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2020

leather legends ISSUE

Th e L e a t h e r R e t a i l e r s ’ a n d M a n u f a c t u r e r s ’ J o u r n a l

JANUARY 2020

“THE MICHELANGELO OF COWBOY BOOTS” “Charlie Dunn, He's the One to See”

EXOTIC LEATHER BANNED IN CALIFORNIA: WHY IT DOESN'T SAVE ANIMALS

AMERICAN TANNING & LEATHER'S QUEEN OF GATOR CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF EXCEPTIONAL HARNESS MAKING Bowman Harness is sustaining a living heritage tradition Tad Mizwa A Lasting Impression

The unique color, the way it oils so evenly, the clean flesh, firmness and its excellent yield give your work a uniqueness like no other. Our leather is crafted to last a lifetime. Your work of art will keep its body and beauty long after others sag and fade. Hermann Oak Leather is the last of the Vegetable Tanners using the original traditional tanning methods. Made in the USA with US steer hides.

For wholesale service, contact us at 1 (800) 325-7950 or fax us at (314) 421-6152 Or call the dealer nearest to you: El Paso, TX, Bowden Leather Company 915-877-1557 Ventura, CA, Goliger Leather Company 800-423-2329 Napa, CA, Hide & Leather House 707-255-6160 Billings, MT, Montana Leather Company 406-245-1660 Portland, OR, Oregon Leather Company 503-228-4105 Amarillo, TX, Panhandle Leather Company 806-373-0535 Mt Hope, OH, Weaver Leather, Inc 800-WEAVER-1 Springfield, MO, Springfield Leather Company 800-668-8518

Murrhard, Germany, Softart 49-7574-932812 Calgary, AB, Canada, Buckskin Leather Co. 888-723-0806 Toowoomba, Qsld, Australia, Toowoomba Saddlery 011-617-4633-1855 Suginami-ku, Tokyo, Japan, Craft & Company Ltd. 011-81-3-3393-2222 Taito-Ku, Tokyo, Japan, Kyoshin Elle & Co., LTD 011-81-3-3866-3221 Maniwa, Japan, Star Trading Company 011-81-8-6742-8004 Firminy, France, Logis de Cordes 33-4-77-61-19-16

Introducing a groundbreaking new material for the pet industry! Beta Adjustable is now available in 3/4” & 1” widths!

r to Make You w ie v ir a F k As ars!! justable Coll d A ta e B n w O

ɥSMOOTH ADJUSTABILITY & NO HOLES ɥCOMFY FEEL FOR YOU AND THE DOG

Call Fairview Country Sales and Order Rolls Today 330-359-1501 or Online at strapwarehouse.com 2 JANUARY 2020

THE

leather legends ISSUE

On the cover 20

“THE MICHELANGELO OF COWBOY BOOTS� ´&KDUOLH 'XQQ +HĔV WKH 2QH to See�

Cover photograph courtesy of The Briscoe Center for American History, University of Texas at Austin.

Photographer Jim McGuire made images of the Grand Ole Opry legends and other country-western stars, and here he shot bootmaking legend Charlie Dunn.

SHOPTALK! JANUARY 2020 In every issue CONTRIBUTORS DISCOVERY INFORMATION SHOWCASE SKILL KNOWLEDGE CLASSIFIEDS ADVERTISERS INDEX

6 JANUARY 2020

10 12 14 18 62 67 71 73

In this issue 8

EDITOR'S NOTE

Features 30 39 44

AMERICAN TANNING & LEATHERʟS QUEEN OF GATOR Exotic Leather Banned in &DOLIRUQLD :K\ ,W 'RHVQĔW Save Animals

CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF EXCEPTIONAL HARNESS MAKING Bowman Harness is sustaining a living heritage tradition

52

TAD MIZWA A Lasting Impression

THE

leather legends ISSUE

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF ZACH WOLFE

30

EDITORIAL Editorial Director MISTY SHAW Editor DENYS MANNINEN Designer MICHELLE NELSON _______________________ BUSINESS Advertising Coordinator/Office Manager CANDACE JENSEN Accounting Manager BRAYDAN SHAW _______________________

Be in the know. Whenever. Wherever.

Published by 1876 Media P.O. Box 6 Salina, UT 84654 435.565.6052 phone 435.529.1033 fax _______________________ EMAIL Candace@burns1876.com _______________________ WEBSITE www.shoptalk-magazine.com _______________________ SUBMISSIONS All submissions should be sent to Candace@burns1876.com. _______________________ ADVERTISING Deadline for advertising copy is the first day of the month prior to the month of publication. Invoices are due upon receipt. _______________________ SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES AND CUSTOMER SERVICE Shop Talk! Magazine P.O. Box 6 Salina, UT 84654 435.565.6052 _______________________ Shop Talk! Magazine

@shoptalk_magazine

Download today

includes 1 year

FREE back issues

O

ver the past few years, we have celebrated artisans, craftsman and companies amid our jampacked schedules: traveling to tradeshows, finishing custom orders, enduring machinery malfunctions, dealing with supply delays, practicing patience when the internet was down, rethinking business practices due to tariffs, coping with the loss of colleagues, and much more.

In my pondering, I’ve wondered what more Shop Talk! could do to unite and celebrate the worldwide leather community. One thing we have done, and are very happy to announce, is develop

and launch the Shop Talk! app. You are now able to view the entire publication on your mobile phone, tablet or computer – wherever you might be. How exciting! But our vision doesn’t stop there. We have many other ideas swirling around inside our heads to lift, unite and inform this wonderful community.

So, as we embark on the year 2020 together may we find joy in our journeys, celebration in our successes, thankful hearts in our triumphs, and faith in our failures. Cheers to a new year, new decade and new commitment to one another!

All My Best,

Misty 8 JANUARY 2020

THE

leather legends ISSUE

ess Shop LLC n r a H A N &

6009 Township Rd 419 Millersburg OH 44654

Quality Harness & Harness Parts Made with To meet your needs

Ph 330-893-1024 • Fax 330-893-0112

YOUR

ALLIGATOR SPECIALISTS SINCE 1992

THE MUSTHAVE GUIDE TO

Everything for the Manufacturer & Retailer Go to shoptalk-magazine.com to get your hands on the 2020 issue.

P.O. Box 6, 60 West Main Street, Salina, UT 84654 435.565.6052 | candace@burns1876.com www.shoptalk-magazine.com

ALLIGATOR BELLIES AND HORNBACKS Offering Spliced & Un-Spliced Strips Pre-Cut Vamp & Counter Sets and Panels

Mark Staton Co.

337-988-9964 markstatonco.com info@markstatonco.com 111 Bourque Rd., Lafayette, LA 70506

SHOPTALK! 9

NICK PERNOKAS

DANNA BURNS-SHAW 'DQQD %XUQV 6KDZ LV WKH &(2 RI KHU IDPLO\·V \HDU ROG ZHVWHUQ UHWDLO DQG PDQXIDFWXULQJ EXVLQHVV %XUQV 6LQFH ,Q KHU ·V 'DQQD·V IDWKHU 'DQ SDVVHG DZD\ OHDYLQJ WKH EXVLQHVV WR KHU DQG KHU PRWKHU 'RQQD 7RJHWKHU WKH WZR RI WKHP ZRUNHG KDUG WR NHHS WKH EXVLQHVV WKULYLQJ 'DQQD SOD\HG D ELJ UROH LQ KHU FRPPXnity during this time in her life, volunteering her time and energy WR SURMHFWV WKDW ZRXOG EHQHILW WKH VPDOO WRZQ 6KH DORQJ ZLWK D WHDP RI RWKHU FRPPXQLW\ PHPEHUV VRXJKW IXQGLQJ WR EXLOG WKH %ODFNKDZN $UHQD D IDFLOLW\ that has become an economic success in the small mining town of Salina, Utah where Burns 6DGGOHU\ KHU FRPSDQ\·V PDQXIDFWXULQJ DQG KRUVHPDQ UHWDLO VWRUH LV ORFDWHG 7ZHQW\ \HDUV DJR 'DQQD DQG KHU KXVEDQG 6FRWW EHJDQ WDNLQJ SURGXFW RQ WKH URDG WR GLIIHUHQW KRUVHPDQ HYHQWV 7KLV DFW DORQH JUHZ WKH FRPSDQ\ H[SRQHQWLDOO\ RYHU D VKRUW SHULRG RI WLPH ZKLFK OHDG WR WKH FRPSDQ\ DGGLQJ WZR OX[XU\ UHWDLO VWRUHV %XUQV &RZER\ 6KRS LQ 3DUN &LW\ 8WDK DQG &DUPHO E\ WKH 6HD &DOLIRUQLD 'DQQD DQG 6FRWW KDYH WKUHH FKLOGUHQ %UD\GDQ ZKR LV President of the family business, Destiny who heads up the companies event sector, and 7HJDQ 'DQQD OLYHV LQ 6DOLQD 8WDK DQG &DUPHO E\ WKH 6HD &DOLIRUQLD 6KH DORQJ ZLWK her husband Scott split their time between each location to be available to all sectors of the IDPLO\ EXVLQHVV 7KH ZHVWHUQ LQGXVWU\ LV KHU SDVVLRQ KHU OLIH KHU OHJDF\

LYNN ASCRIZZI Lynn Ascrizzi is a freelance writer, artist, poet and home gardener who lives with her husband, Joe, in a home they built in the ZRRGV RI )UHHGRP 0DLQH ,Q WKH SDVW IRXU \HDUV VKH KDV ZULWWHQ H[WHQVLYHO\ IRU 6KRS 7DON (DUO\ RQ VKH WDXJKW DUW DQG (QJOLVK LQ public schools and was senior editor, illustrator and art director for Farmstead, a national magazine for small farming and home JDUGHQLQJ /DWHU VKH ZDV OLIHVW\OH HGLWRU IHDWXUH ZULWHU DQG V\QGLFDWHG FROXPQLVW IRU &HQWUDO 0DLQH 1HZVSDSHUV +HU SRHPV KDYH EHHQ SXEOLVKHG LQ VHYHUDO MRXUQDOV DQG LQ WZR DQWKRORJLHV E\ 'RZQ (DVW %RRNV ´7DNH +HDUW 3RHPV )URP 0DLQH µ DQG ´7DNH +HDUW 0RUH 3RHPV )URP 0DLQH µ

CHRISTY PLOTT &KULVW\ 3ORWW LV D WK JHQHUDWLRQ OHDWKHU VXSSOLHU DQG DFWLYH PHPEHU RI VHYHUDO LQWHUQDWLRQDO UHSWLOH FRQVHUYDWLRQ JURXSV

10 JANUARY 2020

1LFN 3HUQRNDV was raised in New (QJODQG $V D ER\ he cleaned stalls IRU D KDFN VWDEOH LQ return for getting WR ULGH WKH KRUVHV +H ERXJKW KLV ILUVW KRUVH with money from a paper route, and showed LQ $4+$ VKRZV ZLWK KLP $W D \RXQJ DJH 1LFN KHDGHG ZHVW WR SOD\ FRZER\ +H HQGHG XS LQ 6WHSKHQYLOOH 7H[DV ZKHUH KH UHFHLYHG D % 6 IURP 7DUOHWRQ 6WDWH 8QLYHUVLW\ ,Q he began building custom saddles under the 3HUQRNDV 6DGGOHU\ ODEHO 1LFN FRPSHWHG successfully in the AQHA, the NRHA, and WKH 35&$ LQ ZKLFK KH HDUQHG D *ROG &DUG 1LFN ZRQ <HDU (QG +LJK 3RLQW &KDPSLRQVKLSV +RQRU 5ROO DQG 5HVHUYH :RUOG Championships, in the AQHA in roping HYHQWV ,Q WKH PLG 1LQHWLHV KH ZURWH ´$OO WKH 3UHWW\ 6DGGOHVµ D ERRN DERXW FRQWHPSRUDU\ VDGGOHV 7KLV OHG WR ZULWLQJ IRU YDULRXV PDJD]LQHV LQFOXGLQJ $PHULFD·V +RUVH 7UDLOV /HVV 7UDYHOHG 6XSHU /RRSHU /RRSV 7KH Quarter Horse News, and of course, Shop 7DON 1LFN KDV DOVR ZULWWHQ VHYHUDO VFUHHQSOD\V DQG GRHV RWKHU ZRUN LQ WKH ILOP LQGXVWU\ +H VWLOO FRPSHWHV LQ WHDP URSLQJ HYHQWV 1LFN and his wife, Lindy live on a ranch outside of 6WHSKHQYLOOH 7H[DV ZLWK D PXOWLWXGH RI GRJV FDWV DQG KRUVHV +H·V VWLOO ´SOD\LQJ FRZER\µ

GENE FOWLER A writer and performer based in 7H[DV *HQH )RZOHU has written for Cowboys & Indians, Oxford American, San Francisco Chronicle, True West, and many RWKHU SXEOLFDWLRQV +LV ERRNV LQFOXGH Mavericks, Border Radio, and Crazy Water.

THE

leather legends ISSUE

LL

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Call for Catalog

EZ Entry Carts EZ Riders

3024 COUNTY ROAD 160 MILLERSBURG, OH 44654

Harness Tack Horse Blankets

B I O T H A N E usa

ASK FOR IT

BY NAME

Medium Pony Cart Options: Basket - Fenders - Dash Guard Mudflap - 2 Way LED Lights - Amber Flasher #2 F.F. Wheels - Other Sizes to choose from 48" Pony - Medium Pony Harness Vinyl Pads

The only harness webbing that carries a guarantee from the manufacturer

FAX: 330-359-0501 | PHONE: 330-359-1501 | EMAIL: FCSLLC@SAFECOMMAIL.COM

For a harness that works as hard as you do, select the best materials from the most reliable source in the industry. Brahma Webb®, Weaver’s own brand of durable coated webbing, is weather-resistant, low maintenance and easy to clean. The soft sheen and realistic leather grain imprint of Brahma Webb® combined with durable, non-rust stainless steel hardware make for a harness that looks as good as it performs.

18-1596-SP-DAD

Brahma Webb® is also available from the following distributors Fisher’s Harness Shop Ronks, PA 717-687-6048

Countryside Manufacturing Harwood, MO 417-432-1062

Troyer Enterprises Millersburg, IN 574-642-3678

E & L Harness Dungannon, Canada 519-525-1966 SHOPTALK! 11

800-932-8371 • shop.weaverleather.com

Patterns Poems & Tales Strap-Eze

by Frontier Gunleather Strap-Eze™, precision machined in the USA from space-age material, is destined to revolutionize the entire leather craft industry! Bianchi’s fresh approach to belt cutting features a dynamic alignment of the cutting blade at a precise angle and in direct line with the user’s wrist, arm and elbow for maximum leverage and ease of use.

For the past 150 years leather craftsmen have struggled with the same ‘Old Fashioned’ designed strap cutters.

New materials, methods and design technology have made the old strap cutters obsolete. Get your Strap-Eze™ today at Frontier Gunleather, 760-895-4401 or sales@ frontiergunleather.com.

12 JANUARY 2020

Ron Ross is at it again! His new book Patterns Poems & Tales includes patterns for holsters, spur straps, portfolios and chap and chink yokes and trim, and borders for frames and covers for trophy style buckles. It also includes original cowboy poetry and tales from his childhood.

Contact Ron at rosaddlery@aol.com or call 260337-5607 for your copy today. Only $29.95

Umber Bag Leather ChahinLeather™ umber bag leather is perfect for totes, bags, and accessories. It’s medium temper makes it perfect for handbags or weekender bags. Available colors: Dark umber, medium umber, light umber. See all colors online at aleatherd.com or call (270) 526-3835 to request samples.

THE

leather legends ISSUE

Tippmann Boss Leather Sewing Machine, from moccasins to saddles and all things in between.

Tandy Introduces Exclusive TandyPro® Templates by Maker’s Leather Supply Tandy is excited to announce exclusive TandyPro® Templates by Maker’s you can find only at your local Tandy store. In addition to the full line of new TandyPro® Templates, which includes a wide range of small leather good styles and foundational tools, Tandy has partnered with Maker’s Leather Supply to bring customers three more unique designs that will help bring their ideas to life – a Tablet Cover (360033), Toiletry Bag (3600-34), and the Madison Crossbody Bag (3600-35).

Created by leathercrafter Aaron Heizer, owner of Maker’s Leather Supply, these professional-grade templates are manufactured in durable acrylic so they can be used time and time again. While TandyPro® Templates by Maker’s are currently carried in most Tandy Leather stores, select templates are available online at tandyleather.com/en/tandypro-templates.html where shoppers can also follow along with Heizer’s tutorials.

Retail customers are encouraged to contact their local Tandy store to learn more about the templates, while Commercial customers can contact Tandy’s Commercial Division via email at commercial@tandyleather.com.

Exclusive templates are limited in supply and subject to availability, so hurry in and look for the red Tandy Leather Exclusive sticker! We can’t wait to see how you use TandyPro® Templates to Make Your Mark.

All finished goods were made by Aaron Heizer of Maker’s Leather Supply

Cobbler Bench

Flatbed Attachment

866-286-8046 TippmannIndustrial.com

INFORMATION industry news

THE HIDE REPORT

The following is used with permission

from hidenet.com, the premier source for information regarding the worldwide hide and leather markets. Please remember that this information will be a month old by the time it reaches you.

