With summer vacations over and the fall season almost upon us, it's time to get back to it here at HTJ. In this post I've reached back into the HTJ Archives to report on a little pamphlet published 85 years ago this month by Brooks Brothers titled,
Brooks's Miscellany & Gentlemen's Intelligencer for 1927 - A compendium of useful information and repository of polite anecdote. I'm not sure how useful this information was, and some of the anecdotes suffer from being perhaps a bit too polite, but it's still a fascinating bit of history. This publication was part of a monthly series given away or sent
gratis to Brooks Brothers' customers, containing advertising and a unique view of history from the perspective of Brooks Brothers. The cover contains drawings of Brooks Brothers' staples from this period, items such as a top hat, gloves, umbrella and cane; a shaving kit; grooming articles, lace hooks and spurs; riding boots and whips. There are also symbols of
commedia dell'arte representing the theatre as well as perhaps the role that clothing can play in the daily drama of life. This pamphlet also contains a social calendar for September 1927 and articles related to the sporting life as well as the theatre, events that by their inclusion, suggested a social world for the customer through their association with Brooks Brothers. If one pays close attention to the content in the pages that follow, this seemingly old and yellowing bit of Brooks ephemera comes to life with events and institutions, some of which are still around today.
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It is remarkable upon reflection that in 1927 Brooks Brothers had already been in business for 109 years. There were probably more notable occurrences during 1827 than those listed here, but that was also probably not the point. Anecdotes and references to a particular past suggesting the world of Brooks Brothers were what was probably intended. The numbers of students in the classes of Harvard and Yale may seem insignificant by today's standards, but less so when one considers that for the year 1929-1930 only approximately 122,500 men and women graduated from college in the United States. That Brooks Brothers was positioning itself among an elite segment of American society can also be easily seen by looking at the "Social Fixtures" column on the facing page. Equestrian and Kennel Club shows, golf and tennis tournaments, polo matches and yacht racing make up the collection of events that are listed for September 1927.
A closer look brings some of these old entries to life: September 8th lists the "Davis Cup Challenge Round" at the Germantown Cricket Club, where France, led by René Lacoste went on to defeat an American team led by Bill Tilden. September 12th lists the "Men's Nat'l L. T. Singles Championship, which is better known today as the U.S. Open, held at Forest Hills, New York. In 1927 the men's singles championship was won by René Lacoste, who again defeated American Bill Tilden. September 15th lists the "Polo Open Championship & Waterbury Cup Tournaments," which was won by a team led by Devereux Milburn, who also appeared on the cover of Time ten days earlier on the September 5th 1927 issue. September 17th lists the "Seawanhaka Cup Races" held at Oyster Bay, NY. The Seawanhaka Cup, the oldest yachting trophy originating in the U.S. that is still in active competition, was won in 1927 by HRH Crown Prince Olav of Norway, sailing Noreg (though the America's Cup is older, it did not originate in the U.S.). Many of the tournaments and races listed here continue in some form today. Another interesting event was the September 5th Labor Day entry which contains the "U.S. Seniors Golf Championship," which was established at the Apawamis Club in Rye, Long Island for men over 55 years of age. Far in advance of the Champions Tour of today, this tournament was held from 1927-1939, principally between players in the U.S. and Great Britain until the outbreak of the Second World War. It is a comforting reminder that age often has little to do with enjoying sports throughout the many seasons of one's life.
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In addition to sports, the theatre was also mentioned several times in this little pamphlet. In the
Notoria column on the facing page, there is a quiet "Back to School" reminder for clothing for boys. Brooks is still doing the same sort of back to school thing today, although I'd rather receive a little pamplet like this than the constant stream of email advertising. The
Compendium column, continued below, lists all of the trunk shows that Brooks Brothers' traveling representatives were scheduled to make in September 1927. It was a lot.
As this column indicates, there was a time when Brooks Brothers only had stores in New York and Boston, as well as seasonal stores in Newport and Palm Beach. In a day when Brooks Brothers has hundreds of retail and outlet locations across the globe, as well as an internet presence, the thought of seasonal resort stores and trunk shows is actually somewhat refreshing.
The back cover of this pamphlet features two illustrations with scenes of the city and of the countryside. Over the years, Brooks Brothers made excellent use of illustrations by artists such as Frederick Pegram, Paul Brown and Tran Mawicke. The illustrations here, by the British artist, Frederick Pegram (1870-1937), have a great feel for 1920s city life and country pursuits. I've cropped them for a closer look below.
Though it is September and the fall season very near, it's still too hot in many places to even contemplate wearing true cold weather clothing. That said, it is never too early to begin to plan ahead. If nothing else, one might feel cooler. Every location seems to have its cold weather challenges from rain and snow to truly frigid temperatures. It's probably not a bad idea to replace or mend coats and shoes that need it before the cold rain and snow are here again in earnest.
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I don't play as much golf as I used to, but autumn is one of my favorite seasons to play golf or do just about anything else. However, the autumn months often bring wind, rain and frost, creating a need for special gear for inclement weather. On and off the course, this has remained unchanged over the years. One lesson learned during my youth, that I carry to this day, is that the best way to learn a golf course, no matter what the weather, is to walk it. Though carts are an unavoidable reality on many courses today, in a cart one misses many of the contours of the course that can only be noticed and learned by repetitive walking. This, of course, reminds me of a lot of things in life, even clothing. Clothing is functional. It takes some time and experience to learn what works well within the contours of one's own daily life. Following trends and the advice of clothiers may get one to a certain point very quickly, but it can often be done without personal reflection based upon the needs of one's own particular context. I like these kinds of old publications because they remind me that there is a lot that really hasn't changed about daily life. Many aspects of contemporary life feel a bit like riding a golf cart; they are convenient, time and energy efficient, but they also cause one rely more upon fleeting technologies rather than upon wisdom earned through living. Most companies today advertise though the internet. Who wouldn't? It's fast and relatively inexpensive, but 85 years from now will there be little pamphlets like this? There is something about a traditional advertisement like this that, even after 85 years, is still pretty effective. Looking at the picture above, I can almost hear the player shout "Fore!" and see the shimmer of lightening in the distance, and feeling overcome by a sense of urgency as the rain begins to fall, I want to get the round finished. In a sense, this old advertisement reminds me that one has to live with a certain amount of inventiveness, wisdom and humility that only comes - no matter the storms or current technologies - from walking life's course.
