GLOVES have been a hot topic this year – from dipped latex, nitrile or vinyl to hardwearing PPE. They may not be considered quite the fashion accessories they were in the 1800s but in 2020 we have certainly seen new appreciation for them as a functional object.

The origins of gloves were utilitarian, and it is this that fuels the market for gloves today.

Sport is a huge investor in gloves and improvements in their design. Football, golf and skiing all require protective performance barriers that are hardwearing, pliant and breathable. They are also items that the amateur and professional are prepared to pay a higher price for if it improves their game.

Gloves are used extensively by our medical profession, construction industry and other key personnel such as firefighters and the military. All have different requirements and need gloves in large quantities.

Gardeners needs gloves to protect their hands when pruning the roses and we curators wear gloves to protect museum objects from our own skin.

It is for these many reasons that the humble glove has evolved but never disappeared, retaining its original purpose as practical protection for the hands.

As winter takes hold, many of us find ourselves looking through drawers and coat pockets for our gloves, long forgotten since last spring.

Worcester may have ceased making gloves, but when it did, it produced a world-renowned multitude of practical and fashionable pieces to combat the cold.

These fur gauntlets are made by both Fownes and Dents using a variety of materials including fur, leather, and wool.

A warm woollen or fur outer was usually paired with a leather palm for durability, with thin woollen inner lining for comfort and added insulation.

As was usual for Dents and Fownes, they experimented with a large variety of designs including coloured wools, varieties of fur and myriad of leather accessories, buckles, buttons and clasps.

You will probably not be wearing fur gauntlets in 2020, but they are a perfect demonstration of the incredible creativity and talent of Worcester’s

glove-making community. We hope you look forward to donning your winter gloves and visiting us when we reopen our doors soon.

Our elves are working hard to decorate our museums for Christmas, and we have many festive shopping events, craft activities, and exhibitions for you to enjoy too!

Visit museumsworcestershire.org.uk/whats-on/ to plan a December full of festive fun.