14 JANUARY 2020

Wolverine World Wide Inc. begins cleanup at tannery, House Street disposal sites .(17 &2817< 0LFK 1RYHPEHU

² :ROYHULQH :RUOG :LGH ,QF recently began a short-term cleanup at the Wolverine and the House Street Disposal VLWHV LQ .HQW &RXQW\ 7KH 7DQQHU\ LV ORcated at the northern end of the downtown GLVWULFW RI WKH FLW\ RI 5RFNIRUG DQG WKH House Street Disposal Area is on House 6WUHHW LQ 3ODLQILHOG 7RZQVKLS 7KLV VKRUW WHUP FOHDQXS RU WLPH FULWical removal action, is the result of a VHWWOHPHQW DJUHHPHQW EHWZHHQ WKH 8 6 (QYLURQPHQWDO 3URWHFWLRQ $JHQF\ (3$

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Excavating and disposing of contamiQDWHG VRLOV IHHW EHORZ JURXQG ZHVW RI WKH 7DQQHU\ DQG DGMDFHQW WR WKH :KLWH 3LQH 7UDLO DQG WKH 5RJXH 5LYHU ZKHUH contaminant concentrations exceed resiGHQWLDO FULWHULD RU ZKHUH WKHUH·V HYLGHQFH RI ZDVWH PDWHULDOV Excavating and disposing of conWDPLQDWHG VKDOORZ VRLOV IRRW EHORZ JURXQG RQ WKH 7DQQHU\ SURSHUW\ ZKHUH contaminant concentrations exceed EPA cleanup levels or State of Michigan direct FRQWDFW FULWHULD Removing contaminated sediment in areas near the shore of the Rogue River and at DFFHVV SRLQWV QH[W WR WKH 7DQQHU\ SURSHUW\ Maintaining signage and information NLRVNV DORQJ WKH :KLWH 3LQH 7UDLO DQG DW 5RJXH 5LYHU DFFHVV SRLQWV Conducting additional investigations at a property west of the House Street Disposal Area and at an adjacent wetland to determine whether contamination is SUHVHQW LQ WKHVH DUHDV Hazardous waste generated from this cleanup will be disposed offsite at a facility authorized to receive the contamiQDWHG PDWHULDO 7KH :ROYHULQH WDQQHU\ EHJDQ DV D VKRH IDFWRU\ EXLOW LQ :DWHUSURRILQJ RI OHDWKHU EHJDQ LQ WKH ODWH V ZKLFK LQvolved the use of a product which contained THE

leather legends ISSUE

CALENDAR EVENTS GARMENT TECHNOLOGY EXPO

January 10-13, 2020 NSIC Exhibition Complex Okhla, New Dehli India

WESA

January 10-13, 2020 Denver Mart 451 E 58th Street Denver, Colorado

COUROMODA

January 13-15, 2020 Expo Center Norte São Paulo, Brazil

THE LONDON TEXTILE FAIR

January 15-16, 2020 The Business Design Centre 52 Upper Street Islington, London

LINEAPELLE LONDON

January 21, 2020 Ham Yard Hotel One Ham Yard, London

PREMIÃ&#x2C6;RE VISION NEW YORK

January 21-22, 2020 New York, New York

CSMA WINTER SEMINAR

January 24-25, 2020 Burns Saddlery, Inc. 95 West Main Salina, Utah

TCAA EMERGING ARTIST COMPETITION

January 24-26, 2020 Brian Lebelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s High Noon Show & Auction Mesa Convention Center 263 N Center Street Mesa, Arizona

LINEAPELLE NEW YORK

January 29-30, 2020 Metropolitan Pavilion 125 W 18th Street New York, New York

INDIA INTERNATIONAL LEATHER FAIR

February 1-3, 2020 Chennai Trade Centre Chennai, India

IFLS+EICI

PREMIÃ&#x2C6;RE VISION PARIS

February 11-13, 2020 Paris Norde Villepinte Paris, France

NW MATERIALS SHOW

February 12-13, 2020 Portland, Oregon

LINEAPELLE

February 19-21, 2020 Milan, Italy

MIFUR

February 20-23, 2020 Fiera Milano City Milan, Italy

SOUTHWEST LEATHER WORKERS TRADE SHOW

February 28-March 1, 2020 Prescott Resort & Conference Center 1500 AZ-69 Prescott, Arizona

LEATHERWORLD MIDDLE EAST

February 4-6, 2020 Corferias Bogatá, Colombia

March 9-11, 2020 Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre Dubai

NE MATERIALS SHOW

DALLAS WESTERN MARKET

February 5-6, 2020 Boston, Massachusetts

March 24-27, 2020 Dallas Market Center Dallas, Texas

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INFORMATION KLJK OHYHOV RI VRPH SHU DQG SRO\IOXRURDON\O VXEVWDQFHV NQRZQ DV 3)$6 ,Q WKH V Wolverine disposed of wastes from its leather-tanning operations at the House 6WUHHW 'LVSRVDO $UHD :ROYHULQH FHDVHG RSHUDWLRQV DW WKH WDQQHU\ VLWH DURXQG ,Q (3$ DQG WKH 0LFKLJDQ 'HSDUWPHQW RI (QYLURQPHQW *UHDW /DNHV DQG Energy conducted a preliminary assessment and found hazardous substances at WKH IRUPHU WDQQHU\ 6XEVHTXHQW VDPSOLQJ found hazardous substances, pollutants and contaminants at the House Street Disposal Area and surrounding residential propHUWLHV 7KH\ LQFOXGH 3)$6 KHDY\ PHWDOV volatile organic compounds, and semi-volaWLOH RUJDQLF FRPSRXQGV IULTCS welcomes LETSB Bangladesh as a new member 7KH ,8/7&6 LV SOHDVHG WR DQQRXQFH WKDW LW ZHOFRPHV WKH /HDWKHU (QJLQHHUV DQG 7HFKQRORJLVWV 6RFLHW\ %DQJODGHVK /(76% DV D IXOO PHPEHU RI WKH ,8/7&6 IDPLO\ /(76% LV D SURIHVVLRQDO RUJDQL]DWLRQ of Leather, Footwear and Leather Products Engineers of Bangladesh, established in /(76% XSKROGV WKH LQWHUHVW RI WKH members by practicing sound technical matters for the industry; to organize techQLFDO VHPLQDUV ZRUNVKRSV DQG OHDWKHU IDLUV to create awareness about compliance on HQYLURQPHQWDO KHDOWK DQG VRFLDO DVSHFWV It also assists government and non-government organizations by providing authentic WHFKQLFDO VXSSRUW As leather in Bangladesh is a predominant natural resource it is important that the voice of this region be heard in global WHFKQLFDO GLVFXVVLRQV DQG WKDW WKH\ PDNH contributions towards the technical direcWLRQ WDNHQ E\ WKH LQGXVWU\ 7KH /(76% ,QWHUQDWLRQDO $IIDLUV Secretary, Firoj Khan Nun, commented WKDW ZLWK FXUUHQWO\ RYHU PHPEHUV 16 JANUARY 2020

WKH /(76% LV LQFUHDVLQJ LWV PHPEHUVKLS EDVH HDFK \HDU ,8/7&6 3UHVLGHQW 7KRPDV <X ZHOFRPHG /(76% VD\LQJ ´2Q EHKDOI RI the Executive Committee, I am pleased WR ZHOFRPH /(76% %DQJODGHVK DV D QHZ PHPEHU DQG ORRN IRUZDUG WR WKHLU DFWLYH SDUWLFLSDWLRQ LQ ,8/7&6 DFWLYLWLHV Âľ Trump: US-China trade deal is closer, but weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re watching Hong Kong 86 3UHVLGHQW 'RQDOG 7UXPS VDLG DQ LQWHUim trade agreement with China was moving FORVHU IROORZLQJ 7XHVGD\¡V WHOHSKRQH FDOO EHWZHHQ WKH FRXQWULHV¡ WRS QHJRWLDWRUV EXW added that he was monitoring events in Hong Kong after months of anti-governPHQW SURWHVWV LQ WKH FLW\ ´:H¡UH LQ WKH ILQDO WKURHV RI D YHU\ LPSRUWDQW GHDO Âľ 7UXPS VDLG DW WKH :KLWH +RXVH ´,W¡V JRLQJ YHU\ ZHOO EXW DW WKH same time we want to see it go well in +RQJ .RQJ Âľ +LV FRPPHQWV RQ 7XHVGD\ came hours after a phone conversation between Chinese Vice-Premier Liu He DQG WKH 8QLWHG 6WDWHV¡ 7UDGH 5HSUHVHQWDWLYH 5REHUW /LJKWKL]HU DQG 7UHDVXU\ 6HFUHWDU\ 6WHYHQ 0QXFKLQ &KLQD¡V 0LQLVWU\ RI &RPPHUFH GLVFORVHG WKH FDOO RQ 7XHVGD\ VD\LQJ WKH WZR sides had â&#x20AC;&#x153;reached a consensusâ&#x20AC;? on how to resolve core concerns and would continue WR ZRUN RQ UHPDLQLQJ LVVXHV UHODWHG WR WKHLU WUDGH ZDU RQJRLQJ VLQFH -XO\ ODVW \HDU 7UXPS VDLG KH H[SHFWHG &KLQHVH President Xi Jinping to ensure a positive outcome for Hong Kong, which has been JULSSHG E\ XQUHVW IRU DOPRVW VL[ PRQWKV 7KH FLW\ KDV HPHUJHG DV DQ DFXWH SRLQW of tension in US-China relations as they QHJRWLDWH RYHU WKH WUDGH GHDO 7UXPS GLG QRW LQGLFDWH ZKHWKHU KH would sign the democracy bill, but said he remained positive about a â&#x20AC;&#x153;phase oneâ&#x20AC;? trade deal, which the US announced last

month was being pursued as an interim GH HVFDODWLRQ PHFKDQLVP 7KH DJUHHPHQW was expected to include further Chinese purchases of US agricultural goods and the cancellation of additional US tariffs that ZHUH GXH WR WDNH HIIHFW RQ 'HFHPEHU Clarks hires McKinsey to speed up restructuring %ULWLVK IRRWZHDU UHWDLOHU &ODUNV KDV appointed management consultancy firm McKinsey to help with a transformation of WKH EXVLQHVV 7KLV LV SDUW RI D ODUJHU SODQ to grow the underlying profitability and focuses on â&#x20AC;&#x153;renewing the relevance of the brand to consumers and partners,â&#x20AC;? said &ODUNV LQ D VWDWHPHQW â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are transforming the brand to reconnect with our consumers by designing iconic new products and launching an H[FLWLQJ QHZ EUDQG DQG PDUNHWLQJ VWUDWHJ\ that is already engaging consumers across WKH ZRUOG Âľ VWDWHG D VSRNHVZRPDQ IRU &ODUNV ´2XU QHZ VWUDWHJ\ ZLOO DOORZ WKH business to meet our ambition of returning the business to sustainable levels of growth DQG SURILWDELOLW\ E\ Âľ VKH DGGHG &ODUNV ILQDQFH GLUHFWRU 3DXO .HQ\RQ KDV departed and will be replaced by Philip de .OHUN IRUPHU FKLHI H[HFXWLYH RI PDWHULDOV PDNHU /RZ %RQDU Vibram parting ways with Amazon 9LEUDP &RUS D PDQXIDFWXUHU RI high-performance rubber soles, confirmed that it has decided to stop selling its Vibram FiveFingers products directly to $PD]RQ 86$ 7KH FRPSDQ\ VDLG WKH PRYH FRPHV DV it prepares for a â&#x20AC;&#x153;major relaunchâ&#x20AC;? of the OLQH IRU VSULQJ DQG LV D VWHS WKDW ZLOO DOORZ LW WR ´IXOO\ VXSSRUW LWV UHWDLO SDUWQHUV Âľ 9LEUDP¡V RXWVROHV DUH XVHG RQ D YDULHW\ RI footwear from popular brands, including 5HHERN DQG 7LPEHUODQG THE

leather legends ISSUE

´7KLV LVQ·W D GHFLVLRQ ZH WRRN OLJKWO\ but Vibram is a brand,” said Fabrizio *DPEHULQL 9LEUDP JOREDO FKLHI EUDQG RIILFHU DQG SUHVLGHQW ´:H ZLOO FRQWLQXH WR invest in strong, distinctive partnerships for Vibram Corporation with other retailHUV 7KH \HOORZ RFWDJRQ ORJR LV LQVWDQWO\ UHFRJQL]DEOH DURXQG WKH ZRUOG $PD]RQ might be the most visible commercial vehicle, but we are heavily investing in RXU EUDQG LQ NH\ VHJPHQWV DQG LQ RXU EXVLQHVV SDUWQHUV :H·UH DFFHOHUDWLQJ WKH growth dimensions of our business with QHZ SOD\HUV DURXQG WKH FRXQWU\ µ In addition to trying to grow its own private label assortment, Amazon has been courting major fashion and athletic FRPSDQLHV WR VHOO SURGXFWV RQ LWV ZHEVLWH 7KH H FRPPHUFH JLDQW KDV VHHQ PL[HG responses to those efforts, along with FULWLFLVP IURP EUDQGV ³ QRWDEO\ %LUNHQVWRFN ³ WKDW VXJJHVW WKH H FRPPHUFH JLDQW KDVQ·W GRQH D JRRG MRE RI SROLFLQJ FRXQWHUIHLWV RQ LWV SODWIRUP Vietnam’s footwear export turnover up by 13.1% in 2019 $FFRUGLQJ WR WKH *HQHUDO 'HSDUWPHQW RI &XVWRPV 9LHWQDP·V IRRWZHDU H[SRUW WXUQRYHU LQ 2FWREHU UHDFKHG PRUH WKDQ 86 ELOOLRQ XS FRPSDUHG WR 6HSWHPEHU DQG XS FRPSDUHG WR WKH VDPH SHULRG LQ 7KLV EULQJV WKH WRWDO H[SRUW WXUQRYHU RI IRRWZHDU LQ WKH ILUVW PRQWKV RI WR 86 ELOOLRQ XS RYHU WKH VDPH SHULRG ODVW \HDU 7KH ODUJHVW FRQVXPHU PDUNHW IRU 9LHWQDP·V IRRWZHDU LQ 2FWREHU ZDV WKH 86 ZLWK PLOOLRQ DFFRXQWLQJ IRU RI WKH WRWDO WXUQRYHU XS RYHU WKH SUHYLRXV PRQWK DQG XS FRPSDUHG WR WKH VDPH PRQWK LQ ,W ZDV IROORZHG E\ &KLQD ZLWK 86 PLOOLRQ DFFRXQWLQJ IRU RI WKH WRWDO

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246VA

MEMORABLE ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION

By Delvaux of Belgium

18 JANUARY 2020

JROG OX[XULRXV LYRU\ DQG VLOYHU PRRQ Each handbag is accented with signature hardware in an array of finishes, each complimenting the leather used and overall GHVLJQ RI WKH EDJ 'HOYDX[ LQWURGXFHG 7KH :RQGH5LQJV WR DGG H[WUD VSDUNOH WR WKLV XQIRUJHWWDEOH FROOHFWLRQ 7KH SUHFLRXV ULQJV ZHUH crafted for the Brillant, their signature KDQGEDJ 7KHVH LQWULFDWH MHZHOV DWWDFK WR WKH %ULOODQW·V KDQGOH DQG FDQ EH ZRUQ DQG LQWHUFKDQJHG DV WKH PRRG VXLWV

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF DELVAUX

T

he Oldest Fine Leather Goods House in the World«WKDW·V TXLWH D VWDWHPHQW %XW WKLV VWDWHPHQW KROGV WUXH IRU \HDU ROG OX[XU\ KDQGEDJ FRPSDQ\ 'HOYDX[ )RXQGHG LQ E\ WKH LQnovative Charles Delvaux, la Maison has remained at the forefront of luxury leather JRRGV IRU QHDUO\ WZR FHQWXULHV 7R FHOHEUDWH WKLV OHJDF\ 'HOYDX[ FUHDWHG WKH 0HPRUDEOH $QQLYHUVDU\ &ROOHFWLRQ &ROOHFWLRQ SLHFHV DUH IRXQG LQ ¶&ULVS\ &DOI· DQG ¶$OOLJDWRU (FOLSVH· OHDWKHU LQ D FHOHEUDWRU\ FRORU SDOHWWH FODVVLF EODFN PHWDOOLF

delvaux.com/en/

THE

leather legends ISSUE

SHOPTALK! 19

“The Michelangelo of Cowboy Boots”

CHARLIE DUNN

“

,

He’s the One to See”

