The Merchant Fox - Impeccable Provenance

Merchant Fox - By the Command of the King and Parliament of England

If you're looking for something to wipe off all those kisses you received on Saint Valentine's Day, then what about the silk pocket square above? Actually, don't — it's not for that sort of thing. And what are they still doing on your face? It was three days ago.

The pocket square is from our very dear friends at The Merchant Fox. The design is a recreation of an artwork from their archives. If your Latin is ropey, the inscription says: By the Command of the King and Parliament of England, which has an association with the British East India Company; it's their motto, as I understand it.

What I find completely commendable about The Merchant Fox is that they have a great heritage (In Fox Brothers) that is leveraged in their support for British craftsmanship and manufacturing. This is no ersatz 'Britishness'. It's not a hollow brand — foreign-owned, and selling products made in a low-cost manufacturing base — with nothing but a logo designed to impress, and deceive, the Asian market.

Take a look at The Merchant Fox site and you'll see a Provenance tab for their products. It's all on display. What we learn about the pocket square is that it is printed by hand in Cheshire by an old-established firm. Good-oh.

Finished in France

By gad, sah! The Merchant Fox say they can only find Frenchmen up to the task of performing the hand-rolling of the edges of the pocket square. Whither the hand-rollers of this sceptred isle, this other Eden? I feel a new skill being sponsored by QEST. If you fancy reviving this — apparently dead — art, you may have little competition and a lot of demand.