Pacific Northwest art has a long and vibrant history. Stretching back over ten thousand years, coastal tribes created artwork based on materials that they found locally and could trade with other tribes, such as copper and shells. When Europeans moved into the area, the artwork utilized products traded from the Europeans, including iron.
At David Morgan, our traditional jewelry has been made from patterns over a hundred years old. These traditional patterns were designed by Tlingit tribes. In the early 1900’s, Mayer Brothers, a jewelry manufacturer in Seattle, produced silver bracelets to sell to the Indians along the Pacific Northwest coast. These trade bracelets became favored items to be given away at potlatches. Production has continued to this day under a succession of manufacturing companies here in the Northwest.
Lovebirds Trade Bracelet, sterling silver. Designed by Bill Wilson, made in USA.
Pacific Northwest art continues to be vibrant and innovative today. Odin Lonning, a Tlingit from Juneau, is an award-winning artist who has designed several of our jewelry pieces, including the ever-popular Raven and the Box of Daylight.
Corrine Hunt has made a tremendous impact in the art world. She is also a Tlingit/Komoyue and a member of the Raven Gwa’wina clan. She designed the medals for the 2010 Winter Olympics. We are proud to sell items from her Spirit of the Wild collection.
Corrine Hunt Deerskin Wristlet. Spirit of the Wild Collection.
We are pleased to offer a range of trade bracelets and matching rings designed by Bill Wilson, a Tlingit raised in Hoonah, Alaska. The bracelets are struck from the original dies made in the early 1900’s for trade with the Indians of the Pacific Northwest. Typical of the early patterns, the bracelets are relatively narrow, with the design on the terminals. The bracelets and rings are available in sterling silver.
Christian White carved the argillite chess pieces of which we sell the Boma reproductions. He is a Haida from the island of Haida Gwaii, British Columbia.
Please enjoy this article about Christian White from the New York Times.
With David’s passing, it has given us pause to look back at our company throughout the years. David Morgan began as Austral Enterprises in 1962. Many items that found their way into the catalog began as unique items that David and Dorothy found in Wales. (David spent much time there over the years and could speak Welsh. He was a staunch advocate for Welsh independence.)
The photos below were taken from a catalog in 1980. The models are usually family and friends. Enjoy this blast from the past.
Welsh Fisherman’s Smock
Hickory Shirt (not the same maker of our current Hickory Shirt)
Medical Sheepskin
The Slouch (we still carry the Slouch, and nothing has changed on this Classic.)
And nothing has changed on caring for your Akubra!
David Morgan of Woodinville, WA died July 8, 2015. Born May 21, 1925 in Vancouver, Canada, David is survived by his wife of 62 years, Dorothy, their four children (Olwen (Robert Ruggeri); Barbara (Chip Zukoski); Meredith (Ed Orton) and Will), six grandchildren and one great grandchild.
David was a metallurgist by training and an entrepreneur by nature. He and Dorothy founded Austral Enterprises in 1962, which continues to this day as David Morgan, LLC.
David was kind, helpful, gregarious, generous, and an excellent problem-solver. He will be missed. The family wishes to express gratitude to Lawrence and Michelle’s Adult Family Home for the loving care they provided.
Services will be private. In lieu of flowers or contributions please do something kind or helpful in David’s name.
David W Morgan, co-founder of David Morgan LLC, died on July 8, 2015 at 90 years of age.
David was born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia. After receiving BSc and MASc degrees from the University of British Columbia, he moved to Ottawa to work for the Canadian Bureau of Mines. After two years there, David was awarded a bursary by the British Iron and Steel Research Association (BISRA) to study at Imperial College, London, from which he received a PhD in Physical Chemistry in 1952. While in London, he met his future wife, Dorothy Erickson. Dorothy, born and raised in Sydney, Australia, had come to London to work (and see the world) after World War II. David and Dorothy moved first to Canada then the United States, with employment at the Bureau of Mines, Kaiser Aluminum and the University of Washington, with stops in Ottawa, Spokane, Tacoma, New Orleans, Palo Alto and Seattle.
Interests and hobbies changed over the years, but David always followed them with passion. While in Louisiana, David noticed a turtle crossing the road. A few days later he noticed another turtle, and that it was different from the first. His curiosity was piqued, eventually resulting in a collection of 60 turtles and tortoises, a caiman, an alligator and a crocodile, all well cared for in the family basement. A trip to Australia led to the transfer of David’s reptiles to the Vancouver Aquarium. David was then instrumental in arranging the aquarium’s first acquisition of an Australian Lung Fish.
