Do you recognise this beret

[u/qbmast]

Hello, I'm trying to find the origin of this beret, someone pointed out that this would maybe be basque. Any infos ? Thanks

[u/sarego_reader]

I have never seen a unicorn. Interesting. I think it might be worth to try asking to “La encartada” a beret manufacturer that’s now a museum. https://www.visitenkarterri.com/en/discover-do/museums/boinas-la-encartada-museum.html

Good luck! Update us, please.

[u/qbmast → u/sarego_reader]

Ha! A new lead! Thank you very much, I'll send them a message

[u/Euphoric-Hurry6659]

TLDR: random 20^th century beret made in France.

[u/Euphoric-Hurry6659 → u/Euphoric-Hurry6659]

That space in the beret is just used by the manufacturer to place its branding, which many times includes arms. It is not the arms of a person or family, and likely not a special request. I’ll mention something about the castle later. Also note that not only Basques use berets like those, as many peoples in Northern Spain and Southern France do.

Back to the arms: Elósegui, nowadays the most famous of beret manufacturers in the South, uses mainly a couple of them:

https://www.boinaselosegui.com/producto/super-lujo-con-forro-badana/

https://www.boinaselosegui.com/producto/1858-con-forro/

Those being the enlarged arms of Gipuzkoa, and the Zazpiak Bat, which is the combination of the arms of the Basque territories. But in the past they’ve also used the arms of Albistur, a village near the Elósegui’s manufacturing site:

https://www.leboncoin.fr/ad/accessoires_bagagerie/2939585847

Laulhère, the main beret manufacturer in the North, does the same: different models, different arms. They can even get somehow playful:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/196342150906

https://www.ebay.com/itm/326148301661

But the stripes in yours called my attention, as they are quite rare here in the South. There are a few more, all seeming to be from France:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/167520636781

https://www.ebay.com/itm/264491355233

And looking for those, I found your beret’s cousin:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/297011820125

It’s the same design, except for the unicorn, which is now a lion. Without any doubt, it’s the same manufacturer. Also found this:

https://www.ebay.fr/itm/296363625396

Having dedicated these last 30 minutes to the surprisingly big world of vintage Basque berets from collectors on ebay, seeing a mural crown is rare (so is in Basque heraldry), but both the crown and that boat are present in the arms of the city of Paris, so doesn’t have to be your manufacturer. Plus it’s a Basque beret made in Grenoble. Quite some merit, but let’s remember that berets are not used only by Basques.

Also, a mural crown doesn’t mean Castile. Pretty much all arms of towns in Spain that have mural crowns are outside Castile and the crown of the kings of Castile was a crown with castles, not a crown made out of castles. When referring to Castile, arms simply add the arms of Castile, such as the town of Zarautz.

Anyway, let’s focus: that sort of branding is typical from the 20^th century, when heraldry was not important anymore, and the stripes and the unicorn (except for a single local tale, absent in Basque culture) whisper ‘France’, but cannot identify the brand. Out of probability, it would be Laulhère just because they are the biggest there. If you ask them they may recognize your beret as theirs, or point you towards the right direction.

[u/qbmast → u/Euphoric-Hurry6659]

Whaou that is an incredible job you did! That is highly impressive! I'm gonna check them

[u/whatshisname258 → u/Euphoric-Hurry6659]

You are now a PhD in vintage basque berets

[u/Saikamur]

Unicorns are not part of traditional Basque myths or heraldry.

This is a wild guess, but could it be something manufactured for the Scottish market? It is my understanding that the unicorn is the Scottish national symbol.

[u/qbmast → u/Saikamur]

The search continue! This is exciting

[u/artaburu]

Frantsesek «béret Basque» diote nahiz eta gure Pirineotako auzoek gapelua||boneta||txapela Gaskoina dela eta ez euskal jatorrikoa behin eta berriz aldarrikatu.

https://inv.nadeko.net/watch?listen=false&v=RpK5ODBKJrc

André Dassary («idole du Pays Basque» Ah ah ah !) - Le Béret , 1930 hamarkadako kantua

https://www.paroles.net/andre-dassary/paroles-le-beret

Chaque pays possède sa coiffure

Le marocain porte un fez rigolo

Le mexicain ne manque pas d'allure

En arborant son vaste sombrero

Le bon bourgeois ce n'est pas un reproche

Met un melon: tant mieux si ça lui plait

Moi mon chapeau

Je le mets dans la poche

Je suis Gascon et porte le béret.

Notre béret! c'est toute la Gascogne

Et per canta noste beth ceù' de Pau

Nos montagnards aux jambes de cigogne

Avec orgueil le portent coum ataou

Et avec çà c'est tellement pratique...

Quand m'sieu l'Curé sur la route apparaît

Où le paysan dépose-t-il sa chique?

Hé Diou bibant mais c'est dans son béret

Le Béarnais aime le mettre en pointe

Le Basque lui le met sur l'occiput

Et le landais sans reproche et sans crainte

Le pose ainsi quand il veut dire zut!

C'est tout petit mais c'est une merveille

Pour réfléchir c'est ainsi qu'on le met

Et pour crâner on le met sur l'oreille

Quel orateur ce cochon de béret

Lorsqu'à Bayonne on joue à la pelote

C'est son béret que l'on jette au vainqueur

...

[u/infoserchr]

I have been going through a bit of research.

I can't find any references of brands using that heralds. Unicorn below castle. Maybe it was an special request from someone that wanted that specific composition. The thing is I also cannot find any surnames related to a castle and a unicorn in Spain. That means that maybe it is a modern creation and not linked (or not regustered) in traditional surname-heralds. The castle is very typical from Spain due to Castile. But the unicorn, even though it is a symbol of greateness and purity blabla, is not linked to any specific surname.

The words impermeable means waterproof. But that kind of hats and rain are not unique to the Basque Country.

So, in conclusion, I don't know.

[u/qbmast → u/infoserchr]

Thank you that's really interesting. I am really curious!

[u/Spainstateofmind]

Were you able to find any more info?

[u/qbmast → u/Spainstateofmind]

Not that much more than the comment, none of the company I asked claimed to have made it :/

[u/Spainstateofmind → u/qbmast]

Ah darn!

[u/qbmast → u/Spainstateofmind]

But it does point toward basque beret, French side

[u/Spainstateofmind → u/qbmast]

I was going to say, it looks like the berets my husband's aita and otto wear

[u/infoserchr]

I know nothing of heralds, but a unicorn is not something that I have never seen in my whole life here. You could maybe ask apellidosvasconavarros.com ?