Gut end braces

[1Dgaf]

You've got a solid little site. Quite user friendly. I think the scans would add to the history section.

 

[chorse123]

Come on now Webmaker, do you even need to ask? Yes. That would be great.

 

[Bracemaker]

Typical, isn't it. You hear nothing from the Thurston mob for 185 years, then two of them turn up on the same afternoon.
Hi Jerry . (he is at the other end of the country to me).

I must say I am pleased with the kind words from you all - I was expecting dog's abuse, but that comes from only ever posting on a sports fan site previously. This is much more civilized.

Can I pick your collective brains? I am seeking a photograph of Gary Cooper taken in the 1930's - seated as I recall - wearing striped braces. Any ideas?

 

[Manton]

Can I pick your collective brains? I am seeking a photograph of Gary Cooper taken in the 1930's - seated as I recall - wearing striped braces. Any ideas?

It is in several books, including Flusser's latest, Dressing the Man, page 224. Â The Ben Silver catalogue has also used it more than once. Â Great picture. Â Are they Thurstons?

 

[cuffthis]

I believe this is the photo in question. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....02&rd=1

 

[Manton]

I believe this is the photo in question. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....02&rd=1

Yep, that's it.

 

[globetrotter]

Bracemaker,

do you have a shop in a passage off of Jermyn street? I was in a place that was full of what appears to be your product, but I had written down a different name, could they be private label customers of yours?

 

[Bracemaker]

Thanks - that is indeed the one. On close examination they dont look like ours, I'm sorry to say.

One more boon to crave - I seek a picture of Fred Astaire wearing a pair of gut end Thurston braces in The Barklays of Broadway. Now those were ours.

 

[Manton]

One more boon to crave - I seek a picture of Fred Astaire wearing a pair of gut end Thurston braces in The Barklays of Broadway. Now those were ours.

I don't think I've ever seen a single picture of Astaire in braces. Perhaps in some photos he has them on under his vest, but there is no way to know. His reputation is that he mostly wore lower-rise trousers with belts (or old ties).

 

[Bracemaker]

My (admittedly poor) recollection is that he was dancing round a bedroom whilst getting dressed, and they are on view. There may, of course, be no stills from the scene.
Shot in colour - his first?

Anyway, thanks again for your welcome everyone.

 

[Webmaker]

The shame is that the stills of Michael Douglas in Wall Street in Thurston's are still in copyright...


Jerry

PS, started the scanning marathon of the 1870's catalogue

 

[JErwin]

I'm also a huge fan of Thurston braces, and have a pair of the purple boxcloth. I have a question about the boxcloth braces: how much fabric is supposed to hang down from the levers? With mine, the excess fabric hangs down almost to where the gut ends attach to my pants. If that's too long (frankly, I don't mind it), should I attempt to cut them, or just buy a smaller size? Thanks.

 

[Will]

I love boxcloth braces and have at least one in every color Thurston's made with gut ends during the past ten years or more.

I find that even the mediums are a little long on me and I'm just 5'10" and have more waist than I should.

Any shoe repair shop has equipment to shorten them for a couple of dollars. I have mine cut so the ends hang slightly below my trouser tops.

Will

 

[Bic Pentameter]

If you want it from the horse's mouth (I run Albert Thurston ), so to speak, here is the actual historical timeline...
1800's up to 1960's Gut was covered with gloving leather
1960's to late 1990's Gut was uncovered.
In the 1990's gut no longer available as it was used by the fishing industry as THEY (not us) started using nylon monofilament. We do not use nylon monofilament.
In the noughties (2002 on ) we ran out of our stock of gut and have been using a better cord alternative which we cover with gloving leather, so now they look like the ones we made prior to 1960's. Hope all clear ..

Welcome to the forum Bracemaker.  I am a big Thurston fan.  I also love the website, Webmaker; it is a pleasure to use.

Bic

 

[Bracemaker]

[do you have a shop in a passage off of Jermyn street? I was in a place that was full of what appears to be your product, but I had written down a different name, could they be private label customers of yours? ]

Probably S Conway in Princess Arcade (between Jermyn St and Piccadilly) - he runs many of the silk Limited Editions.
We do not have a shop of our own ( we did have one in Panton St but it was unexpectedly demolished one night in 1941, I believe...) but we do have many retail outlets who sell under their and our names, particularly in the Savile Row/Jermyn St/City areas.