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P

HUFKHG DOO SUHWW\ RQ WKH &RORUDGR 5LYHU ZKHUH WKH OLPHVWRQH KLOOV RI &HQWUDO 7H[DV WXPEOH GRZQ IURP WKH ZHVW WR PHHW WKH %ODFNODQG SUDLULH IURP WKH HDVW WKH FLW\ RI $XVWLQ KDV FKDQJHG D ORW VLQFH , ILUVW ODLG H\HV RQ LW LQ WKH V ,·OO NQRZ IRU VXUH WKRXJK WKDW WKH SODFH KDV GHYROYHG WR KLJK WHFK KHFN LI WKH\ HYHU WDNH GRZQ WKH JLDQW FRZER\ ERRW WKDW KDV DGRUQHG D /DYDFD 6WUHHW EXLOGLQJ VLQFH ZHOO LW VHHPV OLNH HYHU VLQFH 'DY\ &URFNHWW SOD\HG KLV ODVW ILGGOH WXQH DW WKH $ODPR EDFN LQ 7KH ERRW RQFH PDUNHG WKH &DSLWRO 6DGGOHU\ 5RGHR VWDU %XFN 6WHLQHU RSHQHG WKH ERRWV DQG VDGGOHV HPSRULXP DURXQG DQG WKH OHJHQGDU\ &KDUOLH 'XQQ EXLOW ERRWV IRU %XFN IURP WR &KDUOLH·V ERRWPDNLQJ FDUHHU DW &DSLWRO 6DGGOHU\ DQG HOVHZKHUH VSDQQHG VRPH LQFUHGLEOH \HDUV 6LQJHU -HUU\ -HII :DONHU PDGH 'XQQ H[WUD IDPRXV LQ ZLWK DQ HSRQ\PRXV GLWW\ DERXW WKH GLPLQXWLYH ERRWPDNHU ´ZLWK WKH VPLOLQ· OHDWKHU\ IDFH µ ´&KDUOLH 'XQQ µ :DONHU FURRQHG ´+H·V WKH RQH WR VHH µ 7KRXVDQGV RI VDWLVILHG ERRW ZHDUHUV PDQ\ RI ZKRP VXUHO\ WUHDVXUH WKHLU FXVWRP 'XQQV WRGD\ \HDUV DIWHU &KDUOLH·V GHDWK NQRZ WKDW WKH VRQJ VDQJ WUXH )RONV ZKR NQHZ &KDUOLH GHVFULEH KLP DV ´OHSUHFKDXQ OLNH PLVFKLHYRXV ZLWK D WZLQNOH LQ KLV H\H µ +LV IRUPHU DSSUHQWLFH DQG ERRWPDNLQJ KHLU GHVLJQDWH /HH 0LOOHU UHFDOOV WKDW WKH EHUHW FODG ERRWPDNHU ´SOD\HG WKH SDUW RI D 3LFDVVR µ $XVWLQ QDWLYH 'RQ +\GH ZKR ILUVW PHW &KDUOLH LQ ZKHQ +\GH ZDV ILYH \HDUV ROG DVNHG KLV GDG ´LI &KDUOLH ZDV RQH RI 6DQWD·V HOYHV µ &KDUOLH 'XQQ·V OLIH XQUROOV OLNH D KHDUWODQG \DUQ VSXQ E\ 0DUN 7ZDLQ %RUQ RQ DQ $UNDQVDV ULYHUERDW LQ KH FDPH IURP D ORQJ OLQH RI ERRWPDNHUV WKDW VWUHWFKHG EDFN WR KLV DQFHVWRUV LQ ,UHODQG :KHQ &KDUOLH ZDV WKUHH WKH 'XQQ IDPLO\³ZKLFK HYHQWXDOO\ LQFOXGHG DW OHDVW QLQH FKLOGUHQ³KHDGHG ZHVW E\ FRYHUHG ZDJRQ $ QHZ FHQWXU\ ILOOLQJ WKH KRUL]RQ EHIRUH WKHP WKH\ VHWWOHG IRU D WLPH LQ WKH 7H[DV KDPOHW RI *ORU\ MXVW VRXWK RI WKH 5HG 5LYHU DQG QHDU WKH VRPHZKDW ODUJHU WRZQ RI 3DULV Charlie Dunn with a fine example of his signature inlay, the rose. Ernest Tubb bought a pair of Charlie Dunn's rose boots in the early 1940s, and that began his reputation as "the Michelangelo of Cowboy Boots."

20 JANUARY 2020

THE

leather legends ISSUE

SHOPTALK! 21

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF TEXAS TRADITIONS BOOT SHOP, AUSTIN, TEXAS; BACKGROUND IMAGE FROM FREEPIK

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF GENE FOWLER

22 JANUARY 2020

:RUWK IRU DERXW WKUHH \HDUV ,Q &RZWRZQ DV WKH FLW\ ZDV NQRZQ &KDUOLH·V IDWKHU RSHQHG 'XQQ %RRWV LQ WKH 6WRFN\DUGV 'LVWULFW DW WKH FRUQHU RI 0DLQ DQG ([FKDQJH VWUHHWV ,Q or so, the family loaded up another covered ZDJRQ DQG KHDGHG EDFN DFURVV WKH 5HG 5LYHU of the South, as Charlie always put it, â&#x20AC;&#x153;to HVFDSH WKH ELJ FLW\ µ 7KH 'XQQV HVWDEOLVKHG D VKRS LQ 9DQ %XUHQ $UNDQVDV DQG WKUHH RI &KDUOLH·V EURWKHUV DOVR DSSUHQWLFHG LQ VKRH DQG ERRWPDNLQJ DW OHDVW IRU D WLPH &KDUOLH ZRUNHG LQ WKH VKRS EXW OHIW KRPH DW DJH DIWHU D IDOOLQJ RXW ZLWK his stern father, whom Charlie also described DV ´TXLWH D GXGH D ODGLHV· PDQ µ 7KH DGYHQWXURXV WHHQDJHU FURVVHG WKH $UNDQVDV 5LYHU and found a job at the Henry Rose shoe shop in Fort Smith, about five miles from Van BuUHQ PDNLQJ IRXU WLPHV WKH VDODU\ KH·G HDUQHG DW KLV IDWKHU·V VKRS

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF TEXAS TRADITIONS BOOT SHOP, AUSTIN, TEXAS

At age seven, Charlie told hordes of reporters he became an apprentice in the 3DULVLDQ VKRS RI D RQH OHJJHG ERRWPDNHU QDPHG (G /HZLV $Q[LRXV WR OHDUQ WKH ER\ moved in with the Lewis family the following \HDU 3DULV KLVWRULDQV VD\ WKDW SUH ORFDO newspaper archives were lost in a fire, but ODWHU FOLSSLQJV UHIHU WR RQH ( ) /HZLV DV WKH ´&ULSSOHG 6KRHPDNHU µ ´+H ZDV D PDVWHU KLPVHOI µ &KDUOLH VDLG LQ ´DQG LQ WKRVH GD\V WKH\ GLG OLNH WKH\ GLG LQ WKH ROG FRXQWU\ <RX VHUYHG \RXU DSSUHQWLFHVKLS LQ WKH PDVWHU·V VKRS DQG \RX OLYHG LQ KLV KRPH DQG \RX KDG WR GR KRXVHZRUN DQG ORRN DIWHU KLV FKLOGUHQ EDE\VLW DQG VR RQ µ $FFRUGLQJ WR one account of his life, Charlie produced the first pair of boots made completely on his own DV DQ th ELUWKGD\ SUHVHQW WR KLPVHOI 7KH ZDQGHULQJ 'XQQV GHSDUWHG *ORU\ Charlie in tow, and eventually landed in Fort

FROM TOP DOWN: Charlie Dunn's spirit is alive and well at Texas Traditions boot shop in Austin today. This portrait of Charlie holding a boot stands next to the actual boot he is holding in the photograph; This pair of white boots with Charlie's signature roses, in red, includes the distinctive Charlie Dunn logo.

THE

leather legends ISSUE

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF TEXAS TRADITIONS BOOT SHOP, AUSTIN, TEXAS PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE BRISCOE CENTER FOR AMERICAN HISTORY, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN

, ORFDWHG HYLGHQFH RI RQH +HQU\ 5RVH RI )RUW 6PLWK ZKR GLHG LQ +LV RELWXDU\ VD\V KH ZDV FRQQHFWHG IRU \HDUV ZLWK WKH $UNDQVDV +LGH DQG )XU &RPSDQ\ %XW QDLOLQJ GHILQLWLYH SODFHV DQG GDWHV WR &KDUOLH·V ZDQGHULQJV DQG KDW KDQJLQJV FDQ EH WULFN\ 2IWHQ KH GLG QRW WDUU\ $V KH H[SODLQHG WR KLV JUDQGGDXJKWHU /LQGD *DQQ QRZ /LQGD 3RUWHU IRU KHU FROOHJH VRFLRORJ\ UHSRUW RQ DJLQJ LI KH FRXOGQ·W OHDUQ DQ\WKLQJ IURP WKH SHRSOH KH ZRUNHG IRU³RU LI WKH\ ZHUH LQVWHDG DFWXDOO\ OHDUQLQJ IURP KLP³KH·G ZRUN DERXW D ZHHN DQG PRYH RQ ´0\ LQWHQWLRQV ZHUH WR JDLQ DOO WKH NQRZOHGJH , FRXOG LQ WKH VKRUWHVW WLPH , FRXOG LQ ERRWPDNLQJ VKRHPDNLQJ UHSDLU LQ DOO DOOLHG OHDWKHUZRUN DWWDFKHG WR WKDW µ KH H[SODLQHG ´,·YH QHYHU FDUHG IRU DQ\WKLQJ RWKHU WKDQ ERRWPDNLQJ VKRHPDNLQJ UHSDLULQJ DQG ILWWLQJ µ +H KHDGHG ZHVW WR /DZWRQ 2NODKRPD DW VRPH SRLQW ZKHUH KH WRRN a subcontract job repairing boots and shoes for Fort Sill, which Charlie UHFDOOHG DV TXLWH OXFUDWLYH 7DNLQJ D WUDLQ EDFN KRPH WR YLVLW KH DUULYHG ZLWK D FDVH RI VPDOOSR[ DSSDUHQWO\ FRQWUDFWHG IURP IHOORZ SDVVHQJHUV +LV PRWKHU VZDWKHG KLP LQ FDUERODWHG 9DVHOLQH WR WUHDW WKH GLVHDVH %DFN RQ KLV IHHW &KDUOLH MRLQHG WKH 1DY\ $W SRXQGV KH ZDV WROG WR JX]]OH WKUHH TXDUWV RI PLON DQG JREEOH VRPH EDQDQDV WR SDFN RQ ZHLJKW EHIRUH KLV LQGXFWLRQ SK\VLFDO $V WKH ERRWPDNHU UHFDOOHG WR KLV JUDQGGDXJKWHU WKH )LUVW :RUOG :DU had just ended and he remained in the Navy about a year and a half before UHFHLYLQJ DQ KRQRUDEOH GLVFKDUJH $ \HDU RI KLV VHUYLFH ZDV VSHQW DERDUG WKH USS Mayflower, :RRGURZ :LOVRQ·V SUHVLGHQWLDO \DFKW &KDUOLH GLG EHKROG WKH FRPPDQGHU LQ FKLHI WKRXJK QRW RQ WKH \DFKW ´, VDZ KLP RQFH VLWWLQJ XS LQ KLV ER[ LQ D WKHDWUH µ KH WROG KLV JUDQGGDXJKWHU ´:DV VRPH RSU\ KRXVH , UHPHPEHU ZKR ZDV XS RQ VWDJH WRR ,W ZDV :LOO 5RJHUV GRLQJ KLV URSH WULFN ZLWK KLV FRZER\ XQLIRUP ERRWV DQG HYHU\WKLQJ 3UHVLGHQW :LOVRQ VLWWLQJ XS WKHUH OLNH D YHJHWDEOH $IWHU KH KDG WKDW DWWDFN KH ORVW KLV PLQG µ 'XQQ ZDV OLNHO\ UHIHUULQJ WR D VWURNH WKDW 3UHVLGHQW :LOVRQ VXIIHUHG LQ 2FWREHU

Mustered out of the mariner life, Charlie found his way to Memphis, 7HQQHVVHH 7KHUH KH PHW DQG PDUULHG WKH ORYH RI KLV OLIH &HFLOH 7LGZHOO LQ DQG ZHQW WR ZRUN IRU -RH 5HHVH·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´:H ZHUH ULJKW LQVLGH WKH EDVH µ KH WROG KLV JUDQGGDXJKWHU $FFRUGLQJ WR RQH DFFRXQW WKH ERRWPDNHU ILUVW PHW %XFN 6WHLQHU LQ 6DQ $QWRQLR DV %XFN KDG D FRQWUDFW WR PDNH VDGGOHV IRU WKH $UP\ :KLOH ZRUNLQJ DW )RUW 6DP &KDUOLH VDLG KH PDGH D SDLU RI ERRWV WKDW ZRQ ILUVW SODFH LQ WKHLU FDWHJRU\ DW WKH 7H[DV &HQWHQQLDO FHOHEUDWLRQ KHOG LQ

FROM TOP DOWN: Even when they show a little age, such as these boots Charlie made for Steve Wiener, Dunn's creations still look grand; One of many artists and celebrities who bought custom Charlie Dunn boot, Carole King sent this note of appreciation from the road.

SHOPTALK! 23

24 JANUARY 2020

artists, such as the colorfully attired Porter :DJRQHU WR &KDUOLH¡V ZRUN EHQFK $QG IURP WR WKDW EHQFK ZDV SDUNHG DW &DSLWRO 6DGGOHU\ $V WKH ERRWPDNHU UHFDOOHG WKH VWRU\ IRU KLV JUDQGGDXJKWHU %XFN UDQ D KHOS ZDQWHG DG IRU six months, turning down other applicants, ZDLWLQJ IRU &KDUOLH WR DQVZHU LW ´, KHDUG \RX KDG NLQG RI D WHPSHU ¾ %XFN VDLG ZKHQ &KDUOLH ILQDOO\ FDOOHG ´, NQHZ VRRQHU RU ODWHU \RX¡G EORZ XS DQG ZKHQ \RX GLG \RX¡G FRPH ULJKW RQ RXW KHUH ¾ %XFN ZDV SUHWW\ PXFK D VPRNLQ¡ SLVWROD KLV RZQ VHOI *URZLQJ XS LQ QHDUE\ %DVWURS and then Austin, he quit school around third JUDGH WR ZRUN DV D FRZER\ $W DJH KH OHIW home to travel and perform in Wild West VKRZV DQG URGHRV +LV VSHFLDOW\ EHFDPH ULGLQJ EXOOV EDFNZDUGV ZKLFK SDLG PXFKR EHWWHU WKDQ ULGLQJ WKHP IRUZDUGV $W KH ZDV EDFN LQ 7H[DV ZRUNLQJ IRU WKH 6DQ $QWRQLR VWRFN\DUGV $FFRUGLQJ WR WKH 7H[DV 6WDWH +LVWRULFDO $VVRFLDWLRQ¡V EULHI ELRJUDSK\ RI %XFN D ODZ enforcement career was cut short when he shot DW D FDUORDG RI SROLWLFLDQV ZKLOH ZRUNLQJ WUDIILF PDQDJHPHQW GXULQJ D SDUDGH %DFN LQ $XVWLQ ZKHUH D *HUPDQ LPPLJUDQW DQFHVWRU KDG UHSRUWHGO\ RZQHG WKH WRZQ¡V ILUVW KDUQHVV DQG VDGGOHU\ VKRS %XFN ERXJKW DQG sold land, operated his own touring rodeos and UHQWHG KLV VWRFN WR RWKHU URGHRV DQG PDQDJHG KLV &DSLWRO 6DGGOHU\ 1HZV UHSRUWV VD\ WKDW %XFN KDG DV PDQ\ DV VDGGOHPDNHUV ZRUNLQJ for him when the company built custom saddles and supplied ready-made saddles to MontgomHU\ :DUG DQG 6HDUV DQG 5RHEXFN 6RQ 7RPP\ Steiner ran the rodeo business until closing it LQ DQG JUDQGVRQ %REE\ 6WHLQHU ZRQ WKH ZRUOG¡V FKDPSLRQVKLS LQ EXOO ULGLQJ LQ %XFN DQG &KDUOLH PDLQWDLQHG DQ RUQHU\ coexistence the entire quarter century that WKH ERRWPDNHU ZRUNHG IRU &DSLWRO 6DGGOHU\ 8 $ +\GH WKH IDWKHU RI 'RQ +\GH ZKR VDLG DV D FKLOG WKDW &KDUOLH ORRNHG OLNH 6DQWD¡V HOYHV DOVR ZRUNHG IRU %XFN 6WHLQHU DW

FROM TOP DOWN: Charlie Dunn said that in bootmaking, the last is first. Here you can see lasts for Peter Fonda and Slim Pickens that remain at Texas Traditions from the days of Charlie Dunn; This giant boot sign has been part of the Lavaca Street landscape in Austin, Texas for nearly a century. It once marked the site of Buck Steiner's Capitol Saddlery, where Charlie Dunn built boots for a quarter of a century.

THE

leather legends ISSUE

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF GENE FOWLER

'DOODV LQ 8QLWHG 6WDWHV 9LFH 3UHVLGHQW DQG 7H[DQ -RKQ 1DQFH ´&DFWXV -DFNÂľ *DUQHU VDZ WKH ERRWV DW WKH 7H[DV VL]HG ELUWKGD\ SDUW\ and loved them, so the Army boot shop gave WKHP WR KLP ZKHQ WKH H[SRVLWLRQ ZDV RYHU &KDUOLH QRWHG WKDW WKH ERRWV ZHUH VL]H ZKLFK KDSSHQHG WR EH &DFWXV -DFN¡V VL]H ´, WKLQN KH RQO\ ZRUH WKHP RQFH Âľ 'XQQ UHFDOOHG â&#x20AC;&#x153;He said they were too pretty to wear and he SXW WKHP XS RQ WKH PDQWHO Âľ It appears that Charlie made boots at 0HUFHU %RRW &RPSDQ\ LQ 6DQ $QJHOR 7H[DV DW VRPH SRLQW LQ WKDW VDPH \HDU ZKHQ DQRWKHU OHJHQGDU\ 7H[DV ERRWPDNHU 0 / /HGG\ ERXJKW RXW 0HUFHU /HGG\ RSHQHG KLV own San Angelo boot shop, which is still in EXVLQHVV WRGD\ 2QH RI /HGG\¡V ERRWPDNLQJ JUDQGVRQV 5XVW\ )UDQNOLQ UHFDOOV WKH IDPLO\ story that Charlie Dunn and several other VWRULHG LQGHSHQGHQW PLQGHG 7H[DV ERRWPDNHUV OHIW WKH VKRS DIWHU /HGG\ WRRN LW RYHU and instituted his â&#x20AC;&#x153;my way or the highwayâ&#x20AC;?

