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Johann Hückel´s Söhne - Hückel Hutfabrik Weilheim


habigman

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Johann Hückel´s Söhne

Founded in 1799 in Neutitschein, Austria (now Novy Jicin, Czech Republic)

 

The beginning of millinery manufacture in Novy Jicin dates back to 1630 when the Town Council approved the Articles of the Hatters’ Guild. In 1799, young journeyman Johann Nepomuk Hückel was admitted to the Guild and soon afterwards opened a millinery shop. The quality of his products matched that of previous handicraft and the new products soon penetrated the Austrian and other foreign markets. In 1865 Johann Nepomuk Hückel installed new machinery and equipment, pioneering mechanized production of fur felt hats. Two years later, he built a large factory fully equipped with modern machinery. On January 1, 1869, the business was taken over by the public company J. Hückel and Sons and kept this name until it was nationalized after WWII and TONAK, a state-owned enterprise, was established.

 

http://www.tonak.cz/index.php?typ=TSB&showid=8

 

J. Hückel and Sons locations.

 

Neutitschein (today Nový Jičín) - headquarters (became TONAK)

 

Skoczów(in Czech Skočov)- today a part of Poland (became PolkaP)

 

Racibórz (in Czech Ratiboř, in German Ratibor)- today a part of Poland

 

Wien - Austria

 

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Hückel Hutfabrik Weilheim, Germany

 

After WWII the Hückel family (Fritz Hückel) were expelled from Czechoslovakia and established Hückel Hutfabrik, Weilheim. They manufactured under the Hückel brand name in Germany (exported as Fritz Hückel Hutmacher) until 1975. About 10 years ago the Hückel family sold the name rights for Germany only (TONAK owns the Hückel name outside Germany) to Friedrich W. Schneider (FWS) of Cologne who also own the Stetson name rights for Europe. FWS tried one collection under the Hückel brand name but it was not successful.

 

Some additional information regarding Hückel Hutfabrik, Weilheim.

 

06/30/1946: Hutfabrik Hückel GmbH in der Kaltenmoserstr. 26, 82362 Weilheim was established.

 

07/01/1959: Name changed to Hückel Hutfabrik KG and moved to Kaltenmoserstraße 30, 82362 Weilheim.

 

05/04/1971: Name changed to Hückel Hutfabrik OHG.

 

11/30/1975: Closed business.

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Hückel Special Homburg (1946)

 

This picture was sent to me from the Nový Jičín City Museum. The hat was made for Dr. Edvard Beneš (president of Czechoslovakia from 1945 to 1948). This hat was made by TONAK in 1946 with the Hückel logo. What is not clear is how long TONAK produced under the Hückel logo post World War II. This hat is also of the highest quality and is very similar to my Hückel Superior fedora.

 

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Fritz Hückel Hutmacher Weilheim Western Germany Seal Velour Fedora (late 50s early 60s)

 

This one was made for the United States market. This was an important find because it proved that the Hückel hats with no country of origin from a similar time period were out of Weilheim. Fritz Hückel only owned the name rights for Germany and had to export under a different name.

 

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Notice the same string loop for hanging as my Hückel Exclusiv Homburg but the paper label is damaged.

 

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The Seal Velour finish is a carry over from Johann Hückel´s Söhne.

 

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A while back I received this information from the Nový Jičín museum but some of it might not be accurate. They are not really aware of the post war Hückel Weilheim operation.

 

"Hello,

 

(I asked them about my Superior. I am not sure this answer is correct. Just by the feel of the felt (very dense) it could have beaver in the mix.)

 

1. your hat was produced from the rabbit coat. Rabbit and hare coat is the primary component for making of hats in Nový Jičín.

 

(I asked how to determine TONAK vs. Weilheim. Just opens more questions.)

 

2. Tonak and Weilheim produced hats with Hückel trade mark. They had cause with this trade mark, and I know, that Tonak bought this mark in fifties or sixties from Hückel family. Your first example of hat was produced in Hückel family company in Weilheim. I must say that Tonak produce hats with Hückel trade mark too still now.

 

(I asked about my Exclusiv and your second Hückel. Only appears to have addressed my Exclusiv.)

