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J.W. HULME - ITS STORY AND LEGACY
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THE COMPANY'S HISTORY, BY NORTON CROSS
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When I was a youngster, my granddad’s den and gear room
was a source of fascination and discovery; old sporting
prints, books, photographs, stuffed birds, guns, fishing
rods, trip logs, his World War One saddle bags and his great
grandfathers’ civil war saber and epaulettes over the fireplace. |
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Among the collection was a time worn, rugged old
duffle bag of unique design that one sad day became my inheritance
from an era of classic sportsmanship. The duffle had come from
granddad’s crony Horace Thompson, who picked it up in the New
York Abercrombie & Fitch Store near the turn of the century.
Mr. Thompson had bought the Gokey boot business from Noah Gokey
and gave the bag to his bootmakers to produce and subsequently
had them made by Duluth Tent and Awning Co.™ for Gokeys®.
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Over fifty years later, my friends at Gokeys® and
I decided to add features to that heirloom bag and create a whole
line around it. My company, J.W. Hulme Co.®, which had been making
awning and canvas products since 1905, manufactured the bags,
cases and luggage I designed to complete our classic line based
on that original bag. The immediate success of our line under
the Gokeys® and Orvis® brands established it as a sporting bag
class of its own and inevitably spawned numerous copies.
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In 1996 we decided to dedicate ourselves to both preserving
and broadening the collection by designing, producing and
branding the line under our own name. In that same year
we shipped our first catalog. While other brands turned
to overseas manufacturing or less expensive materials, J.W.
Hulme adhered to the original standard of granddad’s bag.
We recognized that our best of class passion for the integrity
of classic design, materials, craftsmanship and attention
to detail is esteemed by our customers. That’s what excites
us. That’s why we call our line J.W. Hulme, The Original…
and so, the legendary collection that started with granddad’s
legacy carries on. | |
