The University Shop - A 1965 Reenactment

Brooks Brothers University Shop- circa 1965- seen here at on line retailer, Park & Bond. Reenacted through the reminiscence of the erudite and sophisticated, Tom Davis who, in the '80s, was a distantly revered legend at 346 Madison, and who today is a friend. This gig sure beats selling insurance.

Douglas Fairbanks, Jr Auction Preview

Lot 443- Louis Vuitton Steamer Trunk: Est. $2,000 -3,000


Lot 312- Westridge Guest Book 1515 Amalfi Dr. Pacific Palisades (currently home of Stephen Spielberg): 1800 signatures including Cole Porter, Cecil Beaton, Jimmy Stewart, Clark Gable, Mary Pickford and Basil Rathbone. Est. $3,000-5,000


Lot 446- Dunhill Double Sided Brief Case w/ plastic tags from Cunard Line & British Airways. Est. $150-200.


Lot 105- Mahogany Partner's Desk w/ personal photos and cartoons under glass. Est. $4,000-6,000


Lot 361-John Lobb (St James) bespoke two eyelet oxfords and boot box. One of two pair. Do not appear to have been worn. US Size apx 9.5 to 10 / D width. Est. $100-150

Lot 265- Guest Book signed by Queen Elizabeth, Princess Margaret and 170 others. 2 July 1981. Party at Syon House Est. $400-600


Lot 315 Bolton's (Kensington, London) Guest Book signed & illustrated by Al Capp (NSFW) Est. $2,000-3,000


Lot 368- Inlaid Turkish cane. One of six. Est. $300-500

Lot 309- Rolodex. One of Two. Est. $100-200


The Trad Crew for the Preview (L to R) Paul Wilson, John Lobb NYC; Leonard Logsdail; Alice Olive, Photographer; Louis Webre, Doyle; Tom Davis, Brooks Brothers.

My thanks to the Trad Crew for their help yesterday afternoon at Doyle Auction House. Three hours were spent going through mostly apparel lots. Sizes, predictions and detailed insight coming next week. Have a great holiday weekend.

Extinct Etamine Etymolgy

The Holy Grail

Etamine pullover


Etamine in yellow, white, blue, pink and melon


Etamine defined


I was talking to Tom Davis (MTM Shirts) at Brooks Brothers last week. We covered a lot of ground but everything stopped when he brought up etamine. An ultra light voile-like fabric used by Brooks Brothers for shirting years ago. I did some digging around and didn't find much. I'm still digging.

A weekend wander through textile and fashion books reveal the letter 'E' has the fewest entries and etamine ain't one of 'em. The internet will tell you it's a light porous cotton in an open mesh, susceptible to snagging, with a slight gloss finish. Dig a little deeper into the etymology and, by 1936, etamine is pretty much extinct.

Hardly a surprise Brooks Brothers catalogs from the late '70s and early '80s show the shirt Tom remembered. Short sleeve pullover in basic blue, yellow and white with pink and melon added in 1981. Great colors, popular pullover style and a fabric that appears to breathe better than linen. Cheaper too according to a web site that sells etamine for three bucks a meter (beware minimum order).

Who knows if etamine today is the same as it was in 1981? That's a question not a statement. If you know, please let me know, since the hunt is on. Summers don't look like they're gonna get any cooler.