 

3. Your next pictures are beautiful. You have great example of Hückel production. This hat is from old collection, but he looks youthful. Oh. I think that it is prewar collection, Tonak company don´t like any of the success of Hückel´s production before 1989. You must compare a styl of hat, this type is worn before WW II – but !!! May be that Tonak produced for non-European consumers a collection of hats, which was marked old Hückel attributes. But the box for hat is old type, yes, I must say that it is hat from pre-war collection.

 

(I asked about felt content of different models.)

 

4. About felt content for named types of models – it is problem. They are old models of Hückel and content was protected by producer. May be any one from Tonak you can tell you about this. If you visit our city you can order in Tonak and you can see a production of hats today. We have very good relations with Tonak leadership.

 

(I asked about the museum hat collection and Hückel exhibition.)

 

About our exhibition. We have a great exhibition of hats in our Žerotin castle in Nový Jičín. This exhibition presents about 600 hats from 1800-2009. So for the 9/4 2009 we will prepare a new exhibition of old photographic collection of Hückel from 1910 (today is 100 years old and wasn´t presented till now). Part of this will be a presentation of military and service hats from the collection of five museums in our country, I think about 200 types. The exhibition will be presented to the February 2010.

 

(I asked about Dreispitz's Super Sport and Mercur.)

 

They are from old pre-war Hückel production. Super sport was made from long type of hair from rabbit – hats was called velours. It was special product of Hückel, self invention. Erich Ladewig was dealer of Hückel products as many others. Two years ago we bought complete hut work-room from the city Polička. This manufacture bought a ovenware from Nový Jičín (Hückel, Böhm) and completed a style of hats."

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Additional information I received from the Nový Jičín museum. Again some of this might not be accurate because they were not really aware of the post war Hückel Weilheim operation.

 

"Hello,

 

thank you for you interest. Your questions are very simple.

 

1. Hutfabrik Johann Hückel´s Söhne had four manufacturing sites prior to the end fo WW II.

 

Neutitschein (today Nový Jičín) - headquarters

Skoczów(in Czech Skočov)- today a part of Poland

Racibórz (in Czech Ratiboř)- today a part of Poland

Wien - Austria

 

2. After WWII the family Hückel builded hut factory in the Weilheim in

Germany. The iniciator was Fritz Hückel.

 

3. The hutfabriks in Nový Jičín (and in the all Czechoslovakia) was nationalized in 1945. The new hut company get a name TONAK (Továrna na klobouky – translation – first letters of hut company in Czech). Today it is a join stock company ... http://www.tonak.cz/index.php?typ=TSB&showid=7

 

In Nový Jičín were three big hut companies – Hückel, Peschel and Böhm. WWW pages about Böhm hut company: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb....s/bohmfac.html

 

4. Tonak has a trade mark of Hückel´s Company from the fifties of 20th Century.

 

5. Your hat is from the production of Hückel in 1938-1945. Our city was a part of Germany from September 1938 as a Sudetenland. Your hat is from the best of quality known as Hückel Superior, the year 1799 is the date of birth of Hückels hut company. Paris Grand Prix 1900 is the term of one of many prices from national exhibitions, where Hückel company won gold medal. Same type was produced after WW II, we have a same hat of president Edvard Beneš from 1945 in our exhibition. Your hat was produced in Nový Jičín.

 

Today we will prepare a new big exhibition about Hückel, this year we will celebrate 210 years from the founding. A part of this will be a catalogue about Hückel´s hut company.

 

Sincerely,"

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Some info I dug up on the Hückel family. This is rough because it is translated from Czech.

 

Czech » English

 

HÜCKEL August - Entrepreneur

* 17 6. 1838 Novy Jicin

+ 5. 8. 1917 Novy Jicin

Since in 1868 the company co-Hutfabrik Johann Hückels Söhne, where in the same year he founded the sickness fund. With the brothers reached that in 1910 the firm produced 2,000 employees and 5,000 hats a day, which had exported to all continents. Specialty of the house was black velurový hat that Jews wear and which is in Eastern Europe called hykel. August gathered extensive art collection, the benefactor of art and 1910, he became an honorary citizen of New Jičín. With the brothers founded the town poorhouse.

 

HÜCKEL Augustin - hatter

* 20 9. 1786 Fulnek

+ 14. 4. 1848 Novy Jicin

Within the tovaryšského vandru procestoval Europe and met with the technical progress of the craft. Since 1808 Champion has been kloboučnickým in Fulnek and since 1811 in Novy Jicin, where his brother cechmistrem. Johann Augustinův son of the brothers joined, and later founded a factory for the manufacture of hats.

