Since the beginning of time man has hunted beast.  For sustenance, status, and recreation, as rite, and as tradition.  Throughout much of history peopled hunted by necessity.  Before the wide spread availability of the awesome variety of meat products we enjoy access to today people either had to raised their own small herds or hunt to get any substantial amount of protein in their diet.  Our development of a vast network of food production which makes nutrition available to, theoretically, everyone (even though thats not exactly how it works in reality) is one of the prime factors in the expansion of life expectancy and growth in world wide average height over the last few thousand years.

Archeologists have found many artistic examples from antiquity proving exactly how highly hunting was regarded to ancient civilizations.  There are endless images of kings and deities hunting big game animals and mythological creatures to show their power and strength as leaders or warriors.  Many ancient taboos are also related to various prey and the mythos associated with them.  Some form of semi hunter-gatherer lifestyle endured all the way up until the Age of Discovery when urban growth in Europe really started to take off in a much more pronounced way.

Ancient greek fresco from Tunis of a hunt with lions

As hunting moved from a subsistence activity to a social one, two trends emerged. One was that of the specialist hunter with special training and equipment. The other was the emergence of hunting as a ‘sport’ for those of an upper social class.  As game became more of a luxury than a necessity, the stylized pursuit of it also became a luxury. The evolution of the word ‘game’ to include an animal that is hunted was a direct result of the development of hunting as sport.  Dangerous hunting, such as for lions or wild boars, often done on horseback or from a chariot, had a function similar to tournaments and manly sports. It was considered to be an honourable, somewhat competitive pastime to help the aristocracy practice skills of war in times of peace.  In most parts of medieval Europe this trend was enforced as law, making large tracks of land private hunting reserves for the nobles.  Poaching could be punishable by death.  These laws are where the original stories of Robin Hood began.

As the wealth of Europe grew and their colonial empires grew the aristocracy became increasingly mobil and a wealthy merchant class began to grow.  By the 19th century many of the laws regarding hunting in Europe had fallen by the wayside and so was born one of the most iconic British traditions.  The fox hunt.

Everyone has seen images of groups of many riding their horses in top hats and red coats, bugler in the midst, chasing their dogs who are hot on the tail of fox.  The fox hunt has become a largely symbolic activity but, starting as far back as the 17th century farmers were chasing foxes and killing them as pests.  As the industrial revolution came into full swing more people moved away from the country into urban environments and hunting slowly started becoming a leisure activity.  With better more accurate guns and few laws or people to enforce them out in the country, hunt clubs began to develop throughout the 19th century.  Originally the foxes were hunted because they kept killing the prized pheasants, which the hunt clubs enjoyed, but with the development of new hound breeds trained to handle the new industrialized landscape the fox hunt became a staple activity for the quality in Victorian Europe.

As travel became more luxurious and more reliable people of means with a more adventurous spirit started using their leisure time a bit differently.  Foreign tourism began in force and apart from the cultural aspects of the various colonies safaris and big game hunts began to be organized for the enjoyment of the nobles and other wealthy visitors.  These safaris were always complete with a team of trackers and local experts, usually of a local tribe, to aid in insuring the comfort and success of the tourists.  Although many tribal people were treated as less then human they were still revered for their ‘primitive skills’ such as, hunting, tracking and understand nature and the land.  This concept of the “noble savage” was developed throughout the colonial era as a way to acknowledge the skills they had but, in a subservient manner.

Roosevelt standing with native hunters over a dead lion while on safari in 1910

Ernest Hemingway and Teddy Roosevelt were some of the most famous big game hunters of the modern era shooting all manner of beast from atop horses, elephants, jeeps and camels.  This type of ‘trophy’ hunting, where specific animals are sought out for their beauty, rarity or ferocity to prove the prowess of the hunter gave rise to the concept of a trophy room where mementos of each kill such as mounted heads, taxidermied beasts, pelts, and furniture made from bone could be kept as a monument to their owners skill.