FRGH WR WKH DUW RI PDNLQJ ERRWV $QG .\OH %URFN FXUUHQW RZQHU DQG ERRWPDNHU DW a revived Mercer Boots, confirms that the shop archives used to include photographic HYLGHQFH DQG RWKHU PDWHULDO DERXW &KDUOLH¡V time in San Angelo (the material disappeared ZLWK D GHSDUWLQJ HPSOR\HH

%\ 'XQQ KDG PRYHG WR $XVWLQ ZKHUH KH ZHQW WR ZRUN UHSDLULQJ IRRWZHDU IRU /RQH 6WDU 6KRH 6HUYLFH $IWHU KH¡G EHHQ with the company a few years, they discovered KH FRXOG PDNH ERRWV DQG WKDW¡V ZKHQ KLV reputation as â&#x20AC;&#x153;the Michelangelo of cowboy ERRWVÂľ UHDOO\ EHJDQ ,Q WRZQ IRU D SHUIRUPDQFH ULVLQJ KRQN\ WRQN VWDU (UQHVW 7XEE KDSSHQHG by the shop one day and spotted a pair of boots &KDUOLH KDG PDGH GLVSOD\HG LQ WKH ZLQGRZ 7KH ERRWV VSRUWHG ZKDW EHFDPH WKH VLJQDture Charlie Dunn inlay, beautifully rendered URVHV 7KH\ ILW WKH FRPSRVHU RI ´:DONLQ¡ WKH )ORRU 2YHU <RX Âľ DQG 7XEE ERXJKW WKHP Admired on the feet of the popular singer, the boots eventually led other country-western

&DSLWRO 6DGGOHU\ GRLQJ SXEOLFLW\ IRU WKH URGHRV WKDW %XFN SURPRWHG ZLWK KLV VRQ 7RPP\ <RXQJ 'RQ KDG WKH UXQ RI WKH WKUHH VWRU\ EXLOGLQJ ZKLFK KDG EHHQ EXLOW LQ RU WKH HDUO\ V DFFRUGLQJ WR DQRWKHU VRXUFH DV D ILUHKRXVH ´,W ZDV DQ DPD]LQJ ZRQGHUODQG RI D SODFH IRU D NLG µ KH UHFDOOV ´ZLWK IORRU DIWHU IORRU RI HYHU\ NLQG RI OHDWKHU \RX FRXOG LPDJLQH µ 'RQ ZKR FRIRXQGHG WKH ILUVW RI $XVWLQ·V FRXQWHUFXOWXUH PXVLF YHQXHV WKH 9XOFDQ *DV &RPSDQ\ LQ H[SODLQV WKDW KH KDV RQH $ QUAD foot-type and had his boots custom-Dunn-made starting at age +LV JLUOIULHQG XVHG &KDUOLH·V VHZLQJ PDFKLQHV DQG PDGH KLP SDQWV DQG D YHVW ZLWK OHDWKHU VKH ERXJKW IURP %XFN ´+H PDGH KHU D SDLU RI ERRWV ZLWK URVHV RQ WKHP LQ µ 'RQ UHFDOOV ´+H VDLG WKDW SHRSOH XVHG WR JR IRU IDQF\ ERRWV OLNH WKDW DOO WKH WLPH EXW KHUV ZHUH WKH ILUVW URVHV KH·G SXW RQ ERRWV LQ \HDUV µ Currently living in Italy, Hyde was surprised not long ago when RUGHULQJ EHVSRNH VKRHV IURP 6WHIDQR %HPHU WR ILQG WKDW WKH IDPHG )ORUHQWLQH VKRHPDNHU ZDV TXLWH IDPLOLDU ZLWK WKH OHJHQGDU\ 7H[DQ &KDUOLH 'XQQ $IWHU \HDUV RI PDNLQJ XQWROG QXPEHUV RI FXVWRP ERRWV DQG³DSSDUHQWO\³EORZLQJ D JDVNHW DW %XFN RQ D UHJXODU EDVLV &KDUOLH DVNHG WKH ROG EDFNZDUGV EXOO ULGHU IRU D PRGHVW UDLVH 5HIXVHG RQ WKH UDLVH KH TXLW UHWLUHG DQG PRYHG WR 0HVTXLWH 7H[DV WR EH QHDU KLV GDXJKWHU $QG WKHQ WKH ERRW ZRUOG ZHQW D OLWWOH QXWV

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE BRISCOE CENTER FOR AMERICAN HISTORY, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN

â&#x20AC;&#x153;In my opinion, the foot is the most abused part of the human body. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no part of the foot thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not important. You have to know just how each blood vessel crosses each bone." â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Charlie Dunn â&#x20AC;&#x153;Night and day,â&#x20AC;? he told one reportHU ´WKH\¡G FDOO PH XS IURP DOO RYHU WKH FRXQWU\ÂłHYHQ DW PLGQLJKWÂłVD\LQ¡ WKH\ FRXOGQ¡W JHW D ILW OLNH WKH\ FRXOG ZKHQ , ZDV ZRUNLQJ Âľ 7ZR $XVWLQ IULHQGV DQG FXVWRPHUVÂłSK\VLFLDQ 'U 'RQ &RXQWV DQG businessman Steve Wienerâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;were espeFLDOO\ FRQFHUQHG WKDW &KDUOLH¡V NQRZOHGJH DQG VNLOOV PLJKW EH ORVW WR KLVWRU\ ´, GURYH XS WR 0HVTXLWH WR VHH KLP Âľ 'U &RXQWV recalls, â&#x20AC;&#x153;and he was bored and depressed, sitting with a box full of newspaper and PDJD]LQH VWRULHV DERXW KLV ERRWV Âľ &RXQWV

26 JANUARY 2020

DQG :LHQHU PDGH WKH ERRWPDNHU D GHDO KH FRXOGQ¡W UHIXVH 7KH SDLU RI ERRW ZKLVSHUHUV VHW &KDUOLH XS LQ EXVLQHVV EDFN LQ $XVWLQ ZLWK D IUHH UHVLGHQFH WKDW FDPH ZLWK D ERRW VKRS RXW EDFN free medical care and three times his Capitol 6DGGOHU\ VDODU\ 7KH QHZ VKRS 7H[DV 7UDGLWLRQV RSHQHG RQ -XQH 7KH YHU\ ILUVW customer was the actor Peter Fonda, who was LQ WRZQ ZRUNLQJ RQ WKH ILOP Outlaw Blues.

Resurrected before it had a chance to die, WKH /HJHQG RI &KDUOLH 'XQQ VRDUHG %RRW loversâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the famous and the not-famousâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;found

WKHLU ZD\ WR 7H[DV 7UDGLWLRQV MXVW RII 6RXWK &RQJUHVV $YHQXH 5RVDQQH &DVK ZRUH &KDUOLH 'XQQ ERRWV RQ WKH FRYHU RI KHU album, Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Record Shop. Carole King was SKRWRJUDSKHG ZLWK &KDUOLH E\ -LP 0F*XLUH whose Nashville portraits graced innumerable DOEXP FRYHUV DQG VSDZQHG ERRNV DQG WUDYHOLQJ H[KLELWV 6WDQGLQJ QH[W WR WKH JUDFLRXV VLQJHU VRQJZULWHU WKH DJLQJ ERRWPDNHU ORRNHG IXOO RI LPSLVK JOHH Musing on his custom boot clientele, Charlie once allowed, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Musicians are pretty HDV\ WR VXLW 5RGHR ULGHUV ZDQW D ERRW WKDW¡OO THE

leather legends ISSUE

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF TODD STAHLY, BOULDER, COLORADO

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF AUSTIN HISTORY CENTER

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: When Robyn Turner authored the book â&#x20AC;&#x153;Austin Originalsâ&#x20AC;? in 1982, legendary bootmaker Charlie Dunn was chosen to grace the cover among all the other unique, original, authentic individuals; Jerry Jeff Walker wrote these lyrics in the early 1970s for his song Charlie Dunn, about the popular Texas bootmaker.

On view in the Outlaws and Armadillos: Country's Roaring 70s exhibition at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Nashville, through February 14, 2021; "It's all about the hands," legendary Texas bootmaker Charlie Dunn would often say.

practically fall off their feet if their feet need WR OHDYH WKH VWLUUXSV 5DQFK KDQGV ZDQW rugged boots with broad toes and no high KHHOV 5DQFKHUV DQG RLO PHQ ZDQW VRPHWKLQJ OLNH QR RQH HOVH KDV Âľ 2QH IRUPHU URGHR DWKOHWH FXVWRPHU who produced â&#x20AC;&#x153;buffalo rodeosâ&#x20AC;? after he JRW WR ROG WR ULGH ZDV +DFNEHUU\ -RKQVRQ Having lost a leg as a young man, Johnson JRW KLV XQLTXH PRQLNHU ZKHQ D GRFWRU RU some cowboys (depending on which version RQH DFFHSWV IDVKLRQHG D SURVWKHVLV IURP D KDFNEHUU\ WUHH EUDQFK +DFNEHUU\ GLHG

DW D :LOOLH 1HOVRQ FRQFHUW VKRUWO\ DIWHU &KDUOLH PDGH KLP D QHZ SDLU RI ERRWV 1HOVRQ GHGLFDWHG D SHUIRUPDQFH RI ´0LON &RZ %OXHV¾ WR +DFNEHUU\ GXULQJ ZKLFK WKH \HDU ROG FRZER\ FXW WKH PXVWDUG ZLWK WKH ODGLHV :KHQ KH FROODSVHG D FRXSOH VRQJV ODWHU +DFNEHUU\ GLHG ZLWK KLV ERRWV RQ Wheeler-dealer attorneys, football SOD\HUV SROLWLFLDQV UHJXODU IRONV DQG WKH DYDQW JDUGH DOVR ZRUH FXVWRP 'XQQV 'U Don Counts recalls that corporate bigwigs occasionally dispatched a private jet to fly the ERRWPDNHU WR GLVWDQW VWDWHV WR PHDVXUH WKHP

IRU ERRWV ´+H ILUVW FDPH WR 7H[DV LQ D FRYHUHG wagon,â&#x20AC;? marvels the physician, â&#x20AC;&#x153;and he left PDQ\ WLPHV LQ D SULYDWH MHW Âľ 1R PDWWHU KRZ KLJK WKH PXFNHW\ PXFN however, Charlie was seldom if ever intimiGDWHG +LV JUDQGGDXJKWHU /LQGD 3RUWHU UHFDOOV WKH WLPH WKDW /LWWOH 3D KHU QDPH IRU &KDUOLH

PDGH D SDLU RI ERRWV IRU ,GDKR *RYHUQRU -RKQ (YDQV ´0\ H[ KXVEDQG ZRUNHG IRU *RYHUQRU Evans,â&#x20AC;? she explains, â&#x20AC;&#x153;so we brought Little Pa WR ,GDKR WR GR D ILWWLQJ +H ZDV KLV XVXDO RGG self, telling the governor that he hoped he put RQ FOHDQ VRFNV WKDW PRUQLQJ /RUG\ /RUG\ Âľ SHOPTALK! 27

ÂŽ P.O. Box 820803 Vancouver, WA 98682-0018

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF GENE FOWLER

(360) 891-7178 Tel Best Choice From (800) 541-3264 Start to Finish (360) 891-7166 Fax bnatural@pacifier.com Email

It All Starts with the

r e h t a e L t s Be With over 50,000 pieces of leather in stock and ready to ship, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re sure to ďŹ nd the right leather for your next project. Our premium leather is carefully sourced from the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top tanneries for quality you can depend on with every shipment.

800-932-8371 â&#x20AC;˘ 18-1597-SP-DAD

28 JANUARY 2020

shop.weaverleather.com

'U &RXQWV VD\V DQ DUWLVW IURP 6DQ $QWRQLR NHSW FKDQJLQJ WKH GHVLJQ DQG RWKHU GHWDLOV RI KLV RVWULFK DQG FDOIVNLQ ERRW RUGHU ZLWK 7H[DV 7UDGLWLRQV ´:KHQ WKH ERRWV ZHUH ILQDOO\ UHDG\ DQG KH FDPH WR SLFN WKHP XS KH DSRORJL]HG WR &KDUOLH IRU DOO WKH FKDQJHV &KDUOLH MXVW ORRNHG DW KLP DQG VDLG œ:HOO ,¡P VRUU\ , HYHU PHW \RX ¡¾ $SSUHQWLFHVKLS ZDV D ELJ SDUW RI 7H[DV 7UDGLWLRQV¡ PLVVLRQ It was important to Counts and Wiener that Charlie pass his NQRZOHGJH DORQJ WR D \RXQJHU JHQHUDWLRQ WKDW WKH DUW DQG FUDIW RI KDQGPDGH ERRWV FRQWLQXH ´:H VRXJKW RXW YDOHGLFWRULDQV RI WKH 2NPXOJHH >2NODKRPD@ 6FKRRO RI %RRW DQG 6DGGOH 0DNLQJ ¾ &RXQWV H[SODLQV ´%XW &KDUOLH KDG D KHFN RI D WHPSHU DQG KLV H[SORVLRQV ZRXOG GULYH SHRSOH DZD\ ¾ 2NPXOJHH JUDGXDWH /HH 0LOOHU³ZKR KDG KHDUG WKH -HUU\ -HII :DONHU VRQJ EDFN KRPH LQ 9HUPRQW DQG GHFLGHG KH ZDQWHG WR PDNH ERRWV³KDG WKH JXPSWLRQ WR VWLFN LW RXW DQG ZHDWKHU &KDUOLH 'XQQ¡V FDQWDQNHURXV VW\OH DV GLG /HH¡V ZLIH &DUUO\Q ZKRP KH PHW ZKHQ VKH FDPH WR ZRUN DW 7H[DV 7UDGLWLRQV ´:KHQ , VWDUWHG ZRUNLQJ ZLWK &KDUOLH ¾ /HH H[SODLQV ´, IHOW OLNH , ZDV VWDUWLQJ RYHU 7KH PLQXWH , ILUVW ZDONHG LQ DQG VDZ KRZ KH GLG WKLQJV PL[LQJ 2OG :RUOG WHFKQLTXHV ZLWK WKLQJV KH¡G OHDUQHG IURP 0H[LFDQ ERRWPDNHUV WKH FDOLEHU RI ZRUN UHDOO\ H[FLWHG PH ¾ 'U &RXQWV UHFDOOV WKH ZD\ &KDUOLH DOLJQHG WKH D[LV RI WKH OHDWKHU ZLWK WKH D[LV RI WKH IRRW 6XFK DQ DOLJQPHQW QRW RQO\ DLGHG THE

leather legends ISSUE

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF TODD STAHLY, BOULDER, COLORADO

FROM TOP DOWN: Charlie Dunn's work bench, where Lee Miller works boot magic today at Texas Traditions in Austin; Legendary Texas bootmaker Charlie Dunn made these well-lived-in boots for the late great songwriter Guy Clark. On view in the exhibition Outlaws and Armadillos: Country's Roaring 70s, at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Nashville, through February 14, 2021.

WKH PRWLRQ RI ZDONLQJ EXW LW DOVR DGGHG WR WKH ORQJHYLW\ RI WKH ERRW ´$QG KH GURYH VTXDUH pegs into round holes on the sole,â&#x20AC;? Counts DGGHG ´+H SRXQGHG D SHQQ\ QDLO IODW RQ DQ DQYLO DWWDFKHG WR DQ RDN VWXPS DQG WKDW VWUHQJWKHQHG WKH DUFK DQG KHHO Âľ $ORQJ ZLWK other gizmos and machines Dunn used, the DQYLO RQ WKH VWXPS LV VWLOO DW 7H[DV 7UDGLWLRQV WRGD\ DQG VWLOO LQ XVH For Charlie, it was all about the fit, and WKDW VWDUWHG ZLWK WKH ODVW $ Texas Homes magazine account provides a vivid eyewitness description of his measuring WHFKQLTXH ´:KHQ KH DSSURDFKHV WKH ILWWLQJ of a customer,â&#x20AC;? wrote the unnamed scribe, ´'XQQ LV IXOO RI IORXULVK DQG P\VWHU\ %HHWOLQJ KLV EURZ EHQHDWK D FRFNHG EHUHW ELWLQJ D SHQFLO FLUFOLQJ DQG FLUFOLQJ WKH VWRFNLQJHG feet as if he had never seen anything quite OLNH WKHP GXULQJ ZDNLQJ KRXUV KH PXWWHUV DQ XQEURNHQ SDWWHUQ RI SHUVRQDO UHPDUNV foot philosophy and foot humor: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Just stand QDWXUDOO\ ¡ KH RUGHUV +H EHJLQV E\ WUDFLQJ WKH RXWOLQH RI WKH IRRW 7KHQ JHQWO\ VR WKH FXVWRPHU GRHVQ¡W TXLWH NQRZ KH¡V GRLQJ LW KH WDNHV KHU E\ WKH HOERZ DQG PRYHV KHU RII balance, coaxing her out of a posed stance, watching intently to see how her foot changHV VNHWFKLQJ DURXQG LW TXLFNO\ DQG GHOLFDWHO\ Âś7KHUH DUH VRPH WKLQJV , GR WKDW , ZRQ¡W HYHQ WDON DERXW EHFDXVH , GRQ¡W ZDQW RWKHU ERRWPDNHUV WR NQRZ KRZ LW¡V GRQH ,Q P\ opinion, the foot is the most abused part of WKH KXPDQ ERG\ 7KHUH¡V QR SDUW RI WKH IRRW WKDW¡V QRW LPSRUWDQW <RX KDYH WR NQRZ MXVW KRZ HDFK EORRG YHVVHO FURVVHV HDFK ERQH ¡¾ $OO ZKR EHKHOG &KDUOLH PDNLQJ ERRWV PDUYHOHG DW KLV NQRZOHGJH RI WKH SURSHUWLHV RI YDULRXV OHDWKHUV 'U &RXQWV UHFDOOHG WKDW LI &KDUOLH UHFHLYHG KLGHV KH ZRXOG NHHS RQH DQG VHQG QLQH EDFN UHMHFWLQJ WKHP DV XQVDWLVIDFWRU\ 7KH H[FHOOHQW :LNLSHGLD HQWU\ RQ 'XQQ ZULWWHQ E\ IRUPHU 87 SURIHVVRU Richard Ribb, includes a ribald rule Charlie DSSOLHG WR KLGHV

1R GHWDLO ZDV WRR VPDOO +H GHVFULEHG WKH production of his own thread for granddaughWHU /LQGD 3RUWHU ´,W¡V SROLVKHG IOD[ , GR LW E\ KDQG DQG XVH 5XVVLDQ KRJ EULVWOHV 7KH\ VHOO IRU DQG GROODUV D SRXQG , ZRUN LW ZLWK P\ ILQJHUV DQG P\ NQHH , ZLQG WKH WKUHDG RQ P\ WKXPE DQG DOVR XVH P\ WKXPE WR WZLVW LW Âľ 6WHYH :LHQHU SURGXFHG D '9' RI &KDUOLH GHWDLOLQJ KLV ERRWPDNLQJ PHWKRGV $YDLODEOH IURP 7H[DV 7UDGLWLRQV WKH YLGHR includes Lee Miller and other apprentices in action, and Jerry Jeff warbles his musical tribute to the man dubbed the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Michelangelo of cowboy bootsâ&#x20AC;? by Travel and Leisure PDJD]LQH Charlie Dunn customers revered the DUWLVW¡V KDQGPDGH FUHDWLRQV :KHQ , YLVLWHG 7H[DV 7UDGLWLRQV /HH 0LOOHU VKRZHG PH D SDLU of boots that Charlie had made for a California PDQ +H ZDV WHUPLQDOO\ LOO DQG ZDV UHWXUQLQJ WKH ERRWV WR 7H[DV 7UDGLWLRQV EHFDXVH KH IHOW WKDW¡V ZKHUH WKH\ EHORQJHG ´,W UHPLQGHG PH RI the journey in the film The Trip to Bountiful,â&#x20AC;?