 

HÜCKEL Fritz - techniques

* 22 6. 1885 Novy Jicin

+ 12. 1. 1973 Munich (Germany)

Son of Augusta Hückela who studied engineering and studied the structure maitrážních cars, but since 1945, after the relocation of family hat business to Dingolfingu and Weilheimu in Upper Bavaria, led this company. After his death led her sons Fritz August (* 28 12th 1910 Novy Jicin) and Peter (* 18 4th 1912 Novy Jicin). Operation of the company was stopped in 1975.

 

HÜCKEL Johann - Entrepreneur

* 20 3. 1843 Novy Jicin

+ 18. 11. 1917 Novy Jicin

Since in 1868 the company co-Hutfabrik Johann Hückels Söhne. With the brothers reached that in 1910 the firm produced 2,000 employees and 5,000 hats a day, which had exported to all continents. Specialty of the house was black velurový hat that Jews wear and which is in Eastern Europe called hykel. With the brothers founded the town poorhouse.

 

HÜCKEL Johann - Entrepreneur

* 7 4. 1814 Fulnek

+ 14. 1. 1880 Novy Jicin

In 1835 the workshop took the hat uncle Johann Nepomuk, and in 1848 to join her father's workshop. Founded in 1865 in Novy Jicin chief engineer on the factory production of hats in the Habsburg monarchy. Three years later, to the management of factories and their three sons, the company changed its name to Hutfabrik Johann Hückels Söhne. Its products won medals soon exhibitions in Vienna, Paris and Philadelphia and Johann Hückel received in 1877 the Golden Cross of Merit.

 

HÜCKEL Johann Nepomuk - cechmistr

* 2 5. 1779 Fulnek

+ Novy Jicin

Son hatter. In 1799 he was awarded a master right from the workshop in 1805 on the square in Novy Jicin, and soon there was cechmistrem. Later he became a member of the guild novojického his brother Augustin, whose son after the death of two brothers joined their facility, thereby laying the foundation hat manufacture.

 

HÜCKEL Karl - Entrepreneur

* 18 1. 1850 Novy Jicin

+ 19. 12. 1919 Novy Jicin

He reálku in Opava, learned the saddler in Vienna and in 1868 the company was co-Hutfabrik Johann Hückels Söhne. From 1876 he studied in Philadelphia America's technology and service organization of factories, but attended for this purpose and hat factories in England, Belgium, France and Germany. Supported as a humanitarian institution founded by brothers town poorhouse. A benefactor of young artists and in 1910 became an honorary citizen of New Jičín.

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Hückel Foulard (1938-45)

 

This is another WWII Johann Hückel´s Söhne. The felt is a beautiful green and very pliable. The sweat is of man made material and is falling apart. The use of this material might be due to war time rationing because I have never seen it in any other Johann Hückel´s Söhne hat. Other than that the hat is in perfect condition. It is only a size 56cm but I will probably keep as is for historical reasons.

 

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Notice Eger, Adolf - Hitlerpl..

 

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This shows the makeup of the sweatband.

 

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Hückel Superior Homburg, Dark Blue, Size 55cm. This one was made by Johann Hückel´s Söhne (Novy Jicin) in the late 30s out of Bulgaria. It is not my size but I was able to get it for $75.00 so went for it as a collectors piece. The felt is actually dark blue and of very high quality with matching dark blue sweatband + retractable rope loop for hanging. The liner is lite purple with very fine detail work. There is no binding but I think it adds to the look. The condition is excellent.

 

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This is a 1930s Hückel Sigma Foulard Seal Velour, size 5 1/2 Point. It was made at the Nový Jičín factory. The crown is 6 inches open with a 2 1/2 inch brim. Finest velour finish I have come across.

 

I had it restored by Optimo and I think they did a great job. They replaced the non reeded sweat and ribbon/bow. Also the liner was missing so I had them put in a new one. The felt was in very good condition.

 

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Original sweatband and ribbon/bow.

 

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Fritz Hückel,Weilheim Zephyr Seal Velour (size 58cm)

 

This beauty belongs to RLK on the FL.

