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Messmer Konrad Carl, Hut-Fabrikant, founded in 1790, seems to have been one of the Hoflieferanten (deliverers of the Austrian Court): https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liste_der_k.u.k._Hoflieferanten_1899#M https://austria-forum.org/af/AustriaWiki/Liste_der_k.u.k._Hoflieferanten_1899 and Hotel Kummer (where he sold his hats?) still exists (Dec. 2019): https://kummer-hotel-vienna.hotel-ds.com/de/ there is a nice picture on their homepage showing how it looked like at the time with many shops at the basement. In 1939 they were still there, with new associates: Margarete Messmer/M

Nice Austro-Hungarian officer's cap - I can't see the center of the cockade, but I suppose it says FJ I - Franz Josef I. As the ad indicates they also sold "Kappen" = caps.

Yes, could indeed be Czech! The owner of the Kepka firm in Graz I sent you the link of via PM is a certain Karin Krahl-Wichmann - perhaps there is a connection there, who knows. Seems as if you'd have to visit Graz again.

Hello Steve, yes, I took the info from the Graz Adressbücher. What is interesting is that the paid ads (see above) state "Huterzeugung" (at Schmiedgasse 14) so it seems they really made hats, the entry in the telephone directory says: Handel ("retail of hats, caps, millinery, slippers and felt shoes") and this retail seems to have taken place at the other addresses. Unfortunately I couldn't find anything on Kahr - the only available address books are for 1938 and 1943. Could this have been a case of aryanisation? As it was a OHG (Ordinary/General partnership) there should be info ava

This is indeed a wonderful piece of headgear. Interestingly enough Skrivanek seems to have been taken over by W. &. Kahr somewhere between 1938 and 1943. And they were listed under "Hutmacher" - hatmakers, not under "Hutfabrik" (like Pichler) = hat factory, so Gewerbe, not Industrie.

Great info and nice early photo of O. W. Fischer (then a famous actor in the germanophone world), thanks!

Hello Steve, this is great! Congratulations on this book. Incredible the multitude of hats produced in former times. It's a pity that this culture has disappeared almost completely.

Hello Steve, great information! Particularly the reason why many hats were exported to the US. Thanks!

Ladies and Gentlemen, following Steve's invitation I am going to present my hats in this splendid forum. I am not a new media man - so please forgive me imperfections in this field. Strictly speaking I am no hat collector either, I am just interested in headgear in general, its making, the trades, the firms so when I come across a nice vintage specimen that doesn't cost much I can't resist. I got all of my hats but 2 on flea markets, so they are not as mint as many of those I saw here. Let me start with some pictures taken today in Salzburg, my hometown, from the few re