Whips of the West
Whips of the West: an Illustrated History of American Whipmaking
This book by D.W. Morgan is designed to bring together and record the development of whips in the United States. It covers the production of buggy whips in Westfield MA, a center for the growth of the Industrial Revolution in New England and carries on to the Diamond Whip Company in Chicago and the handcrafted whips of the far West.
The book is liberally illustrated and records essential historical documentation in the appendices. Paperback, 154 pp.
Sales of books are final. No returns or exchanges allowed.
Whips of the West: an Illustrated History of American Whipmaking
This book by D.W. Morgan is designed to bring together and record the development of whips in the United States. It covers the production of buggy whips in Westfield MA, a center for the growth of the Industrial Revolution in New England and carries on to the Diamond Whip Company in Chicago and the handcrafted whips of the far West.
The book is liberally illustrated and records essential historical documentation in the appendices. Paperback, 154 pp.
Sales of books are final. No returns or exchanges allowed.
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Table of Contents
Preface vii Introduction 1 Chapter 1 Population and Movement West 4 Chapter 2 The Industrial Revolution in America 8 Chapter 3 The Buggy Whip Industry 10 Chapter 4 Wagon Whips and Oxen Whips 25 Chapter 5 Machine Braiding-Diamond Whip Co 36 Chapter 6 Snake (Shot) Whips-Main and Winchester 50 Chapter 7 Regional and Local Whipmakers 56 Appendices Appendix A Westfield, The Whip City', Picturesque Hampden 73 Appendix B Westfield, The 'Whip City', Western New England 86 Appendix C Cargill, Cleveland + Company Catalog 96 Appendix D Still the Whip City, Harold J Martin, Westfield Whip Mfg. Co, Inc. 125 Appendix E Excerpts from Main and Winchester Saddlery Catalog 131 Appendix F Diamond Whip Co. Catalog 136 References 152 -
David W. Morgan
David W. Morgan, author of Whips and Whipmaking, Braiding Fine Leather, and Whips of the West, became interested in the subject of whips and leathercraft during a trip to Australia in the early 1960s. At that time whipmaking was an active trade there and he was able to meet a number of whip makers such as Burt Hill, Tom Hill, and W. Millowick, studying their craft in person and later through correspondence.
On returning to the U.S. he and his wife Dorothy began Austral Enterprises, importing braided leather goods from Australia. The name of the company was changed to David Morgan to reflect the broader range of items offered as the business grew, but kangaroo hide whips were still featured.
In 1976 the US government banned the importation of kangaroo so David turned to supplying the demand for whips in the US by making his own in calf skin. By the time the ban was lifted there were far fewer whipmakers active and he thought to write the book Whips and Whipmaking to better document the craft.
In 1981 the first Indiana Jones movie was released featuring one of David's whips, and that movie, with the others following in the series, along with the readier dissemination of information over the internet, have helped fuel a resurgance in whip making. Throughout his study and practice at whipmaking David shared his knowledge generously by letter, telephone and in person as well as by writing the three books on the topic, enabled by others who likewise shared their knowledge and many examples of leather craft from all around the world.
For more information about David W. Morgan please visit David W. Morgan. For behind-the-scene peeks at our company, please visit Our Blog.
