German & Austrian Hutmachers

[mayserwegener]

Thanks again Steve. Both are great quality hats indeed. Love them! If you want to use the pics for your website, then be my guest! ;-)

Marcel, Thank you! I will definitely post the hats on my website. Unfortunately I have fallen behind on updating my website. I started a couple months ago and never finished.

 

[Pellie]

Marcel, Thank you for checking. The film "Das ewige Spiel" mention in the first newspaper clipping was from 1951 which makes sense based on the paper label type.

Das ewige Spiel – Wikipedia

de.wikipedia.org

Thanks for your research Steve. I pulled the photo of the newspaper clipping through Google lens and it told me it should be from 1952. Whether this is correct, of course, I don't know for sure!

 

[mayserwegener]

Thanks for your research Steve. I pulled the photo of the newspaper clipping through Google lens and it told me it should be from 1952. Whether this is correct, of course, I don't know for sure!

Marcel, I checked and the newspaper is from 1951 because the premier was March 22, 1951

From the DE Wikipedia.

"The premiere took place on March 22, 1951, at the Regensburger Kammer-Lichtspiele and the Bavaria-Filmtheater."

This is from the Newspaper clipping.

"State government and the Regensburg district administration the gala premiere of the new German film "The Eternal Game" budget Kurt Zobel's Allianz distribution in Frankfurt will release this new Merkur film, which the Czech director Franz Czap shot in Regensburg and Munich-Geiseigasteig, in numerous West German cities over the Easter holidays."

The hat could be a bit older because the newspaper spacer could have been added at a later date but I think it's probably close to the production date (based on date stamped Mayser hats from that time period).

 

[Pellie]

Marcel, I checked and the newspaper is from 1951 because the premier was March 22, 1951

From the DE Wikipedia.

"The premiere took place on March 22, 1951, at the Regensburger Kammer-Lichtspiele and the Bavaria-Filmtheater."

This is from the Newspaper clipping.

"State government and the Regensburg district administration the gala premiere of the new German film "The Eternal Game" budget Kurt Zobel's Allianz distribution in Frankfurt will release this new Merkur film, which the Czech director Franz Czap shot in Regensburg and Munich-Geiseigasteig, in numerous West German cities over the Easter holidays."

The hat could be a bit older because the newspaper spacer could have been added at a later date but I think it's probably close to the production date (based on date stamped Mayser hats from that time period).

Thank you Steve. Great research!

 

[mayserwegener]

Dermotta Wien, 58 cm, possibly mid 1950s. The paper label is washed out so no model or quality information. Dermotta Wien are less common especially Snap Brim Soft Felts so happy to make this find. The Green Felt has a very nice finish and fine hand. Great form with a lighter green mid width Band and Brim Binding.

Open Crown

 

[mayserwegener]

S. J. Fraenkel Wien, "600", 58 cm possibly late 1950s. This is my second S. J. Fraenkel Wien Homburg Hat find in my size range and made for Otto Matt Hutmachermeister Bregenz. The black Felt is of a medium weight and has a soft hand. Great form with medium width Band and a slightly offset Bow. The overall condition is excellent,

Open Crown

 

[Mean Eyed Matt]

S. J. Fraenkel Wien, "600", 58 cm possibly late 1950s. This is my second S. J. Fraenkel Wien Homburg Hat find in my size range and made for Otto Matt Hutmachermeister Bregenz. The black Felt is of a medium weight and has a soft hand. Great form with medium width Band and a slightly offset Bow. The overall condition is excellent,

Open Crown

Nice and indeed rare find, Steve: It looks well-made, especially with the gold-embossed logo on the lining. I love this logo because it «pokes fun at the British coat of arms»: The three lions are replaced by two hares, and the harp by a hat. But at first glance, I immediately thought it was 'British'! Funny how the brain works...

 

[mayserwegener]

Nice and indeed rare find, Steve: It looks well-made, especially with the gold-embossed logo on the lining. I love this logo because it «pokes fun at the British coat of arms»: The three lions are replaced by two hares, and the harp by a hat. But at first glance, I immediately thought it was 'British'! Funny how the brain works...

Matt, Thank you! Great observation regarding the play on the British Coat of Arms. It would interesting to see how many similar examples we can find.

 

[Mean Eyed Matt]

Matt, Thank you! Great observation regarding the play on the British Coat of Arms. It would interesting to see how many similar examples we can find.

That would be fun, Steve! I think I have one too, but I'll have to look for it. It's interesting that Central European manufacturers so often refer to 'English quality' (not only, but often with the coats of arms) – both after the war and even 40-50 years earlier, for example, with the top hats and the like. I think Stefan and Steve could contribute a lot too...