(L) Ernest Hemmingway with his double barrel (R) Teddy Roosevelt sitting on his felled African Buffalo

The trophy room at the Wilbur D. May Museum in Rancho San Rafael Regional Park in Reno Nevada

Modern day hunting as evolved to include a bit of everything from the past.  There has been a concerted effort by some to try and move “off the grid” including growing or killing their own food.  That is an extreme example but, hunting to this day is one of the most popular sports in America.  With sustainability and animal rights on the fore front hunting ethics laid down as far back as Teddy Roosevelt have been another hot topic.  Roosevelt wrote of a concept of “fair chase.”  Simply defined, fair chase is the ethical, sportsmanlike, and lawful pursuit of free-ranging wild game animals in a manner which does not give the hunter an improper or unfair advantage over the animal.  The rules of fair chase are simple and seemingly intuitive, treat all things with the respect they deserve.  The Boone and Crockett Hunt Club put these rules in writing all the way back in the 19th century.

• Obey all applicable laws and regulations
• Respect the customs of the locale where the hunting occurs
• Exercise a personal code of behavior that reflects favorably on your abilities and sensibilities as a hunter
• Attain and maintain the skills necessary to make the kill as certain and quick as possible
• Behave in a way that will bring no dishonor to either the hunter, the hunted, or the environment
• Recognize that these tenets are intended to enhance the hunter’s experience of the relationship between predator and prey, which is one of the most fundamental relationships of humans and their environment

With new technology come new challenges so the Pope and Young Hunt Club have added some more guidelines to fair chase.

• From any power vehicle or power boat
• By Jacklighting or shining at night
• By the use of any tranquilizers or poisons
• While inside escape-proof fenced enclosures
• By the use of any power vehicle or power boats for herding or driving animals, including the use of aircraft to land alongside or to communicate with or direct a hunter on the ground
• By the use of electronic devices for attracting, locating or pursuing game or guiding the hunter to such game, or by the use of a bow or arrow or firearm to which any electronic device is attached

Oilskin (oilies) and waxed cotton clothing owe their origins to the great age of the sailing ship and the age of navigation.  Its hard to pin point exactly when oilskin techniques began but, its probably a safe bet that, in some form or another, that some rudimentary version has existed as long as sea travel.  With the invention of the compass and increasingly better maps in the late middle ages, the beginning of long distance exploration all around the world was begun.

Italianate Harbour Scene with the Monument of Ferdinand I de’ Medici at Leghorn

Sailing ships were traditionally rigged with linen sails and so, with the fabric in such abundance fishermen and sailors used it for everything.  From clothes to wadding.  At some point these professional sea folk found that by applying boiling linseed oil (from flax seed) to the linen and letting it set the linen was rendered waterproof and was excellent material for making waterproof capes.  However, the linen was heavy and the linseed oil turned yellow and stiffened over time.  Oilskin proved to be a great way to keep yourself, as well as anything else, dry in very wet environments such as the deck of a ship but, it was also difficult proved to be dangerous to make and restrictive to wear.  All the same, cloaks, chests, and document folds were all made from this versitle (and compared to leather or fur, light weight) material to protect their contents from the elements.

High-Tech Modern Oilskins in the midst of a squall

Cotton sails eventually replaced linen.   Cotton was lighter and could be woven into a tighter and stronger fabric.  It also led to lighter and stronger clothing such as oiled cotton jackets, coats and trousers.  The jackets became especially popular among fishermen who would paint them bright colors with ordinary house paint to make themselves more visible if and when they went over board.  The next major evolution came in the mid-19th century when linseed oil was replaced by parafin wax.  Parafin wax treated garments maintained their flexibility and were also breathable so condensation wouldn’t build up.  This led to more sophisticated garments providing the wearer with significantly more movement and utility.  Although the cut, style, and technology in waterproofing changed over the centuries the need for men of the sea to be easily seen in a squall stayed consistent throughout. 

(L) Norman Rockwell’s Saturday Evening Post with a fisherman in a slicker

(R) the Gorton’s Fisherman in his Sou-Wester

When plastics and synthetic fabrics were invented in the mid-20th century traditional oilskins became obsolete.  ”Space age” technology made slickers better, lighter, easier to make, more comfortable, and infinitely customizable.  Everyone in American has the classic image of the Gordon’s fisherman from the fish sticks box or the Norman Rockwell-esk idea of the stalwart seaman battling the ocean in his bright yellow slicker.  Another advantage of modern technology is that man “professional” slickers these days include floatation devices, GPS location, built in harness, and in some cases a small tool kit.

If he can rock it so, can you

Now, of course these professional level outfits are extreme for the average person but, in the cold wet grey months ahead having a good coat to keep you dry is a must.  Having some color to brighten up your day is also never a bad thing plus, the sunshine yellow acts the same for you in the city as it does for the fishermen in the sea.  It will get you noticed.  Don’t wait to long, get out there and enjoy in the rain in style.

