Letter from Melbourne - Bertie Creates a Buzz with Bees

Merchant Fox Cufflinks

There is much to admire about the bee, devoting their brief lives to the continuation of their orderly hive and 'love of flowers, and glory in creating honey', as Virgil observed.

Our man in Melbourne, Bertie, happens to be very keen on bees. He's also keen on The Merchant Fox. Put those two keennesses together and magic happens...

Letter from Melbourne

My dear Tweed,

I know you’re a long-standing member of the Merchant Fox Fan Club; so please accept this short note as my application, complete with references and honeyed words about their sweet treats.

I'm penning this having recently received a pair of their British Bee cufflinks (top) for my birthday.

That’s Bee for Bertie.

But the bee is a symbol with other associations as well.

Bonaparte himself chose the bee as a symbol of his Empire, aligning himself (modestly) with the ancient sovereigns of France.

While the Bee has come to symbolise hard work, diligence, industriousness and orderliness, I’m also aware of another tradition: that of the drone, a male bee that does little work, living off the hard work of others. Hmm…maybe I should also apply to the Drones Club because I feel like I'm living off the hard work of the Master Silversmith who clearly put in honest day’s toil when he made these links. They’re exquisitely crafted and have a specially designed swivel back making them easier to put on these days when it’s hard to find a good valet.

Here they are in situ:

Note my Merchant Fox West of England Glen Check tie which I’ll replace with the Fan Club tie should you look favourably on my application and don’t tell me to buzz off.

Bertie “Bee” Davies
@melbourneletter