PURCHASE - Abercrombie & Fitch Travel Clock by Angelus
1930’s A&F Travel Clock, made by Angelus
ITEM: ABERCROMBIE & FITCH TRAVEL CLOCK, MADE BY ANGELUS
AGE: ~1930’s
MATERIALS: STAINLESS STEEL, GOLD PLATIN, Peccary Leather
PROVENANCE: SKETCHY ONLINE SITE (EBAY)
IYKYK, the Abercrombie & Fitch of yore was really something special. Before there were scantily clad male models, ripped jeans, and odious cologne, Abercrombie & Fitch was a sporting/adventure/lifestyle retailer that started in the late 1800’s. In the early part of the company history, A&F functioned largely as a catalog-based company, taking page from the success of Sears Roebuck.
With the proliferation of the automobile in the early 20th century and as travel across the US become easier and more accessible, A&F found a solid clientele in sporting goods for polo, golf, and tennis as well as more “adventurous” activities like hunting, fishing, and cold-weather destination trips. They quickly became an arbiter of good taste and purveyors of quality goods covering several categories including apparel, adventure gear, home goods, jewelry, and everything else you can imagine.
Items from the “golden age” of A&F, (which I would consider anywhere between the turn of the 20th century up until the early 1960’s) are particularly collectible and coveted. These treasures often effect some sense of ersatz nostalgia and the best items are those which might be considered antiques, and would function well as tasteful home decor, yet at their tie of manufacture had served some practical purpose. Most of A&F’s items were private labeled goods acquired from the worlds greatest companies, and often would retain their original manufacturers labeling albeit with the addition of “Abercrombie & Fitch Co”. As an example, Tag Heuer watches retailed by A&F in the 50’s are highly desirable and command a premium over their standard counterparts, not unlike the “double signed” Tiffany dial Rolexes and Patek Philippe’s.
This travel clock, quite the epitome of an item now lost to time (forgive the pun) is a classic example of Abercrombie & Fitch’s golden era goods. It was made by storied timepiece manufacture Angelus, likely in the 1930’s, at a time when luxury travel was at its height. It could use a little TLC and will be a great project for my restoration workbench. More to come once she’s ready for her “debut”.
