The History of Hunting Clothes, a Fedora Lounge Guide

Duxbak of Utica, New York was at one time one of the largest and highest quality manufacturers of hunting garments in the country.

The story begins with businessman Quentin McAdam (b.1851, d. 1919). McAdam started with his uncle's company, Buckingham & Mitchell in 1867. By 1879, he bought out the company and renamed it, Quentin McAdam, wholesale notions. The company went through a series of partnerships and buyouts, becoming McAdam & Hart, then McAdam & Rathbun, then Rathbun & Company after McAdams departure. McAdam founded the Riverside Manufacturing Company of 3-5 Meadow Street, Utica, a manufacturer of "Workingman's Clothes", primarily overalls. McAdam sold Riverside to his business partners in 1899 and founded the Utica Knitting Company, which became one of the largest knitting mills in the country. While managing that concern, he was also president of Duxbak for a time.

Albert G. Jones (b.1856, d. 1928) started with Buckhingham & Mitchell in 1872, staying with it as a traveling salesman through the various changes in ownership until 1904. McAdam and Jones were among the organizers of the Commercial Travelers' Accident Association in 1883, McAdam held the number 68 in that organization, Jones held no. 70. Within two years, 100,000 more had joined.

Jesse S. Bird had been superintendent at at McAdam's Riverside Mfg. Co. workwear factory, with years of experience in manufacturing. Bird came up with the Duxbak name, though newspaper reports of how and where vary wildly from telling to telling, but all point to it having to do with their canvas being resistant to the elements like water off a duck's back.

Harry B. Kenyon (b.1870, d. 1940) started with McAdam & Rathbun in 1885 and became a partner in 1893, working alongside Jones and McAdam.



In 1903, Jesse Bird, Harry Kenyon and Albert Jones produced their first canvas hunting clothes. The company officially formed in 1904 as Bird, Kenyon & Jones. Their first factory was located at 4 Blandina Street, Utica, New York in the former J.A. Williams building. In addition to manufacturing hunting and outing clothes under the Duxbak and Kamp-It labels, Bird, Kenyon & Jones produced overalls under the Padlock Brand label in their early years.

Some later sources claim that Duxbak invented the hunting jacket. This is, of course, false, but they were among the first to produce a high quality version, and innovated many features which came to define the style. They used a fine grade of canvas which had been Cravenette processed for water repellency. They were also early producers of what they called, "outing clothing", which would spawn an entire industry of purpose-built hiking and camping clothing. Early campers and hikers in the Adirondack region would simply wear an old set of clothes or suit in their outdoor pursuits. Duxbak saw the need for specialty outdoor wear and introduced their Kamp-It brand, which included an extensive lineup for women.

By 1908, Bird, Kenyon & Jones had outgrown their factory and expanded to the old Utica Casket Co. warehouse, located at 5 Hickory Street (later renamed to Noyes St.) The three story building had been moved to that site years earlier in three sections by canal from a location out of town.

In December of 1916, Jones bought out his business partners and reorganized under the name Utica Duxbak Corp. From this point on, it was a true family business, upon reorganization, the officers were, Ralph McAdam Jones, president; Wardwell Willoughby Jones, vice president; Albert Grosh Jones, treasurer and general manager; and Carlton Bucher Jones, secretary and assistant treasurer.

Left: 1904-1916, Middle: 1920s, Right: Late 1920s-early 1930s



Left: c.1910s, Middle: 1920s-1940s, Right: 1950s


Left: 1930s, Middle: 1930s-1940s, Right: 1930s-1940s



In the decades that followed, Duxbak expanded their line to include wool hunting gear, produced under the Utica label, with fabric sourced from the Newton Woolen Mills of Homer, New York. Company literature claims they were the first to add leather reinforcement to hunting pants as protection against brush and brambles. They were also supposedly the first to introduce camouflage hunting gear.

Duxbak released a number of fabrics for and sub-lines of their coats over the years, including, "Mohawk", "Montana Cloth", "Sahib Poplin", "Caprolan Nylon", "Mains'le Cloth" and "Bobcat".

During WWII, Duxbak contracted to the Army, but heavily promoted their existing hunting coats as workwear for shipbuilders and workers in airplane plants. Their hunting coat and hat wearing duck mascot was introduced c.1954 and the stylized duck logo was introduced in 1969 and used through to their closure.



