Retrocentrics' Club Emblem and Tie

[storeynicholas]

Couch - You did not confuse me - as I realized that you meant the design. I have more information from Sam Hober on their quotes - they can do stripes in batches of 24 in silk for US $75 each; Benson & Clegg are at about GB£20 each for 24. I know that Concordia is very happy with his Sam Hober ties. I know that Benson & Clegg club ties are unlined and I fully expect that Sam Hober ties are probably all lined. Both are quotes are for silk.
NJS

USD 75 = (approximately) GBP 41, so twice as much. (?)

Frog in Suit

Yes, give or take. I have had Benson & Clegg club ties before and, as I say, they are silk but unlined - perfectly serviceable and good ties - but I cannot compare since I have not had Sam Hober ties - and, in fairness, Sam Hober will offer size differences in their price width, length and so forth - so that they are truly individually bespoke. Benson & Clegg will, as I understand it, offer a batch of identical ties although designed and made to order.
NJS

[storeynicholas]

STOP PRESS STOP PRESS STOP PRESS

It has fairly and rightly been brought to my attention that I have not given a very clear picture of the Sam Hober and Benson & Clegg quotes and that I should glean some more information and then allow the comparison in the light of full information. My apologies -
NJS

[Frog in Suit]

STOP PRESS STOP PRESS STOP PRESS

It has fairly and rightly been brought to my attention that I have not given a very clear picture of the Sam Hober and Benson & Clegg quotes and that I should glean some more information and then allow the comparison in the light of full information. My apologies -
NJS

Dear NJS,

We (I am sure I speak/write for all the other interested members) are grateful for all you are doing for the group. No apologies necessary.

Frog in Suit

[storeynicholas]

STOP PRESS STOP PRESS STOP PRESS

It has fairly and rightly been brought to my attention that I have not given a very clear picture of the Sam Hober and Benson & Clegg quotes and that I should glean some more information and then allow the comparison in the light of full information. My apologies -
NJS

Dear NJS,

We (I am sure I speak/write for all the other interested members) are grateful for all you are doing for the group. No apologies necessary.

Frog in Suit

Dear FiS,
That is very kind and gracious and I am grateful. Full information will follow next week. Although we are a club without rules, I do feel that we should all get exactly the same tie and made by the best overall choice of maker, according to members' wishes.
NJS

[Frog in Suit]

Dear FiS,
That is very kind and gracious and I am grateful. Full information will follow next week. Although we are a club without rules, I do feel that we should all get exactly the same tie and made by the best overall choice of maker, according to members' wishes.
NJS

Dear NJS,

I completely agree: the best possible tie in the same model for all members as agreed upon by all. This is my egalitarian streak speaking...

Frog in Suit

[storeynicholas]

We have had a lot of viewing and, indeed, a good many contributions to this thread but not that many actual members have appeared. Maybe this is because we seem to be too serious. How better to disabuse potential members on this score than to promise a daily virtual basket of warm, light and crunchy bread rolls, which may be hurled randomly or with aim and purpose by all members.
Also, just to show that the Club is not just a virtual club, when members meet (probably in small groups in the great cities of the world as they travel around), they might consider taking photographs of the groups involved and posting them up for the rest to see.
NJS

[couch]

Yes. I don't know how Benson & Clegg has its ties made up, but David Hober's ties are handmade in-house (or at least in-family) and well lined. I suspect he would be happy to discuss lining weight and such if members wanted to express a corporate preference. His bespoke ties cost $75 for standard 3-fold construction, I believe, so he might be willing to accommodate individual preferences as to lining weight--one might inquire. My own preference would be for a substantial repp silk, with a midweight wool lining (not so heavy as to make a very large knot, but not so light as to yield a Prince Charles-sized knot). If we have the choice, I'd also prefer the stripe to be woven in the same direction as the field on the silk, rather than with the herringbone-like effect shown in one of the illustrations NJS posted earlier.

[couch]

Sorry! I somehow missed some posts above so much of mine was redundant. I agree with all said above; I'd be happy to go with Sam Hober if the membership is so inclined. Bread-roll hurling is not my best sport, but upon a day I wasn't bad at card flipping . . . .

[couch]

It may all be academic now, but I wanted to report that I received an acknowledgment from someone in the Office of the Chief Herald of Ireland, stating that my request for a fee schedule had been received and that a further reply would follow "in due course." It sounds like an office fully in the spirit of the Retrocentrics.