A lot of boys first pocket knives came as gifts from grandpas or dads, sometimes uncles or brothers many times against the best wishes of mothers.  In any case, the pocket knife is an indispensable tool for the growing young man and is an emblem of his burgeoning manhood, an invitation to the fraternity of man.  I remember getting my first Swiss Army knife from my uncle when I was young and all the adventures it helped me through as well as all the trouble it helped me stir up.  I have it still to this day, worn but, still ready for action.

Folding knives of many different designs have been around for thousands of years.  The oldest found to date is nearly 2600 years old.  Although it was simple, a bone handle and a single iron blade, it was the beginning of long history of innovation.  The origins of the modern Swiss Army knife lay with the Romans.  The old empire was renowned for its metal workers and many different versions of multi-facetted tools have been found throughout the Mediterranean including everything from knives, spikes, forks, and spoons in a handheld package.  You can imagine how, for a legion on the move, a pocket knife could come in handy all the time.  Sadly, the skills to develope a working multi-function pocket knife were lost in Europe during the dark ages so, although many people carried swords, daggers or other sharp edged implements very few if any pocket knifes were available.

Roman army knife from 200 AD.  Made of silver with an iron blade it has a fork, knife, spoon, spatula, and a spike.

A post-n-groove knife call the Navaja has been a popular choice in Spain since the 15th century.  It made a distinct clicking sounds when opened and closed which became its trademark.  The only other pocket knife available until the 18th century was  a heavy crude tool known as the Jack Knife.  it wasn’t until the 18th century when the Sheffield knife-makers designed and built what is widely recognized as the first modern pocket knife.  The Sheffield pen knife became de rigueur among the educated set who used it to, of course, cut the nibs of their quills.

the year knife, mid-1970s

In 1822 as a display of their craft, Joseph Rodgers and Sons Ltd. of Sheffield debuted their Year Knife with 1,822 blades to mark the date.  It was designed to have another blade added to it every year until the end of the millennium in 2000 when the knife would finally be finished with its 2000th blade, ending, of course, far to large for anyones pocket.  The firm went on to create the Norfolk Sportsman’s Knife in 1851 which took two full years in production and ended up with 75 blades.  These two examples seem pretty extreme but, they show the level of innovation in the world of folding knives in the mid-19th century.  By 1893 an American cutlery catalogue had over 1,500 pocket knives listed for sale showing exactly how popular they had become.  but, it wasn’t until 1897 when a man by the name of Karl Elsener decided there was no good reason for the Swiss Army to be buying its knives from Germany that the most popular and recognizable knife in the world today got its start.  The red body and silver crossed shield have become the standard for modern pocket knives.

1891 Swiss Army soldier knife

Pocket knives have also been an essential tool for soldiers throughout American history.  New York and new Hampshire required their militias to carry pocket knives during the American Revolution.  Even George Washington toted one around as he led his troops.  The U.S. Navy began issuing them to sailors during the Civil War and they became standard issue for all American GIs during WWII.

Although in the first half of the 20th century pocket knives were popular among young boys and many carried them around in their pockets or ruck sacks always prepared for the occasional whittle or game of mumblypeg (a knife game that involves throwing a knife into the ground as close to your opponents foot as possible without hitting them), public concern quickly arose over children’s safety and knives were deemed unsuitable.  As the century continued adolescents who still did carry knives gained a progressively more negative reputation especially with the rise of gang violence in the urban areas.

Boy Scouts playing mumbly peg

Today, it seems that we have hit a fork in the road you could say.  One side lead to more and more authoritarian control and heavy security measures such as the Bureau of Homeland Security or any international airport and the other leads to peoples interest to become more self sufficient and seeing things like pocket knives as tools as opposed to weapons.  In my humble opinion, if a boy is old enough to be in Cub Scouts, he’s old enough to get his first knife but, with great power comes great responsibility so, with these young’n’s there must be a few ground rules and it has to be approached delicately.

Rule #1:  Make it the first gift.  Of course a boy is going to be excited when he gets his first knife so, make it the first gift and wrap the snot out of subsequent gifts so that he can demonstrate his instant manliness by allowing him to test out his new prize.