 

This hat can be dated between 1951-57 since Stanley W. Unger left the Palmer House Hotel at the end of 1950 to move to the Bismarck Hotel Lobby as well as in the Chicago Board of Trade Building. The Bismarck Hotel Store had a "Going Out of Business Sale" Jan.-Mar. of 1958. He retired a few years later and had an additional store in Evanston less than a mile from where I now live. The wide double-thickness brim edge has no stitching so is either felted or a glued overwelt and its 1-7/8" wide. The crown dips to 4-1/4" at the front and rises to 5". The sweatband has the accordion-pleated front ventilation. Super-soft plush felt. In great condition except for a case of "ring around the collar".

 

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I received this Hückel Exhibition catalog from the Nový Jičín Museum. It is in Czech (Czech posters can read) but the photos are interesting. The exhibition runs until the end of February. Hückel was nationalized as TONAK after WWII. The Hückel family ended up in Weilheim Germany where they started a hat factory. They owned the Hückel name rights for Germany and closed business in 1975. TONAK owned the Hückel name rights outside of Germany starting in the mid 1950s.

 

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I was sent this photo from Radek Polach who is in charge of the hat collection at the Nový Jičín Museum and is the author of the Hückel exhibition catalog. This photo is from the opening of the Hückel exhibition. The ladies to the right and left are Hückel family members. They were both born in Nový Jičín but ended up in Germany shortly after WWII.

 

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I also received this "Hats Off" Exhibition Catalog from Radek Polach of the Nový Jičín Museum. This exhibition features hats made by Hückel, Peschel and Brüder Böhm (most pre WWII). It is in Czech but has some nice photos. All three hat factories were located in Nový Jičín and where nationalized as TONAK after WWII. The Hückel and Peschel famalies ended up in Germany where they opened factories while the Böhm family opened a factory in Austria.

 

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1930s gray Hückel Superior Crystall Velour, size 54cm. This velour is a higher grade than my black Hückel Seal Velour and similar to my black Hückel Sigma Velour. It has a similar sweatband and hanging cord as my other two Hückel Superiors (not velours) and is in very good condition. The bow work is unique and it doesn't have a country of origin.

 

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I found some information on Lorenz Jungwirth of Waging a. See, Bavaria who was the owner of the hat.

 

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The first Waging team of TSV in 1932 from left: Louis Penninger, Franz Waldherr, Josef Bauer, Lorenz Jungwirth, Dusi Fischer, Franz (Pauli) Waldherr, Hans Kronbichler; Josef Krieger, Hans Weth, Anton Schmid, Louis Feil

 

Corporal Lorenz Jungwirth

born 1911 Waging

22/07/1941, 30J. Russia

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Here is a Nový Jičín Museum booklet (the first part is ladies hat companies) with info (in Czech) and photos of Hückel, Peschel and Brüder Böhm operations. I have never seen (although some of the hats above could be) a Peschel or Brüder Böhm that was made in Nový Jičín. They are beyond rare.

 

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This Johann Hückel´s Söhne belongs to RLK of the FL. It will be interesting to see the restore.

 

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"A bit of wear on this one although the felt appears intact. Seems to have shrunken a bit and the unmarked 2-1/4" wide sweatband is held in only at the back seam. Would be about a size 7 as it fits like a 7-1/8 without the sweatband."

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1930s or older gray Hückel Superior Crystall Velour, size 54cm. This velour is a higher grade than my black Hückel Seal Velour and similar to my black Hückel Sigma Velour. It has a similar sweatband and hanging cord as my other two Hückel Superiors (not velours) and is in very good condition. The bow work is unique and it doesn't have a country of origin.

 

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4710443204_dcbab36481_b.jpg

 

4710378246_d584e38082_b.jpg

 

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I found some information on Lorenz Jungwirth of Waging a. See, Bavaria who was the owner of the hat.

 

bild-1-1.jpg

 

The first Waging team of TSV in 1932 from left: Louis Penninger, Franz Waldherr, Josef Bauer, Lorenz Jungwirth, Dusi Fischer, Franz (Pauli) Waldherr, Hans Kronbichler; Josef Krieger, Hans Weth, Anton Schmid, Louis Feil

 

Died in WWII so this hat is definitely 1930s.

 

Corporal Lorenz Jungwirth

born 1911 Waging

22/07/1941, 30J. Russia

 

Amazing hat! too bad it is a size 54. Isn't it great that the internet provides us with so much imformation?! A few decades ago such research would habe been impossible.

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