Johann Hückel´s Söhne - Hückel Hutfabrik Weilheim

[habigman]

J. Hückel´s Söhne, 58cm, probably 1930s or older, it was modified along the way (see below). This is a very stiff heavy weight felt (nothing to do with quality) which probably has to do with the 'Derby' model name (stiffer soft felt hat). The crown tip patch is missing but the triangle shape is similar to the Carl Kellner Hamburg logo. Some minor felt issues that are made more apparent by the lighter felt color.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Felt spacer strip stitched to the crown about one inch above the brim line was added after paper label. The ribbon was either reattached or replaced.

 

 

 

[habigman]

J. Hückel´s Söhne promotional Pocket Mirror. Probably 1930s.

 

 

[habigman]

J. Hückel´s Söhne Promotional Pocket Mirrors

 

[habigman]

Manfred picked both of these up for 1 EURO! My guess is late 1950s for both of them.

 

"The gray one is a Chamois and the flecked felt is a Hückel Clipper Pork Pie.

Both hats are very dirty and stained.

After a good brushing and spraying with a special mix of alcohol and water, I could remove most of them with a rag. I believe, If I would soak the hat, it would be come out like new. The Clipper liner is very soiled. I has to remove it.

Unfortunately, the print of the liner of the Chamois taken Damage."

 

[habigman]

Hückel Weilheim Mercur Homburg, size 59cm 7 3/8, great condition, probably mid to late 1950s. The brim curl on this one is fantastic. Hückel Weilheim made really high quality hats during this time period. Awesome attention to detail!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[habigman]

I never bothered to check but German Wikipedia has a nice page on JHS.

 

http://de.wikipedia...._Hückel’s_Söhne

 

They have some nice prints from 1898.

 

Fabrik in Neutitschein (1898)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In: Dargebracht von den Industriellen Oesterreichs unter dem hohen Protectorate Seiner K. und K. Hoheit des Durchlauchtigsten Herrn Erzherzogs Franz Ferdinand (Hrsg.):Die Gross-Industrie Oesterreichs. Festgabe zum glorreichen fünfzigjährigen Regierungs-Jubiläum Seiner Majestät des Kaisers Franz Josef I.. 4, Leopold Weiss, Wien 1898, X. Bekleidungs-Industrie.

 

In: offered by manufacturers of Austria under the high Protectorate of His Serene Highness the K. and K. Archduke Francis Ferdinand (ed.): The gross industrial Austria .Festschrift for glorious fifty year anniversary of His Majesty Government of Emperor Franz Joseph I.. 4, Leopold Weiss, Vienna 1898, X. Garment industry.

[habigman]

J. Hückel´s Söhne Promo Pocket Mirrors (1930s)

 

 

[habigman]

J. Hückel´s Söhne Standard

 

 

This old one (could be around WWI) belongs to Robert (RLK) on the FL.

 

"Not a velour. Might be quite old. D'Orsay curl with stitched over welt brim and tapered crown of moderate height. Age deterioration of fabric portions."

[habigman]

J. Hückel´s Söhne Sigma, Brown

 

 

Another amazing / rare find by Robert (RLK) of the FL. This one was made for the American market.

 

"Another between the Wars JHS Velour sold by Maurice L. Rothschild of Chicago. Extra Bittersweet Chocolate color.Has the light absorbing properties of a Black Hole, I'll need to dig out the tripod and arrange for some decent lighting."

[habigman]

Hückel Weilheim Foulard, probably mid 1950s. This beauty belongs to Manfred.

 

[habigman]

J. Hückel´s Söhne Top Hat

 

This beauty belongs to Robert (RLK) on the FL. I also bid on this one but happy to see Robert ended up with it. The paper label has the typical format but no mention of JHS. Also a very rare box. I wasn't aware that JHS made Top Hats. I will have to see if I can find out if they were sourced them or made in house. My guess is 1920s-30s.

 

 

"Prior to WW2 Salonika was one of the larger and more affluent Jewish Urban centers originating with Spanish Jews who fled in the late 15th-16th Centuries.

The Recanati Family were important in early Palestine settlements and founded a major Israeli Bank after leaving Greece."

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/judaica/ejud_0002_0017_0_17360.html

[habigman]

Another beauty that belongs to Robert (RLK) on the FL.