Rule #2:  Casually have an old black of wood or a stick conveniently lying in the room. “What’s that stick doing mom?” “Oh, that stick? Oh, i was just rearranging a few things, and… who wants another piece of cake?”  Let the whittling commence.

Rule #3:  Have a special place.  The problem isn’t cutting off a finger, it’s finding the knife.  This is an excellent time to start the “it’s your personal belonging-don’t ask me where it is!” rule.

and of course…

Rule #4:  Only use it with Mom & Dad around… at least for now.  One day, there will be independence with this great gift but, that time is not now.

a boy whittling a boat

All that being said, a nice pocket knife can be a great gift for anyone no matter the age but, how do you decide what to get.  Pocket knives can be broken down into three major types.  The jack knife is simple and sturdy with just a single hinge where as a pen knife has two hinges one on either end.  The term pen knife is also used to describe a very small two hinge knife that could be worn without ruining the line of your suit but, for our purposes two hinges is the important thing and finally the multipurpose knife is more or less the standard today, it boasts many different tools not simply just knives and it’s what made the Swiss Army knife famous.  Within each category there are many different varieties some of which I have displayed below.

the Trapper, a type of jack knife generally with two blades.  A clip and a spey blade

L-R Whittler, Stockman, and Congress, all types of pen knives.  The Whittler is characterized by its three blades.  The Stockman is generally distinguished by its sowbelly shape (kind of like an S) and a clip, sheep’s foot, and spey blade.  The Congress is marked by its convex front and four blades.   *the above knives are all from CRKT classics

Swiss Army Fieldmaster knife

As with most things the more personal the better.  Vintage and heirloom knives are fantastic.  I am personally a big fan of engravings and hand made things.  With a little effort its not all that more expensive to have something made custom as opposed to buying from a store. Finally one of the greatest things about pocket knives is that if you take care of them they will last a lot longer then you and somebody else will see that engraving one day and wonder about the story behind it.  You become a part of the legend of that knife.

Most people have probably never heard of the Astron but, that should in no way lessen its value to the history of watch making and engineering as a whole.  What makes this watch, which Seiko unvailed in Tokyo Christmas Day 1969 so special?  Well, chances are good that the watch on your arm uses the technology developed for this watch.

The Seiko Astron was the very first electric quartz wristwatch.

original 1969 18k gold Seiko Quartz Astron

The concepts behind quartz technology had been known going back to the 1920’s when Warren Marrison developed the first quartz clock but, the problem had been shrinking it down to a usable size.  Every major power in the post-war world had a group working on this now seemingly simple concept but, it only seems simple because it is so pervasive today.

The story begin in 1959 high in the mountains of central Japan where Suwa Seikosha (the predecessor of the modern Seiko Co.) embarked on a mission to develop the first personal quartz timepiece.  This mission became known as the “59A Project” and it bore much fruit over the next decade including a quartz marine chronometer, precision timing clocks for the Tokyo Olympics and the Japanese bullet train system.  One of the biggest problems with shrinking things is making a power source that can be that small so, the invention of the integrated circuit in the mid 1950’s was really what made this new technology possible.  With the vacuum tubes and transistors of the day it never would have happened.  When a prototype was finally produced in 1967 the company sent it to one of the most prestigious accuracy competition in the world, the Neuchatel Observatory competition* and nearly single handedly ended the era of mechanical watches over night.

original 1969 Seiko Astron electronic quartz movement

The Suwa Seikosha quartz wristwatch type 35SQ was released to the public on Christmas Day 1969 under the name Seiko Quartz Astron and within a week K. Hattori & Co., Ltd. (present-day Seiko Co.) had sold 100 18k gold watches at the amazing price of $1,250 which, at the time, was about the same price as a brand new Toyota!

The original Astron boasted ±5 seconds per month or about a minute per year!  In 1969 that blew most mechanical watches out of the water and the silver battery would keep it running for a year with no winding.  You can see how big of a splash this watch made just by looking at the market today.  How many quartz movements do you see?