VDLG /HH ´,W ZDV YHU\ PRYLQJ Âľ &KDUOLH UHWLUHG IRU JRRG RQ KLV WK ELUWKGD\ )LQDOO\ ILQGLQJ WKH WLPH WR ZDWFK WKH ULYHU flow and drop in a line from his fishing pole, KH OLYHG WR WKH JUDQG ROG DJH RI +H ZDV EXULHG LQ KLV IDYRULWH SDLU RI EODFN NDQJDURR boots with rows of multicolored stitching that /HH 0LOOHU KDG PDGH KLP LQ %HIRUH KH GLHG /HH VD\V &KDUOLH DQG %XFN EXULHG WKH KDWFKHW %XFN OLQJHUHG LQ WKLV ZRUOG XQWLO KH¡G VHHQ VSLQV DURXQG WKH VXQ â&#x20AC;&#x153;I guaran-damn-tee you, Charlie Dunn ZDV WKH EHVW ERRWPDNHU ZKR HYHU OLYHG Âľ 6WHYH Wiener told the Austin American-Statesman DIWHU &KDUOLH¡V SDVVLQJ ´+H ZDV D PDVWHU craftsman, as well as a very artistic and creative JX\ (YHU\ERG\ ZKR PHW KLP ZDONHG RXW RI WKDW ERRW VKRS RQ D FORXG RI DLU Âľ $V WKH ERRWPDNHU¡V PRUWDO UHPDLQV ZHUH returned to the earth, his grandson Don Rountree and Lee Miller sang, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Charlie 'XQQ KH¡V WKH RQH WR VHH Âľ SHOPTALK! 29

American Tanning & Leather’s n of e e u Q

r o t a G

By Danna Burns-Shaw

hristy Plott is part of multi-generational family leather business, American Tanning & Leather LLC. “Am Tan” is a five-generation business that is located in Griffin, Georgia, 40 miles south of Atlanta, right at the source of the finest raw material in the world, the Louisiana alligator.

C

The Name Christy was named after her father Chris Plott, but she is known throughout the industry as the “Queen of Gator.” The title is self-appointed. Several years ago, Christy heard about an alligator buyer from Italy working in Florida who was calling himself the “King of Alligator.” This was very aggravating to Christy. For one thing, there are no alligators in Italy and none of his family had ever been in the alligator business. More importantly, royalty is demonstrated by blood line and nobody in the world can lay claim to a more established lineage than Christy’s.

As a joke, Christy had personal cards made up – beautiful cards edged in pink with a big crown and her self-appointed

30 JANUARY 2020

title, “Queen of Gator.” She sent some to the Italian distributors as a joke. She also took them to her next trade show and once her actual business cards were gone, they started handing out the QoG cards. They became an instant hit. The top designer brands from New York and Europe took notice and soon everyone was calling Christy, the Queen of Gator.

“When I would go to New York and meet designers, being from the South, people either thought you lived in a single-wide trailer, married your cousin or you lived on a plantation where you sit on your porch drinking sweet tea all day long,” says Christy. “Once I started handing out the Queen of Gator cards, people started remembering me. They may not remember my name, but they would remember Queen of Gator.”

Queen of Gator is Christy’s handle on Twitter and Instagram. “La Reina” is engraved on her silver ID bracelet, “Queen of Alligator” is embroidered inside her mink coat, the tongue of her right pink-andgreen Nike running shoe says “Gator,” the left says “Queen,” and her alligator boots

have a tiara on the front and “Queen of Gator” on the back.

The Company American Tanning is the oldest and largest alligator tannery in the country—and one of the only major alligator tanneries in the world. Christy’s great-grandfather started buying and selling fur in 1923. Her grandfather and father continued the business, buying otters, minks, foxes and the like from trappers, scraping the fat, flipping the animals inside out and then stretching them out to dry.

Christy Plott was born in 1979, ironically the same year that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, encouraged by a rebound in the alligator population, agreed to resume the legal trade of alligator on a

THE

leather legends ISSUE

“Once I started handing out the Queen of Gator cards, people started remembering me. They may not remember my name, but they would remember Queen of Gator.”

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF ANTHONY CONFORTI

—Christy Plott

strictly regulated basis. The idea was that alligators were such a valuable commodity landowners would be more inclined to protect the animal’s habitat rather than destroy it. Commerce could benefit conservation.

That year, at an auction in Florida, Chris Plott scooped up the first legal alligator skins available in more than a decade.

But because the alligator trade had been

closed, there wasn’t anyone around to tan them. With 5,000 skins in hand, he decided to build his own tannery and in 1980, American Tanning & Leather was born. When the Fish and Wildlife Service declared the alligator population fully recovered in 1987, things got easier for Chris, and in the early 1990s he started to make a profit on alligators.

Christy recalled when all the Plott kids started working at the tannery. “When you could count to 10!” she exclaimed. “If you could count to 10, you were old enough to stack hides in piles of 10.” Her first job after joining the family business was to help move the tannery in 2001. “You want to talk about a big job – moving a tannery is a BIG JOB!” They moved into a building SHOPTALK! 31

“When people visit, they are shocked at how long everything takes to hand finish. Making exotic leather is 50 percent science and 50 percent art. It’s like cooking in a five-star restaurant, everyone expects it to be perfect.”

— Christy Plott BELOW: Alligator leather being glazed at American Tanning & Leather LLC; OPPOSITE PAGE: Christy Plott with Louisiana alligator fisherman, Rich Phillips; PREVIOUS PAGE: The Queen of Gator, Christy Plott, 40, has definitely earned this self-appointed title by her success in the alligator leather industry.

that was used for canning vegetables and fruits, but had been empty for years. It required running all new water lines and installing a new water treatment facility.

They bought all new equipment, making it a very modern, clean tannery.

the U.S. This is a perfect combination for a successful family business, everyone taking responsibility for their individual strengths.

“Their favorite job,” referring to her brothers Damon and Chandler, “that they really hate the most, is all the maintenance.

They have to fix everything. Most of our equipment is from overseas, and everything we have needs to be custom made to work for exotics. Regular machinery in regular tanneries is way too big to work on alligator,” says Christy.

Am Tan is the only alligator tannery in the U.S. that has the equipment to make millennium finish, a finish that is in between glazed and matte. This finish makes it easier to make products inside out and then turn them. The shiny leather doesn’t break when being turned.

When you have a leather tannery, finding good technicians is a challenge in the United States. There are no leather tanning schools in the U.S. Only two universities in the world offer any mastery level courses in tanning leather, one is in France and the other is in England. Christy met a student that was attending the school in France while at a trade show in Paris. During their visit this student told Christy she wanted to work for her. It took three years to get Maissa to the U.S. to work her dream job of tanning exotic leathers.

Chris’ old school principals of running a business have served them well; he doesn’t believe in having any debt. When they need new equipment, they write a check for it.

The Tanning Team A small team of 20 people tan and distribute up to 35,000 alligator hides per year. Five of those team members are Plotts. Including Christy, her father Chris, her brothers, Damon and Chandler Plott and nephew, fifth-generation Phillip, named after Chris’ brother who passed away, round out the five. Damon is in charge of grading the raw skins, and processing from raw until crust. Chandler is over everything from crust to finish.

Christy is the only female in the world that owns an alligator tannery. Her father always taught her to be strong. He also made sure she knew her strengths and that they were different from those of her brothers. Christy works on the business in sales, while her brothers work in the business making the best alligator leather in

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF ZACH WOLFE

The Process

32 JANUARY 2020

Shockingly, alligator and crocodile hides take 120-150 days to process from raw to finish. The bottlenecks in tanning production are shaving, polishing and toggling.

All three of these operations need to be done by hand. They can put hundreds of

THE

leather legends ISSUE

SHOPTALK! 33

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE PLOTT FAMILY

“Buying leather and buying leather products is an emotional thing. If you call a color by a weird name, it may not resonate with the client. . . . You have to look at a skin, knowing that alligator skin is not perfect, with all of its variations including scars, scales and scale shape. . . . You have to know what will be valuable to the client, because they always look for value.”

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF ZACH WOLFE

— Christy Plott

34 JANUARY 2020

THE

leather legends ISSUE

The Expertise Christy’s strengths are many, but she has a knack for looking at a finished skin and knowing what it would be best used for and who would want it. She acquired this knowledge by understanding her customers. When Christy first started working for American Tanning, she researched her client’s customers. She found out what they liked, what their style was, and even researched what area they were in. Much of her business is with the fashion indus-

try. She researched this too: what current trends were and what colors were relevant, gathering information that would give her a better understanding of the industry and each designer’s styles and tastes.

Christy would joke with the buying team at Ralph Lauren when working with them. She knew what colors to send them because she knew what colors Mr. Lauren would like. She also knew she needed to use the right words to describe the colors of the leather. She would not call a leather “shocking blue” when working with them, she would choose words that spoke to their company, such as nautical blue or American blue.

Christy had the wonderful opportunity to sit down with Oscar de la Renta when he was still alive. Because she had done her research and knew his customer, she knew which leathers he would like. He was very excited with the selection of colors and skins she presented him. “Buying leather and buying leather products is

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF ZACH WOLFE

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF ANTHONY CONFORTI

skins in a tanning drum, but after they are taken out of the wet blue, all 300 hundred need to be shaved one by one… by hand.

They are at a standstill in the tanning process until all the skins are shaved. Once this has happened, they go back in the drum for retanning.

“When people visit, they are shocked at how long everything takes to hand finish. Making exotic leather is 50 percent science and 50 percent art. It’s like cooking in a five-star restaurant, everyone expects it to be perfect,” says Christy.

Once the skins arrive, rolled, salted and smelling like seafood, they’re put through a multi-step process that can render them in 60-plus colors, and even more finishes.

A paddle drum removes the scales from each skin before they go into a large, round tanning machine that treats them with the chemical chrome to render it in a “wet blue” state. Then the skins are tacked to boards by hand and dried in a white “crust” form to wait dyeing and finishing, a process that calls for meticulous hand work with a mechanical polisher.

“It’s like making a soufflé – if anything is off or different, it is going to change the outcome of the leather. So, you are trying to balance everything with as much control as possible while adding the artistic aspect, so each skin is special.”

FROM TOP DOWN: Back from left; Phillip Plott (nephew), Christy, Chandler (Phillip’s dad), Damon, and Chris in front; The men of the family, Chandler, Chris, and Damon Plott, oversee the raw skin side of the business; OPPOSITE PAGE: Chandler Plott developing colors in the R&D lab at AmTan.

SHOPTALK! 35

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE PLOTT FAMILY PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE PLOTT FAMILY

FROM TOP DOWN: Chris Plott and his father Quince inspect furs; Christy’s father, Chris Plott, circa 1960, grading raw alligator skins; OPPOSITE PAGE: Skins being toggled flat after drum dying

36 JANUARY 2020

an emotional thing. If you call a color by a weird name, it may not resonate with the client. You have to be perceptive in this business. You have to look at a skin, knowing that alligator skin is not perfect, with all of its variations including scars, scales and scale shape. Even the shape of the animal gives the leather its own unique character. You have to know what will be valuable to the client, because they always look for value,” says Christy.

Another strength of Christy’s is networking. She offers a wealth of information to her clients when they are looking for something in particular, all through making friends and connections at trade shows. This has made Ms. Plott a valuable resource to clients when they need items such as zippers, dyes, stamps and all sorts of other items. As Zig Ziglar wisely stated, “Give them what they want and you will always get what you want.” She knows you need to be willing to sit on the same side of the table as them and look at things from their point of view.

When Christy was 22, she made her first trip alone to New York City to work with an old established handbag company. Before she went on the trip, her dad sat her down and explained that people in NYC were tough. They were different than at home in the South. She remembers him saying something to the effect of, “You’ve been coddled all your life and you need to be aware that this will not be easy.” Fresh out of business school, Christy picked out her best business suit, confident she could win this “old school” businessman over with her Southern girl charm. She walked into his office with a smile on her face and a spring in her step, because she was going to be sitting down next to one of the largest handbag manufacturers in the U.S. He took one look at her offerings and said, “What is this? I don’t need any of this,” and sent her out of his office in tears.

Two weeks later, the old man from New York called Christy and said he needed some specialty colors for a customer that had a store in Bergdorf Goodman. She excitedly agreed to produce these colors and of course, he gave her the two hardest colors to produce… pale celadon fern green and deep apricot, testing her ability to deliver. The Plott family put all their skill sets together and nailed the colors. That was the beginning of the best relationship Christy has ever acquired in the business.

This tough 84-year-old man from Brooklyn met every stereotype you could imagine… a Jewish Marine. The relationship grew and he took Christy under his wing, teaching her everything about making handbags.

“Meeting people like that helps you develop thicker skin. I swore I would never go back and see him again. He was testing me by putting me through the wringer,” she remembered. This relationship became a deeply revered friendship that carried on well after the “tough guy” retired.

THE

leather legends ISSUE

We Handcraft the Finishing Touch HELPING YOU CREATE SINCE THE 1920s

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF ZACH WOLFE

Sunset Trails has one of the largest collections of dies in the world, including pieces from the famed McCabe Silversmiths.

The Pageant Girl Christy is a confident, passionate, knowledgeable businesswoman that drips with charisma. She credits her outgoing personality to her mother for putting her in beauty pageants. “You learn how to stand up in front of people and say who you are. They put you on stage under bright lights in an uncomfortable frilly dress, with the pressure to compose yourself and speak nicely in front of others…all while competing against other girls. So, the pressure is on you,” says Christy.

Christy’s first pageant was when she was young, only three or four years old. She remembers it vividly. “I was so concerned with winning that I didn’t connect with the judges. Connecting with people is a real life skill to learn, you have to connect with other

Salina, Utah (800) 4-BUCKLE sales@sunsettrails.com www.burns1876.com Sunset Trails @sunsettrailssilver

38 JANUARY 2020

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE PLOTT FAMILY

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE PLOTT FAMILY PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE PLOTT FAMILY

Christy participated in local, state and national beauty pageants from a young age and is a former Junior Miss Georgia.

people to make a difference. The only thing I was putting my attention on was that sparkly crown and big trophy, so of course I lost. They handed me this little trophy that said ‘Participation.’ I still have that trophy to this day. I wailed and gave the trophy back and told the lady I didn’t want that one, I wanted the big one!” It took some time before her dad would let her enter another pageant. But the next pageant she entered, she remembered to connect with the judges and went on to win not only that pageant, but scores more, even being crowned Miss Junior Miss Georgia.

Through pageants Christy learned how to win with grace and to console the girls who didn’t win. She also learned how to lose with grace and was taught to congratulate the girls who did win. Christy credits beauty pageants with giving her the confidence to be able to connect with people and to stand up and present herself to the others.

Those speaking skills have helped her be a leading voice with groups of people presenting the case of the benefits of

alligator conservation. She has presented that case to state legislators across the country using the skills she learned as a little pageant girl, to connect with her audience, no matter the size.

Christy would love to see more people interested in the conservation of wildlife.

She would like people to see the benefit of the wild alligator business. Even if they don’t hunt, fish or eat meat, her hope is they understand how someone with an alligator product, and their local communities, benefit from conservation. Whether a little community like Springfield, Louisiana, with an alligator farm employing roughly 70 people, or her fifth-generation family business that supplies alligator and crocodile leather to hundreds of accounts around the world, Christy’s hope is for a broader coalition of people within the leather industry to help educate and support each other.