During the family trip to Australia in 1962, David discovered a whip making enterprise still operating as it had been during Victorian times. An engineer by training and vocation, and with a long interest in craftwork, he carried this interest back to the US. He and Dorothy imported a few whips for sale under the company name of Austral Enterprises. Our company name was changed to David Morgan in 1978, and to David Morgan LLC in 2014 when Will and Barbara Morgan formally acquired an interest.
Operated initially as a hobby while David pursued a career as a consulting metallurgist, we added Akubra hats, Australia’s top selling fur-felt hats, in 1965. A classic small family business, David and Dorothy operated out of the home. In the early days, hobby, business and family often intersected – ringside seats at the circus, provided by the lion and elephant trainers who purchased our whips and camping trips through Eastern Washington, stopping at saddleries and tack stores en route.
As David and Dorothy’s young family grew, each child contributed, first lacing dog boot sets (at $.02 per set!) and later braiding. It was all hands on deck during the years we sold the Akubra Slouch Hat to Eddie Bauer (who called it the “Digger Hat”), unpacking the boxes shipped by sea from Australia, brushing each hat, adding the puggaree and chin strap before shipping out.After too many customers had beaten a pathway to their home at inconvenient times, David and Dorothy opened their first warehouse and store, moving from a hobby to the full-fledged business it is today. For many years the business was located in Ballard, moving to our current location in Bothell in the 1980’s where we were one of the first occupants in the then-new business park.
David’s interest in leather, leatherwork and craftsmanship predates Austral Entreprises. While living in Ottawa, he tanned a deerskin, then fashioned his own jacket which he proudly wore with an Assumption sash he wove, shown above with a fire broom he crafted. When his eldest child Olwen arrived, David built a cradleboard similar to those used by many Native American tribes. David, Dorothy and Olwen went bathless for a week, as the headboard wood soaked in the tub so that it could be bent to the correct shape. David’s understanding of many crafts was deep. Before the time of Google, David was the go to source for answers about any number of craft related topics — Slate production in Wales, thatched roofs in England, ivory and jade carving, basket weaving and hat manufacturing to name just a few. David was a skilled carpenter, making beds, bureaus and bookshelves for his home, as well as custom computer desks for work which we are still using 30 years later.
Photography is one example of how David’s interests and skills intersected. As a consulting metallurgist, he needed to document various cracks, flaws and breaks in metallic objects in such a way that non-experts could understand. After the studio he used closed, he found it very difficult to communicate to other studios in Seattle exactly what needed to be shown in each print. He met this challenge by teaching himself how to develop and print his own photos. These skills were carried over to our business, where David for many years took almost all the photos. The switch to digital photography in later years freed up the women’s bathroom which had served double duty as David’s dark room. Although the family and friends used as models were most definitely not professional models, David’s attention to the salient details ensured our customers knew what they were buying. Almost all our photos are still produced in house, with first Mike Saltarelli then Will Morgan taking over from David.
Growth of the business has always reflected David’s interests. David’s mother could trace her ancestry back to 1066 when Hartlepool, England was founded. David’s father’s family had emigrated to Hartlepool from South Wales and David identified strongly with his Welsh ancestry. While in London working on his doctorate, David took Welsh lessons every Monday night. He enjoyed visiting Wales in later years, continued teaching himself Welsh and supporting the Welsh independence movement. He was an active member of the Puget Sound Welsh Association for many years. Starting in the early 1970’s, when Scottish and Irish goods were readily available in the US, David Morgan was the first to offer a selection of Welsh goods including books, music (vinyl records, then cassette tapes, then CDs), Celtic jewelry and Welsh woolens. An example of the crossroads between David’s practical outlook and engineering training and the company is the joy he took in offering items such as the Welsh Steelworker’s Vest, a shirt with large holes under the arms. To quote from David’s description of this vest in the 1976 catalog:
“A special vest, or undershirt, is made of 100% wool flannel for the Welsh steelworkers. This vest was developed from the traditional flannel vest to meet the rigorous needs of the steelworker facing the blazing heat of the furnace, with cold wind on his back, alternately sweating in the heat and chilled by the cold. The sleeves are loose for comfort. The back tail is longer than the front, to help it stay in place during hard work. Sleeve and body seams are kept unjoined for 2-1/2 inches at the armpit. The resulting large open gusset provides unusual ventilation, reduced bulk, and freedom from stress.”