Their own quality may have contributed to their downfall. The heavy canvas and overengineered workmanship of Duxbak coats means they survived decades of heavy usage. In the 1920s and 1930s, Duxbak would advertise their product by hanging heavily worn examples from their earliest days in their display window; coats and vests which had outlived their original owners and were still in serviceable condition. In my vintage dealing, I regularly find Duxbak products from the 1920s with hunting licenses or objects in the pockets dating from the 1950s or 1960s. With no fashion world to contend with, Duxbak coats were passed down generation to generation.





They advertised themselves with pride as not just as the makers of the highest quality hunting gear on the market, but also the most expensive. Japanese and Korean made canvas hunting clothes flooded the market starting in the 1960s. Generally, it was made from thin canvas with simple details and was sold at a low price. Many US based canvas hunting clothes makers struggled to compete.

Duxbak remained a family owned business for over 80 years, with 3rd generation Gilbert Jones at the helm beginning in 1958. In 1986, facing serious financial problems, Duxbak sold to Holland Apparel of Fitzgerald, Georgia. The company had shrunk to 60 employees by the time the Utica concern was closed, with 35 in manufacturing and 25 in the offices and warehouse. Walls Industries of Texas bought the Duxbak brand name somewhere between 1990 and 1993 and continued production, with Cabelas as a major distributor. Walls was purchased by Williamson Dickie Holding, owners of Dickies workwear, in 2013. In time for the 100th anniversary of the company, Williamson Dickie quietly discontinued the brand without public announcement.

 

Drybak was a manufacturer of hunting clothing located in Binghamton, New York with factory at 168 Water street and later 67 Frederick Street. Early articles put their founding in 1904, while later advertising claims 1900.

From a 1950 article on Drybak, largely quoting a 1930 article on the company's early years
The, "origin of the company dates back to the turn of the century when the Dimmick-Sheldon firm moved here from Newark, NJ. The company made footballs, hunting clothing, uniforms and similar products. It was combined with a local concern, Clark & Turner Co., that made flags, tents, awnings and leggings. The reorganized Sheldon Co. shortly went into bankruptcy and Lewis M. Weed of the old James B. Weed Co. took over its assets. The name of the firm was changed to Lewis M. Weed Co. [Henry] Munger and the late Herman A. Speh bought the firm in 1922. In 1930, Haskell & Davids, Binghamton pants manufacturers and Drybak were merged.

Drybak was given its present name in 1926 in order to capitalize on the company's trade slogan, Dry Back or Money Back."
The firm operated in three buildings on Water Street before it was move to its present location in 1936, at which time it employed 200 workers. The Frederick Street factory, one of the most modern clothing plants in the East, was built by Dunn and McCarthy, Inc., shoe manufacturers, in 1929. The firm sold the plant to Drybak in a move to consolidate its operations at its Charlotte Street Plant."

Labels, 1910s-1920s


In 1950, Henry Munger, who bought the firm in 1922, retired and sold his controlling shares in the company to women's clothing company M.C. Schrank of Bridgeton, New Jersey. In late 1952, Drybak acquired noted outerwear brand, Albert Richard and shifted their manufacture previous owner Fried Ostermann's factory in Milwaukee to one of M.C. Schrank's factories in New Jersey with plans to eventually move production to Drybak's factory in Binghamton. Labels were changed during that period to read, "Albert Richard by Drybak".

Labels, 1930s-1950s. Label on the right is the most common


In a bid to lower costs, Drybak sold their Binghamton factory in 1954 to the Link Aviation Co., discontinued all operations in New York, and closed a secondary factory in Susquehanna, Pennsylvania. In 1955, Drybak acquired the Martin Mfg. Co. in Martin, TN and relocated their manufacturing to the Tennessee plant to take advantage of the lower labor costs in the south.

By 1965, Drybak had been acquired by the Brunswick Corporation of bowling alley fame and production had moved to existing Brunswick factories in Eminence, Kentucky and Chicago, Illinois. Around the same time, Brunswick had also acquired one of the other notable hunting garment companies, Red Head Brand. Production of Drybak goods continued for several years, but the brand appears to have been dropped around 1967-1968 so as not to compete with Red Head.

