Johann Hückel´s Söhne (pre 1940)

[splintercellsz]

All are beautiful examples!

 

[alanfgag]

+1... what a parade of beautiful hats!

 

[mayserwegener]

Charlie, Justin, Alan, Hopefully I few more pop up by the end of the year.

 

[Garrett]

Delicious as always, Steve!

 

[hatophile]

Spectacular update, Steve! All gorgeous!!

Indeed.

 

[mayserwegener]

Garrett, Perry, Thanks!

 

[Garrett]

1920's Johann Hückel´s Söhne "Extra"

 

[Garrett]

 

[mayserwegener]

That's a great one! Rare to find the box too. Can the original ribbon be salvaged? I look forward to clean-up / refurb.

 

[Garrett]

The crown was crushed when it arrived and the ribbon is quite frail. The felt doesn't appear to have mothing and is in great shape aside from the deep creases. If I can get Bob to keep all the original parts we'll see about a refurb but it could turn out to be a display piece. JHS really knew how to make a velour - the depth of color is amazing. Steve, do you have info on their dye methods?

 

[Rogera]

Garrett that is an awesome find!!

 

[mayserwegener]

The crown was crushed when it arrived and the ribbon is quite frail. The felt doesn't appear to have mothing and is in great shape aside from the deep creases. If I can get Bob to keep all the original parts we'll see about a refurb but it could turn out to be a display piece. JHS really knew how to make a velour - the depth of color is amazing. Steve, do you have info on their dye methods?

I don't believe I have seen a JHS "Extra" before. I am sorry to hear about the creases. Hopefully there is enough nap present to reverse brush them out. Unfortunately I don't have any information on JHS production methods but JHS were known for their colors and the finest Velour and Chamois finishes. I wasn't able to get the Novy Jicin Museum interested in old production methods and TONAK wasn't any help either. Someday I am going back for an extended stay to see what I can find out. From what I have read elsewhere (German and Austrian sources) the Master Dyer was considered one of the most important (if not the most important) job in a hat factory (especially factories like JHS that made felt to finished hats). I know the Germans and Austrians were at the forefront regarding wool and fur felt dyes. I posted some information recently from "Fabrikation von Damen- und Herren- Filzhüten, Der Deustchen Hutmacher Zeitung (1933)" but it didn't draw any interest (I hope to eventually complete the rough translation of the book). I also posted information from the same source on "Echter"(Real) Velour production. The Velour finish on the hat you just posted could have taken weeks to complete (in some cases the felt would have to go back through the dying process due to repeated hand wet brushing and mechanical clipping).

 

[besdor]

What I have heard about Tonak is that the process to produce the longhair velour is a closely guarded secret. The Chinese hat factories have tried their hardest to duplicate the process but they cant figure out how the dyeing of the fur is done in Czech.

 

[mayserwegener]

Yes TONAK is very guarded about their dying processes. They wouldn't show me their dye department. The old Velours were hand wet (hot) brushed**. This is a process that is little known (more like zero) about today (I posted some information recently). I don't think the hand method lasted much past the end of WWII. Also the felt quality degraded over time along with everything else (same as what happened in the US).

**This is the Mayser Ulm factory (1925) but you can see (upper right corner) the Velour Brushers (very specialized work). They are working both hoods and finished hats (this was done over and over again so very labor and time intensive) and took place prior to and after dying. There are mechanical wet brushing machines made by Bahner (used by TONAK) but they don't deliver the same results (not going through such a labor and time intensive process also degraded felt, dyes, ect).

 

[Garrett]

Pre-WW1 Johann Hückel´s Söhne Soft Felt

A museum worthy specimen with original box. I've only seen one other JHS soft felt pre-dating WW1 (Robert's can be found on page 3 of this thread).

 

[Lotsahats]

Wow, that's a hat!

A

 

[alanfgag]

Wow. Is this your museum piece Garrett?

 

[Garrett]

Yes, it will be shipped out this week. Better photos and documentation to follow upon arrival, cleaning, etc.

 

[mayserwegener]

Garrett, Amazing + rare find! Never seen a brim setup like that. My guess is it originally had a more conventional setup. The only other old JHS Velour that I have seen with binding was Trachten style. Really looking forward to seeing more!

Schweidnitz, Silelsia became Świdnica, Poland after WWII.

 

[Garrett]

Steve, the severe flange may be original - it reminds me alot of this melone in your collection:

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/show...ian-Hutmachers&p=960671&viewfull=1#post960671