[storeynicholas]

Dear Couch,
All very encouraging and the Irish connection sounds fascinating! As to the weave of the stripe - this is impressive attention to detail! Any other members have views on this aspect?

Secondly, all members might like to know that - possibly the first - meeting of any members of the club, as members took place today: beginning outside the British Consulate in RdeJ when my Dear Wife and I met Marcelo, by arrangement. I quickly filed my forms for renewal of my pasport and then we all made off, under Marcelo's direction, to a delightful cafe, near the entrance to the cable car for the Sugar Loaf Mountain. There, Marcelo kindly lent me his copy of Farid Chenoune's History of Men's Fashion and we had coffee and ice cream and talked (to the shame of my dear Wife and me in English - owing - as evident in the LL - to Marcelo's superlative commmand of it, in comparison with our Britishers' stumbling attempts to master any other language), until Marcello's own Dear Wife arrived. Her first language is German and we asked whether she minded speaking in English. She replied that she had little chance to practise it but then demonstrated a linguistic ability equivalent to her husband's. They speak together with, to us, equal facility, in German or Portuguese but, so far as we could tell, they might just as well converse together in English. Presumably, their abilities in German and Portuguese exceed their abilities in English - if this unlikely possibility proved true, then I might truly consider eating my hat. After this, they took us on a delightful cliffside walk around the first mountain, between the cable car entrance and the Sugar Loaf itself. Hearing of our wish to visit a bookshop, which sold books in English - they took us to a magnificent one, which also had the benefit of a gallery where we had lunch and talked much more. No minutes were taken, no decisions even suggested and we all had a thoroughly enjoyable time, in the best spirit of the club; promising before we parted, to meet again very soon.
NJS

[pvpatty]

Regarding the colours for our club tie, which I believe we have for the moment decided to be lilac and white, I bring this to your attention, which I just stumbled upon:




http://www.beautiesltd.com/PRODUCT.ASPX?pn_deptid=6132

They also offer a conventional necktie version (not that I am suggesting that we should just order these off the rack, but I think this provides a good indication of what the finished product will look like).

[marcelo]

The first meeting of members of the Retrocentrics – as Nicholas has already emphasized, qua members – could not have been more enjoyable, albeit we were not yet in a position to don the appropriate club ties on that occasion. It is only a pity that our respective cameras were not working properly so that this inaugural event could have been registered. Further meetings, we hope, shall take place soon in further corners of this world, gathering a crescent, though not necessarily eccentric, number of members willing to fulfil the highly cherished ideals of this noble congregation of gentlemen.

Pvpatty, thanks for the picture of the bow tie with the colours and patterns which, it seems, are likely to be chosen as the ones which best capture the suggestions and opinions put forward thus far. I must express, however, a certain disappointment in realizing that our club tie may turn out to be one which, though in a version of lesser quality, could be easily ordered online as a RTW product. I do not know how other members feel about this.

[pvpatty]

I must express, however, a certain disappointment in realizing that our club tie may turn out to be one which, though in a version of lesser quality, could be easily ordered online as a RTW product. I do not know how other members feel about this.

Yes, I too was a little shocked and disappointed to discover this. I had hoped that our colours would be something unique, which is why I liked the idea of having the mascot embroidered onto the stripes. My other concern too is that in practice, lilac and white, at least as represented in this photograph, would not pair well with what in my view should be the acid test for a neck tie: how well it goes with a navy blazer. Perhaps if the lilac were darker it would be more appealing?

[pvpatty]

I have just been digging around Benson & Clegg's website and come across the tie of the "Gordonstoun School Colour Bearers." It appeals to me more than the previous example I think because of the tone of the lilac (which is more of a purple really) and the width of the stripes. I think that the last design had too much white, which gives it a very summery feel.



Also, looking at the military ties for some inspiration, I came across these:-

1) Royal Artillery Zig Zag Tie

I have seen this tie worn by ex-servicemen of the Royal Australian Artillery and it does look quite handsome.



2) Honourable Artillery Company



3) Fleet Air Arm



Now, I am not suggesting that we copy any of these ties, but it does prompt me to consider abandoning the standard straight-stripe formula. Perhaps we could reverse the direction of the zig zags and adapt our own colours? That way we don't run the risk of infringing upon some university tie or the like.

[RWS]

I personally prefer both the true -- lighter -- lilac and a white stripe at least equal in width to the lilac; this lightness of coloring reminds me of the transience of life and, through implication, of both the fragility and the profound nature of our seemingly superficial society. And in straight, true stripes, of course -- no zigs or zags!