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Founded by George Gibson Bussey in 1864, Bussey gained notoriety as London’s largest sporting goods manufacturer from an early time due to its factory in Peckham, and facilities in Suffolk and Paris. Famed for its production of the ‘Demon Driver’ cricket bat used by W.G. Grace, the maker also forged a unique partnership early in the history of tennis alongside Babolat, contracting the french firm to manufacture the world’s premiere gut strings for use in Bussey’s racquets. Such quality and innovation was recognised with a gold medal at the 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle. Bussey’s success cemented the marque as a pioneer of European sporting history.
Charles Goodall founded his business in Soho, London in 1820, originally printing playing and greeting cards. By 1826, growth of the business warranted new premises, as it did again in 1830. By 1855, demand far exceeded manufacturing capabilities, as annual production exceed two million packs. Alongside Goodall’s primary competitor, De La Rue, the two manufacturers accounted for in excess of two-thirds of British production. International ambitions soon became apparent, with firm acquiring New York entity Reynolds & Co. to access new markets. In 1922, following slumped demand in the wake of the Great War and a lack of family successor, operations ceased.
Girardot was founded in Geneva, initially named Banque Vernet, Thellusson, Necker & Cie., it was established in 1756 as a franco-swiss financier focussed on foreign clientele. The firm’s fortunes were largely accumulated from speculation during the Seven Years’ War, as well as lucrative work with the French East India Company, arising from close associations with French King, Louis XVI. The firm’s history of pioneering investment in innovation, specifically in the production of sought-after commodities and emerging insurance products, cemented it as one of the leading financial institutions of pre-revolution France. Girardot, like many of its contemporaries, did not survive the Revolution of 1793.
The origins of the Dexter brand can be traced back to the February of 1902, when Wallace, Scott & Co. Tailoring Institute was founded in Glasgow. The institute, lauded as a pioneer in improving working conditions, elected to market their outerwear under the Dexter name in 1907. Competing against Cordings and Burberry the brand produced a range of hunting, sporting, and evening weatherproof outerwear adapted to the conditions of Scotland. The marque’s signature ‘triple waterproofing’ made the coats a sought after item during The Great War. After the war, the brand, now regarded for its dependability was selected by Ernest Shackleton to equip his final Antarctic expedition.
Robert Wallace Forsyth established a shirt maker under his name, R.W. Forsyth in 1872. The initial premises situated on Renfield Street, Glasgow, became popular for the maker’s ‘Acme’ shirt. Exploiting such success, Forsyth elected to expand his operations to include travel accessories and a broader range of attire. Such an ambition was immensely successful, and soon after the house partnered with acclaimed architect J.J. Burnett to construct state of the art department stores in Glasgow, Edinburgh, and London for the retailing of Forsyth’s wares and more. Such stores were internationally recognised, and considered competitors to Harrods and Selfridges.
At one time Europe, and by extension Germany’s largest producer of cravats and ties, and a titan of the german clothing industry. Founded in 1859 in the town of Neuss, near Düsseldorf as a family enterprise, the business initially specialised in silks. The Kamper & Weber brand became synonymous with the pegasus trademark, which adorned their ‘Goldmarke’ line of premium neckwear. At its peak, the firm employed one-hundred staff across premises at Friedrichstraße 28, Neuss, and a secondary location in Berlin. In 1962 the death of family patriarch Paul Kamper prompted the family closed their Neuss premises in 1883, a century after they had first opened their doors.