English umbrellas: a rare and unique expertise

The english umbrella is a luxury accessory. Its brass finish and carbon fiber ribs make it the ultimate high-end umbrella.. What makes it special is that it's made from a single piece of curved solid wood which we adapt to the height of each customer. It can be used for walking (just like a cane, but more elegant), which sets it apart from all other umbrellas. It represents the top-of-the-range model in our business, and is almost impossible to find in France and Europe.

What is an English umbrella?

An umbrella designed to walk like a walking stick

This «English-frame umbrella» is made from a single piece of wood, unlike other «classic-frame umbrellas». This gives it add strength since the handle is integral with the shaft. The runner, the notch and the umbrella top are made of brass, which absorbs shocks without wearing out the umbrella's mechanism over years of use and long walking distances.

The English umbrella: a luxury umbrella

Due to the complexity of its manufacture, the quality of its wood and its brass parts, it is almost impossible to find in France, which makes it a luxury umbrella. Only carcass makers who are fully conversant with every stage in the manufacture of an umbrella mechanism know how to make it. These steps can only be learned in a workshop that not only has all the necessary skills, but also the tools to make them.

How are English umbrellas made?

A natural wood that must be harvested, straightened and dried

Before bending and turning, young shoots of wood have to be picked, straightened, dried and varnished - the very beginning of the process. It takes several months to obtain the finished product and sometimes Mother Nature can be capricious: depending on the climate, the wood is of varying quality! This explains why our wood varieties are sometimes out of stock on our website, while nature does its work.

Solid wood bent and turned in a single piece

Bending the wood is cabinetmaking. This umbrella is unique in that that the wood is bent and turned in the same piece. Unlike a walking stick, which has the same thickness between the handle and the shaft. For these reasons, this very specific type of wood is extremely difficult to obtain.

In the old days in France before the 80s, we could buy our bentwood in the Jura region, where there were several suppliers who could supply umbrella manufacturers. But when the umbrella factories closed due to competition from low-end umbrellas in supermarkets, all the suppliers closed and the know-how (with the machines) was lost.

Fortunately, a handful of manufacturers in Europe have managed to preserve their know-how and tools and continue to offer this very special wood.

The making of the English umbrella

After months of waiting to receive our wood, we're finally ready to start making it into an umbrella. You'll notice the difference in thickness between the handle and the mast, which is what makes this umbrella so special (unlike a cane, which is the same thickness everywhere, or another umbrella which is made of two pieces of wood).

Manufacture of the frame with canvas assembly and ironing before sale:

1. Milling the shaft in preparation for fitting the springs
2. Fitting the springs (which open and close the umbrella)
3. Fitting the brass nut and runner
4. Assembling the 8-rib carbon fiber bundle
5. Canopy manufacture
6. Fitting the canopy to the frame

English umbrella wood types

This is the only umbrella with which you can choose your wood type. You can choose between chestnut, chestnut with a root, congo (a chestnut with knots that is scarified as it grows) and hazelnut. There's no difference in strength between the different woods, so it's mainly a question of aesthetics. So find the one that suits you best!

Where are English umbrellas made?

In Poitiers, at the François umbrella factory

At François, we've been making this umbrella for generations in our family. It represents the top-of-the-range umbrella and showcases the mastery and skills of an umbrella maker, thanks to its exceptional materials and finishes. English umbrellas: a rare and unique expertise!

Looking to buy an English umbrella?

Come and visit our store in Poitiers or buy one from our website. Whether on site or in our store, you'll need to choose your fabric, your wood, and indicate your size so that we can adjust it to your height to make your long walks as pleasant as possible!

English umbrellas: a rare and unique expertise that you'll find at Fabrique de parapluies François in Poitiers, in the Nouvelle Aquitaine region of France!