The Astron also introduced the “dead second” to watch making, where the second hand stops at every marker instead of sweeping around the face.  This action became a hallmark of quartz watches everywhere for a very simple reason, power consumption.  This style of seconds readout was very tough on the power source. The battery needed to be drained continuously to move the hand. With a “dead second” hand the hand moves just once each second, thus reducing the power consumed from the battery. And low and behold that ticking seconds hand that is the hallmark of quartz watches was born. It is all about power consumption and keeping batteries alive in watches from 2-10 years.  All of this helped it to its rightful place on the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering) list of historic engineering milestones

2009 Limited edition 40th anniversary Seiko Quartz Astron, $5000!

For the 40 year anniversary Seiko released 200 brand new commemorative Astrons.  The case looks like the original except wrought from titanium instead of gold but, it got a big upgrade in the movement.  So, if you have $5000 to throw at a heritage quartz watch, actually no, I probably still wouldn’t  say buy this but, it is an amazing watch with an amazing story.

*Observatory testing regimes typically lasted for 30 to 50 days and contained accuracy standards that were far more stringent and difficult than modern standards such as those set by Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres (COSC).  Of the ≈250,000 “official chronometers” certified each year in the 1960’s only a few hundred of the very best mechanical chronometers from around the world would be sent to the observatory competitions.  When a movement passed the Observatory, it became certified as an Observatory Chronometer and received a Bulletin de Marche from the Observatory, stipulating the performance of the movement.  Observatory competitions ended by the mid-70’s with the proliferation of quartz movements.

Giving an elegant writing instrument as a gift as a sign of academic and personal appreciation and respect is an old tradition. It doesn’t get more personal than gifting a beautiful item that you use daily, carry on top of your heart, hold in your hand and is the vehicle of your inner most thoughts and emotions.  In the old days, a nice pen would be a common gift for graduates, professionals and academics.  A person might receive a pen from a loved one, a co-worker or a boss and carry it, that perfect pen, for a lifetime.  In many cases using and holding onto that one or maybe two, if their lucky, perfect pens, eventually passing them down to the next generation.  As with many things, depending on the circumstances, a nice used or vintage pen coming from the right person can mean more than a brand new one ever could. Now, even though writing by hand is becoming less and less common, take it from me, there is nothing like writing with a quality instrument to motivate you to use it.  Plus, your friend will think of you each and every time they pick it up, how many gifts can boast that.

(L) 1867 patent for the original Fountain Pen (R) 1725 The Bookkeeper by Van Dijk

To start, a little history.  Written language has been around for almost 7,000 years.  For the first few millennia people wrote with sticks, stones, or hard chisels which they used to scratch clay, stone, or metal slabs.  There is evidence from about 2500 BC in Egypt of pens made from reeds and simple inks.  Scribes would write on bark or papyrus using a carved reed mostly recording matters of trade or politics.  The reeds were adopted by the greeks and romans as they conquered more territory.  As the Roman empire expanded further into Europe they had difficulty obtaining reeds but, they found that goose feathers, which were plentiful, when cut, could be used just as well as the reeds of old.  From then the Quill became the primary writing medium in the western world for more then 1600 years.  By the 19th century technology had sufficiently advanced to where, within 100 years, metal pens, fountain pens, and ballpoint pens would all become readily accessible. 

So, you’ve decided to give someone a pen.  How do you decide what to get?  A good place to start is to figure out what kind of pen would suit that person best.  In the end if they don’t like the way it writes it will become a glorified paper weight.
There are three basic choices: Fountain Pens, Ball Point Pens, and Roller Ball Pens, with many sizes and varieties of each.

(clockwise) mechanical pencil, ball point pen, fountain pen, and a roller ball pen

• Fountain pens are the original portable reliability pen.  They were developed in the mid-19th century borrowing the split gold nib from the earlier dip pens and adding a reservoir to hold the water-based ink delivered through the body of the pen across the nib and onto your page.  The way the nib on a fountain pen lays ink to paper is unique to the shape of each nib as well as the pressure and hand writing of each individual making it a very expressive writing tool.
  
• Ball point pens like your standard disposable, were perfected by a pair of Argentinean brothers by the name of Bíró in 1941 and sold to the RAF during WWII.  For writing on a variety of surfaces and under varying atmospheric pressures the ball point pen with its heavier ink was far superior to the fountain pens of the past.  Ball points use an internal chamber filled with an oil based viscous ink which is dispensed at the tip over a small ball bearing making it much more versatile, long lasting, and more reliable in adverse situation then the old water based ink and gravity fed systems.
• Roller ball pens take the same ball bearing mechanisim that the ball points use but, with a smaller ball and a liquid ink instead of the slow oil based kind.  They were introduced in the early 1960s by the Japanese Ohto company as a cross between fountain pens and ball points.  Combining the ease of use of a ball point with the smooth fluid hand of fountain pens.  The smaller bearing, which was necessary with the less viscous ink, also always for a finer, cleaner line then the rudimentary ball points.

