Jean Boiteux

Jean Boiteux (1933 – 2010) was a French swimmer and Olympic champion from Marseilles. 

He competed at the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki, where he received a gold medal in 400 m freestyle.  Boiteux was the first person from France to win an Olympic gold medal in swimming, but most attention he gained through his father, who dived fully clothed, with beret, into the pool, being the first to congratulate his son with his victory.

To celebrate the 57th year of the Jean Boiteux swimming club, 

the kids jumped in with Boiteux, like his father in 1952 in Helsinki

Boiteux died after falling from a tree in his garden on  April 11, 2010 at the age of 76.

Camembert

Camembert is one of the most famous cheeses in France and French cheeses world-wide, even though the cheese dates back only to the 18th century.

Camembert was reputedly first made in 1791 by Marie Harel, a farmer from Normandy, following advice from a priest who came from Brie.

Before fungi were understood, the colour of Camembert rind was a matter of chance, most commonly blue-grey, with brown spots. From the early 20th century onwards, the rind has been more commonly pure white, but it was not until the mid-1970s that pure white became standard.

The cheese was famously issued to French troops during World War I, becoming firmly fixed in French popular culture as a result. It has many other roles in French culture, literature and history. It is now internationally known, and many local varieties are made around the world.
Christmas tree ornaments, made of German mouth blown glass and hand painted

The variety named "Camembert de Normandie" was granted a protected designation of origin in 1992 after the original AOC in 1983.

Blancq-Olibet- 1960's Catalogue

 

 

S.P.B.'s own Basco Roma's

After modifying my own Basco Roma by taking out the satin lining and changing the faux-leather headband for a lamb leather one, I thought there may be more Roma-enthusiasts who would appreciate such a beret.

The result is a small number of modified Basco Roma's, made exclusively for South Pacific Berets by Baschificio A. Setti. Identical to the standard Basco Roma, but un-lined and fitted witha very comfortable soft leather headband. Only at S.P.B. 

Braon šubara

More hats from Serbia. The Braon šubara is a brown winter hat made of artificial fur, traditionally worn by Serb and Montenegrin mountain people and, during WW2, Partisan and Chetnik freedom fighters.

Huge hats that can easily fit over a Šajkača (see yesterday's post). I have a small number of these great and heavy winter hats in stock; all in one size (if too large, one folds the rim outwards to make it fit snug and comfortable).

Šajkača

The Šajkača originated in the 18th century. It was originally worn by the Serbian river fleet as a military headgear (uniform) in the service of the Habsburg Empire (known as the šajkaši) around the Danube and Sava Rivers. 

These men conducted small-scale raids against the Ottomans, thus allowing Serb refugees from the Ottoman Empire to safely flee to the Habsburg Empire. The refugees copied the design of the hat and spread it widely within the Serbian community.

The distinctive hat is recognizable by its top part which looks like the letter V or like the bottom of a boat (viewed from above). It gained wide popularity in the early 20th century as it became an official part of the Serbian military uniform in 19th century. It was initially worn only by soldiers, the officers wore contemporary french-style Kepis but later wearing Peaked caps, but after 1903. it became part of the standard officer's uniform as well (the officers' ones were modified with a peak). It would continue to be used by the Royal Yugoslav Army.

During World War II, it was shortly worn by Serbian members of the Yugoslav Partisans until it was replaced by "Titovka" cap for soldiers and Peaked cap for officers' parade uniform. 

During the Bosnian war, the hat was worn by Bosnian Serb military commanders and many volunteer units in the 1990s. This made me hesitate to sell these hats; having worked in the self proclaimed Serb Republic in Bosnia during the war, I know first hand what the fanatics who wore the Šajkača did - it's a very ugly story.

But it's not the Šajkača that committed the evil, like the berets worn by the French milice's and Franco's Carlists and Phalangists are responsible for the misery and evil their wearers caused. 

Today the hat is commonly seen in rural villages across Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro, often worn by elderly men.
I have imported a small quantity of these hats and these are now available through South Pacific Berets (or right here at this blog)

These Šajkača's are hand made in Serbia in a wool/cotton blend, cotton lined and stretch well to fit snug. 

Alfa Romeo

Where have the days gone that racing car drivers wore berets as a standard headgear? Great aerodynamics, oil- and dirt resistant and easy to stuff in an overalls pocket.

Attilio Marinoni (1892 – 18 June 1940), pictures above and below, was an Italian racecar driver from Lodi, Lombardy.

After World War I, Marinoni joined the Alfa Romeo racing team as a mechanic. He became co-driver with Giuseppe Campari in the 1924 French Grand Prix. In an Alfa Romeo 6C, he won the 1927 Coppa Ciano and three Spa 24 Hours in a row: in 1928 with Boris Ivanowski, in 1929 with Robert Benoist, and in 1930 with Pietro Ghersi. He was promoted to chief mechanic and test driver of Scuderia Ferrari between 1934 and 1937. He died when he crashed an Alfa Romeo 158/159 Alfetta racing car on the Milan-to-Varese autostrada.

