a guide to heritage clothing, canvas bags, steel bicycles, and Japanese web shops
Found on Etsy: a rare, Colamatiss hunting jacket —a French brand that was never distributed in the US. I love the action back, two-way zipper, pocketing configuration and contrast cord collar. If you have any information on this company, let me know. As it were, Colamatiss made some collaboration hats for Hunting World in the …
Restocking my 2020 wardrobe with guernseys from Japan (by way of the UK), I discovered a striking, striped option available through several Rakuten outlets: C-Point, Woody Company and Crouka.
I’m swooning over the French aviators (and their uniforms) found in a new Flickr album uploaded by archival image maven, Pillpat. Check it out, noting all the new-to-my-eyes, sartorial details: unique pullovers, cool tunics, curious collars, striped socks and military-duty clogs. Sign me up for any branch of service that issues such lovely off-duty garb (off-duty, …
While I prefer to shop from the past, one of my favorite modern brands is Arpenteur. Based out of Lyon, France, Arpenteur makes simply styled, sturdy, heritage inspired clothing in wools and cottons. While the Arpenteur line is rooted in traditional French workwear, the cuts are slim and the overall look is very clean and …
One of my most prized, obsolete possessions is a Beaulieu S2008 Super 8 motion picture camera. I’ve owned this camera for over twenty years without using it to shoot a single frame of film. I purchased it in the 90s from the original owner who advised me to replace the decaying battery. …
Wakouwas in the window at Anatomica (Paris) I’m heading to London in a week for London Edinburgh London, a 1400k randonnee. I’ve just assembled all my bike gear (which includes many non archival, ziploc packed servings of powdered nutrition). Sadly, I’m going to have very little space in my luggage for non cycling garb. At …
Images courtesy Pillpat, Flickr Commons, Zombikombi1959 and my personal archives
PDX messenger and Jack Taylor enthusiast, Joel Metz, forwarded along this amazing french catalog for Unis-Sport, an early sponsor of the Tour de France. I’m reposting product highlights in case you’re in the market for a tailored ensemble for bike camping or cyclo-tourism. My own mail order form – post marked 1938 – will include …
Students returning to college in the Fall might consider shopping from the 1926 Louis Messner catalogue for the perfect campus cruiser. Louis Messner sells a broad range of fenders, racks, bars, bells, grips, pedals, lights, pumps, saddles and frames. Ditch that impractical fixed gear and build yourself up a fully fendered Luxe Dame or Garconnet …
Favorite Archival source for print ephemera, Pillpat, posted these vintage playing cards from Tops and Tails, a game from Austria. While the rules of Tops and Tails are lost on me I love the larky illustrations of my favorite outdoor pursuits. I encourage you to print out the cards and generate your own topsy turvy …