Among the graffiti and urban art of Williamsburg, there is a remnant of wall art from an earlier Brooklyn. Almost faded from living memory are the original graphics from 1920s and 1930s. If you look hard enough you can see the original signage of Korchin Smoked Fish and Montrose Smoked Fish on the exterior of the building.
It has a "bad boy" reputation as part of its history. In 1935, the Department of Agriculture filed a lawsuit claiming the olive oil being sold was mostly cottonseed oil. In 1944, they were indicted with many other smoked fish firms for price-fixing. In 1950, a major fire that made the front page was “blamed on burglars”.
In 1990, the building was abandoned. Only defunct fish-smoking ovens and broken moving racks remained, destined to be scrap metal. It was junked in every sense, except for a single human artifact. Discovered high on the top shelf and camouflaged with paper bags was a carefully preserved stainless steel Whiting & Davis safety glove.
Concealed from the stress of time, it was a coveted and treasured piece of workwear of which the unknown guardian had lovingly preserved.
The incredible quality of this chain metal glove encompasses the industrial design legacy of Whiting & Davis – In the 1880s, Charles A. Whiting was just a boy who quickly advanced from artisan and salesman to Company Representative in just ten years. In 1892, he constructed by hand the first Whiting & Davis handbag from metal mesh. By 1912, he had patented and designed the first machines for producing metal mesh. This transition from hand-made to machine-made mesh products was a lucrative invocation. His business quickly became successful in making high-end fashion jewelry and bags. In the late 1920s, a request came from Flat Creek Mink Fur Farm to create a special pair of gloves made out of the metal mesh. Minks bite, thus safety gloves.
This piece of history was more than likely unknown to the caretaker of the stainless steel glove. To this worker, the metal glove’s value is more than monetary. It is a tribute to the care of restaurateurs, chefs, line cooks, brewmasters who work in the back of the kitchen to feed the hungry public. It is an art that is never lost.
This Legacy is how I wish others to understand the BOH staff, to walk in their shoes, and maybe even to use their glove, so to speak.
Retro metal mesh Dress Whiting & Davis/ Absolut Vodka
Whiting & Davis Couture jewelry and handbags Manufacturing.
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Industrial metal butchers apron with Whiting & Davis safety glove.