habigman Posted August 23, 2009 Report Share Posted August 23, 2009 Founded by Carl Gottlob Wilke in 1822 Guben, Germany. He invented the weather-proof wool hat and was a major contributor in the mechanization of hat making. Wilke manufactured both wool and hare/rabbit felt hats. Wilke was nationalized after WWII and stopped production in the early 1990s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted August 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2009 I found some interesting information regarding C. G. Wilke Hutfabrik, Guben (East Germany) . Appears Guben was important hat making center similar to Nový Jičín (Neutitschein) -> Peschel, Brüder Böhm, Peschel. Unfortunately the hat museum closed in 2005 but the site has some good information. http://www.acol.de/hutmuseum/index.htm Appears some it was moved here. http://www.technikmuseen.de/127.0.html A video on the Guben hat making industry. http://lexi-tv.de/themen/kunst_und_kultur/huete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted August 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2009 Die Hutmacher von Elsa Schuder / Guben This is available in German on German eBay (not a auction). http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...369034877.html It is about the Wilke family and hat making in Guben. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted June 5, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2010 C. G. Wilke Melone (Bowler), size 55cm, probably late 1920s early 30s. They were a famous hat company out of Guben (near Berlin), Germany prior to WWII. Very unique logo design! A book I have on C. G. Wilke "Die Hutmacher". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted August 23, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2011 I missed the end of this auction but saved the photo of this great Wilke placard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fritz Posted October 8, 2011 Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 this is a newer Wilke with stingy brim.I think 1970-1980. the condition ist new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted October 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 Manfred, Thanks for posting. I need to do some research on what happened with Wilke after WWII. I am pretty sure a company in West Germany started using the Wilke (originally located in Guben) brand name after WWII. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted October 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 Manfred, I am going to post the links to the Wilke 75th Anniversary book you found. This is a very interesting document that covers both wool and fur felt hat making at Wilke Hutfabrik Guben (near Berlin), Germany at the turn of the 19th century. Many interesting photos too. http://friedrich.song-vision.de/downloads/die_wilkesche_hutfabrik.pdf Google translation. https://www.box.net/shared/0bun4bvrlhaspmhuj1d1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted October 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2011 This cool + old Wilke hat bucket belongs to Herbert Jennissen at Hut Neubarth Augsburg. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fritz Posted October 20, 2011 Report Share Posted October 20, 2011 Manfred, I am going to post the links to the Wilke 75th Anniversary book you found. This is a very interesting document that covers both wool and fur felt hat making at Wilke Hutfabrik Guben (near Berlin), Germany at the turn of the 19th century. Many interesting photos too. http://friedrich.song-vision.de/downloads/die_wilkesche_hutfabrik.pdf Google translation. https://www.box.net/shared/0bun4bvrlhaspmhuj1d1 Thank you Steve for posting the links. The photos are great Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted April 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2012 This one belongs to Manfred (Fritz). "Flea market trip today. I found an old Wilke Trilby from 1962 in size 59. Color is Tinte, means Ink. Dark blue." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted May 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2012 C. G. Wilke "Haar Rival", 59cm. possibly late 1920s early 1930s. Guben was the major German hat making center prior to WWII. I have never encountered a soft felt from this era and even the Melone are a rare find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted May 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 27, 2012 "Wilke Hüte" "Awarding Brand Since 1822" "Available In All Better Hat Shops", Print Advertisement (1929) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted July 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2012 C. G. Wilke Melone, size 56 cm, probably 1930s. Custom model for Breiter Munich. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted October 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2012 This Wilke Caballero belongs to Fritz (Manfred). Probably late 1950s. Hybrid Homburg - Fedora style unique to the German market. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted March 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 C. G. Wilke Blitz First old soft felt C. G. Wilke that I have come across so this is a rare one. It's most likely from the 1930s but could be older. Unfortunately the non-reed sweatband was hand stitched back in place but otherwise complete. Fantastic silver gray Velour that is very close in quality to JHS Velour. I assume that Hut-Seidel Frankfurt a.0. (Oder in east Germany) is related to Hut-Seidel München. Size 56cm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted March 6, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2013 This pristine beauty belongs to Manfred. The men's store (Richard Nebel Bautzen, east Germany) that it came from is still in business! "Wilke Electron Melone arrived today! Very nice Melone, light weight, 156g, size 56. Unfortunately the sweatband stitching is loose. I repaired it. " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted March 23, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2013 Deutsche Hutmacher Zeitung, January 1913 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted May 12, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2013 Wilke - Hutfabrik G.M.B.H. Matchbook, probably late 1950s or 1960s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted May 22, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2013 