The easiest way to narrow it down is to look at what kind of pens the recipient already uses.  Although, in many cases today, this may be the first none-disposable pen this person has ever had.  In that case think about his or her profession and what you imagine them using there pen for; Lawyers and Teachers tend to write long hand extensively in which case a roller ball may be a good choice, Doctors tend to be constantly moving and writing short quick notes, maybe a long lasting ball point would be best, Buisness men and Bankers tend to use there pens mostly for signatures and personal notes so, maybe a fountain pen would fit best.  As you can see it really comes down to use and preference.  Im going to focus on fountain pens but, many things are the same between the three designs.

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High button boots were the dominant boot style for men and women through the end of the 19th century and fell out of favor after WWI.  Efficient and cost-effective sewing machines specialized for button attachment brought button boots into mass production in the 1880s. Elias Howe first patented a hand-cranked lockstitch sewing machine for cloth in 1845, leading to a proliferation of sewing devices designed for specific tasks.  After 10 years of development James Morley, a sewing machine salesman from Massachusetts, began to patent industrial button-sewing devices adapting an existing automated eyelet feeder to feed buttons into his stitcher.  He started manufacturing buttons to fit his machines and soon with the manufacturing problems remedied high-button boots became the fashion icon of the era and a hallmark of the industrial revolution.

19th century shoe laster making a high-button boot by hand

Queen Victoria was crowned at age 18 in 1837 and the queens style was automatic fashion.  Stylish American women were quick to adopt her preference for low-heeled ankle boots.  By mid-century, the queen’s tastes made boots the preferred footwear of both men and women. Ankle boots even replaced velvet Prince Albert slippers for formal wear. The trade name for copies of Queen Victoria’s favorite boot was Balmoral or The Bal, after a vacation home her husband, Prince Albert, purchased for her in Scotland.  The Balmoral was a square-toed boot, laced at the front, with toe and ankle trim of a darker color than the vamp (upper). This image of being well-dressed in boots set the stage for the high-button shoes to come.  As women’s hemlines rose to the ankle, Queen Victoria’s flat boots morphed to include side buttons and overlapped edges that obscured the actual closure allowing women to wear the smallest possible size, even if their flesh bulged over the tops of the boots under their skirt.  They quickly became deregur for anyone in the know.

(L) an ad for the Wilkins One Prong button fastener, promises not to mangle the boot (R) vintage sterling silver button hook

Although button boots were gorgeous they proved difficult to put on and take of with so many tiny buttons so, the button hook was invented to ease the trouble of the fashionably inclined.  At first these hooks were luxury items for the rich made from silver and jewels making it easier to fasten and unfasten the custom button boots.  The hooks became almost a marker of status, but as the boots became more common with mass production the hooks starting being produced in larger numbers as well and quickly became a regular dressing accessory.

a variety of edwardian era mens footwear.  many with button fasteners

Apart from being attractive and fashionable, button boots were considered functional in that they were more secure than laced boots because they didn’t have the ability to come unlaced or loosen with wear through the day. Certainly there were many other styles of boots available, but just a quick browse through any antique fashion magazine will reveal that the high-button boot was considered the upmost in 19th century footwear.  Just after the turn of the 20th century, advertisements for a wholesale direct distributor, the W. L. Douglas Company of Brockton, Massachusetts, advised purchasers that every gentleman required only three pairs of shoes to “dress his feet properly on all occasions.” He needed lace shoes for cold and rainy weather. He needed Oxfords for warm sunny days. For dress and street wear, all he needed was a pair of patent Corona button shoes.

Ernest Shackleton rocking button boots with his dinner suit or tuxedo for the modern audience

The high button boot lingered until World War I although with less popularity.  In 1914, rationing of leather and other goods necessary to production and a move toward more functional forms pushed button boots to the side and frugality took hold.  Although high-button boots held on in affluent circles, the September 25, 1933 issue of “Time” magazine published the death of the high-button shoe, as pronounced by President Roosevelt during his first year in office. The president had read through the Department of Labor’s cost-of-living index, which was used to adjust federal employees’ wages, after seeing high-button shoes among indexed items the president ordered the department’s statisticians to revise the index’s list to reflect a contemporary selection of consumer items. The high-button shoe was officially out and so ended the fashion worlds long standing love affair with this most glorious style.

