Umbrellas
The Brigg Umbrella -
Why no Gentleman should be without one. Leather
Swaine Adeney -
Over 250 years of Leather working experience. Herbert Johnson
Herbert Johnson and the Indy Hat Contact Us
Heritage
A Little About Swaine Adeney Brigg.
Swaine Adeney Brigg have been one of the finest and best regarded traditional makers and retailers of equestrian and country clothing, leather goods and umbrellas since 1750. Our fine goods have appealed to the more discerning for more than 250 years. During that time we have grown to be one of the most respected exclusive retailers with a reputation for quality and excellence.
Situated at the heart of historic St James’s and in company with other famous names such as Boodle’s, Whites, Davidoff, Christie’s and Turnbull & Asser, we are established as one of the finest purveyors of leather goods and umbrellas in the world. Our store reflects the rich cultural heritage of the area and provides the perfect relaxed environment for making that difficult decision on whether your new hand made attaché should be in rich chestnut or classic dark london tan.
Today, as always, we ensure that all of our goods are made to the very highest and most exacting standards using only the finest materials and traditional methods. All of our fine attaché cases, document cases, luggage and umbrellas are still produced in our Cambridgeshire workshops using the same time honoured hand crafting skills as were employed 250 years ago. All of our hides are from domestically reared animals and, following several months in the tanning process they are finished by hand and fed with tallow and oils resulting in the finest and most durable english bridle hide.
Our Brigg umbrellas have to be seen and handled to be appreciated. From the beautifully burnished woods and lustrous sterling silver nose caps to the finest hand woven silks they are more of an art form than an item for rain protection. The character Steed in the popular series ‘The Avengers’, with his classic English ‘City Gent’ style would never be seen without his classic Whangee umbrella. Brigg has become an international byword for quality.
"I'd like you to listen to this umbrella."
Emma Peel. The Avengers
History
In the year 1750 John Ross founded a Whipmaking business at 238 Piccadilly, London W.1. James Swaine later purchased this business in 1798, having for some years been foreman of a successful whip making business in Holborn. A royal appointment to His Majesty King George III and to his sons, The Prince of Wales and the Dukes of York, Clarence, Kent, Cumberland and Cambridge quickly followed and Swaine Adeney’s reputation for quality and excellence was established.
The Royal appointments were renewed in the reigns of His Majesty George IV and His Majesty William IV. In the year 1835 James Swaine moved his business to larger premises at 185 Piccadilly. The business continued to flourish and in 1845 Edward Swaine took his nephew into partnership and Swaine Adeney was born.
In 1851 Swaine Adeney decided to put its fine products on show to the world at the London Exhibition held at the newly constructed Crystal Palace. The Exhibition was the largest the world had ever seen and attracted over six million visitors to a building which was internally over four times that of St. Peter’s in Rome. Swaine Adeney won several prize medals at the London Exhibition prompting us to show our fine goods at the Paris Exhibition of 1900 for which further medals followed. Swaine Adeney’s reputation was now growing on a worldwide stage as the finest producer of leather goods.
Thomas Brigg and Son’s was established in 1836 at 23 St. James’s Street a stone's throw from Swaine Adeney Brigg's present location. The company specialised in the manufacture of the finest umbrellas, walking sticks and hunting crops. The store soon became a bastion of elegance to the fops and dandies of the day who could not be seen on a typically overcast London day without a fine umbrella. In 1893 Thomas Brigg and Son's received its first Royal Appointment from Her Majesty the Queen and became the first umbrella maker ever to be honoured with an appointment. The Royal appointments continued with Her Majesty Queen Victoria and His Majesty Edward VII and Brigg umbrellas continue to keep Britains Royal family dry to this day.
During the Second World War the business of Brigg & Son's suffered losing its Paris shop when France was occupied. Fortunately help was at hand in the form of Swaine Adeney and the two firms joined forces in February 1943, becaming known as “Swaine Adeney Brigg & Son's” Limited. Today’s present circumstance was established and has continued to provide a one stop shrine to elegance ever since.