Battista Guidotti (picture above) too raced for Alfa Romeo and became their first test driver after winning the Mile Miglia in 1930. From WWII till his retirement in 1963 he was the team manager for Alfa Romeo. 

Bernard Lubat

Bernard Lubat (1945) is a French jazz and contemporary classical music pianist, multi-instrumentalist and singer. In addition to piano and performing as a singer, Lubat also plays (electronic) drums, percussion instruments, accordion, synthesizer and vibraphone.

Lubat was born in a small town in the Gascon province near Bordeaux,  as the son of trumpeter Alban Lubaz, whom he accompanied from the age of 6 on accordion at dances.

He attended the conservatories in Bordeaux (from 1957) and Paris (1961 to 1963), from which he graduated with a first prize in percussion. 

Lubat has worked with an impressive number of musicians (Eddy Louis and Stan Getz, to name just two) and played a scala of instruments (guitar, bass, fog horn, vibraphone an more), reminding me of Tom Waits.

 In his hometown of Uzeste 1978 he founded a three-day music festival, incorporating jazz, tango, pasodobles and the traditional music of Gascony.

The 1968 Summer Olympics

At the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, 36 athletics events were contested, 24 for men and 12 for women. There were a total number of 1031 participating athletes from 93 countries.

Lee Evans, Ron Freeman, Larry James and Vince Matthews on the victor's stand for the 400-meter relay giving "black power" symbol

Black American athletes wore black gloves and bowed their heads on the medal podium after their medals in the 200m, sparking huge controversy.

Larry James, Lee Evans and Ron Freeman (left to right) on the 400 metres podium at the 1968 Olympic Games

All proudly wearing and showing their Black Panther solidarity black berets. 

The Bike Series #12 - The VéloSoleX

Unlike (most) American readers of this blog, most men of my generation in western Europe grew up with the Solex. Legally, we were allowed to ride one from 16, but of course the temptation was much stronger than the law. 

Races, "motocross", secretly sneaking away on an older brother's Solex... 

Police cars slowly driving behind you, returning you home to modestly shocked parents... Great memories. 

Solex was a French manufacturer of carburetors and the powered bicycle VéloSoleX. The Solex company was founded by Marcel Mennesson and Maurice Goudard to manufacture vehicle radiators. The Vélosolex has a small 49cc motor mounted above the front wheel. Power is delivered via a small ceramic roller that rotates directly on the front wheel by friction to the tire. 

The first prototype of a VeloSolex was created in 1941 and used regular bicycle frame such as those under the "Alcyon" brand and were powered by a 45cc engine developed by Solex. VELOSOLEX were produced commercially and sold starting 1946 with a 45cc engine without clutch, then later with a 49cc engine. The solex, although not varying much from one version to the next was sold in 13 models.

New Czechs!

The new stock from Prague is in!

Among the head-banded Radiovka's, the 235's and 265's also the completely new Tam o' Shanters in Black/Cream and Blue/Cream - great hats based on a traditionally made beret (the hood is a wool beret with an added thick band in contrasting colour and, of course, topped with a tourie). For the first time in years I found myself not wearing a beret - extremely comfortable and beautifully made hats!

Then I managed to buy my suppliers last Service Star berets - a hybrid (between a Basque and military style beret) that I have grown to love. A light beret in top quality wool, with air vents and a faux leather rim in a variety of sizes from 57 - 61. 
If interested, be quick - these may not become available again. 

And last, by popular request: un-lined Radiovka's in black!

The Dutch Series #8 - Bescherming Bevolking

The "Bescherming Bevolking" (Civil Defence) or commonly revered to as "BB" was founded in 1952 to protect the Dutch population in time of war. The organization was set up similarly to the English model (where the civil defence organization had played a major role during WWII .

BB Unit Pannerden

The BB was meant to provide support to the population under special circumstances such as the consequences of war, but also large-scale disasters. In the early 50s war meant conflict with conventional weapons, but from the second half of the 50s it became clear that a new World War would likely see the use of nuclear weapons. The BB had to educate people on how to survive nuclear attacks (believe it or not, as a drafted soldier in the early 80's, I was taught how to respond to nuclear attacks by showering myself with talking powder and lie flat on the ground for 30 seconds - no joke).

Magirus Deutz fire engine of the BB

The core of the BB were professionals, while the larger organization consisted of volunteers (at the height of it's popularity in 1956 there were 160.000 staff!).

 BB Observation Tower Warfhuizen (north eastern Netherlands)

In 1958 the government approved "Emergency Guard Duty", much in the light of nuclear attacks. Towers were set up along the eastern border, manned by guards looking out for Soviet war planes (this is not a joke either). A few of these towers still remain, monuments to the Cold War. These towers were open structures without telephone connections; the guard would have to run down and call the authorities from a nearby farm in case of an oncoming attack).

BB Beret, men, 1956-63

It was all taken very seriously, until the organization's disbandment in 1985.

BB Beret, women, 1956-63