 

 

"Not new to the F'Lounge. Wide brim of 2-13/16". Very soft and slightly less firm(more floppy) than most velours. No retailer labeling that I can discover."

[habigman]

And yet another amazing find by Robert (RLK) on the FL. Very rare pristine JHS Standard Homburg and a size 59cm!

 

[habigman]

Hückel Hutfabrik Weilheim, German Trademarks

 

 

 

 

 

 

[habigman]

Hückel Family Members (Post Hückel Hutfabrik Weilheim), German Trademarks

 

 

 

 

[habigman]

TONAK, Hückel Related, German + Euro Trademarks

 

It appears that TONAK is the only company holding current Hückel related trademarks for Europe. It appear they didn't receive trademarks until 1966. I assuming the 1930s trademarks where under JHS and didn't transfer but I could be wrong. As far as I can tell TONAK didn't sell under the Hückel name in Germany (not sure about the rest of Europe) while Hückel Hutfabrik Weilheim was still in business (closed 1975).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[habigman]

TONAK, Hückel Related, German + Euro Trademarks (Continued)

 

 

 

 

 

 

[habigman]

TONAK, Hückel Related, German + Euro Trademarks (Continued)

 

 

 

 

 

 

[habigman]

J. Hückel´s Söhne Standard Velour, probably 1930s (maybe older) but I think it was modified (sweatband and ribbon) at a later date.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anton Hillerbrand Hutmacher, Bad Tölz , Bavaria the store that sold and could have modified the hat are still in business today.

 

http://hut-hillerbrand.de/

[habigman]

J. Hückel´s Söhne Flexible Melone, measured 57cm, pre WWII. Not mine but from a Czech source. Fantastic offset bow and black liner!

 

 

 

 

 

[habigman]

J. Hückel´s Söhne Pin, very early 1900s or late 1800s. Small but fantastic!

 

 

[habigman]

This JHS pin belongs to Manfred. It's from a later time period.

 

[habigman]

JHS Omega, probably 1930s. This gem belongs to Robert (RLK) on the FL.

 

 

[habigman]

Hückel Flexible, 1949. This is an amazing find by Manfred. Never seen the 150 year logo so might be made by Hückel Weilheim or Tonak.

 

"Nice suprise on my flea market tour today. Found a nice Hückel Flexible, I guess it's from 1949, because the print says 150 Years Hückel."

 

 

[habigman]

J. Hückel´s Söhne Flexible, measures ~ 58cm, 155 grams, probably 1930s. This Melone is in excellent / seldom worn condition. Very unique liner color and sweatband. Also noticed on the paper label the size is 6 1/4 Point.

 

Natural Light

 

[habigman]

Hückel Durit, size French Point 5 1/2, probably 1930s. Made for the French market. Another amazing find by Robert (RLK) of the FL!

 

 

 

 

[habigman]

This is a pre 1940 J. Hückel´s Söhne promo pocket mirror. I have another one like it but this one is in much better condition. There is a blow-up of this same image on display at the Novy Jicin City Museum Hat exhibit. Karl Plachky was a hat / furrier shop in Zeitz, Germany.

 

 

 

Information on Karl Plachky from Matt (Mean Eyed Matt) on the FL.

 

"Karl Plachky was one famous Kürschner (skinner/furrier - not only shop) in Zeitz (near Leipzig) at Roßmarkt 5 - also trading with hats & caps. According to the net he is listed in the phone book of 1914 and still listed after WWII in 1948. And there's also a Ludwig Plachky - skinner in Zeitz at Roßmarkt 14 and Wilhelm (1914) and Johannes (1947) Plachky - both goldsmiths at Roßmarkt 14. Family!?"

[habigman]

1930s G. A. Dunn & Co. Austrian Velour. This beauty belongs to Justin on the FL. Turns out it was made by JHS. The liner is not original.

 

 

 

 

 

 

JHS paper label

 

[habigman]

J. Hückel'a Synove Vídeň (J. Hückel´s Söhne Wien) Melone, size 5 3/4 Point, crown 4 1/2 inches, brim 2 1/4 inches, 154 grams. The liner and sweatband wording are in Czech but I believe it's from right around WWI. I really like the lower profile and striking liner / sweatband.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Natural Light

 

 

[habigman]

J. Hückel´s Söhne Sigma Seal Velour, Size 7 1/2, probably 1930s. Amazing find by Josh on the FL! Sure wish it was his size.