As the business grew, so did David’s interest in braiding and leatherwork. During the 1960’s, he made several visits to Australia where he learned the leather and braiding trade from some of Australia’s top whipmakers. Along with the details of whipmaking they taught him the history behind whips and their uses. By the early 1970s the business had expanded to include braiding supplies and braided goods manufactured in David Morgan’s own leather workshop.
In 1973, the US placed an embargo on kangaroo skins and products, effectively stopping the supply of Australian whips and braided goods to the US. David decided to keep the trade going by crafting whips from domestic calf skin (kip). He produced an American style bull whip using an Australian braided belly construction. This whip style, the 450 Series, proved popular among stuntmen and performers and was used in the Indiana Jones movies. Once the embargo on kangaroo products was lifted in 1981, David switched to crafting these whips from the stronger kangaroo leather and the company renewed the importation of Australian leather goods. David shared his knowledge through his three books: Whips and Whipmaking, Braiding Fine Leather and Whips of the West.
The Indiana Jones movies were the catalyst for revitalizing an interest in whips. David’s No 455 10 ft Bullwhip became an icon when it was so skillfully woven into the story by Glenn Randall Jr, the stunt director for the first movie. It became a recognized part of the Indiana Jones character, and an ongoing factor in maintaining the suspense of the story. Whip shows, the sport of whip cracking and an interest in whips and leather braiding made a comeback, in large part due to David’s work – his braiding, his books and his willingness to personally teach and guide many others who have gone on to pursue braiding and leatherwork.
We supplied over 30 whips to the studio for the four Indiana Jones movies. The resulting publicity brought in more orders than we could easily handle. Even when we had a two to three year backlog of orders, David was adamant that we not increase the price unduly as he wanted those customers who appreciated the craftsmanship to enjoy the whips, not just the rich. Instead, he focused on continuing to produce quality whips and training the next generation of braiders. We are still producing these whips to David’s specifications and quality, with long time employee Meagan, grandson Alex and son Will all contributing to the effort.
David and Dorothy were always quick to adopt new technology that could help the business. The customer mailing list was computerized early on when personal computers first became available, using a CP/M operating system and 8” floppy disks. Our company was one of the first to offer online shopping in 1993. We have had a robust website ever since, with just a few exceptions. When the History Channel aired an “Extreme Marksman” segment about David and his whipmaking, our site was overwhelmed with the ensuing response!
David did not always follow his own advice. “Time is money” he would say, instructing us in how to braid efficiently. That advice fell by the wayside many times when he was helping store customers or answering the phone. It did not matter whether the customer bought nothing or a lot, David was willing to talk, discussing in depth the products we sell, the advantages of wearing hats to prevent skin cancer, or Welsh politics. He was generous with his time with customers interested in braiding and his whips, quite willing to demonstrate how to crack a whip inside our store (sometimes to the astonishment of other customers), or taking them back to his braiding hook for a lesson. The important factor was, to quote David again, “Our customers are nice people.”
In the last few years of his life, David was challenged first by Alzheimer’s disease and later by a stroke. Through determination and hard work, David regained enough strength after his stroke to enjoy walks through the neighborhood. With the gradually increasing challenges from Alzheimer’s, he was hard pressed to remember what he ate for breakfast, but still did contribute to our business with historical information and logical analysis on his good days, right up to the last week of his life. An example of the help he provided recently is a discussion of whether or not to drop a brand we had carried successfully for years. The pricing and availability considerations had changed, and although we had a loyal customer base, and could have kept on with the products, we knew our customers could obtain the same products more cheaply, and just as easily, elsewhere. David did not hesitate, just said we needed to drop the line as we couldn’t provide good value to our customers.
As a husband, father, mentor, colleague, entrepreneur, teacher and friend, David will be missed. We celebrate his life and his contributions to our family, our business and the many other lives that he touched.
We are fortunate here at David Morgan to be located near a small river called, “North Creek.” For many years the Army Corps of Engineers and the local municipal governments and businesses have worked to improve the quality of the watershed. Not only has the salmon population returned, but many other species have taken up residence along the creek and the adjoining ponds. Below are just a few species.
