members of her family complete the glove in all its parts and deliver the finished article to the agent who in turn hands them to the manufacturer. „Kid“ gloves are of two principal kinds, glacé and Suède, according to the manner of dressing and finishing the leather used. Glacé gloves are those which are dressed, dyed, and polished on the hair or outer side of the skin, while Suède gloves are carefully pared and smoothed ,and dayed on the inner side of the skin for their purpose, and thus present the appearance of fine Chamois.
The annual production amounts to 730.000 dozens, valued at ₤ 600.000.
A girl working 2 hours a day at „tambour“ work can make from five to six dozens of gloves for which she receives from 1 s. to 1 s. 2 d., so that the average earnings are 5 s. 10 d. per week. But this is not the finished article, they have to be sewn, bodered and the button-holes made and buttons sewn on. There is a mode of stitching peculiar to several places, thus at Dobříš the „back stitch prevails, while at Hostomic“ the danish stitch is the rule.
At Příbram, sewing machines are much in evidence, with its aid, the leather is quickly sewn, then speedily the glove is hemmed, button-holed and furnished with buttons.
In the district of Beroun, Dobříš, Hořovice, Blatná and Příbram, quite an army of women are employed at this work, their numbers being from 10 to 11.000.
There are many German manufacturers who give out work in these districts, the agents providing the sewing-machines on certain terms and keep them in working order. The export trade is chiefly to Germany and England.
We may here say that all the gloves undergo close inspection by women specially qualified for the duty. The manufacturers are not only desirous of maintaining their good reputation, but strive to add to it by increased care in the supervision of the work in its several stages and by technical lectures which they have induced the Technological Industrial Museum of the Chamber of Commerce and trades to arrange. These educational efforts already have produced good results and encourages us to hope that this trade will continue to grow and florish!