 

"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. "

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[habigman]

Continued.

 

 

[habigman]

J. Hückel´s Söhne Flexible Melone, Size 6 1/4 Point, Brim 2 inches, Crown 5 inches, Weight 5.46 oz, Very good condition with original box (missing lid). The liner color is a unique light magenta. Probably from the 1930s maybe the 1920s. The city (Reichenberg) where the shop that sold it was located is now (Liberec) in the Czech Republic.

 

 

[habigman]

 

 

[habigman]

J. Hückel´s Söhne Elastic Melone, measures ~ 58cm, 134 grams. Really unique liner color and in very good condition. Probably 1930s. This is from a non eBay seller.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[habigman]

J. Hückel´s Söhne Velour, measures 59cm, probably 1930s. Missing the liner but rare greenish Velour. Not sure of the model because the paper label is damaged. Same seller as the Elastic Melone.

 

 

 

 

 

I think this outdoor photo better represents the color and finish.

 

[habigman]

Fritz Hückel Hutmacher Weilheim Ultra. This beauty belongs to Spencer (Dinerman) on the FL.

 

"I found this Fritz Huckel here in Bozeman today."

 

 

 

 

 

[habigman]

J. Hückel´s Söhne Durit, size 58cm, missing liner, probably 1930s. Heavy wear but a great find by Paddy on the FL.

 

[habigman]

My J. Hückel´s Söhne Melone Collection!

 

J. Hückel'a Synove Vídeň, probably from around WWI.

 

 

 

 

J. Hückel´s Söhne Flexible, probably 1930s.

 

 

 

 

J. Hückel´s Söhne Elastic, probably 1930s.

 

 

 

[habigman]

Continued.

 

J. Hückel´s Söhne Flexible, probably 1930s maybe earlier.

 

 

 

 

J. Hückel´s Söhne Flexible, probably 1930s maybe earlier.

 

 

 

 

J. Hückel´s Söhne Plume, probably 1930s.

 

 

 

[habigman]

Continued.

 

J. Hückel´s Söhne Elastic, probably 1930s.

 

 

 

 

J. Hückel´s Söhne Plume, probably 1930s.

 

 

 

 

J. Hückel´s Söhne, probably 1910s.

 

 

 

[habigman]

Continued.

 

J. Hückel´s Söhne Flexible, probably 1920s (new liner).

 

 

 

 

[habigman]

J. Hückel´s Söhne Durit, size 5 1/2 Point, probably 1930s. This OfCourseMyHorse on the FL. A rare Italian market JHS plus excellent condition.

[habigman]

Hückel Standard Crystall Velour. This one belongs to Robert (RLK) on the FL.

 

 

 

[habigman]

In the 1930s J. Hückel´s Söhne was fond of coordinating sweatband, felt and liner colors on their soft felt models. As far as I know this was unique / fantastic feature.

 

 

 

 

 

A very unique one. This is a canvas sweatband which was most likely due to war time rationing.

 

 

By the way this is the hat!

 

[habigman]

Hückel (Weilheim) Clipper. This one belongs to Paddy on the FL.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[habigman]

J. Hückel´s Söhne promo pocket mirror, probably 1930s. Otto Simon was a hat shop in Viersen Rheinland, Germany.

 

 

[habigman]

J. Hückel´s Söhne Store Display, probably 1930s. It came from an old Milwaukee, Wisconsin store.

 

 

[habigman]

This is an article by one of the founders of Hückel Weilheim. It appeared in the January / February 2008 edition of "Geschichte und Kultur"

 

 

Images from Memory

 

Rita Gnadl , born Tengler remembers ...

 

Firm J. Hückels Söhne Neutitschein

 

The company J. Hückel's Sons , Neutitschein was founded in 1799 by Johann Nepomuk Hückel . It was harder to start a company the back then. In 1938 , when the war begins , branches Ratibor , Skoczów and Vienna branch were at the company at the main plant in Neutitschein , about 4,000 workers and employees ( at the company they were called officers) employed .

 

My father was already manager in Ratibor. He and his brothers Anton and Randolf had already completed their apprenticeship with success in Hückel . After the war the factory was nationalized and then was called "TONAK “. We were expelled and managed to relocate to Bavaria. By chance one of the owners Mr. Fritz Hückel had a summer house in Ammersee in Holzhausen near Utting.