 

[mayserwegener]

That would be fun, Steve! I think I have one too, but I'll have to look for it. It's interesting that Central European manufacturers so often refer to 'English quality' (not only, but often with the coats of arms) – both after the war and even 40-50 years earlier, for example, with the top hats and the like. I think Stefan and Steve could contribute a lot too...

Matt, Yes, there a good number of examples especially in the time period you mentioned and other time periods.

 

[steur]

This has been posted before by Marcel @Pellie in one thread or another. It is not his size, so he kindly sent it to me.
Hückel Mercur homburg in black. Size 56 with the bound brim at 6cm and the crown at a generous 11,5cm at the center dent (though it doesn't look it). I have plenty of black homburgs but none of them were by Hückel, so a nice addition.

 

[mayserwegener]

This has been posted before by Marcel @Pellie in one thread or another. It is not his size, so he kindly sent it to me.
Hückel Mercur homburg in black. Size 56 with the bound brim at 6cm and the crown at a generous 11,5cm at the center dent (though it doesn't look it). I have plenty of black homburgs but none of them were by Hückel, so a nice addition.

Stefan, Thank you for posting the photos here. Happy that Marcel sent it your way!

 

[steur]

Stefan, Thank you for posting the photos here. Happy that Marcel sent it your way!

Thank you, Steve. Fills a gap in my homburg line-up and another one saved.

 

[BobHufford]

Fills a gap in my homburg line-up

"Gap" in Stefan's Homburg collection in comparison to other things.

 

[steur]

"Gap" in Stefan's Homburg collection in comparison to other things.

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See how much room there still is!

 

[Nikolaus23]

By chance I found my third Szaszi hat. Went to a shop in my Vienna district like Oxfam in the UK and dropped some things. When I looked around I saw some hats. Next to a nice but too small Wegener there was this brown Szaszi hat, size 58/59, in very good condition. Unfortunately again no additional tags to find. Judging by the label inside it's made about 1970. When I visited the Szaszi workplace last year the current owner said that because of a disease rabbit/hare were hard to get at that time. So either some alternative or maybe beaver? Wider brim than my grey Szaszi I posted some months ago. I know: semi vintage ... But even these are hard to find and rarer than e.g. Habig hats. Never found or saw a Szaszi hat from about 1930 (beside a fancy military hat). Only once one with a label ,Hans Szaszi' which points to the last owner that was named Szaszi (about 1945). I also never saw a hat that Szaszi made for a hat store like Nagy. I'd say 13,50 euros is quite a steal ...

 

[mayserwegener]

By chance I found my third Szaszi hat. Went to a shop in my Vienna district like Oxfam in the UK and dropped some things. When I looked around I saw some hats. Next to a nice but too small Wegener there was this brown Szaszi hat, size 58/59, in very good condition. Unfortunately again no additional tags to find. Judging by the label inside it's made about 1970. When I visited the Szaszi workplace last year the current owner said that because of a disease rabbit/hare were hard to get at that time. So either some alternative or maybe beaver? Wider brim than my grey Szaszi I posted some months ago. I know: semi vintage ... But even these are hard to find and rarer than e.g. Habig hats. Never found or saw a Szaszi hat from about 1930 (beside a fancy military hat). Only once one with a label ,Hans Szaszi' which points to the last owner that was named Szaszi (about 1945). I also never saw a hat that Szaszi made for a hat store like Nagy. I'd say 13,50 euros is quite a steal ... View attachment 719080 View attachment 719081 View attachment 719082 View attachment 719083 View attachment 719084 View attachment 719085 View attachment 719086 View attachment 719087 View attachment 719088

Nikolaus, Great find! Looks like it's Fur Felt so probably rabbit. There were many hats made of domestic / wild rabbit and wild hare (Velour) in that general location + time period.

 

[Nikolaus23]

On the shop were I found the Szaszi there is also a Wegener Royal. Can anyone help me: Does the button indicate it's from 1967 and does the paper-label-tell the size? Seems to be smaller than 58, more 55/56 and too small for me.. Thank you in advance.

 

[Mean Eyed Matt]

On the shop were I found the Szaszi there is also a Wegener Royal. Can anyone help me: Does the button indicate it's from 1967 and does the paper-label-tell the size? Seems to be smaller than 58, more 55/56 and too small for me.. Thank you in advance.
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Hi, Nikolaus. Indeed: the hat must be from 1967 or later and I would guess it's probably from the 1970s. And for the paper label: I can't see a '58' and no, there is no size indication - that would be 'Groesse'.

 

[mayserwegener]

On the shop were I found the Szaszi there is also a Wegener Royal. Can anyone help me: Does the button indicate it's from 1967 and does the paper-label-tell the size? Seems to be smaller than 58, more 55/56 and too small for me.. Thank you in advance.
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Nickolaus, Wegener usually has a separate size label. Similar to Matt, I would say this hat is possibly mid 1960s based on paper label type and stitched in liner. Also great find!