American Tanning & Leather LLC www.amtan.com sales@amtan.com 770-228-4433 THE

leather legends ISSUE

Why It Doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Save Animals

By Christy Plott t the end of last year, the state of California enacted legislation to ban the sale of PDQ\ H[RWLF OHDWKHUV DQG OHDWKHU SURGXFWV ² LQFOXGLQJ DOOLJDWRUV DQG FURFRGLOHV GHVSLWH WKHLU XVH DV D JOREDO FRQVHUYDWLRQ VXFFHVV VWRU\ 7KH EDQV JR LQWR HIIHFW RQ -DQXDU\ DOOLJDWRUV DQG FURFRGLOHV DQG -DQXDU\ FDLPDQ DQG OL]DUGV

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PHOTO COURTESY OF DANIEL HALLER, NILE CROCODILE FARM, LTD.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF DANIEL HALLER, NILE CROCODILE FARM, LTD.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF AMERICAN TANNING

Exotic Leather Banned in California

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Villagers in the Tana River Basin in Kenya farm alligator eggs for a living. Their quality of life has significantly improved since the Nile Crocodile, Ltd. Farm opened in 1997; One of the many benefits the crocodile farm provided the Tana River Basin community in Kenya was the gift of poly boats, which are more durable and sturdier than their traditional wooden, hand carved canoes. These boats are used for fishing and day-to-day transportation, along with collecting crocodile eggs; An elder in the Galili community of Kenya.

SHOPTALK! 39

was formed to create a dedicated forum for governments and scientists to share information on their wildlife and conservation programs and jointly decide on mechanisms to regulate WUDGH VR LW ZRXOG QRW WKUHDWHQ WKH VXUYLYDO RI VSHFLHV RI FRPPHUFLDO LQWHUHVW $V SDUW RI WKHLU REOLJDWLRQ WR &,7(6 HDFK JRYHUQPHQW KDV GHGLFDWHG VWDII ELRORJLVWV DQG RWKHU VFLHQWLVWV ZKR ZRUN WR HQVXUH WKH VXUYLYDO RI WKHVH ZLOG SODQW DQG DQLPDO VSHFLHV DQG WKHLU KDELWDWV &,7(6 ODUJHO\ ZRUNV WR EHQHILW VSHFLHV KDELWDWV DQG FRPPXQLWLHV Mountains of data come out of complex wildlife management and socio-economic research VXSSRUWLQJ WKH VXVWDLQDELOLW\ RI WKLV HFRQRPLF VHFWRU ² D V\VWHP WKDW LV KLJKO\ G\QDPLF DQG HYHU FKDQJLQJ 6R LW·V QR ZRQGHU WKDW OHJLVODWRUV DQG RWKHU SROLWLFLDQV LQ $PHULFD DQG DURXQG WKH ZRUOG JUDSSOH ZLWK XQGHUVWDQGLQJ WKH LVVXH ² WKDW VRPHWLPHV VDYLQJ ZLOGOLIH PHDQV NLOOLQJ LW ² LW·V MXVW FRXQWHULQWXLWLYH $V D UHVXOW letting legislators decide the fate of alligators, snakes, and lizards is like asking a dentist to decide the safest and best gauge of steel to use in skyscraper construction. )HZ OHJLVODWRUV KDYH WKH VFLHQWLILF H[SHUWLVH WR IXOO\ FRPSUHKHQG DQG PDNH GHFLVLRQV RQ WKUHDWHQHG RU HQGDQJHUHG VSHFLHV DQG DOO RI WKHP DUH VXVFHSWLEOH WR SRZHUIXO DQLPDO ULJKWV OREELHV ,W LV LURQLF WKDW SURJUHVVLYH IRUZDUG WKLQNLQJ &DOLIRUQLD KDV WDNHQ D VWHS LQ WKH opposite direction of saving DQLPDOV ,Q WDNLQJ WKHLU XQLODWHUDO GHFLVLRQ WR EDQ WUDGH &DOLIRUQLD LJQRUHG WKH EHVW VFLHQWLILF advice of the rest of the world (including state and federal governments, the United Nations, the &RQYHQWLRQ RQ %LRORJLFDO 'LYHUVLW\ DQG &,7(6 /HJLVODWRUV KDYH HQDFWHG VHHPLQJO\ ZHOO PHDQLQJ ODZV ZKLFK ZLOO XOWLPDWHO\ KDUP WKH VSHFLHV WKH\ DUH VXSSRVHGO\ WU\LQJ WR SURWHFW

THE FACTS: 7KH FRPPHUFLDO XVH RI H[RWLF OHDWKHU KDV EHHQ WKH VDYLRU RI PDQ\ HQGDQJHUHG VSHFLHV DQG WKHLU KDELWDWV :K\" %HFDXVH DOPRVW DOO RI WKHVH DQLPDOV DUH VHULRXV SUHGDWRUV WKDW OLYH LQ remote, undeveloped lands where local people have little to no money and few livelihood opWLRQV 7KH ILQDQFLDO LQFHQWLYH IRU ODQGRZQHUV DQG ORFDO FRPPXQLWLHV WR HDUQ PRQH\ IURP WKH 40 JANUARY 2020

THE

leather legends ISSUE

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF DANIEL HALLER, NILE CROCODILE FARM, LTD.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Tana River Basin villagers rely on the use of natural resources such as fish, crocodiles, and other wildlife for their livelihoods. Note the wooden, hand carved canoe; Grocery stores do not exist in the Tana River Basin community. Shown here is a local fish market; Installation of a deep water well in the Tana River Basin community in Kenya was funded by the Nile Crocodile, Ltd. Farm.

What the Experts Say: “CITES works. Regulated and sustainable trade works. Sustainable use works. I could cite many examples of successes but let me mention just one. Crocodiles were listed in 1975 in response to severe depletion. The crocodile industry is now worth over $100 million a year; the illegal trade has all but vanished and crocodiles are far more abundant than they were 50 years ago.”

— Inger Anderson, Executive Director, United Nations Environment Programme

“The benefits of Louisiana’s alligator industry to alligators are the tip of the iceberg; the industry is exponentially more beneficial to Louisiana’s coastal wetlands and the thousands of species of plants and animals that inhabit it.”

— Jeb Linscombe, Alligator Biologist Program Manager, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (USA)

“People should come and see the benefits for themselves. The message should no longer be “this industry is awful.” It should be “buy a crocodile handbag and save five more crocodiles, and countless other species.”

— Dr. Daniel Natusch, Biologist and Ecologist specializing in Snake Conservation (France)

“What Works” is the only definitive measure of a conservation program, and as the US alligator programs work spectacularly well, benefiting alligators, people and wetlands, they deserve accolades … not punishment.”

— Dr. Grahame Webb, Biologist and Chairman of the IUCN Crocodile Specialist Group, the world’s leading authority on crocodile conservation (Australia)

“Restricting legal, sustainable trade just hurts poor people and doesn’t save any alligators.”

— Dr. Perran Ross, Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation - University of Florida (USA)

“Sound wildlife conservation and regulatory oversight have paved the path to the American alligator conservation success story. Wildlife conservation agencies and commercial alligator industries have cooperated together to reverse the threat on the status of alligators across its range, resulting in thriving populations and ample product for industry supply and demands.”

— Ricky Flynt, Alligator Biologist Program Manager, Mississippi Department of Parks and Wildlife (USA)

“There are several cases in which populations of some species have decreased to near extinction due to their commercial value and irrational use; and yet, for same economic reason, those species have been recovered as a result of the active participation of local people through the implementation of sustainable-use programs. On the contrary, in cases where people have not benefited by these programs, the species continue to the path towards disappearance”.

— Dr. Pablo Siroski, zoology, biology and conservation expert (Argentina)

“The proof is in the pudding - or in this case, in the species. Of the world’s 27 crocodilian species, the only ones that aren’t imminently threatened with extinction are those that are being valued for commercial purposes. The remaining 7-10 species will be lost forever, some as soon as tomorrow, because local communities don’t value or benefit from them. Sustainable use saves wildlife, it saves habitat, and it saves people.”

— Dr. Matt Shirley, Conservation Scientist, Florida International University (USA/West Africa)

“Florida’s alligator management program provides commercial and recreational opportunities, and has been nationally and internationally recognized as a model for the sustainable use of a renewable natural resource. The economic benefits associated with participating in the FWC’s alligator management programs supports the research, management and law enforcement activities that contribute to the conservation success of Florida’s alligator population. Opportunities for sustainable use also create ambassadors for the long-term well-being of the state’s alligator resource.”

— Dwayne Carbonneau, Alligator Biologist Program Manager, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (USA)

SHOPTALK! 41

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF DANIEL HALLER, NILE CROCODILE FARM, LTD.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF DANIEL HALLER, NILE CROCODILE FARM, LTD.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF DANIEL HALLER, NILE CROCODILE FARM, LTD.

This ban is not going to save one animal. It won’t save one habitat.

The ban will not help anyone - except urbanites who want to “feel good” because they think they are “saving” animals.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: The Tana River Basin community of Galili must raise livestock or fish to add protein into their diets. Livestock were vulnerable to crocodile attacks before fencing was installed; Dedication of Galili Maternity Wing; The Nile Crocodile, Ltd. Farm in Kenya observed that women in the Galili community had to travel nearly 3 hours by canoe to safely deliver babies in sterile conditions. The farm gifted the community with the construction of a maternity ward which is powered by solar electricity. Community members are showing off their solar panels.

42 JANUARY 2020

THE

leather legends ISSUE

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF DANIEL HALLER, NILE CROCODILE FARM, LTD. PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF AMERICAN TANNING PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF AMERICAN TANNING

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FROM TOP DOWN: Homes are made from mud and straw in the Tana River Basin community of Galili. There is no electricity in the village; Alligator eggs; Forty years of reptile conservation achievements worldwide are largely in part to the success of alligator farming.

SHOPTALK! 43

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF WADE WILCOX / AMISH COUNTRY IMAGES

“It’s the key to the comfort of the horse — that a harness fits properly. I don’t care if it’s leather or BioThane — you have to shape a harness to fit it to the horse.”

— Joe Bowman Jr., co-owner, Bowman Harness 44 JANUARY 2020

THE

leather legends ISSUE

G N I T A R B E L E

0 0 1 C

S R A E Y OF

EXCEPTIONAL HARNESS MAKING Bowman Harness is sustaining a living heritage tradition

By Lynn Ascrizzi

T

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;For a number of years now, our focus is: What can we do for the comfort of the horse? Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done quite a few changes with that in mind.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Joe Bowman Jr., co-owner,

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF WADE WILCOX / AMISH COUNTRY IMAGES

Bowman Harness

ABOVE: A Double Driving Harness with new, breast-style surrey rigging, by Bowman Harness of Millersburg, Ohio; OPPOSITE PAGE: For 100 years Bowman Harness has been perfecting the art of harness making in their shop in Millersburg, Ohio; PREVIOUS PAGE: A driving horse, decked out in leather harness that features a Deep Curve Breast Collar made by Bowman Harness of Millersburg, Ohio, pulls an Amish buggy.

46 JANUARY 2020

harness and harness parts, suitable for all types RI HTXLQH RFFDVLRQV ´:H PDNH FRPSOHWH KDUQHVV LQ OHDWKHU DQG %LR7KDQH â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a lot goes to the Amish and all over WKH FRXQWU\ :H DOVR ZKROHVDOH KDUQHVV SDUWV IRU RWKHU VKRSV /HVV WKDQ KDOI RI RXU KDUQHVV DQG KDUQHVV SDUWV EXVLQHVV LV ZKROHVDOH 2KLR LV RQH RI RXU ELJJHU DUHDV IRU ZKROHVDOH Âľ -RH VDLG ,I \RX FRQVLGHU WKDW RQO\ SHUFHQW RI DOO family businesses are still operating after four JHQHUDWLRQV LW¡V SUHWW\ UHPDUNDEOH WKDW IRU GHFDGHV WKH UHODWHG KDQGV DQG KHDUWV DW Bowman Harness have been able to pass down,

LQWDFW WKHLU VSHFLDO NQRZ KRZ ,Q GRLQJ VR this unique company has managed to sustain a living heritage craft tradition amid a fast-movLQJ KLJK WHFK ZRUOG <HW WKHLU KDUQHVV WUDGLWLRQ LV QRW D VWDWLF RQH ,W HPERGLHV DQ H[SHUWLVH WKDW KDV FDUHIXOO\ HYROYHG RYHU WLPH )RU H[DPSOH some harness designs have been modified, for better function, such as the recently introduced Wither Relief Saddle, made with D KRUVH¡V FRPIRUW LQ PLQG â&#x20AC;&#x153;For a number of years now, our focus is: :KDW FDQ ZH GR IRU WKH FRPIRUW RI WKH KRUVH" THE

leather legends ISSUE

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF SHOP TALK! MAGAZINE

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF SHOP TALK! MAGAZINE

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF SHOP TALK! MAGAZINE

CUSTOMERS, NEAR AND FAR

:H¡YH GRQH TXLWH D IHZ FKDQJHV ZLWK WKDW LQ PLQG Âľ KH QRWHG <HW WKH FRPSDQ\ GRHVQ¡W ZDQW WR FKDQJH WKLQJV IRU FKDQJH¡V VDNH ´7KHUH ZDV VRPH DZHVRPH ZRUNPDQVKLS EDFN WKHQ :H ZDQW WR EH FDUHIXO WKDW ZH GRQ¡W ORVH WKDW TXDOLW\ Âľ At the time of this writing, the Bowman IDPLO\ KDGQ¡W \HW GHFLGHG RQ KRZ DQG ZKHQ WR KRQRU WKHLU KLVWRULF FHQWHQQLDO ´:H¡UH WRR EXV\ GRLQJ GD\ WR GD\ 8VXDOO\ LQ -XO\ ZH have Customer Appreciation Day,â&#x20AC;? he mused, suggesting that the summer event might be a JRRG WLPH WR FHOHEUDWH

â&#x20AC;&#x153;As far as harness sales go, we sell more to local customers, people ORRNLQJ IRU $PLVK EXJJ\ KDUQHVV $QG ZH¡YH JRW JRRG customers from California, up to Maine,â&#x20AC;?

-RH VDLG 7KH FRPSDQ\ DOVR VHOOV KDUQHVV LQ (XURSH DQG $XVWUDOLD 7KH ZRUNVKRS PDNHV DOO NLQGV RI FXVWRP OHDWKHUZRUN WRR OLNH NQLIH VKHDWKV FHOOSKRQH FDVHV TXDOLW\ EHOWV OHDWKHU EDFNers for conceal carry holsters and leather fly VZDWWHUV â&#x20AC;&#x153;<RX QDPH LW :H¡YH HYHQ PDGH leather beanbags for a man in Saudi Arabia ZKR ZDQWHG EHDQEDJV IRU KLV GRJV 7KH customer was a rich American oil guy, who KHDUG DERXW XV IURP KLV IDPLO\ LQ WKH VWDWHV :H KDG PDGH GRJ FROODUV IRU KLP Âľ He runs the production area and handles D ORW RI FXVWRP RUGHUV ´, GR PRVW RI WKH OHDWKHU FXWWLQJ DQG ILJXULQJ RXW KRZ WR PDNH FXVWRP SURGXFWV :H RIIHU VWDQGDUG VL]H KDUQHVV %XW WKHUH DUH VR PDQ\ GLIIHUHQW VL]H KRUVHV <RX KDYH WR ILJXUH RXW VL]LQJ ´$Q\ GD\ FDQ EH D EXV\ GD\ Âľ KH DGGHG ´0\ EURWKHU -RKQ UXQV WKH UHWDLO HQG +H DQG RXU VLVWHU (OOD KDQGOH WKH RIILFH ZRUN ZLWK the help of my daughter, Ruth, and Henry %RZPDQ P\ ROGHU EURWKHU 'DQ¡V VRQ -RH¡V VRQ LQ ODZ (OL +HUVKEHUJHU UXQV WKH %LR7KDQH GHSDUWPHQW $ QXPEHU RI ORFDO ZRPHQ PDNH KDUQHVV SDGV DQG ODS robes for buggy driving, and also do custom OHDWKHU ZRUN OLNH EULHIFDVH KDQGOHV LQ WKH VKRS &XUUHQWO\ WKH EXVLQHVV KDV DERXW HPSOR\HHV D ZRUNIRUFH FRPSULVHG RI VHYHQ PHQ DQG ZRPHQ 7KH %RZPDQV DOVR RSHUDWH D UHWDLO VWRUH located in the same building as the harness VKRS RSHQ WR WKH SXEOLF IURP D P WR S P ´$V IDU DV HTXLQH SURGXFWV JR WKH VWRUH â&#x20AC;&#x201D; about 2 miles from Mount Hope â&#x20AC;&#x201D; is one of the bigger retail stores in the area,â&#x20AC;? Joe VDLG $OWRJHWKHU WKH ZRUNVKRS DQG VWRUH occupy over a VTXDUH IRRW VSDFH

Bowman Harness products are sold by word of mouth, through their catalogs, at their UHWDLO VWRUH DQG WKURXJK DGYHUWLVLQJ 2UGHUV DUH PDGH E\ SKRQH YRLFHPDLO ID[ RU PDLO ´7KH IRXUWK JHQHUDWLRQ LV ZRUNLQJ KHUH 7KH WKLUG JHQHUDWLRQ RZQV WKH EXVLQHVV DQG LV DOVR ZRUNLQJ ,Q WKH ZKROH VFKHPH RI WKLQJV ZH¡UH D VPDOO EXVLQHVV EXW LQ WKH KDUQHVV EXVLQHVV ZH¡UH RQH RI WKH DUHD¡V ELJJHU RQHV Âľ KH VDLG GROWING UP IN A HARNESS WORKSHOP â&#x20AC;&#x153;My grandfather, Harvey Bowman, started WKH EXVLQHVV LQ Âľ -RH %RZPDQ -U VDLG ´+H FDOOHG LW + + %RZPDQ 6RQV ,Q P\ GDG -RH %RZPDQ 6U WRRN RYHU WKH EXVLQHVV IURP KLV IDWKHU ,Q ODWHU \HDUV KH FDOOHG LW - + %RZPDQ 6RQV ´,Q 'DG P\ EURWKHUV 'DQ DQG John, and I, formed a partnership and called LW %RZPDQ +DUQHVV /WG Âľ KH H[SODLQHG â&#x20AC;&#x153;Some years later, Dan branched off to form his own company, Bowman Leather, ZKHUH KH PDGH FXVWRP VKRZ KDUQHVV /DWHU KH EHJDQ PDNLQJ ELWV +H QRZ PDNHV WKH SRSXODU %RZPDQ %LWV â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dad was a very serious guy,â&#x20AC;? he FRQWLQXHG ´%XW ZH %RZPDQV DOO KDYH D ELJ VHQVH RI KXPRU +H ZDV HDV\ WR JHW D ORQJ ZLWK :H OHDUQHG WR GR WKLQJV ULJKW +H OHIW XV D ORW RI JRRG H[DPSOHV +H DOZD\V VDLG Âś,I LW¡V ZRUWK GRLQJ LW¡V ZRUWK GRLQJ ULJKW ,W PD\ WDNH D OLWWOH ORQJHU EXW LW GRHVQ¡W WDNH WKDW PXFK ORQJHU WR GR LW ULJKW ¡¾ -RH %RZPDQ 6U SDVVHG DZD\ LQ +LV VRQV -RH DQG -RKQ WKH FRPSDQ\¡V current co-owners, grew up in a family of QLQH FKLOGUHQ Âł ILYH ER\V DQG IRXU JLUOV 7KH harness business that provided the family OLYHOLKRRG EDFN WKHQ LV VWLOO D YLWDO SDUW RI WKH ORFDO HFRQRP\ â&#x20AC;&#x153;I well remember as a young boy JRLQJ LQWR WKH ZRUNVKRS EHIRUH DQG DIWHU VFKRRO :H ZHUHQ¡W IRUFHG WR GR LW Âľ -RH SHOPTALK! 47

YOU NAME IT, THEYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;VE GOT IT

48 JANUARY 2020

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF SHOP TALK! MAGAZINE

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF SHOP TALK! MAGAZINE

S

ince Bowman Harness of Millersburg, Ohio, does not display its products online, it behooves interested browsers to check out the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s two, full-color, free catalogs.

