Evening Dress Braces.

[whnay.]

Outside of Albert Thurston can anyone recommend a high quality braces maker?

[alden]

Speaking of braces, I visited a small atelier in the hills around Etna in Sicily where I saw the most beautiful braces being made. The small, family business makes ties for some very well known luxury brands, but the braces were being made for James Bond's tailors shop in Rome.
They were hand sewn from exceptional silk and had crocodile leather ends.

I had planned to get back up to see them this Fall but the olive harvest and a bout with the flu kept me away. As soon as I can get back up there, we will see some braces, scarves and ties made exclusively for the LL. Stay tuned.

Michael

[Bishop of Briggs]

As a first choice, I would go to Budd where there is an excellent selection.

[JRLT]

As an anti-recommendation of where not to go for braces I would identify Knize. The buckles of their braces tarnish quickly and badly. This is not a problem I've ever had with braces from Thurston. I used to believe that Knize sourced their braces from Thurston, but maybe not.

[Cufflink79]

Trafalgar Limited Edition braces are a nice touch.

Best Regards,

Cufflink79

[whnay.]

As a first choice, I would go to Budd where there is an excellent selection.

I've always been quite fond of Budd and its quaint shop. Thank you for the recommendation.

[alden]

Bill

My own evening braces are white with white cat gut ends made by Thurston, who sadly no longer make them. Look in tailors shops for them now.

Michael

[Bishop of Briggs]

Bill

My own evening braces are white with white cat gut ends made by Thurston, who sadly no longer make them. Look in tailors shops for them now.

Michael

I read somewhere that it is now illegal to use cat gut to make braces in Britain. Bracemakers use white leather or braid instead.

[alden]

I read somewhere that it is now illegal to use cat gut to make braces in Britain. Bracemakers use white leather or braid instead.

Thurston cleared out the last cat gut braces a few years ago. I bought all they could furnish but there was little left in stock. Today, you have to go about looking in tailors shops to find old stock.

Cheers

Michael

[Bishop of Briggs]

I read somewhere that it is now illegal to use cat gut to make braces in Britain. Bracemakers use white leather or braid instead.

Thurston cleared out the last cat gut braces a few years ago. I bought all they could furnish but there was little left in stock. Today, you have to go about looking in tailors shops to find old stock.

Cheers

Michael

Denman & Goddard had some in cat gut braces (boxcloth) in the window before their recent move.

[alden]

Denman & Goddard had some in cat gut braces (boxcloth) in the window before their recent move.

Where did they move?

Michael

[Bishop of Briggs]

Denman & Goddard had some in cat gut braces (boxcloth) in the window before their recent move.

Where did they move?

Michael

From New Burlington Street to 11 St George Street, beside Anthony J Hewitt.

[shredder]

D&G no longer have any gut end braces in stock, so I would look elsewhere.

By the way, Richard Kew believes that the gut was from sheep rather than cats. Either way, they look like twisted, sun dried sausage casings.

[storeynicholas]

I think that the intestines of various animals domesticated for their meat and skins rendered catgut but there isn't anything to suggest that it came from cats. Therefore, if it (rather than sausages) has been banned, it might be as a result of modern Tin Hitlerism, that says "When in doubt, BAN IT".

Mind you, the Victorians did have dogskin gloves.
NJS

[NES]

The use of catgut - which was never made from the intestines of cats - is not illegal. It is still used in the strings of musical instruments.
Thurston's catgut «was obtained from specialist manufacturers whose main market was the long line fishing industry, but then along came nylon monofilament…so that was that, no more gut».
http://www.albertthurston.com/faqs.cfm?catid=1