Wilke Splendid, probably early 1960s. This one belongs to Paddy on the FL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted August 27, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2013 C.G. Wilke Velour (Guben, Germany), measures ~ 59cm, crown ~ 6 inches open, brim ~ 2 1/2 inches, non-reeded sweatband, 148 grams, probably early 1930s. This one is in very good condition with all original parts. The Velour felt and finish are very high quality. Also a unique light green-blue silk liner. Been looking for one these in my size for a long time. The only other pre 1940 soft felt C.G. Wilke I have is a small size and in below average condition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted February 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2014 C. G. Wilke Alpi Astra, size 55cm, probably late 1930s. This rare one belongs to Paddy on the FL. Supposedly heavy moth damage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted March 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2014 More photos from Garrett. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted March 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2014 C.G. Wilke Flamand, over welt, size 59cm. Has all the original parts including the tip patch. Really fantastic / unique felt. I am thinking 1920s. I found the hat shop (Reinhold Mette Freiberg) was established in 1926 and is still owned by the family today (Barbara Mette Freiberg). I assume the shop is still in business. Prior to opening the hat shop they manufactured fur felt ware (established 1825). Obermarkt 6 Freiberg, Saxony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted April 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 6, 2014 C. G. Wilke Velourhüte, C. G. Wilke Lodenhüte Postcard (1932) Based on the folk song "Mein Hut, der hat drei Ecken". Thanks to Steve (Steve1857) on the FL for this information. Mein Hut, der hat drei Ecken, drei Ecken hat mein Hut. Und hätt er nicht drei Ecken, so wär’s auch nicht mein Hut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted May 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2014 Hat Factory C. G. Wilke, Guben advertisement from "Fabrikation von Damen- und Herren- Filzhüten, Der Deustchen Hutmacher Zeitung (1933)". "The Wilke Hat has no Dark Side, but still in the Shadow, you can see the Wilke Hat" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted June 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2014 C. G. Wilke Guben made for A. Breiter München, size 55cm, probably 1930s. This one is made of wool or a fur - wool blend. Interesting black sweatband. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted August 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2014 C. G. Wilke Melone, size 55cm, probably 1930s maybe earlier. It doesn't belong to me but it has a really fantastic liner and is in very good condition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted December 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2014 C. G. Wilke "Platina" A really fantastic tiny gem of a hat. The felt is the lightest and softest I have ever encountered. Probably the early 1930s maybe a bit earlier. I doubt it was worn much at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted January 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2015 I found the hat related meaning of "Flamand". "The unshorn Velour hair called Flamand;...." Fabrikation von Damen- und Herren- Filzhüten, Der Deustchen Hutmacher Zeitung,188 (1933) Fabrication of Women's and Men's Felt Hats, German Hat Makers News,188 (1933) C.G. Wilke "Flamand" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted June 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2016 Villa Wilke, Guben Germany, early 1900s Only the Gate House Survived WWII (Photo 2015) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted July 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2016 C.G. Wilke "Bürstel Electra", 57cm probably 1930s. This fantastic hat belongs to Fastuni on the FL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted August 1, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 1, 2016 C. G. Wilke "Haar Rival", 60cm, 168g, probably late 1920s maybe early 1930s. This is a great Stiff Felt with a fantastic finish and a interesting bow design. It measures closer to 61cm so a big one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted August 1, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 1, 2016 C.G. Wilke "Bürstel Electra", 58cm, Open Crown 6 inches, Brim 2 1/4 inches probably later 1930s. I received this fantastic gray Wilke Velour via trade with Fastuni (Armin). The Velour finish is really nice and it still has the original paper size label. It originally had a Crease Clip/Holder. I could tell by the wear on the liner label and the remnants of a very sharp center crease. This hat has already been posted but these new photos are more accurate color wise. Also a really great model name. C.G. Wilke like use interesting model names. In my opinion the best logo I have seen! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted March 25, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2017 C. G. Wilke, Brim Over Welt 2 1/2 inches , Crown Open 6 inches, paper label missing, measures 57cm but marked 56cm on paper laberl, probably later 1920s maybe early 1930s. The hat originally had a liner. The Velour is really fantastic but it has some nicks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted July 24, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2017 C.G. Wilke, 56cm probably later 1930s. This great looking Velour belongs to Stadt- und Industriemuseum Guben. