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Red glass from the Corning Museum of Glass.
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The Best of The Genuine Article (112)Gordon Elliott explores the world of personal commissioning. We take a special look into the rarely exposed world of luxury automobiles. The Bentley—a car of distinction and durability—is a prime example.
From transport to transcending, we discover Steinway Hall and learn there's a right piano for everyone and the wrong piano can turn a potential Mozart off from music forever. Steinway & Sons redefines pianos as living instruments with individual personalities.
From performance to the perfect suit, put yourself in the hands of master tailors and cutters. At Gieves & Hawkes, once you have commissioned and worn a bespoke suit, nothing else will do. Fashions will come and go, but at Gieves & Hawkes the classics will last as long as fine workmanship matters.
Finally, explore the world of delicately hand crafted shoes. At John Lobb, the shoes are renowned for their craftsmanship and the impeccably fine materials from which they are made. Lobb attests "We really do make them 'like they used to.'"
Bentley Facts:
- The Bentley paint shop once received a request to match the color of a car to the color of a single sequin on a dress and fulfilled it.
- Take a Bentley apart to find close to 400 signatures.
- It takes up to 16 hours to hand stitch just one steering wheel.
- The average starting price of a Bentley is $215,000.
- Cars can be equipped with any type of electronic imaginable from DVD players to fax machines.
Contact:
Rolls Royce and Bentley Motor Cars Factory, Crewe, England
011-44-0-1-270-535-044, www.bentleymotors.co.uk
Resources:
The Rolls-Royce Motor Car and the Bentley Since 1931
by Anthony Bird, Ian Hallows
Rolls Royce and Bentley Motor Cars—Un-official website for Rolls-Royce and Bentley owners and enthusiasts.
www.darkforce.com/royce
Rolls-Royce and Bentley: The Crewe Years
by Martin Bennett
Steinway Facts:
- One hundred years ago, the Steinway factory produced about 2,500 pianos a year. Today, that number is almost unchanged because the production process remains as meticulous, diligent and committed to perfection.
- The best way to choose a piano is to try out as many as possible, then pick the one that "speaks" to you.
- Each Steinway piano is made up of over 12,000 parts. The company holds 115 patents that affect virtually all of those components.
Contact:
Steinway Hall, Erica Feidner
109 West 57th, New York, NY 10019
212-332-0114
Steinway Factory
1 Steinway Place, Long Island City, NY 11105
800-366-1853
Alexander Ostrovsky, Piano Technician
212-928-4366
Resources:
Steinway & Sons
www.steinway.com
88 Keys: The Making of a Steinway Piano
by Miles Chapin
Piano Technicians Guild
www.ptg.org
Gieves & Hawkes Facts:
- Gieves & Hawkes has provided 200 years of unbroken service to successive monarchs, beginning with Queen Victoria.
- Service matters: The company will send representatives to your office, home, hotel or wherever you are to measure you. They'll keep all your details on file so you can order whatever you need, whenever you need it.
- Gieves and Hawkes outfitted Admiral Lord Nelson, The Duke of Wellington, and Captain Bligh (of the Bounty). They also equipped Dr. David Livingstone for his expeditions in central Africa.
- The company developed and patented the Kitchener and Wolseley solar helmet (safari pith helmet) for expeditions in hot climates.
Contacts:
Gieves & Hawkes—London
One Savile Row, London W1X2JR
011-44-207-434-2001, www.gievesandhawkes.com
Resources:
Gentleman: A Timeless Fashion
by Bernhard Roetzel, Guenter Beer
A Well-Dressed Gentleman's Pocket Guide
by Oscar Lenius
The Indispensable Guide to Classic Men's Clothing
by Josh Karlen, Christopher C. Sulavik, Josh Taylor, Amy Libra (Illustrator)
John Lobb Facts:
- About 80 percent of John Lobb's handmade shoes are exported to the United States.
- Skins are tanned for up to six months in oak bark-filled vats in order to attain the precise degree of suppleness and coloring needed to achieve flawless results.
- In the 1600s, the diminutive Louis XIV started the platform shoe movement. His elevated footwear—some up to five inches high—was decorated with miniature battle scenes.
Contacts:
John Lobb—London
9 St. James Street, London SW1A 1EF, UK
011-44-207-930-3664
John Lobb—New York
680 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10021
212-888-9797
Resources:
John Lobb Ltd.
www.sector4.btinternet.co.uk/lobb/menu/menu.htm
The Last Shall Be First: The colourful story of John Lobb the St. James's bootmakers
by Brian Dobbs
The Complete Footwear Dictionary
by William A. Rossi (Editor)
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