The London Lounge

I am after one in bridle. Who would you recommend I speak to beside Swaine Adeney and Pickett?

The best is to find some unsold old in ventoryof Tanner Krolle, not the new incarnation. Pickettt might have a few sitting around. Swaine Adeney used to use Tanner Krolle years ago, then stopped, the Tanner Co. had some sort of intrafiamilial (Edward Green like) squabble and went in another direction.

I personally own a Tanner Krolle made for Asprey in bridle leather. It is worth looking at Asprey in any case. Swaine Adeney has changed a lot over the years.

if you're really pushing the boat out, John Lobb.
NJS

As far as I know, the only well known place in London where you might be able to get a genuinely bespoke case in bridle is Asprey. I'm not sure if they can but they seem to be able to do just about anything - for a price.

Pickett can slightly modify existing patterns but I don't think they can do so in bridle.

SAB seems to do more of a stock special or at least that's the impression I got when I asked.

The Hotel Bel Air, Los Angeles, had a decent article in one of their 2004 magazine issues on bespoke English and Italian luggage, which included briefcases. You might be able to have the Hotel find the article, which was nicely illustrated.

I personally prefer Globe Trotter for my luggage.

Pickett no longer has old stock of Tanner Krolle items, but they can order stock designs from the same craftsmen on request. These are handstitched bridle that run from UKP1500 up for a briefcase. Swaine Adeney have indeed changed in the past few years. They now have a clothing line and also added some fancy leather products to ther lineup. Prices for the SA traditional line has seen a steep climb in recent years, but in essence, they are not that different from its Papworth cousin...... they are machine stitched unless otherwise requested, and is priced much higher than Papworth.

Speaking of Swaine Adeney's decline:

When I was a schoolboy, I yearned for one of the shop's many different fitted shaving cases (one, I remember, must have had two-score implements and a dozen bottles and other containers, all within black leather the size of a small briefcase). Now that I might possibly be able to afford one, it seems that these all are gone (at least, from the windows)!

Has any man a suggestion (Pickett?) of a good source for new, well-made, fitted shaving kits?

Go with Pickett or Asprey.

Thanks, Terry.

Cantabrigian wrote:As far as I know, the only well known place in London where you might be able to get a genuinely bespoke case in bridle is Asprey. I'm not sure if they can but they seem to be able to do just about anything - for a price.

Pickett can slightly modify existing patterns but I don't think they can do so in bridle.

SAB seems to do more of a stock special or at least that's the impression I got when I asked.

Asprey, Swaine Adeney and Pickett can all do full bespoke leather goods in any design you can dream of. I confirmed this on a recent visit.

kolecho wrote:Asprey, Swaine Adeney and Pickett can all do full bespoke leather goods in any design you can dream of. I confirmed this on a recent visit.

Their shared workshop, then, would be -- Pickett's?

RWS wrote:

kolecho wrote:Asprey, Swaine Adeney and Pickett can all do full bespoke leather goods in any design you can dream of. I confirmed this on a recent visit.

Their shared workshop, then, would be -- Pickett's?

Pickett is a retailer that take bespoke orders and outsource them to workshop that they think would fulfil the order. Pickett do not have their own workshop. SA and Asprey have their own workshop. Asprey's workshop is on the top floor of their Bond St retail, but they also outsource some of their work.

Thanks, kolecho. I'd thought that Asprey had gone the way of Tiffany's -- no longer making anything but designing most everything they carry -- and am warmed this cold winter's morning to think that S.A. retain their own operation.

kolecho,

Glenroyal and Whitehose Cox is two brands I will think of doing bridle, but I don't know will they doing bespoke.