For retail customers, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the 41-page, Harness & Supply Catalog. For wholesalers, they offer their 11-page catalog, Leather & Urethane Harness Parts. The retail catalog is updated annually. The new, 2020 Harness & Supply Catalog will be available in early spring.

The handsome publications are enhanced with photos of spirited driving and draft horses bedecked in diverse kinds of leather and Biothane tack. You name it, they seem to have it â&#x20AC;&#x201D; from presentation to pleasure driving harness, from farming to fine show harness, from training to pony harness. Harness parts include blinders, collars, cruppers, bridles, Bowman bits, reins, draft bridles, halters, hames, neck yokes and neck ropes, harness pads and hardware. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Not everything we do is in the catalog. A lot of our special harness stuff is customized. Tell us what you want, and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll try to make it for you,â&#x20AC;? business co-owner Joe Bowman, Jr. said.

The orderly catalogs definitely make it easier to traverse the boggling complexity of harness terms and parts. The retail catalog is also a good resource for useful equine products, like liniments, hoof dressings, farrier tools, grooming clippers, horse boots, blankets and buggy robesâ&#x20AC;Śand much more.

For those who still find enlightenment in books, the retail catalog lists how-to publications, like Work Horse Handbook, Second Edition and Training the Buggy Horse and Training the Rider. And in the larger catalog, helpful illustrations detail how to make horse harness and collar measurements. Also included are leather and Biothane harness parts lists with prices. No minimum orders are required. â&#x20AC;&#x153;All orders are important to us,â&#x20AC;? the catalog states. Tearout order forms are available in the retail catalog. Most orders are shipped UPS; small orders are usually shipped Priority Mail. Catalogs can be requested via fax, phone (voicemail) or mail. Also, during regular business hours, people are welcome to drop by the Bowman Harness retail store, located in the same building as the workshop.

UHFDOOHG 7KH KRPH EDVHG EXVLQHVV SURYLGHG WKH %RZPDQ NLGV ZLWK DQRWKHU NLQG RI VFKRROLQJ ³ OHVVRQV ZLWKRXW WH[WERRNV DQG SHQFLOV 7R WKH \RXQJVWHUV KDUQHVV EXLOGLQJ EHFDPH VHFRQG QDWXUH OLNH KLWFKLQJ XS D KRUVH GULYLQJ D EXJJ\ DQG VKRZLQJ XS IRU VXSSHU ´'DQ LV P\ ROGHVW EURWKHU *URZLQJ XS LQ VXPPHU DQG LQ WKH HYHQLQJV ZH¡G JR RXW WR WKH VKRS DQG RFFDVLRQDOO\ GR D IHZ MREV :H OHDUQHG WR ZRUN , ZDV WKH \RXQJHVW LQ WKH IDPLO\ I probably learned as much from my older brother Dan, than IURP 'DG ³ PD\EH PRUH :KHQ , ZDV MXVW D NLG P\ GDG FXW RII his right thumb on a rip table saw, cutting firewood. His thumb JRW LQ WKH ZURQJ SODFH DW WKH ZURQJ WLPH 7KDW HQGHG KLV FDUHHU LQ KDQG FXWWLQJ ZLWK D GUDZ JDXJH 'DQ WRRN RYHU WKDW SDUW RI WKH ZRUN ZKHQ LQ KLV V ¾ THE

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;I basically grew up in the business.

´, EDVLFDOO\ JUHZ XS LQ WKH EXVLQHVV $OO my brothers and sisters grew up in the harQHVV VKRS ¾ KH VDLG 7RGD\ KH VHHV WKH VDPH pattern unfolding within his large, immeGLDWH IDPLO\ -RH DQG KLV ZLIH 0DUWKD KDYH VL[ FKLOGUHQ DQG WKUHH JUDQGFKLOGUHQ ´0\ PRWKHU $QQD %RZPDQ LV \HDUV ROG 6KH NHHSV DQ H\H RQ XV ¾ KH VDLG ZLWK KXPRU

All my brothers and sisters grew up in the harness shop.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Joe Bowman Jr., co-owner, Bowman Harness

6WDQGLQJ LQ WKH %RZPDQ +DUQHVV ZRUNVKRS is an intriguing antique cabinet, whose open doors reveal rows of vintage hand SXQFKHV $ VPDOO QXPEHU RI PRUH UHFHQWO\ made hand tools, have been placed atop the FDELQHW +HUH DQG WKHUH WDFNHG LQVLGH WKH ROG FDVH DUH WLPHZRUQ SKRWRV 7R WKH %RZPDQ IDPLO\ WKH VSHFLDO FDELQHW PDUNV ERWK the passage of time and the timeless quality RI ZHOO PDGH OHDWKHU KDQG WRROV ´7KHUH DUH HQG SXQFKHV Âł D ORW ZLWK rosewood handles â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and slot punches, and URXQG DQG RYDO KROH SXQFKHV PDGH E\ 2VERUQH DQG DOVR *RPSI D YHU\ XQFRPPRQ QDPH EUDQG RI \HVWHU\HDU 7KRVH DUH ZRUWK PRUH WKDQ WKH QHZ RQHV Âľ -RH %RZPDQ -U UHIOHFWHG ´0\ JUDQGIDWKHU ERXJKW WKH FDEinet with most of the tools now in it, from a JX\ ZKR ZHQW IURP KRXVH WR KRXVH :H XVH WKH WRROV RQ OHDWKHUZRUN RQ D UHJXODU EDVLV 7KH\¡UH QRW IRU VDOH Âľ Power tools also have their place in the VKRS $ .XERWD LQGXVWULDO GLHVHO HQJLQH UXQV D IRRW OLQH VKDIW DV ZHOO DV DQ DLU FRPSUHVVRU DQG D K\GUDXOLF SXPS )RU VWLWFKHUV WKH VKRS ZRUNV ZLWK &KDPSLRQ 8QLRQ /RFN 6WLWFK DQG $GOHUV ´:H XVH WKH $GOHUV WKH PRVW Âľ KH VDLG HORSE SENSE Naturally, driving and draft horses play a necessary and greatly admired role in an DUHD OLNH 0LOOHUVEXUJ ´, XVH 0RUJDQV Âľ -RH VDLG RI WKH FRPSDFW YHUVDWLOH EUHHG ´,¡P D 0RUJDQ IDQ , RZQ VL[ 0RUJDQV DQG D

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF WADE WILCOX / AMISH COUNTRY IMAGES

TOOLS OF THE TRADE

SRQ\ 0\ VRQ LQ ODZ (OL¡V SDVWLPH LV KRUVHV I bought him some young Morgan VWRFN DQG OHW KLP WUDLQ WKHP , DSSUHFLDWH ZKDW KH GRHV LQ WKH %LR7KDQH GHSDUWPHQW Âľ His nephew, Henry Bowman (who is 'DQ¡V VRQ KDQGOHV PRVW RI WKH FRPSDQ\¡V SKRQH FDOOV RUGHUV DQG VDOHV ´)RU PDQ\ years, he operated Bowman Equine, breeding and training driving horses â&#x20AC;&#x201D; mostly 6WDQGDUGEUHGV 0RUJDQV DQG )ULHVLDQV +H ZRUNV IXOO WLPH KHUH 7KH KRUVH EXVLQHVV LV now his VLGHOLQH Âľ KH VDLG For its leather harness parts, the busiQHVV XVHV +HUPDQQ 2DN /HDWKHU VSHFLDO

ABOVE: A fine carriage driving horse steps lively, demonstrating the improved, Deep Curve Breast Collar with quick-release buckle, made by Bowman Harness of Millersburg, Ohio. The one-piece collar is set higher to allow for unrestricted shoulder movement and is less likely to rub or pinch; OPPOSITE PAGE: Bowman Harness in Millersburg, Ohio sits right off County Road 77 amidst beautiful rolling hills. The picturesque scene is reminiscent of days gone by, especially when an Amish buggy is parked out front.

SHOPTALK! 49

M.D.Y. Horseshoeing & Harness Shop, LLC Service & Satisfaction with an Open Mind

Manufacturing a quality and comfortable product in leather, biothane, and nylon. In the equine, pet, and your custom specialty needs.

Specializing in no minimum, fast turn around orders to minimize your inventory.

Call 574-825-8161 1455 S. 1100 W. • Middlebury, IN 46540

IMAGINE THE POSSIBILITIES

50 JANUARY 2020

18-1598-SP-DAD

Call us for any custom made Harness or Saddlery Hardware item you may need.

With over four million pieces of hardware in stock and ready to ship, you’re sure to find something to take your project to the next level. From plain to ornate in a variety of sizes and finishes, our vast hardware selection offers the ultimate in durability and beauty.

800-932-8371 • shop.weaverleather.com

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PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF SHOP TALK! MAGAZINE

RUGHUHG WR WKH %RZPDQ·V VWDQGDUGV ´7KH great majority of our harness sales are in %LR7KDQH 0\ GDG ZDV D G\HG LQ WKH ZRRO OHDWKHU JX\ %XW ZH ER\V VDZ WKH QHHG WR JHW LQWR V\QWKHWLF OHDWKHU <RX·YH JRW WR DGDSW WR FXVWRPHU GHPDQG µ KH VDLG Still, he has a warm place in his heart IRU OHDWKHU ´7KHUH·V QRWKLQJ WKDW ZLOO VWUHWFK DQG ILW DQG VKDSH WR D KRUVH OLNH D JRRG SLHFH RI OHDWKHU , SHUVRQDOO\ XVH DOO OHDWKHU KDUQHVV µ 2YHUDOO KH SRLQWHG RXW WKH LPSRUWDQW WKLQJ LV KRZ D KDUQHVV ILWV ´,W·V WKH NH\ WR the comfort of the horse â&#x20AC;&#x201D; that a harness fits properly. , GRQ·W FDUH LI LW·V OHDWKHU RU %LR7KDQH \RX KDYH WR VKDSH D KDUQHVV WR ILW LW WR WKH KRUVH /HDWKHU ZLOO IRUP LWVHOI

WR WKH KRUVH %XW LI %LR7KDQH GRHVQ·W ILW WKH ILUVW GD\ LW ZLOO QHYHU ILW µ â&#x20AC;&#x153;:H·UH LQWR URXQGLQJ RII WKH FRUQHUV DQG VRIWHQLQJ VKDUS HQGV ,I \RX PDNH WKH KRUVH KDSS\ KH·OO PDNH \RX KDSS\ µ KH VDLG CONTACT INFO %RZPDQ +DUQHVV /WG &RXQW\ 5RDG 0LOOHUVEXUJ 2+ -RKQ - %RZPDQ DQG -RH %RZPDQ -U ³ co-owners

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FROM TOP DOWN: Standing in the Bowman Harness workshop is an intriguing antique cabinet whose open doors reveal rows of vintage hand punches, most of which belonged to Joe Bowman Jr.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grandfather; Everyday essentials are always in stock in the Bowman Harness retail shop.

SHOPTALK! 51

52 JANUARY 2020

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Tad mizwA A Lasting Impression

By Nick Pernokas

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF JOHN KELLEY

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF MICHELLE EUTSLER

J

ohn Kelley always eagerly anticipated his monthly copy of Shop Talk!

Magazine. The Morton, Illinois, leatherworker had been working with leather since he was 10. He had created beautiful knife sheaths, holsters and handbags, many featuring beautiful carving and fine hand stitching. In 2009, he was in his late 50s and he hadn’t quit his day job as a nursing home administrator yet. Leather shows and magazines fueled his passion for leatherwork, and tided him over until he could be back in his shop.

As John thumbed through his issue that day, a classified ad caught his eye.

It was for the sale of a complete miniature saddle shop. John recognized the maker’s name as well. Tad Mizwa was well regarded in leather crafting circles for both his work and his writing about it. John realized the value of this legacy.

In November of 2009, John and his wife, Marcia, journeyed to Leona, Texas, where they were greeted warmly by the Mizwa family. In a well-appointed ranch house, Tad’s wife, Mary, cooked for them, while Tad spent a few days explaining to John how he had built his 40% size saddles.

“Tad was extremely detail oriented,” remembers John. John was amazed with

the work that Tad had put into the miniatures. Tad had researched each saddle before he made it. Much of the research included photos of the original saddles from places like the Autry Museum. Tad had gone to suppliers and had them make the exact 40% scale parts that he required. He had molds made for saddle LEFT: This Mother Hubbard saddle is representative of the historical miniature reproductions that Tad made. The base price on his miniature saddles in the 1990’s was $3000; ABOVE: Tad was an excellent trick roper and had performed as a professional in his younger days.

SHOPTALK! 53

54 JANUARY 2020

But Tad’s legacy was more than a collection of miniature saddles. And for a Depression-era boy from Massachusetts, it was an unlikely journey.

Tad’s father had come to America at the age of 19, after his father was killed

by Russian soldiers who were stealing his horses in Poland. A self-made man, he put himself through college and then earned a doctorate. He started a Polish foundation in New York to help Polish students come to America to study. Tad’s mother was also Polish, and Polish was spoken in the Mizwa household. Tad was born on July 4, 1927, in Springfield, Massachusetts. The Mizwa’s had come up through tough times and although Tad’s dad was very reserved with affection, the family never wanted for anything. It was a pleasant surprise then, for a seven-year-old boy who usually received only socks for Christmas, when his father splurged and took him to the Madison Square Garden Rodeo. It was a life-altering experience for Tad. “I was intrigued by the trick and fancy roping done by adults, and especially by two boys nearly my age,” Tad later recalled. Soon after his trip to the rodeo, a boy Tad knew returned from “ranch camp”

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF JOHN KELLEY

hardware and buckles, so that he could cast the parts he needed in various metals.

Tad had made jigs so he could make his own saddle trees, which he did, out of reclaimed 2x4s. He made exact rawhide covered replicas of classic trees like Visalia and Meanea. Tad even put a ground seat in the saddles.

“Even though no miniature cowboy would ever ride it, Tad knew it was there,” says John. “When you look at Tad’s miniature saddles, they’re just perfect.”

Tad had even scaled down his tooling to fit the scale of the saddles and he used complete patterns.

“Tad’s tooling was all Tad. He had his own style. It was clean,” says John.

John purchased Tad’s miniature saddlemaking patterns, tools like miniature concho cutters, parts, miniature drawdown stands, miniature articulated tooling stands, miniature cinches and miniature corona blanket building gear. The two men began a friendship that lasted until the end of Tad’s life.

“Daddy really wanted someone to carry on his legacy. To him, this artistry needed to continue,” says Michelle Eutsler, Tad’s daughter.

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and showed off a simple rope trick that he’d learned there.

“If he could do that, I thought, I can learn to do much more.”

Tad read books and as he said, “roped his arm off.” Inspired by watching rodeo performers, he practiced basic tricks thousands of times. In his late teens, he introduced himself to the McLaughlin brothers, during the Madison Square Garden rodeo, who had been the kids he’d seen years earlier. They got Tad into the contestant’s area and compared rope tricks with him.

From there Tad was introduced to World Champion Jim Eskew, Jr. Eskew was an amazing roper and seeing how much Tad wanted to learn, he became his mentor.

“He taught and encouraged me. Under this quality of guidance and inspiration, I got pretty good at roping.”

Eskew and his wife became good friends with Tad. Eventually, he took many pictures of Eskew and published a story about him. Tad was the lead pallbearer at Eskew’s funeral.

“Roping helped me overcome shyness and stammering as a child. There is something that grabs you about this demanding and difficult art of turning a piece of rope into something alive.”

At 18, Tad went to work on a dude ranch in Waynesburg, New York. Tad’s business-oriented father didn’t understand why his usually responsible son had decided that he wanted to be a cowboy.