Labels, 1960s

 

E.C. Cook & Bro. was founded in Chicago c.1867 by E.C. Cook (b.1845) and his brother F.W. Cook. They were manufacturers of awnings, tents, waterproof wagon,horse and truck covers, flags, banners and canvas signs. Later they expanded range to include hunters' and tourists' outfits, including jackets, cartridge vests, leggings, hats, gun and rifle covers, holsters, belts, cartridge belts, rod cases, and boots.

The Red Head brand name first used 1908. In 1915, a half million dollar contract for boots for the British Army was rejected and the company was forced into bankruptcy. Former employee S. Theodore Anderson, who had been with Cook since 1885 became president of the new Alward Anderson Southard Co, formed along with Charles H. Southard and Edward Hendrickson (with Cook since 1897). The new company took over the closed factory, located at 925 W. Chicago Ave, hired 100 new workers, and resumed production of the defunct Cook's lines.

Left: 1910s, Middle: 1920s, Right: 1930s


In 1931, Theodore Anderson died and the company was taken over by his widow, Alma Anderson. The company grew and flourished under her ownership and management, opening a new factory in 1940 at 4300 Belmont Ave. and expanding employment to over 500.

Left: 1930s, Middle: 1930s-1940s, Right: 1940s-1950s


Anderson died in 1956 and the company was taken over by Clarke F. Hine. Red Head was purchased by the Brunswick Blake Collender Co, of bowling ball fame, in December 1959. Brunswick purchased the DryBak company several years later, selling both company's similar hunting lines for a time in the 1960s.

Left: 1950s, Middle: 1960s-c1980s, Right: modern


In 1970, Red Head Brand was again sold and operations relocated to 4949 Joseph Hardin Dr Dallas, Texas.

The brand is currently owned by Bass Pro shops. They have been marketing Red Head as a "heritage brand", though they do no market any vintage style products, and put the company's origin in 1856, a date which has no relation anything.

 

The Hettrick Mfg. Co. was founded in 1893 (or 1891, depending on the source) in Toledo, Ohio as a manufacturer of canvas goods, largely awnings and wagon covers.



In 1921, they launched the "American Field" line of hunting garments. A bit of a late comer to the hunting game, they advertised their coats as designed by an "old timer". Their factory was located at 1401 Summit Street, Toledo, Ohio. Unlike most of the other manufacturers of hunting clothes, Hettrick maintained their other interests after entering the hunting market, producing everything from canvas lawn chairs to tricycles.

1930s-1940s labels


1940s-1950s labels


Hettrick was purchased by the F&M Real Estate Company of Lowell, MA and in 1962, Hettrick closed its Ohio factories and moved to Statesville, NC to take advantage of the lower cost of manufacturing in the south. They moved production into the factory of the Empire Manufacturing Corp, who continued producing their own line from the same plant, with a secondary factory in Pink Hill, NC. It is unclear whether they were purchased by Empire, sources are conflicting. Empire ran a strongly anti-union shop, threatening employees in 1968 that if they unionized , they, "would do as up North, hire n. . . and put them on machines with you". They were sued by employees, the threats were found to be unlawful and the case was used as an example in a Congressional subcommittee on labor.

1960s-1970s labels


Shortly thereafter, in 1969, American Field was acquired by the Olin Corporation, manufacturer of Winchester rifles. In 1970, the Hettrick divistion acquired the J. W. Johnson Co of Bellwood, Ill and Dickey Oakwood Corp of Oakwood, Ohio. In 1971, Hettrick merged with Comfy Seattle Co and became Trailblazer by Winchester, "managing transactions for Comfy, the Turner Co., Olin Skiis, J.W. Johnson, Dickey Oakwood", as well as factories in Pink Hill, Statesville and one in Corcoran, California built in 1970. While Hettrick as a company was absorbed, the Hettrick brand continued to be produced, with production shifted to the Pink Hill plant, reflected on labels.

1970s-1990s labels


By the 1980s, the operation had been sold again, to WeatherShield Sports Equipment, Inc. (founded 1951) at Petoskey Rd. At Mercer Blvd., Charlevoix, MI. They lasted at least into the 1990s.