If you ever drop by our store, take a few minutes to take a walk on the paths along the North Creek!
In the days when hat stores were as common as coffee shops today, most hatters reserved a part of the store for renovating and shaping hats. While ninety percent of customers could walk out the door with a pre-blocked hat, the remainder needed extra shaping. Heads can range from slightly wide or long to potato-shaped.
The shape of the hat does not come from the crown. It is actually the brim that holds the shape. For example, when we steam a hat into a long oval, we smooth out the ripple that forms from deforming the shape of the brim.
The device used to modify a hat is called a conformitor. It is made up of two parts: the conformitor and the formillion. The conformitor sits atop the head, one quarter inch deeper than where the hat would sit. This pushes the keys out in accordance with the variations of the head, which moves the pins at the top.
A piece of paper called the conform is placed at the top and pushed onto the pins. Think of the paper as a negative. When removed, it is cut just barely outside the perforated ring. Then the formillion sits atop the paper conform. Each key is loosened and pushed inward till it just touches the edge of the paper. When all the keys are in place, the thumbscrews are tightened.
The formillion is placed inside of the hat after the brim has been warmed. Warming the felt softens the felt and makes it pliable.
Once inside, a device called a tolliker is used to push at the upper side of the brim. This smoothes out the brim, which then holds the crown shape.
The conformitor atop Will Morgan’s head.
Slipping the paper into place. The cork frame then is pressed down to get the conform.
Close-up of the conformitor with paper. The impression is called the conform.
Paper conform trimmed around the perforation made by the conformitor’s pins
Formillion keys aligned with the conform.
Formillion and conformitor
Conforms of various head shapes, taken from the book, “Scientific Hat Finishing and Renovating” by Henry L. Ermatinger, 1919. Many head shapes are uneven.
We were recently honored by the visit of two highly distinguished cowboy arts craftsmen.
Alfredo Campos, from Federal Way Washington, is one of the world’s foremost horsehair hitchers. In 1999 he was honored with a National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. David and Alfredo have known and encouraged each other for a very long time. Alfredo provided a quirt or two for our old Ballard store.
A couple of weeks ago Alfredo brought his Argentinian friend, Pablo Lozano to our new location in Bothell. He was accompanied by translator and Floridian cowboy Domingo Hernandez.
Pablo learned much of his craft from Luis Alberto Flores of Buenes Aires whom David had corresponded with from 1966 until recently. Luis Flores had hosted Bruce Grant in Argentina and taught him techniques which appear in the Encyclopedia of Leather and Rawhide Braiding. Pablo showed us a braid (using kangaroo leather!) that Bruce Grant had not documented in his book.
This ten foot bullwhip arrived for a fall replacement. The owner tells us that it was purchased in 1984 and put through heavy use. What a pleasure to see it in such excellent condition. Notice the darkness of the leather. This comes from both exposure to sunshine and the vigilant use of leather conditioner.
Joe Strain of Northern Whip Co stopped by the store last week and introduced us to his wife and daughter. Joe and David’s friendship goes back many years, when Joe was just beginning to braid whips. Meagan and Alex met Joe for the first time. A pleasant day for everyone!
“Provide a good hat at a decent price, and back it up with good service.” This philosophy has guided The David Morgan Company for over forty years. The good hat is the Akubra, an Australian hat maker since 1874 and an Australian icon.
David and his wife, Dorothy, started selling Akubras in the early 1960s. Their first wholesale hat went to Eddie Bauer who used it for a national print advertising campaign.
From the beginning, the partnership between David Morgan and Akubra has flourished. Both companies are, at the core, family run businesses. Several generations of the Keir family have run Akubra, while David and Dorothy are now passing the business on to their son, Will and daughter, Barbara. Family run businesses have both the advantage of continuity and a stronger relationship with customers.
Forty years in the business also means adaptability. Because of customer demand, the Imperial Quality Akubras are shipped with chin strap hooks. And each hat comes with a lining, also unlike their Australian counterparts. As early as 1996 the company realized the importance of the Internet and created an online presence. And, to accompany the latest Indiana Jones film, David Morgan acquired “The Adventurer”.
Will is confident that Akubras will supply more of the American market in the upcoming years. Despite the changes, the family philosophy of providing a good hat at a good price and backing it up with good service, will never change.