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted July 31, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2017 C. G. Wilke Guben photos and documents from the Stadt- und Industriemuseum Guben collection. C. G. Wilke, 111 Years (1933) Time Clock (1920-29) Women of the Felting Department (1910) Women of the Dressing Department (1920-29) Statutes of the company's sickness fund of the hat factory C.G. Wilke in Guben-Druck by the publisher Albert Koenig in Guben. (1914) Certificate of the State Insurance Institution Brandenburg by Charlotte Zindler for offsetting at the factory sickness fund of the hat factory C.G. Wilke. (1938) At the end of the war in 1945, the company premises and the production facilities of the company C.G. Wilke were destroyed or severely damaged by about 45%. These included the middle building, a warehouse, workshops and the administrative building as well as the private villa of the Wilke family. The last eight weeks of war in February and March 1945, in which Guben was a frontier, brought the economic ruin to the once flourishing and traditional Gubener hat industry. At the end of the Second World War nearly 90% of the historic city center was destroyed. The city resembled a rubble landscape. In the western part of the city about 20% of the building fabric was affected by destruction, including numerous industrial plants. Destroyed Villa Wilke in Guben, 1945 Letterhead C.G. Wilke; Guben, 12/23/1947 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted August 29, 2017 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2017 1918-1929 , Panorama of CG Wilke. http://gubin.fotopolska.eu/700076,foto.html?o=b169589 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted November 29, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2017 C. G. Wilke "Elite" "Elektron" made for Deutcher Hut - Vertrieb Kiel, 60cm, Wool or Wool - Fur, 157 grams probably late 1920s. Original Size Stamp and Price Stamp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted July 23, 2018 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2018 The following is a translated footnote from "Chapeau, Das Westalgäu behütet die Welt, Die Geschichte der Hutprodukrion in Lindenberg und Umgebung, 2015" (This is a great book that I purchased at the Deutsches Hut Museum Lindenberg). The footnote contains some info on Guben's pre WWII major hat companies C.W. Wilke and Berlin - Gubener Hutfabrik, post WWII VEB Vereinigte HutWerke Guben, and post unification Gubener Hüte GmbH. "In Guben (city law since 1235, known as cloth-maker town) developed the hat maker Carl Gottlob Wilke 1822 waterproof wool felt hat. His sons - especially Friedrich Wilke - made from the hat maker's workshop the largest Gubener hat factory, the C G. Wilke hair and wool felt hat factory Guben. In addition came as another large business, in addition to several smaller hat factories, the Berlin-Gubener hat factory, founded by Apelius Cohn and Hermann Lewin (Berlin 1859, Guben 1876), which employed in 1922 alone 3000 workers and employees. In 1927, the year of crisis in Westallgäu's straw hat industry, Guben had a total of 7,460 people working in the felt hat industry. In the same year, around 10 million hats were produced, of which around 30 percent were for export. For comparison: In 1925, the city of Lindenberg had a total of 5,168 inhabitants, and in 1927 it was probably not much more. In March 1946, the Berlin-Gubener Hutfabrik was dismantled as reparations to the Soviet Union; 1952 developed from the C. G. Wilke hat factory in conjunction with the other Gubener hat factories, the national VEB Vereinigte Hut-Werke Guben with about 1,200 employees; In 1989, 1.2 million stumps and 800,000 felt hats were produced there. After the turnaround, the state-owned enterprise was privatized in 1990 by the Treuhandanstalt and transformed into the Gubener Hüte GmbH. The number of employees sank to 600; In 1992 there were still 70, the end of 1999 with 10 employees, the operation was closed. In summer 2006, a hat and technology museum was opened in a building of the old hat factory C. G. Wilke." "Chapeau, Das Westalgau behütet die Welt, Die Geschichte der Hutprodukrion in Lindenberg und Umgebung, 2015" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted July 23, 2018 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2018 C. G. Wilke "Helios", 58cm, Wool, 186 grams, possibly late 1920s to 1930s. This Wool Stiff Felt is in near mint condition so a great find. The liner really shines especially at the center so that might be the reason for calling it "Helios". I didn't get a good photo of the label because I didn't want to break the super fine threads that hold the sweatband together. The sweatband has a reed on the outer edge which is fairly common with old German and Austrian Stiff Felts. Natural Light Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted April 27, 2019 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2019 C. G. Wilke Guben Hat Factory, Ink Blotter, 14 cm X 7 cm / 4.5 inches X 2.75 inches, possibly early 1910s. You can click on the photos to enlarge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted September 23, 2019 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2019 C. G. Wilke Hutfabrik, Guben N.-L., 1822 - 100 - 1922, 41 cm x 21.5 cm, for 100 Year Anniversary. (Click On Images For Full Size) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted February 15, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2020 C.G. Wilke "Bürstel Electra", 57cm, Open Crown 6 inches, Brim 2 1/4 inches probably later 1930s. This hat belongs to Stefan on the FL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted May 6, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 6, 2020 C. G. Wilkes Hutfabrik und Villa Wike, Guben, Post Card, 1913 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted May 6, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 6, 2020 C. G. Wilke Hutfabrik Guben, possibly Early 1900s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted May 26, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2020 "Man with a Wilke Hat", 1934 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted May 3, 2021 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2021 C. G. Wilke, possibly late 1950s. Belongs to Stefan on the FL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted May 16, 2021 Author Report Share Posted May 16, 2021 Wilke, H.J.H. Copenhagen, 59 cm, possibly 1950s. I don't have any current information H.J.H. Copenhagen. The unmarked size label is similar Wegener and Rockel hats from the same time period. Also I have never seen this type of sweatband before. I know that F.W. Schneider Köln owned the Wilke mark for Germany but I have no information for outside of Germany. This hat belongs to Panos on the FL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habigman Posted June 28, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2021 C. G. Wilke "Flieder", 56 cm possibly late 1920s. This Hat belongs Stefan on the FL. Original Color Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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