Objects Database

Karrimor Oiled Cotton Mittens

Accession Number

295.2008.1

Object Name

Karrimor Oiled Cotton Mittens

Created

11/11/2008

Creator

Hermione Cooper

Accession Date

11/11/2008

Brief Description

Karrimor oiled cotton over mitts. Elasticised round wrist. Yellow pair has brown cotton wrist loops.

Materials

Oiled cotton

Dimensions

31 ( l ) cms

Number Of Objects

2 pair

Inscription Description

Label on inside of orange one reads "KP A KARRIMOOR PRODUCT HASLINGDEN LANCS - ENGLAND" with picture of an ice axe and mountains in background.
Labels on yellow pair "KARRIMOR"

Colour

a - orange b -yellow

Maker

Karrimor

Object Production Place

England

Provenance

Karrimor are probably better known for their vast range of rucksacks which have evolved over the decades, but they have also produced all kinds of clothing over the years; these two pairs of mittens being excellent examples. We reckon they date from the 1970’s, a time when Gore-Tex was yet to be invented and oiled cotton was one of the best waterproof materials around. It was widely used by the motorcycle fraternity but not so much by mountaineers since it was quite bulky and heavy, fairly expensive and any clothing tended to restrict movement; certainly in winter when it would freeze in temperatures around 0 C.
So this type of mitt had limited sales, were used by British climbers, but not much!
These ones are actually overmitts, needing something else inside. Climbers often used finger gloves inside so that they could slip the mitts off to use a compass etc.

Acquisition Date

11/11/2008

Condition Check Date

28/04/2009

Rules

Spectrum : UK Museum documentation standard, V.3.1 2007

Modified

28/04/2009

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