Harold Bauer, founder of Emporium Leather Co. Inc./The Royce Collection (asi/52390), passed away on March 13. He was 75.

Harold Bauer, Emporium Leather Co. Inc./The Royce Collection

Born in Manhattan on July 30, 1947, he was the son of the late Eugene and Gusti Bauer, Austrian Holocaust survivors who emigrated to the U.S. in the early 1940s and, with support from a close-knit Jewish community, re-established their leather goods business in New York City.

Bauer, known has “Harry” to family, friends and, eventually, close business associates, was a record-holding track and cross-country runner at Forest Hills High School and St. John’s University, both in Queens. He first worked as a paper boy and later, he traveled the country by car with his father, helping to sell leather goods door-to-door to everyone from small mom-and-pops to large bustling department stores.

In 1974, Bauer took over the family business and changed the name from Claridge Novelties to ROYCE. Bauer grew the company for 50 years, eventually welcoming wife Kathy and son Will into full-time roles, before his illness.

The Secaucus, NJ-based firm is now known in both the retail and promo markets for its fine leather goods and quality imprinting found in department stores and corporate gifting programs. Since the early 1990s, the company has worked with the same two family-owned factories in India and China, trained by Bauer himself in the art of leather craftsmanship.

Bauer at an industry trade show in 1978.

“Harold always had a knack for ‘styling,’ as he called it, and his eye for design is still incredibly relevant today,” said the family. “Many of his signature wallets, bags and travel accessories from decades past continue to be bestsellers in luxury department stores across the world. … Even on vacation, he would be obsessed with finding new leather ideas. It was the highlight of his trips to Europe.”

In his spare time, Bauer was a devoted philanthropist – he was an active member of the Rotary Club in Secaucus, and a regular contributor to both the United Way in Hudson County and Bottomless Closet in New York City. He also loved mentoring his employees and had a special place in his heart for those working to overcome personal obstacles.

He is survived by Kathy, his wife of 33 years; children Andy, Will (Joanna) and Celine (Steven); grandchildren Brandon and Brianna; and beloved labradoodle Royce.

Bauer at the company’s retail location and monogram shop in NYC.

“My dad had a zest for life,” Will Bauer, owner of the company, told ASI Media. “He was smiling until the end. He romanticized the products and brought them to life. And that was great for business development. He provided context and stories, and he made them captivating. His sales calls were an experience. He had old-school charisma.”

In the days immediately following his father’s passing, Bauer received this message from a long-time client and friend in the industry: “I really enjoyed talking with Harold – he had a great way of telling a story and you could tell he loved what he did for a living,” said Bill Lesesne, owner of Lesesne Industries (asi/252360) in West Columbia, SC. “He always made you feel special and was so kind. Thoughts and prayers go out to you, your family and associates.”

Gerry Barker, president of Barker Specialty (asi/132690) in Cheshire, CT, was also a client of Bauer’s over the years. “The Barker family was so sorry to learn of his passing,” he says. “He was a terrific gentleman to do business with – he was honest and responsible, and had a great sense of humor. He always provided a quality product at a fair price with upscale packaging that enhanced the products’ cachet. Harry will be greatly missed, but it’s wonderful to know his legacy will be carried on by his family.”

The Executive Overnight Duffel (696-4) features an original design that’s largely unchanged since the early days of the company.

Bauer’s professional network spanned the country. His son Will says his father would make business calls in the evenings and at night to companies on the West Coast and even in Alaska and Hawaii.

“I first met him many years ago at an ASI Show in Dallas,” says Craig Nadel, president of Los Angeles-based Top 40 distributor Nadel (asi/279600) and a member of the Counselor Power 50 list. “My father [Marty] was friends with him. He had high-class products, but more importantly I always found him to be a very upstanding and decent person.”

Larry Cohen, enterprise group president for Axis Promotions powered by HALO (asi/128263) in New York City, calls Bauer “a gem of a person,” adding that he was critical in elevating leather quality and design in the promo industry.

“He was so helpful to me and my company when we were just getting started,” Cohen says. “He helped us develop a very large multiple-six-figure program for the NBA All-Star Game that ended up being our largest order up to that time. It really added to our credibility and that was so meaningful. He not only helped us throughout the process, but also extended us the credit we needed to make it happen. It’s amazing to see how his company has continued to develop and his legacy will live on through the company, his family and the amazing they work they do for industry and at retail.”