Official Umbrella aficionados thread

[magulv]

Also, can anyone please shed some light on why Brigg operates with a 6-8 WEEKS production time ("This product will take between 6-8 weeks to be handcrafted by our specialist craftsmen"), while Fox states 5-7 working DAYS? Are Brigg a much smaller operation, meaning the construct the umbrella from scratch upon ordering? 6-8 weeks seems like they don't even order the wood, fabric or anything before the order has been placed..
It is my understanding that Brigg gets their frames from Fox, so that should imply shorter, or at least the same manufacturing time. Why does it take Brigg 6-8 times as long to produce an umbrella? Any insight here?

 

[Newcomer]

Wife got this beautiful Heurtalt for me. It is just spectacular.

I've handled a good deal of umbrellas and Heurtalt is so obviously a step above.

Oh, and shoutout to @RJman for sending me Heurtalt's direction 4-5 years ago when I last visited Paris.

 

[jack webb]

I hate seeing an umbrella thread bubble to the top as my vacation nears.

 

[RJman]

Lovely! What's the wood of the handle?

Wife got this beautiful Heurtalt for me. It is just spectacular.

I've handled a good deal of umbrellas and Heurtalt is so obviously a step above.

View attachment 1810997
View attachment 1810998

Oh, and shoutout to @RJman for sending me Heurtalt's direction 4-5 years ago when I last visited Paris.

 

[Newcomer]

Lovely! What's the wood of the handle?

Beechwood. It is quite lovely, I think it is the standard wood.

 

[magulv]

Why does it take Brigg 6-8 times as long to produce an umbrella? Any insight here?

After Swaine dodging this question (as well as the statement about them using Fox frames), claiming they're not to familiar with the likes of Fox and James Smith, I'm bumping this. How many hours/days does it really take to manufacture an umbrella from scratch? Does it really take approximately 240-320 hours (6-8 weeks)? If Fox and James Smith can do it in less than two weeks, while Swaine uses 6-8 weeks, I'm guessing either Swaine is lying about it being mostly production time, or J. Smith and Fox are taking significant shortcuts. Anyone able to shed some light?

 

[logboy]

After Swaine dodging this question (as well as the statement about them using Fox frames), claiming they're not to familiar with the likes of Fox and James Smith, I'm bumping this. How many hours/days does it really take to manufacture an umbrella from scratch? Does it really take approximately 240-320 hours (6-8 weeks)? If Fox and James Smith can do it in less than two weeks, while Swaine uses 6-8 weeks, I'm guessing either Swaine is lying about it being mostly production time, or J. Smith and Fox are taking significant shortcuts. Anyone able to shed some light?

different production scale, different range of products and that’s it.

 

[Lucy J]

Beautiful umbrella and I see that it has 10 ribs instead of the usual 8. My Longchamp walking umbrellas (I have 2) are 10-rib and they feel super strong when the wind gets up. Does anyone else have a 10-rib brolly and what's your opinion on the effect of the extra ribs on the strength of the frame?

 

[Lucy J]

Was referring to the Heurtalt umbrella in Newcomer's post a few posts back......!

 

[logboy]

Beautiful umbrella and I see that it has 10 ribs instead of the usual 8. My Longchamp walking umbrellas (I have 2) are 10-rib and they feel super strong when the wind gets up. Does anyone else have a 10-rib brolly and what's your opinion on the effect of the extra ribs on the strength of the frame?

i wouldn't rely on it as a guide, even if there's a wide experience in someone out there with multiple expensive umbrellas, as heurtault's frames are sometimes (often?) old japanese parasol frames. my expectation of those would be they're not intended for high winds as a parasol has something of a different use. that said, even modern men's umbrellas in japan have many more ribs, so it could be hard to tell how modern and old compare, especially between men's and women's, and between new and old in production values. too many subtle variables i suspect. the bigger guide would perhaps be the quality of the steel and the manufacture of the frame, as well as the stick, the canopy. you'll never entirely win over the wind with an umbrella though, which is why i am always prepared to put a hood up and an umbrella down. not worth the risk in high winds.

 

[K. Nights]

Anyone have experience with Schirm Oertel umbrellas? How is the quality?

 

[Najnar]

Question from an umbrella noob: are nicer umbrellas actually better functionally (lighter, durable, or maybe don't break in the wind as much as inexpensive ones) or are they just "nice" in the way that much of expensive clothing, if we're not kidding ourselves, is just "nice"? I'm not stupid enough to throw shade on a bunch of umbrella afficionados, just curious.

 

[coloRLOw]

Question from an umbrella noob: are nicer umbrellas actually better functionally (lighter, durable, or maybe don't break in the wind as much as inexpensive ones) or are they just "nice" in the way that much of expensive clothing, if we're not kidding ourselves, is just "nice"? I'm not stupid enough to throw shade on a bunch of umbrella afficionados, just curious.

good question that i want to ask many times

because all my nicer umbrellas would leak in moderate rain, however those machine made ones sold in supermarket not.

 

[MrCat]

Wife got this beautiful Heurtalt for me. It is just spectacular.

I've handled a good deal of umbrellas and Heurtalt is so obviously a step above.

View attachment 1810997
View attachment 1810998

Oh, and shoutout to @RJman for sending me Heurtalt's direction 4-5 years ago when I last visited Paris.

Gorgeous. Your wife has excellent taste.

 

[Malthus101]

I have had a certain affinity for umbrellas, and have been collecting them over the past 20 years. I have picked-up 30+ over the years, and thought there must be other on SF who also have a similar interest in the brolly.

I thought I would start be sharing my SAB umbrella collection, 6 in all, and yes I know there are multiples.... but I like the POW and cherry ones.

View attachment 802895

From L-R Malaca POW, silver tip nylon canopy; Malaca POW,silver tip and silk canopy; Hickory solid stick with nylon canopy; Wanghee with blue nylon canopy; Cherry solid stick with nylon canopy; and Cherry solid stick with silk canopy.

Just found this thread - are you still on SF, OP? Can you tell me your thoughts on nylon vs silk canopies? I want a Briggs too but will probably just go with nylon. Still like to hear your opinion. And how's the cherry wood? My favourite. (if you already answer these questions, I'll probably find them in the next 23 pages!)