 

When we arrived in Bavaria via Berlin my father met with Mr. Hückel who made a loan of RM 1,000 to start a new company . My father, mother, and brother Roman moved into a furnished two room apartment in Weilheim / Upper Bavaria. My father then set up a meeting with the Mayor of Weilheim to discuss a possible location for the business.

 

At Marienplatz Weilheim there was a department store Buxbaum. The acting director Mr. Trieber offered us a garage in the backyard and a small room in the department store as an office. I first took over all the office work while my father tried to hire some employees who have previously worked in the company. The first to arrive was former employee Mr. Mark who with my father would work to clean and shape hats.

 

The garage had only an old iron furnace (unfortunately it only had two legs instead of 3) for heat . Mr. Trieber gave us a clothes rack made of wood that Mr. Mark converted to a dry box. In the garbage area behind the town cemetery we found an old boiling pot which a plumber on Krumper street converted into a useful to us steamer for the hats. The Wegener hat factory gave us old blocks and flanges. We arranged with Mr. Trieber for a collection point in the department store take in used hats that needed cleaning and reprocessing.

 

Then came the day of opening and we got to work. We even found a hat seamstress (which is not found today) from Ratibor. I then washed the first hats in our basin. We had nothing and had to improvise a lot. We got detergent - where I do not know - and I attempted to clean the hats. I had every hat treated separately, because it was almost entirely dark colors, the bleeding made them off colored. When the hats were almost dry I put them in the workshop where Mr. Mark continued the cleaning process. Mr. Ing. Christianus , who was also a long time employee of the company came , made drawings of the shop after work (see sketch on following page) . Officially, I was female hat worker but I was not allowed to say that I have never done this job before. Office workers back then were hardly needed.

 

My father tried to continue to labor from home. In Dingolfing now Mr. Karl Zenner (in Neutitschein he was head machinist) , acquired old hat machines and got them in working order. This took a long time but the machines were eventually shipped to Weilheim where we had acquired the Dornier factory building. The Dornier factory space was converted to hat making. Meanwhile, the repair of old hats had proven pitiful. We also had a hard time buying rabbit fur felt for the new hats.

 

Several more former employees joined the company and we left the garage and went into the great hall of Dornier. We expanded the production and business flourished. We also signed up former representatives of the company that had former customer contacts.

 

Sketch

 

(1946) Company started in a garage in the middle of Weilheim. A sketch by Ing. Christianus drawn as it looked in 1946.

[habigman]

JHS on JHS!

 

[habigman]

 

 

It appears hats sold into the German market after WWI were made in or shipped from this factory due to import tariffs / restrictions (not sure how long this lasted) on hats produced in Czechoslovakia (Austria up WWI).

The factory at the top of the document is the main factory in Neutitschein (Novy Jicin, Czechoslovakia, became TONAK after WWII). The factory at the bottom of the document is the Ratibor factory. They also had factories / operations in Skoczów, Poland (PolkaP) and Vienna, Austria. J. Hückel's Söhne was the largest hat company in Europe.

I found the address of the Ratibor factory in "Löbners Textil-Adressbücher 1942 · Volume 1".

English Translation (Updated 08/03/2025)

J. Hückel's Söhne Hat Factory Ratibor, Silesia, Germany (1925)

The hat factory J. Hückels Söhne, Ratibor, was founded by the well-known company J. Hückels Söhne, Neutitschein, Czechoslovakia, which is also well-known on the German market. The reasons that led to the establishment of a factory on German soil are best characterized by the situation of the German market in the post-war period. The import restrictions that arose as a result of the reparations burdens made it almost impossible for the Neutitschein factory to serve its customers who had been loyal for decades, and so only a factory on German soil had to or could offer the guarantee of continuing to play a leading role in the German hat market.

It is probably part of the founding history of the young factory to briefly state the dates that also concern the parent company and its origins.

The Neutitschein company was founded in 1799, when the then hat maker Johann Nepomuk Hückel, a native of Fulnek in Moravia, acquired the master craftsman's license in Neutitschein. In 1811 his brother Augustin followed him to Neutitschein, and now the two brothers each ran the hat-making business separately. Production was based on the old craft traditions. In 1835, Augustin Hückel's son, Johann Hückel, took over his father's business and, in the turbulent year of 1848, also that of his uncle, in order to continue it together under the old form.

