Why faux lizard paper, as it’s mostly called, came to be used to cover box-files, albums, files and other office products of this kind we can only guess. Because it went so well with aspidistra plants? Or because it provided some kind of contrast to the monotony of the office day?
At any rate, this kind of paper usually came in two tones, had a lizard-like pattern, originally in either brown or green (like lizards) but later in all kinds of exotic unlizard-like shades – and has today been largely displaced by ordinary, cheaper products so that one can safely say that it’s as exotic as the little creatures that gave it its name. » more...

The Claus Porto story goes back to the year 1887, when two German partners, Ferdinand Claus and Georges Ph. Schweder, started the production of fine soaps for gentlemen. (Up to then soap had had to be imported in Portugal!). When they left in 1918, their Portuguese partner Archilles de Brito took over. His first step was to start his own company, but shortly afterwards he also took over the name of ‘Claus Porto’ together with the production workshops.
Under the trade name of Musgo Real – other soaps and shaving creams that, like the original soaps, are genuinely ‘natural’, containing no synthetic aromas, perfumes or conservation agents. » more...

The Bonnat firm was founded in 1884. Today it still maintains personal contact to the cocoa farmers that supply the beans and imports them directly, avoiding middlemen. No outsourcers either: the whole production is in-house under one roof. Bonnat don't mix cocoa beans from different regions, preferring to preserve the typical character and flavour of each type of bean. Only the best ingredients are used – cocoa that's been slowly and carefully 'conched', cocoa butter and sugar, with light-coloured Indonesian beans for milk chocolate and with additional powdered milk for full milk chocolate. All chocolates are free of additives and contain no soya lecithin. Also try our deliciuos hand-made Torrone from Sardinia or the tasty Nougat from Montélimar. » more...

Our ‚Flora’ tea and coffee service is a French classic – it’s been used for over 70 years in cafés, bistros and restaurants all over France.
Many of you will recognize the beautiful lines and characteristic colouring: dark green with a gold band. Our suppliers, Deshoulières, based near Limoges, have been manufacturing porcelain and china crockery for everyday use since 1826 and have a reputation second to none – indeed, this part of central France has been famous for its china throughout Europe for many centuries. » more...

These bags and pocket-cases are made for us by the southern German firm of Sonnenleder. Sonnenleder stand for meticulous care, traditional methods, and sensible shapes and styles. The cow-hides used are vegetable-tanned and air-dried. The tanning brew is a mixture of various tree-barks, roots and fruits. The whole process takes from 6-12 weeks, in 12 pits. Following the tanning process, the hides are air-dried and greased by a traditional method exclusive to the firm. Dye is not used. In this state the finished leather acquires the characteristic light reddish-brown shade you can see in the illustration – varying slightly with each article – which is why we call it ‘naturally red-tanned’.  » more...

Patina is generally a sign of age, but with this jacket it’s there the first time you wear it. There’s no special trade secret to this – and, needless to say, no artificial ‘ageing-up’. It’s the tanning that does it, involving a most unusual natural vegetable process. This produces a leather that reflects the natural beauty of the hide, its texture, feel, delicate shade, together with all those tiny irregularities – scars and scratches that the animal picked up during its life and which lovers of real leather value so much. You simply have to touch this jacket and you’ll fall in love with it. Or take a look at the other leather jackets in our ladies' range, for example the horse-hide leather roadster jacket. » more...

The renowned Lufft barometer factory was founded in Fellbach in 1881, and up to the mid-sixties made a variety of measuring instruments and barometers for both private and commercial use. In recent years the increasing mass-production of articles of this kind has resulted in a drop in quality and price. Lufft's wish to dissociate itself from this trend has led to a change-over to the construction of specialized electronic environmental survey stations and measuring instruments.
Today Lufft is a successful high-tech company with a copybook business track record. For this reason, the manufacture of everyday consumer articles is only a side-concern for Lufft, particularly as the costs of production... » more...

The following shoes and the all-weather boots are all perfectly suited to withstand the rigors of winter weather in any situation.
Gallusser leather gives a surprising softness and suppleness to this otherwise big, solid boot. The natural 10% fat content of this leather has been retained (for water-proofing purposes), and the whole high leg of the boot is of one piece of leather attached to the front with a minimum of well-placed stitches. Our all-weather packboot, on the other hand, is made of natural materials only, and comes from South Germany, where it is hand-made. The foot is of natural rubber lined with cotton mesh, and the leg is of sturdy, waxed, oiled canvas. » more...