The Case for a $1,200 Umbrella

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The life span of the typical umbrella is tragically short. It’s limited to opening, blocking raindrops, and closing—before being left in a cab after one to three uses. But a good one can survive many seasons of inclement weather. At the very top end of the market are the handmade umbrellas from England’s Swaine Adeney Brigg, which have shielded the heads of kings and queens, prime ministers, and thousands of well-coiffed imitators since the company’s founding in the 19th century. The silk-canopied £925 ($1,264) Malacca Prince of Wales is so named because, yes, it’s used by the prince himself and is arguably the most iconic of them all.