Thursday, January 28, 2010

Woolrich Horse Skin Hunting Gloves


I am a dreamer. The ideas and stories behind clothes are always more pure and unspoiled than the physical incarnation of a product. For example, I am really drawn to L.L. Beans' outdoor history and their loyalty to Leon's original vision, but I don't own a pair of Bean boots. With that said, every so often, I find a product that I am drawn to like a 13 year old to Twilight.

A few weeks ago, my friend Bethany sent me these vintage Woolrich Horse Skin Hunting Gloves. Designed for hunting, the horse leather flap on the right hand flips back enabling trigger control. I fell in love with the gloves as soon as I unwrapped them.

Judging by the stitching and the worn tag, these gloves could be from the 40's or earlier.

After decades of use, the virgin wool is surprisingly supple and smooth. I love the black and red stripes and the crossover around the wrist.

More importantly than their fine craftsmanship and beautiful design, these gloves fit perfectly into my romanticized world of Ice Shacks in Maine, Hikes in the Snow in the Cascades, Drives throughout frozen New England, and Campfires at Sunset. The slit in the right hand could just as easily drop the shutter of my 5d Mark II as open a Swiss Army Knife or fire a six-gun. I always identified with Flannery O'Conner's 1955 title to her short story, "A Good Man is Hard to Find." Well a good glove is hard to find too, and I have found mine.

Here are some more links,
My Woolrich Horse Skin Gloves (Picasa),
My Own Private New England (ART),
Ice Fishing Shacks in Maine (ART),
A Campfire at Sunset (ART).

13 comments:

L.A.S said...

Flannery O'Connor is my favorite author of all-time. Awesome shout out. Oh yeah, those gloves are pretty nice too.

Foster Huntington said...

I love her writing too. She rocks,
foster

Memphis88 said...

You need some Bean Boots.

This is were to make orders: said...

you need to give your mom those gloves

Foster Huntington said...

Mom,
I may have to leave out east when I come home next... god knows you may try to steel them.
Foster

Foster Huntington said...

I will certainly get some bean boots someday. it will probably be when i move away from maine though,
foster

Karen and Sara Brown said...

that knit is amazing. you have some good friends!

Foster Huntington said...

I have some amazing friends, i am very fortunate.
Foster

Old Eccentric said...

I would swap my girlfriend for those!

Foster Huntington said...

You know what they say, a pair of gloves is forever but a girlfriend is fleating. Well maybe not but still..
Foster

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Anonymous said...

Those gloves are awesome! I bought these rain Gaiters a while ago with the same kind of design and I love them!