These days finding a quality pair is very difficult.  Your options are down to custom or vintage and both come with their own down sides.  There is one other possibility through a Japanese company which is making very high quality formail high-button boots but, at the price they are asking you’d be better off getting custom.  Either way, I thinka nice pair of would give an awesome unexpected bit of interest to formal wear these days when some many people are just doing it wrong.  If I had the money you know I would have a pair.

If your curious about that Japanese company their website is here

The Dopp Kit has its origins in Chicago after the Great War.  A German immigrant by the name of Charles Doppelt made his way as a leather craftsmen and so, around 1919 he designed a handy leather toiletry case with a waterproof liner that could be easily cleaned.  The goal was to make a small, extremely durable bag that would give easy access to all the things a man might need while still being quickly and efficiently storable.  The result was a bag remarkably similar to the one we use today, a testament to the original design.  The original Dopp was a rectangular box with an open top, for easy access, and a reinforced bottom.  When the top was folded down it would hold everything inside in place and zip closed with a heavy duty zipper.

original WWII issue GI Dopp Kit with mirror inserts c. 1940

These bags, nick named Dopps after its inventer, were so useful that Doppelt was awarded a military contract to make Dopp Kits to be given as standard issue for GIs throughout World War II.  After the war, like most things GI’s encountered while serving, Dopp Kits exploded in popularity as well as availability.  By the 1960’s mens toiletry kits in the same vein as the Dopp were available in every shape, size, color, and material.  Although Doppelt’s company was bought out by Samsonite in the early 70’s the name stuck and Dopp kits are still widely available around the world.

(L) leather Dopp kit from Florence, Italy. “The Bridge” (R) my dads vintage Lacoste Dopp

It seems that Dopp kits have dropped of the public radar in the last twenty years or so but, I would be willing to bet if you went in your dads closet he has his sitting just waiting for the next trip.  Especially now, in an age where your toiletries are inspected every time you take a flight it makes sense to have everything safely in one place.  Dopp kits even used to be a popular gift for young men coming of age.  Usually filled with all the necessary accoutrements of being a man.  Im sure many men received their first safety razor, cologne, and pack of condoms in a bag very similar to the dopp.

(L) Elvis & Kresse Fire Hose bag (R) Jack Spade Tarpaulin Dry Dopp 

My recommendation is to stick with the classic leather or canvas and leather combination but, if you are into a little flash or something different I have a couple for you.  First from the UK, the lifestyle company Elvis & Kresse has gone and made a traditionally shaped Dopp out of retired fire hose.  They are bright orange and indestructible and obviously waterproof.  Second, Jack Spade came out with a Tarpaulin Dopp in a few different colors.  Tarpaulin is the material that keeps all your gear safe and dry in a dry bag when your on the river so, you know its water proof and tough as nails.  Both are interesting options with a classic shape so, if you are going to stray there are some places to go.  Now, next time your nephew or cousin has a bar mitzvah or graduates from scouts you have a good plan for an classic, interesting gift.

vintage Dopp found still packed c. 1960

There is only one more thing to deal with.  What do you put in your Dopp?

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The word brogue goes all the way back to the sixteenth century in the British Isles.  It is actually a derivation of the Scotch/Irish Gaelic word brōg meaning shoe and brók from Old Norse meaning leg covering.  The shoes are so closely linked with the cultures of the Scotch and the Irish that their name as been used as the slang term for the strong recognizable accent of the region.  Modern brogues have their roots in pure function.  Their early ancestor was a boot made from heavy, untanned leather that was perforated so that the shoes could drain easily like a sieve, and a thick sole for stomping around the country side.

