Giving back is a core belief at Osgoode Marley.
In 2004, Bob was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. He still comes to work every day with a positive attitude and passion for creating superior products. Each year, a portion of our revenue is donated to the National Parkinson Foundation. Learn more about the foundation at www.parkinson.org.
The Beginning
Before the days of Osgoode Marley, founder Bob Murphy began his career in the leather industry working for shoe retailer Thom McAn in Worcester, MA. From there he worked with the leather outlet store chain Leather Loft based in Exeter, NH. He polished his knowledge with a wholesale leather goods operation out of Boston, MA. It was at the Boston-based leather wholesaler in the 1990s where Bob first met Bill Cierro, who would later help him found Osgoode Marley.
While Bill handled product design and creative, Bob ran all things business alongside a pair of brothers based out of China. During Bob’s time at Leather Loft in 1985, he met the brothers Richard and Osmond who were working as liaisons with Leather Loft on a wallet and leather jacket business based in China. In later years, the brothers started their own factory in Guangzhou, China, focusing their production efforts on Osgoode Marley. To this day, the factory produces 90% of Osgoode Marley’s overall production.
The Osgoode Marley duo initially focused on men’s products and crafted their first line of wallets in 1998. Osgoode Marley began to shift into designing for women in 2006 with the introduction of stylist Gale Anderson, who has been designing bags since the age of 16.
Here & Now
While Bob’s son Mike Murphy has formally been in partnership with his father since 2003, he has been involved in Osgoode Marley since the company first began in the family basement. While his father and the brothers traveled back and forth between the United States and China, Mike struck up a friendship with Osmond’s son Joey. The two fathers began exchanging letters between their sons while on business trips, leading these two pen pals to become lifelong friends. Mike and Joey’s friendship has carried over to adulthood, with both of their careers following in their fathers’ footsteps. Having traveled to Hong Kong and New Hampshire respectively for each other’s wedding, the two families keep their personal relationship ongoing to this day.
With products now sold all over the world, North Hampton, NH is still home base for Osgoode Marley. Operated under the watchful eyes of father and son duo Bob and Mike, the team at Osgoode Marley is small but mighty, taking the time to ensure that each piece is crafted with care.