New-York tribune., 1908-10-04
THE PERRIN GLOVE.
Gro7cth Of Industry Founded by
WIdO7c and Three Sons

Nearly half = century ago. in 1859 there lived in
CIrenoble France widow and three sons. named
Perrin Even at that early date Grenobe was the
recognized centre Of the glove making INDUSTRY
and il was only natural that the Perrins took up
the occupation nearest TO hand and started in 10
manufacture kid gloves. The manufacture or
gloves in those days was vastly different from
what 1t I'm these days of intricate machinery ana
improved methods. Then the gloves were mace
entirely by hand every stitch meaning the motion
Of human fingers But with the advent Of ma
chinery and labor saving devices. gloye-making ad
vanced steadily until it reached the present state
of perfection
The Perring did not continue alone in their mod
est venture for long As the quality of their wares
became known they were compelled 10 add TO their
forces and the growth Of the firm has now reached
such 4 stage that their factory in GrenoDle gives
employment to over six hundred hands, in addition
over two thousand people who Work ior the nIlh
in their homes.
The firm of Y. Perrin & Gle. consists at the pres
ent time of The only remaining son, Valerten Per
rim, and his nephew. L. A. Douillet. In addition to
the principal factory at Grenoble there is supple
mentary factory at La Mure, France
The output of these factories is handled through
branch Offices New York, London Montreal.
Paris and Grenoble, the headquarters. The Perr1ns
cover tie different countries by means of thor
oughly organized corps of travellers, who keep in
touch with the trade by personal visits The men
who the American territory, seven in num-
ber are statesmen who have grown up in the bust
Z
headquarters at the New YOrk Office, Nc. 80 Union
Square. The Canadian field force numbers four
It is larger than the United States force be-
cause the smaller Canadian towns and settlements
are covered, while the larger cities. those having
I population of one hundred thousand and over
principally considered here The two Paris offices
are at No 40 Avenue de TOpera and No II Rue
d'Hauteville while the London headquarters are
at No Wood street. Z. G.
Jules Matagrin, the manager of the American end
of fna brSiD has Civ n
! nation the glove industry in general and
the business of this firm in particular.
out all the skins used in the manufacture of
the millions Of pairs Of gloves each year, nine
tenths those of kids These skins princi-
pay from France, Switzerland the north Of Italy,
and the south of Germany. Ths other tenth
lamb skins The kid skins manufactured into
what are generally known dressed kids; that is.
gloves with smooth surface. The unfinished
undressed kids, as they are called made from
skins which come principally from the Canary Is-
ands and South America The these skins
are available only for unfinished undressed kid
gloves is because burrs. brambles and thorns get
into the coats of the animals and make the hides
rough
In the beginning the Perrins confined themselves
almost exclusively TO making dressed kid gloves 10
which they gave the trade of Pque Kid. In
the early days Of the industry few children kid
gloves, although the smaller sizes were made, the
manufacturers being only too glad to utilize the
pieces of skin TOO small for adult gloves in making
juvenile sizes.
After the leather has been dressed or tawed it
is dyed stained. and then the skin is ready for
the glove cutter. The different steps after this
vove working the shape frank into the fin
ished product. Most manufacturers buy their skins
from leather merchants after they have been
dressed. but Y. Perrin & Gle buy their skins in
the and have them dressed in their own fac
tories.
Naeren Perrin, who looked after the business
end Of the enterprise more particularly made a trip
IN sarsr. Sfsrf
Then he established the American branch The
business here grew such proportions that in
/ 1850 Nj DOuillet took charge OF the American
branch and remained until 1860. The present man
ager Mr.. Matagrin came New York in 1903 and
1 has been twenty-five years with the firm in yari-
Gus capacities in France and abroad. He made
triis for the firm TO Canada. Mexico, Australia and
various countries in Europe
Nc" 1orkers nave for years been familiar with
the I'd street retail establishment of Y Perrin 6
ole- Whch has taken care of the demand for the
Perrin glove in New York. 1t has been found
however, that many calls are constantly made In
F the large department stores for their gloves and
as 1t was not possible to have stores handle
the gloves and consistently continue the retail
store v Perrin q Gle have arranged to sell their
retail business 10 James McCreery d Co This
new arrangement goes into effect Oh October )
when the gloves VIII be on sale at botb tho NJ
tfsery stores and also at the O'Neil-Adans stores
Mt Matasrln spoke of the growing and very wide
demand for the Perrin glove. lie pointed out that
whereas in former years the wearing of y,ovas
was considered obligatory ONLY in cortatr, -
OF society, to-day millions OF people who for,,eT,
/ considered them luxuries which could readily, :,
/ ioregohe now look on them an iadist.nsahl hl.
part Of the wardrobe and necessity The AVERAGE
person desires to express his refinement or nros
perity in his clothing than he used TO do
I and of the first essentials for rroper stree.
garb is undoubtedly gloves.