Materials and Making

Transforming an animal skin from its natural state to a finished glove in a shop is a complex procedure. Traditionally skins from English kids, lambs, deer and calves have been used, but the best gloves were made from imported (and ready dressed) French kid. By the nineteenth century many of the methods of dressing the skins were mechanised and most skins used for outdoor were oil-tanned to give them their required gloss finish. This pair of gloves uses two contrasting tones of dyed kid, together with mink trim. Fur had been used for accessories like gloves and handbags for centuries, sometimes incorporating the whole animal (see the purse below).

The 1920s and 30s saw the influence of stylised geometric "art deco" motifs as in the sunburst fan design on these gauntlets. Gloves, especially luxurious fur-trimmed examples were still considered excellent presents, particularly at Christmas time, and mail order catalogues from stores like Dickens and Jones or Harvey Nichols included pairs in the 1930s ranging from 6 to 21 shillings a pair and marketed under the heading "Gloves Make the Ideal Gift". Gloves remained an essential accessory in the urban outfit for men and women until the 1950s, carried if not worn, rather like the umbrella.

Full item descriptions:

"gloves" [1995.22]
"bag" [1954.835]

Related Themes:

Gloves