The Austrian hat industry, which was just beginning to emerge at the time, was not yet familiar with the practices of the foreign competition that dominated the world market. It was to Johann Hückel's credit that he gradually began to show a keen interest in the issues of expanding his production and technical perfection. His three sons August, Johann and Karl, who had all learned the craft of hat making according to the old custom, were sent out into the world by him to gain experience that would be put to good use in his own business.

The result of this pioneering work was that in 1865 Johann Hückel was the first in Austria to convert his business into a mechanical one by installing a three-horse steam engine. This put an end to the rapid development of the company and in 1867 the company had to be relocated as it proved too small for the demands placed on it. In 1868 Johann Hückel handed over the management of the business to his three sons, but he remained their most keen advisor for many years. His services were recognized at the highest level by the award of the Golden Cross of Merit.

The factory, which was now being built on a site outside the city, had the necessary expansion potential and the circumstances of the time as well as the efficiency of the owners allowed the company to flourish quickly and to quickly take a dominant position not only in Austria but also on the world market. The basis was created through hard work, and the company worked tirelessly and with all its energy to develop its relations abroad and thereby establish its reputation. It will certainly be of general interest if some data is given here about the size of the Neutitschein main factory, which will give everyone a clear picture of the development of the company from its humble beginnings to its current size and importance. The factory now covers an area of 48,000 square meters, the built-up factory area is 22,000 square meters, and the area used for production is 36,000 square meters. Before the war, the factory employed around 3,000 workers with a daily production of more than 6,000 units. As a result of the war conditions and the economic hardship that followed, the number of workers and production have fallen considerably, but there is no doubt that the old capacity can be reached again when more or less normal conditions return.

It should also be mentioned that the factory has its own hairdressing salon and therefore prepares the raw materials itself, as well as its own workshops for the production of the necessary professional work, such as metalworking, foundry, carpentry and wood turning, as well as cardboard production, so that the products can leave the establishment ready for mailing.

The increase in production from year to year and the associated additional work prompted the owners of the company to enlist the help of their sons and current owners of the company years before the war.

The outbreak of the World War and the associated disruption of the entire economic life also had a negative effect on the already elderly owners of the J. Hückels Söhne company, but their tireless energy and drive managed to keep the business going throughout the entire period, and even to partially switch production to other items. The consequences of this extraordinary effort were not long in coming. In 1917, the two owners, August and Johann Hückel, died one after the other, and in 1919 their brother Karl followed them into a better world. The company owners' work was recognized with the award of the title, "K. u. k. Court hat manufacturers" and the award of the Iron Crown Order, Third Class to the two brothers August and Johann Hückel.

The company's products have also been repeatedly awarded prizes, for example in 1873 in Vienna with the Progress Medal, in 1876 at the World Exhibition in Philadelphia with the highest award, in 1878 in Paris with the Gold Medal and in 1900 in Paris with the Grand Prix.

So much for the history of the parent company. Now to the Ratibor company itself. When it was purchased, part of the factory was already there, another part had to be built from scratch. Today the factory covers an area of 13,000 square meters, of which 4,500 square meters are built and the work area is around 9,000 square meters.

The drive is electric, the necessary electrical energy is supplied by a 300 HP steam engine. The heating and boiler systems are also state-of-the-art and are fed by a suspension railway directly from the railway carriage. Ventilation of the work rooms is provided to meet all hygienic requirements. The factory also has its own metalworking and carpentry workshop for carrying out any repairs to machines. At present, 500 workers are employed. When setting up this factory, too, we had to start with the smallest thing, so to speak, and only gradually could regular production from the raw product begin. It was a plan that was pursued with great vigor, the motive of which must be said to be the preservation of the German market. The company only produces hair hats, with a specialty being velour hats, which enjoy the best reputation throughout the world.

The catastrophe that struck Germany in 1923 also had a serious impact on this young company, but despite all the obstacles, further expansion and improvement were never neglected. And today one can safely say that the J. Hückels Söhne company in Ratibor has achieved its intention of retaining the German market. Of course, there are limits to the expansion of this company, primarily those caused by the separation of former German territories. Compensating for these losses will probably mean more intensive cultivation of the remaining territory.

The history of a company represents its value, this claim has been fully confirmed in the case of most German industrial creations, and the history of the J. Hückels Söhne company will also be a guarantee that tireless progress will be made in building up Germany's economic power, which must be the aim and aspiration of the entire German people to regain.