Melvill & Moon
Grogan Rucksack
Grogan Rucksack
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A rucksack is the perfect travel companion, keeping hands free for your phone or wallet or other necessity of the moment. The Grogan does it in true safari style. Made from the same hardcore canvas and leather as it was over a century ago. But timeless in terms of style and although quite unlike it's modern equivalent not out of place in the world of contemporary work and travel. It's named in honour of one of the last centuries truly romantic African pioneers.
Dimensions
- Length 35cm
- Width 16cm
- Height 41cm
- Weight 1.8kg
In the field
One of the most romantic stories of the grand safari era is that of Grogan. The intrepid suitor who walked from Cairo to Cape Town to prove his worth to a sceptical aristocratic future father-in-law. Grogan had been kicked out of Cambridge for lack of application ('pranking') and before that had been expelled from Winchester. This had then been followed by a brief stint at the Slade School as an aspirant artist before he became distracted by a misadventure in the Matabele war and an eventual role in the defence of Bulawayo where he became so ill, he was mistaken for dead and narrowly missed being buried alive.
Life became more serious when he fell head over heels in love with Gertrude Watt - the heiress and direct descendant of James Watt the Scottish inventor of the Steam engine. In between Grogan and the equally besotted Gertrude stood her stepfather who, based on the suitors track record, viewed Grogan's prospects with understandable scepticism. Grogan's proposal of being the first man to walk from Cairo to Cape Town as a way of proving his worth was accepted by the stepfather who reportedly felt that Grogan was signing his death warrant. Grogan's eventual triumph in an epic 2.5 year adventure that saw him overcome many challenges including hostile tribes, man eating lions and cannibals, not only secured Gertrudes hand in marriage but it made his name. He was granted an audience with Queen Victoria and was the youngest person ever to be invited to address the National Geographic Society. He and Gertrude travelled to America where they were feted by American society. They ended up living in Kenya where he became a leading figure in the settler community and in the development of the Kenyan economy.
Handcrafted in South Africa by Melvill & Moon. Made to order - please allow time for production.
Materials
Materials
Materials used to make Malawi Cane furniture include a local hardwood, bamboo cane and water reeds.
Shipping & Returns
Shipping & Returns
Malawi Cane has over a decade’s experience shipping around the world. So whether you need something delivered domestically in South Africa, or a container to Europe, we will take care of the logistics for you.
All our furniture is fumigated. In the unlikely event that you see signs of borer beetle (dust on the floor below the chair) within 6 months of purchase, please let us know and we will exchange the chair.
Dimensions
Dimensions
35 x 16 x 41 cm | 1.8kg
Care Instructions
Care Instructions
All Malawi Cane products are made using natural rattan from Malawi. As with any natural product, care should be taken when exposed to the elements. Varnish or paint treatment is recommended for outdoor patio use.
Without care, and if exposed to constant direct UV rays or rain, the chairs will eventually go a silvery / grey colour and deteriorate, offering a rustic, Provençal look.
To prolong the life of your Malawi Cane pieces, we recommend:
- Regularly dusting them with a dry soft cloth.
- For spots a little harder to get to, use a soft bristle brush.
- If it’s raining, keep them undercover. It’s important to keep them dry and avoid a build- up of moisture and mildew. If they do get damp or wet, simply dry them out on a warm, sunny day when you next can.
- If there is heavy or prolonged periods of rain or humidity, we recommend bringing your pieces indoors during that time.
Please note that if a dark ‘mould’ ever forms, this is usually superficial and can be scrubbed off using a spoon of oxalic acid (available at most hardware stores) mixed in 5L of water and then rinsed.
From Malawi to the world
It takes one person one week to make a single Malawi Chair. After that the artisans use bicycles to transport the furniture to our trucks, and then to our warehouse and quality control facility in Cape Town. From there we send out containers to the world.
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National and international shipping
Did you know Malawi Cane handles all shipping for clients throughout South Africa and the world? Get in touch to discuss.
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Hassle-Free Exchanges
All of our furniture is fumigated against beetle. You can rest assured that we will exchange any damaged or infected product.
