Overview: ‘Floreat Aula’ is a unique and high-quality silk pocket square in gold, red & blue with a hand-sewn hem featuring the crest of St Edmund Hall, Oxford. It was created in collaboration with St Edmund Hall to help College fundraising and is being sold on a pre-order basis (see below for full details). Presented in a complimentary gift box. Made in England. Size 42cm x 42cm (16.5" x 16.5").
'Floreat Aula' is being sold on a pre-order basis. The pre-order period runs until close of play on Monday 21st April. Orders paid for during the pre-order period will be delivered during the last week of June/the first week of July and will benefit from the special price of £65 per pocket square instead of £75 (which is the price after the pre-order period). Pre-order online or alternatively call 07711 675545 to pre-order.
Free UK shipping for pre-order product deliveries.
Design, Inspiration & Quality: 'Floreat Aula’ ('May the Hall flourish') is a unique and high-quality full-size silk pocket square, Made in England. It was created in collaboration with Oxford University's oldest educational establishment, the picturesque St Edmund Hall, to help much needed College fundraising in support of students, restoration of historic buildings and general development of facilities. Otway & Orford will donate 50% of profits from total sales to the College's HALLmarks campaign.
The 'Floreat Aula' pocket square design reproduces a stained glass window concept for the College chapel, created in watercolour by Allan Constance Gardner. The lovely design features the St Edmund Hall crest, complete with red cross on a gold shield and the distinctive black choughs.
Allan Constance Gardner's connection with St Edmund Hall, Oxford was that his cousin, Arthur Erskine Ellis, has been an undergraduate there during the 1920s. Gardner was sadly killed during the 1943 Sicily landings and his delicate watercolour of the, as yet unrealised, stained glass chapel window was acquired at some point by the College. Allan Constance Gardner's watercolour is used for the 'Floreat Aula' pocket square with kind permission of his family.
During 2012 and prior to knowing anything of the origins of a College crest watercolour in the Hall's art collection, the Principal of St Edmund Hall, Professor Keith Gull FRS, visited Sir Richard and Lady Wendy Gardner in North Yorkshire. Sir Richard is a talented water-colourist and the Principal enquired as to the source of his talent. The answer was Sir Richard's father, who was killed during the Sicily landings just a few months before Sir Richard's birth. A week later back at the Hall, the Principal was examining a newly re-framed watercolour of the College crest that he and Picture Fellow, Dr Jonathan Yates, had recently selected from the College picture store for display in the Principal's lodgings. On turning the picture over, the inscription read, "Arms of St Edmund Hall designed as a stained glass window by Allan Constance Gardner (killed in invasion of Sicily). Cousin of Arthur Erskine Ellis (matriculated 1921)." Sir Richard Gardner later remarked that the discovery was, "truly amazing."
In Macclesfield, the home of English silk printing, the artwork for 'Floreat Aula' is reproduced with great care. This enables an excellent balance of design colour & clarity between the printed and reverse sides of the AAA quality Mulberry silk twill, ensuring the pocket square looks perfect whichever fold is used. The image is framed by the pocket square’s gold border and the skilfully hand-rolled & hand-sewn 'shoestring' hem in red. The overall quality of this pocket square from the UK's leading maker is what you would normally expect to find only on London's Savile Row or Jermyn Street.
Gift Presentation: ‘Floreat Aula’ is presented tissue-wrapped in a complimentary Otway & Orford branded gift box with its blueberry-coloured lid and pale blue base.
We also offer a chargeable gift-wrapping service. We can wrap your free gift box with smart wrapping paper & hand-tied satin bow as well as add a personal message into the gift box. Price £6. Click here for more details and to order our special gift-wrapping.
Price/Taxes: Pocket squares sold to outside the UK are provided on a DDU basis (Delivery Duties Unpaid). See below and 'Shipping Services' for more information.
Delivery: 'Floreat Aula' is being sold on a pre-order basis. The pre-order period runs until close of play on Monday 21st April. Orders paid for during the pre-order period will be delivered during the last week of June/the first week of July and will benefit from the special price of £65 per pocket square instead of £75 (which is the price after the pre-order period).
