener]

Hückel Special unlined fedora in brown. Size 58 (damn) with the raw edge brim at 6,5cm and the crown open for now (couldn't bring myself to crease it after steaming). Wonderful hand to the felt as expected from Hückel. Great shape and proportions. Now why couldn't it just be my size as the seller said it was?

Stefan, Super find! Not sure I have seen a Hückel Weilheim "Special ".

Actually I do have a Hückel Weilheim "Special" but it has a Liner.

https://germanaustrianhats.invisionzone.com/topic/6-johann-h%C3%BCckel%C2%B4s-s%C3%B6hne-h%C3%BCckel-hutfabrik-weilheim/page/2/#findComment-591

 

[Rmccamey]

An excellent pairing.

Václav Čekan Praha, 58 cm, Crown Height 14 cm, Brim Length 31 cm, Brim Width 25 cm, possibly late 1920s. I am listing this Silk Top here because Václav Čekan Praha goes back to Austria Hungary and there might be a connection with P. & C. Habig Wien Berlin. I was made aware of this New Old Stock Silk Top Hat from a seller I know in the Czech Republic.

Center Rear.

Center Front.

Left Center Back to Front.

Right Center Back to Front.

Liner Stitching.

Side View of Hat Box with Václav Čekan Praha Silk Top Hat.

Side View of Hat Box.

Top View of Hat Box.

Inside of Hat Box Lid.

Inside of Hat Box.

The Inside Style Type and Location (Center Rear, Center Front, Right Center Back to Front, Left Center Back to Front) are similar to P. & C. Habig Wien Berlin.

P. & C. Habig Wien Inside Style Type.

Václav Čekan Praha

"The Most Beautiful Shapes!" "Václav Čekan" "Large Factory of Fashionable Hats" "Smooth Hats Factory" "Václavské nám PRAGUE-Vodičkova ul" (1908)

Václav Čekan, Revnice, Date of birth: 1879, Place of birth: Prague, Date of death: 1956, Place of death: Řevnice

He was the owner of a hat factory in Prague, which was founded in 1846 by his grandfather Václav Čekan (1811–1895) and continued to be run by his father Václav (1839–1896). The Čekans had several shops in Prague, the first one was in Vodičkova Street and the second, the most famous, down on Wenceslas Square. Čekan's factory successfully exported hats abroad, and the export of top hats to the USA was significant.

https://www.amaterskedivadlo.cz/main.php/pic/www.twitter.com/index.php?data=osobnost&id=8057

Václav Čekan's daughter Anna Čekanová was a well known dancer and her husband Otakar Kukula Jr., studied agricultural and forestry engineering in Prague and then became an employee of his father-in-law, Václav Čekan, in the family business Klobouky Čekan. He later became the director of the entire company. Anna Kukulová is listed as a co-owner of fashion factories, together with her husband, father and brother. One of them was called "Koruna", which was located right in the Koruna Palace on Wenceslas Square. In the 1930s, they made foreign business trips, including to the USA in 1935.

https://www.facebook.com/janackovonabrezi/posts/té-jež-se-odmlčela-na-dnešek-připadá-padesáté-deváté-výročí-úmrtí-anny-anky-čeka/380820451703373/

 

[mayserwegener]

An excellent pairing.

Randy, Thank you!

 

[Grandville]

That Hückel is a thing of pure and sophisticated beauty!

 

[steur]

Stefan, Super find! Not sure I have seen a Hückel Weilheim "Special ".

Actually I do have a Hückel Weilheim "Special" but it has a Liner.

http://[URL]https://germanaustrianh...el-hutfabrik-weilheim/page/2/#findComment-591

[/URL]

Steve, thank you.

That Hückel is a thing of pure and sophisticated beauty!

Thank you.

 

[steur]

Echter Mayser Superbe (special quality) in brown. Size 56 with the raw edge brim at 7cm and the crown at 11cm at the center dent. Wonderful hand to the felt and the couple of moth nibbles on it don't detract from it.

 

[Judgmentalist]

Hey guys, what do you think of this one, if I may ask?

 

[Judgmentalist]

I bought this one and I will try to get pictures of the label behind the sweatband when it arrives. I’m happy to have a reason to post in this thread now.

 

[mayserwegener]

I bought this one and I will try to get pictures of the label behind the sweatband when it arrives. I’m happy to have a reason to post in this thread now.

P. & C. Habig Wien (and other German and Austrian Hat Companies) exported this style hat to American Market going back to the late 1950s.