Grandoe & Cloth Gloves

TWO PAIRS VINTAGE BLACK LADIES GLOVES INCLUDING GRANDOE SOAPABLE LEATHER SIZE 7 1/2 Two pairs of vintage black ladies' gloves. The first pair is soft black leather with three-line stitched backs, a set-in thumb, plain rolled cuffs, and an interior cuff stamped in blue on the natural-color leather "grandoe" over "7 1/2" over "soapable leather" - the maker's trade name for a washable leather glove. The second pair is a black woven or knit fabric glove, wrist length, with three tucked bands forming a low tiered cuff, unlined, set-in thumb, and no visible mark. Condition is used on both: the leather is dry and dull with surface crazing, scuffing, rubs and heavy creasing, shows lint and light scattered wear along the fingers and cuff, and one glove appears to have an opening or split along the back seam area near the thumb; the fabric pair is heavily covered in white lint and fluff with scattered light specks, shows faint fading toward charcoal in places, and has minor fuzzing at the cuff edge. Neither pair was tried on, cleaned, conditioned, brushed or measured with a tape, and the interiors were NOT turned out. Sold as a lot of two pairs, four gloves total, as pictured. Description Pieces: 2 pairs of black ladies' gloves, 4 gloves total Pair 1: black leather, three-line stitched backs, set-in thumb, plain cuff, unlined appearance Pair 2: black fabric, wrist length, three tucked cuff bands, unlined, set-in thumb Marks: leather pair stamped inside the cuff "grandoe / 7 1/2 / soapable leather"; the fabric pair shows NO maker, size or fiber-content label in these frames, so NO maker and NO size are claimed for it Size: the leather pair is marked 7 1/2; no tape frame was taken, so length is an ESTIMATE near 10 to 11 in cuff hem to fingertip on the leather pair and near 9 to 10 in on the fabric pair; Attribution note Grandoe is a glove house of Gloversville, New York, the town that produced up to ninety percent of North America's leather dress gloves until the early 1960s before the industry moved offshore, per the New York State downtown revitalization report for Gloversville and the city's own historian, who dates the local golden age from 1880 to 1950. Company records give differing start dates - the firm's own corporate listing states 1897 and a Better Business Bureau profile records a business start of 1890 - and the Gloversville headquarters on Bleecker Street was a nineteenth-century glove factory. "Soapable Leather" is Grandoe's washable-leather trade name, catalogued alongside competing washable-leather brands in the Glovers and Tanners archive of glove industry labels, and dealers listing identically stamped pairs on Etsy and eBay generally place them in the 1950s and 1960s. The black fabric pair follows the same mid-century tucked-cuff day glove pattern as the ivory gloves in the companion lot. These identifications are offered as the consignor's photo-based opinion and are not guaranteed. Bid on the item(s) as pictured. Notes for bidders Leather dress gloves want a light conditioning with a product made for glove or garment leather, worked in sparingly, and no heat: never dry them on a radiator or in sun, which is what causes the stiffness and crazing seen here. Despite the "soapable" stamp, test any washing on an inconspicuous spot first given the age, wash in cool water with mild soap, blot with a towel and dry flat away from heat, then work the leather as it dries to keep it supple. A split in leather this dry is best repaired by a leather specialist rather than glued at home. The fabric pair cleans up best with a lint roller or soft brush followed by gentle hand washing in cool water, laid flat to dry. Store both pairs flat in tissue, not folded, and keep them away from damp to avoid mildew. Only the item(s) pictured are included in this lot. Terms Sold as-is, where-is, with no warranty expressed or implied. All sales final. Please ask any questions before bidding. Buyer is responsible for pickup or shipping arrangements per auction terms.