Brooklyn Circus modern brogue boots via Selectism.com

 Much of the highlands of Scotland and Ireland, the homeland of the brogue, are covered with sodden fields, bogs and marshes making it a very wet, not to mention uncomfortable place to trod unless you are properly prepared.  Since shoes were anything but water tight before the goodyear welt was perfected in 1869 easy drainage was a crucial part of the design of shoes in the isles.  Especially since many of the people who lived in Scotland and Ireland lived by hunting, shepharding, and farming, spending much of their slogging through the damp hills.  Without drainage, shoes would fill with water, becoming heavy and unpleasant to wear.  Over time, this rudimentary heavy work shoe came to be associated specifically with the working classes and country living because of its humble beginnings.

the birthplace of the country brogue. the Scottish highlands in fall

country brogues from one of the original English cobblers Grenson with a fat 

As technologies improved the traditional rudimentary form of the brogue evolved into a more formal shoe while still retaining the perforations, or broguing, and the traditional low heel but, losing the function, making the perforations simply decorative.  The actual term brogue wasn’t coined until the 20th century when the shoe had been refined to where gentlemen started to wear them during their country outings.  Seeing how resilient this peasant footwear was and not wanting to ruin their finer foot wear while relaxing at their country estates the gentry adopted brogues as a sort of homage to the noble peasant.  Though they did gain in popularity in the country no respectable person would be caught dead wearing them in the city or while conducting buisness.

modern brogues in the city

Today, brogues seem to be the shoe of the moment.  To go along with everything working class being brought back and dressed up brogues are going with dry selvedge denim and breton stripe shirts in design firms all across the US.  Whether or not peoples style choices are valid is not the point though, the renewed popularity of the brogue means that they are easily found at just about every price point and color.  So, go out and find a pair that feels good and do be afraid to scuff them up and get a little muddy.  After all that is what they are for.

The peacoat has been recognizable around the world for nearly three centuries now with very few changes from its original design.  Starting as a hard wearing seaman’s jacket in northern Europe the coat quickly gained in popularity among laborers in cold climates as it moved from port to port.  The actual word peacoat was derived from the name of the original 30-ounce wool cloth, pij, that the Dutch used to construct the hearty jacket.  The Dutch called their jackets “pijjjakker” or “pijjecker,” which in English means roughly “jacket of pij.”  Like most things of the sea, the jacket evolved and moved along trade routes through out the 18th century and was adopted by the British Royal Navy in the early years of the 1800s in turn spreading to the newly formed navy of the United States of America, which took much of its inspiration for its royal parentage throughout the 19th century.

(L) US Navy, c. 1870 (R) British Royal Navy officer c.1900

Eventual the English pronunciation of the Dutch pijjjakker took hold with the “pea jacket” becoming one of the most popular coats in history.  When it was finally adopted into the official uniforms of the US Navy toward the end of the 19th century they were being made from melton wool.  Melton wool is tightly woven and then treated with heat and high pressure to create a very dense, wind proof fabric perfect for uniforms.  This 32-ounce melton wool jacket would be standard issue for all US Navy enlistees all the way through to the 1970’s.  All though there have been some minor changes to the design, most notably two less buttons, lighter fabric, only two pockets, and more relaxed fit, over the years the basic look of the coat as endured.  A stout, double breasted jacket, with a large collar to block the wind and big buttons that can be worked with gloves goes all the way back to the original pijjjaker.

Lone Sailor Statue. modeled on then Petty Officer 1st class Dan Maloney, the ‘typical’ sailor

Although the build quality of the Navy issue jackets has definitely gone down since the early days of the American peacoat, it has slowly but surely made its way into the main stream and can be found in almost every designer label’s collection around the world.  Today peacoats can be found in just about every fabric, color, and price but, for my money, I dont understand paying hundreds of dollars for something of inferior quality that was intended to be cheap and durable when there are hundreds of thousands of military surplus peacoats at very reasonable prices to be had.  Plus, one of the beauties of the peacoat is its simplicity.  Its all about the silhouette, not some crazy fabric.  You might say, “but, you just told us Navy issue build quality has gone down.”  To that I would respond, “true, but, here in lies the beauty of vintage.”  The original Navy issue peacoats were built so tough and became so popular during the war years that there are still many good quality very lightly used originals to be found at good prices.  Check out this post at the Fedora Lounge forum about shopping vintage peacoats for the details but, just a teaser, one highlight, corduroy lined pockets and nipped waists on the WWII era jackets.

WWII era Navy recruitment poster with a girl in an officers peacoat

One last thing to remember.  Peacoats are nice warm but, they are not formal in anyway.  Actually, they are the opposite.  Some designers are trying to dress up the peacoat but, I think it has its place and its perfect there.  With a pair of jeans and a dixie cup hat its right at home.  There is no need to throw it on over a suit.  Thats what your top coats for.  So, get yourself a simple original, flip up your collar, and explore late fall in comfort and style.

PS if your interested in any US Navy uniform history there is a great write up here