German & Austrian Hutmachers

[Chepstow]

Richard, thank you!

 

[TheDane]

Manfred, that black/blue beauty shouts "Blues Bar" right in my face! "Echter Rockel Haar" may not translate into "Genuine Rocker Hair", but it must be damn close. A wonderful find

 

[mikespens]

Really nice Manfred, congrats.

 

[mayserwegener]

Manfred, Great find! Super nice finish and form! Also light weight!

 

[Chepstow]

Ole, Mike and Steve, thank you all for the kind words!
I wished we could find more of this hats.

 

[Joshbru3]

1930s Huckel Sigma Seal Velour SZ 7 1/2 - 7 5/8

I took a gamble on this one because the seller had no size listed. When I received the package I was SHOCKED to see it labeled a size 60!! I measured the length and width of opening as 8.5 x 6.75. The ellipse calculator gave a reading of 24 inches in circumference and I have verified with a measuring tape of a circumference between 23 7/8 - 24 inches. That makes it a 7 1/2 - 7 5/8!!

That being said, I have never handled a pre-war Austrian Seal velour before. All I can say is that it is the BEST velour I have EVER handled. Period. The color is so black is was next to impossible to take pictures of it. The felt on this hat is absolutely PERFECT and the hand is smooth as silk. The only disappointment was the sweatband. Its there, its original, its still attached to the hat with about 50% of the stitches, but if someone wanted to wear the hat, it would need to be replaced.

I wear a size 7, so I will be putting this one up for sale either today or tomorrow, but I wanted to post as many pics in this thread as possible of this incredibly amazing hat.

 

[Joshbru3]

1930s Huckel Sigma Seal Velour SZ 7 1/2 - 7 5/8 (cont....)

 

[ManofKent]

That's an incredible find in that size especially.

 

[Garrett]

Beautiful!

 

[Chepstow]

That's an incredible find in that size especially.

Indeed, a beauty!



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

 

[mayserwegener]

Josh, Fantastic find but sure wish it was your size. In my opinion the zenith of finishes and JHS at the top their game (amazing pieces of felt). Extremely difficult to photograph the blackness + slickness. Super!

 

[TheDane]

What a beauty! I'm afraid the hippie-toupee, needed to make it fit my 7 1/4 noggin, wouldn't do me much good these days. I'll have to let it pass [huh]

 

[Joshbru3]

That's an incredible find in that size especially.

Beautiful!

Indeed, a beauty!

Josh, Fantastic find but sure wish it was your size. In my opinion the zenith of finishes and JHS at the top their game (amazing pieces of felt). Extremely difficult to photograph the blackness + slickness. Super!

What a beauty! I'm afraid the hippie-toupee, needed to make it fit my 7 1/4 noggin, wouldn't do me much good these days. I'll have to let it pass [huh]

Thanks for the kind words about the Huckel, Gentlemen!! I wish the hat was in my size!! :eusa_doh:

 

[Chepstow]

Stunning hat, Josh, a shame that he is to large for you!!

 

[Joshbru3]

Stunning hat, Josh, a shame that he is to large for you!!

Thanks, Manfred! I wear a size 7 so when I tried on the hat, it literally covered my ears, half my face, and went halfway down my cheeks. LOL. It looked like a velour bag over my head.

 

[mayserwegener]

I came across (I might have come across this book before but didn't have time to investigate) this German book called "Die Hutmacherkunst" from 1902. Unfortunately it's in German but the information is extremely valuable especially the sections on fur processing and felting. It really shows how important the blending fur types was in achieving specific finishes and colors.

http://books.google.com/books?id=RO9TAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=inauthor:%22Carl+Bortfeldt%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Ko4wUvzNEYa09gSd4IHICw&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false

 

[Chepstow]

Steve, sorry, I can not open that book!

 

[mayserwegener]

The link works for me. Can you try searching Carl Bortfeldt in Google Books? I also downloaded it as PDF.

 

[mayserwegener]

Post WWI Austrian Velour Situation (09/1920)

 

[TheDane]

30,000 dozen hats a year. That's a pretty efficient little operation