When Tad graduated from high school at 19, he hitchhiked to Phoenix, Arizona, for a job on a dude ranch. He called his mother every day from a payphone as he had promised her he would.

Tad rented a room from Claude Newton, who had a leather shop. Tad ended up doing some work for Claude.

On Saturday mornings, Tad hung out at N. Porters Saddle Shop in Phoenix.

At that time, many top saddle makers and toolers worked there. One of these was Ray Pohja. Ray showed Tad a lot about tooling leather, including his technique for using a swivel knife to create complex patterns. It was also the beginning of a friendship that would last for 63 years.

“Ray was the most accomplished leather stamper that I ever met. He was also one of the most generous. That impression has lasted through all of these years,” Tad told me in 2011.

ABOVE: A miniature solid sterling silver mounted saddle of the early Hollywood era; OPPOSITE PAGE CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Tad (L) and John Kelley (R) developed a friendship after John purchased his miniature saddle shop; Miniature vaquero saddle; Miniature shotgun chap.

SHOPTALK! 55

“Daddy always loved everything western.

He said that he wasn’t born in Texas, but he got there as fast as he could.”

— Michelle Eutsler

56 JANUARY 2020

he needed more income than what the saddle shop could provide. In 1962, Tad was offered a job as the editor on the Conroe Courier, which was located an hour north of Houston. He put his saddle work on hold and sold his saddle shop.

After three years in Conroe, Tad met Mary, who had three children about the same age as his. Working for the Courier allowed Tad to develop his skill in photography. He built a home darkroom and did photo work for the paper, as well as himself. The photography fulfilled an artistic need that he missed from the leatherwork. Tad learned of a photography show at the Astrodome in Houston and entered some of his work. A few weeks later, Tad received a call from Robert Gray who owned a magazine called Horseman Magazine. He had loved Tad’s photography, had researched him and found out that he was a good writer as well. Robert offered Tad a job in Houston at the Cordovan Corporation, working as the advertising manager on his magazine.

In 1968, Tad and his family were back in Houston. Eventually Tad became the editor, and then the publisher, of Horseman Magazine. He also became the publisher of Texas Fisherman and Jet Cargo News. Tad then developed the magazine Western Outfitter, which was geared toward Western retailers.

Mary became the editor, while Tad was the publisher. Tad enjoyed working

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF MICHELLE EUTSLER UNLESS SPECIFIED

Tad also made friends with artist Mark Storm and Tex Welcome. All of them were bound by their love of the West, as well as their shared interest in trick roping. All of them became professional trick ropers for at least part of their lives. Tad would continue to trick rope at rodeos, exhibitions and even on TV, through the early Sixties.

Tad made enough that summer to ride the bus home. When he arrived home, his parents gave him an ultimatum. He had to go to college, like his father had, before he could resume any type of cowboying.

Tad entered Amherst College that fall and earned a degree in journalism. After that, he earned a masters degree in art at Columbia University.

Tad married a fellow academic, Genevieve, when he was 25. The couple had a son, John. Tad was pulled toward his love of the West and leatherwork though, and in 1953, Tad opened Tad’s Saddlery and Western Wear in the Highland Village area of Houston. This was an upscale area and many people owned horses for recreation. Frequently, customers would ride their horses to his shop for advice on saddle fit. Tad always loved writing, and was also working on a journalism masters at the University of Houston. Genevieve was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and passed away in 1961. Tad found himself a widower with a two-year-old boy. He realized

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PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF JOHN KELLEY

CENTER: R Lloyd Davis; CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Bill Gardner; Don Butler; Jeremiah Watt; Ray Pohja; Belts by Don King (top) and Ray Pohja; Ray Holes; OPPOSITE PAGE TOP DOWN: Another pattern by Ray Holes; Tad tooled this back housing in 1984 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Horseman Magazine; Chester Hape.

SHOPTALK! 57

— Tad Mizwa

58 JANUARY 2020

& English Manufacturers Association, and the “Al” Bronze Statue Award from the Western & English Retailers of America, all for outstanding services and contributions to the western industry.

In the late Seventies, the magazines were bought out. Now that Tad was semi-retired from the magazine business, he began to concentrate more on the leatherwork. He also became interested capturing the history of saddles by making period miniature saddles. The saddles were made for collectors and museums.

As researching these small bites of leather history consumed him, Tad became focused on the small saddles. Tad’s Tom Mix miniature saddle was part of The Story of Texas exhibit in the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, which opened in Austin, Texas, in April 2001. Tad’s work, both in full size and 40% size miniature saddles, has appeared in six museum exhibits since 1993. Tad built 52 40% size miniature saddles during his career. The most ornate silver mounted saddle that he made sold for over $32,000.

He made miniature buscadero gun belts, which he sold to a miniature gun dealer in Texas. These were paired up with Italian-made replicas of Colt Peacemakers.

The pistols were exact working, but non firing, reproductions. The gun belts were tooled and included miniature loops for miniature bullets.

Tad also made a few dress belts for friends, or special orders, but the tiny saddles dominated his leatherwork.

“Up until 2003, that’s what he did. He made three or four belts, but that wasn’t what he wanted to be doing. His artistry was in saddlemaking,” recalls Michelle.

One exception to this was a belt that had a lot of importance to Tad. In 1999, Laura House Crawford, Tad’s niece, ordered a belt for Texas Governor George THE

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PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF JOHN KELLEY

“I was intrigued by the trick and fancy roping done by adults, and especially by two boys nearly my age. . . . If [they] could do that, I thought, I can learn to do much more.”

with people who had western-oriented businesses like he had at one time. Tad always dressed well and always wore handmade boots. He became friends with Sam Lucchese and sported boots made by Lucchese for years. Tad was proud to help his friend write his book, A Lifetime with Boots. Other books on marketing followed.

Tad’s other bootmaking friend was Joe Evans of Rios of Mercedes boots. These became the only other brand he would wear.

“He met all these saddle makers and boot makers throughout the United States, who became friends,” says Michelle. “This encouraged him to keep tooling and saddlemaking.”

Tad built a large workshop at the house for his leatherwork and his photography.

Soon, he was tooling again. He began making belts and saddles, and bartering with them. A local orthodontist ended up with four of Tad’s saddles for his horse farm in return for dental work on Tad’s kids.

“Every night he would come home and help mom with dinner, and then he’d go to the shop and tool,” says Michelle.

Tad received the President’s Award and two Silver Spur Awards from the Western

W. Bush. Laura was the governor’s publicist. Tad wanted the belt to reflect Texas heritage, but not look like a cowboy belt. He decided not to carve it in a floral design, but rather use a swivel knife pattern that was dignified and classic. The pattern was an unusual one that Ray Pohja had shown him so many years before. He made the belt black so it would go with business wear. Tad’s friend, well-known silversmith Clint Orms, made the three-piece ¾” buckle set for the tapered tip. The buckle was adorned with the Texas Lone Star and the engraving around it suggested movement. George Bush liked it so much that he ordered a second one for Mrs. Bush.

“There’s not been a belt that pleased me more than that one,” said Tad in 2014, “because evidently that one pleased its owner very much.”

When the Houston Astrodome was slated to be closed, a final rodeo was held

there. Tad came out of roping retirement to trick rope at it. It was Mary’s first time to see him trick rope.

In 1999, Tad and Mary moved to Leona, Texas, where they built a house on some land that had been in Mary’s family for years. Tad built a 1600-square-foot shop to work on his projects in. On a wall in the shop, Tad proudly displayed his “Master Stamper” collection. This was a series of mounted plaques that were tooled by friends and great toolers like Chester Hape, Bill Gardner, Ray Holes, Ray Pohja and Don Butler.

To make sure that there was no doubt as to where the Mizwas lived, a large Texas Longhorn was purchased and became a permanent fixture of their pasture. The pet steer’s name was Tex. Mary was a gourmet cook. Her brother lived next door and the two of

ABOVE: Some of Tad’s miniature saddle trees, some with ground seats; OPPOSITE PAGE: Tad made miniature gun belts for miniature reproductions of pistols. Note the size compared to a full-size pistol. He tooled complete patterns on his miniature work, although they were scaled down.

SHOPTALK! 59

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THE

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PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF MICHELLE EUTSLER

them went into the restaurant business.

Mary ran a lunch-only café and then after hours she would host at her brother’s steak house.

One of the last full-size saddles that Tad made was tooled with images of his mentor, Junior Eskew, trick roping on it.

Though Tad didn’t ride or own a horse, the saddle was an anchor to his past and the boy that wanted to be a cowboy.

The last saddle that Tad worked on was miniature collaboration with Ray Pohja. They only got the tapaderos and the fenders done before age slowed them down. Ray tooled them and filigreed the tapaderos, and Tad silver mounted the tapaderos and laced them.

In 2003, Tad had a stroke, which ended his leatherwork. He continued to write how-to articles for magazines. His mind remained sharp until the end of his life.

“When you talked to Tad, it sounded like you were talking to a professor. He was a journalist. His magazine articles were perfect,” says John Kelley.

Tad had a soft spot for the stray cats and dogs that were abandoned off the old highway that they lived on in Leona.

One of the last cats he had was a cat named Tom. Tom was an outdoor cat that would come in and sleep on Tad’s lap, until he was ready to go out again.

Tom lived to be 18 under Tad’s care.

Tom and Tex the Longhorn were Tad’s friends, and a source of comfort to him in his later years.

“Tad Mizwa was the most loving, generous, sweet man. He was always in a good mood. There was no anger in that man,” says Michelle. “And he was really, really smart.”

When Mary passed away from ovarian cancer in 2015, Tad went to live with Michelle and her husband in Houston. Tom made the move with him.

In March 2019, Tad suffered a head injury in a fall. He passed away a couple of weeks later on April 3, 2019.

Tad’s funeral went exactly as he had planned it. His cremated remains were put in a Lucchese boot box that had housed a favorite pair of boots from his friend Sam, many years before. Holes were cut in it. A water trough was set up with dippers in it. As friends and family filed by, they dipped some water from the trough to pour over the box. In this manner, Tad’s ashes immediately joined the Texas soil that he had so loved.

“Daddy always loved everything western,” says Michelle. “He said that he wasn’t born in Texas, but he got there as fast as he could.”

Sometimes, it’s not the speed of the journey, but the way you treat those you meet on the way that’s important. I suspect an old Longhorn steer, who’s looking over a barbed wire fence tonight in Leona, would agree with me.

You can find out about John Kelley’s leatherwork at Kelleycustomleather on Instagram or call 309-264-7158.

FROM TOP DOWN: Jim Eskew Jr. (L) was a World Champion trick roper who took Tad under his wing and mentored him. Eskew was originally from New York but ended up in Oklahoma. He was famous for his difficult rope tricks that he performed with horses.

He was also a good calf roper and steer wrestler; To make sure that there was no doubt as to where the Mizwas lived, a large Texas Longhorn was purchased and became a permanent fixture of their pasture. The pet steer’s name was Tex.

SHOPTALK! 61

How to Measure a Foot

By Shane Deeter of Burns Boots Photographs by Clark Knight 2SHQ PDQLOD IROGHU DQG SODFH RQ KDUG VXUIDFH +DYH FXVWRPHU ZHDU VRFNV WKH\ ZRXOG QRUPDOO\ ZHDU DQG VWDQG ZLWK ERWK IHHW RQ WKH IROGHU :LWK \RXU SHQFLO KHOG DW D GHJUHH DQJOH WR WKH IROGHU WUDFH DURXQG HDFK IRRW

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SHOPTALK! 63

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SHOPTALK! 65

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Bm l :epZrl Ni mh Rhn

By Shani Magosky

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION FROM TRAINING MAGAZINE, A 50YEAROLD PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE THAT ADVOCATES TRAINING AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AS A BUSINESS TOOL. CHECK THEM OUT AT WWW.TRAININGMAGAZINE.COM.

As a Better Boss, I commit to: TAKE RESPONSIBILITY It’s time for a tough truth: Everything in your life is your responsibility. You’re responsible for your own decisions; you’re responsible for the quality of your relationships; and you’re responsible for your own growth and development.

In a business development role I had some years ago, I was waiting for the head of marketing to respond to a question I’d posed to her via e-mail before I could follow up with a prospect, when one of my colleagues asked me about it.

“Have you made any progress on this?” she asked.

“No,” I griped. “I’m really frustrated. I’ve been waiting for input from Priya in marketing. I’ve e-mailed her a couple of times now, and she just isn’t getting back to me!”

My colleague looked at me thoughtfully and said without missing a beat, “That’s bull.” I was floored for a second. “That shouldn’t stop you,” she went on. “It’s always up to you.”

It was that last sentence that caught me. It’s always up to you. The truth was, waiting on marketing was just an excuse. There was no reason I couldn’t move the sales process forward without her.

It’s always up to you. When you have the guts to own this, to really believe that it is always up to you, you become more engaged in your own life. You stop blaming and pointing fingers. You stop focusing on obstacles and start focusing on solutions. How can you move things forward anyway?

It’s always up to you. If you don’t believe this, you can slip way too easily into the victim mentality. Great leaders never want to be perceived as victims; that’s why, so often, they don’t ask for help. But that’s a fallacy about leadership and victimhood—asking for help doesn’t make you weak or needy; it’s the attitude you have that does. If you take responsibility, if you realize that it’s always up to you, then you also can assess the situation, evaluate your own limits, and know with confidence when you legitimately need help. No one can do everything; knowing what you can and can’t do, and asking for help to make up the difference, is part of taking responsibility and being a true leader.

In contrast, victims don’t ask for help because they know their limits. Rather, victims ask for help because they cling to a “poor me” attitude, are needy, want attention, and/or sadly have given up before even trying. That’s 180-degrees opposite of what a better boss would do.

It’s not the asking; it’s the attitude. Better bosses ask for help with a vision instead of a complaint.

SHOPTALK! 67

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The outermost part of the three circles represents everything that seems out of our control, such as traffic, bad weather, flight delays, new leadership at our company or in our country, noisy open office environments, or supply chain delays. It’s the economy; it’s a store running out of our favorite product; it’s office politics, relentless competitors, or unresponsive colleagues. (Do I sound like new lyrics for the Alanis Morissette song, “Ironic,” yet?) There are so many things outside of our control—the list is endless. And yet, these are the things we spend so much time obsessing about. What a waste of time!

The second circle, the middle band of the three, is the Circle of Influence. This is where the magic is. Many people mistakenly believe this sphere of influence holds matters that are also outside of their control, so they retreat into their small, center circle. That’s what they know, and that’s where they feel safe. They hide. It’s a response of fear, one that ignores the possibilities of the Circle of Influence. There are ways to make that middle band wider, rather than narrower, but we won’t see how if we’re hiding in the center.

Learning to control our own emotions and fears, and showing up the way we want to show up, is how we affect the inner circle. When we get that under control, then we can play more successfully in the Circle of Influence. That THE

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circle is where we might not have control, but we do have influence—i.e., the place where it’s always up to you!

Don’t overlook it.

I thought I couldn’t make that sales call because I was waiting on marketing. I thought it was out of my control.

But, in fact, that wasn’t entirely true. I could exert my own influence to make the sales call happen anyway. We discussed a similar example during a workshop I taught recently to a group of senior B2B media salespeople who often are stonewalled by clients with the “no budget” excuse. Instead of letting discouragement get the best of us in those circumstances, we talked about ways to influence that included helping their marketing contacts advocate upstream to the CFO (or even CEO, as Salesforce founder Marc Benioff has pointed to as one of their keys to success). In other words, present business-savvy solutions that directly support the organization’s strategic and/ or financial objectives and have a clear-cut ROI. There’s rarely budget that can’t be found or reallocated when the right business case exists.

Increasing the width of that middle circle, exercising our influence when we don’t necessarily have control, means being creative. It means being proactive, and not reactive, to our situation.

Part of this is realizing that we have choices. We can choose to continue to behave as though these things are out of our control, or we can choose to influence. There always will be external obstacles and internal, perceived obstacles, but we still can choose which path we want to take. Are we going to choose to let fear hold us back, or

are we going to choose to put a leash on fear and drag it along with us? Are we going to allow ourselves to be triggered? Or are we going to pause, question whether we’re making assumptions or taking things personally, and shift perspectives as necessary to ensure success? Are we going to take a dismissive “No” for an answer when we have a win-win solution for a client, or will we choose to influence other decision-makers with confidence and smart business acumen?

We must live with the choices we make; let’s not be so timid that we forget we have them. As an anonymous adage teaches us, “Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional.”

Excerpt from Chapter 2 of The Better Boss Blueprint by Shani Magosky (September 2017).

Shani Magosky is the author of leadership book, The Better Boss Blueprint. She is an executive consultant and founder of The Better Boss Project, which she developed from years of experience working with bosses at all levels and a desire to put a special focus on changing companies by helping people become better leaders—of others and themselves. Previously, she worked in three divisions of Goldman Sachs, managed a TV station, was COO of an all-virtual international marketing company and launched leadership development consulting and executive coaching practice Vitesse Consulting, where she counsels a range of Fortune 1000 companies, tech startups, entrepreneurs, universities, and nonprofits across multiple industries. She can be reached at shani@thebetterbossproject.com.

Training Magazine (2020). It’s Always Up to You. Retrieved from https://trainingmag.com/it’s-always-you/.

At Shop Talk! we are dedicated to helping you succeed in your small business endeavors. Our Knowledge section will be a place for you to find business advice and information. If there is anything you would like to know, contact us at Shop Talk! P.O. Box 6, Salina, UT 84654, phone (435) 565-6052, fax (435) 529-1033, or email candace@burns1876.com with your inquiries and we will do our best to provide answers.

SHOPTALK! 69

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1876 Media...............................7, 9, 70, 72 & 75

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Mules & More .................................................. 66

Bruce Johnson Leather Tools ..............................72 Buckeye Engraving .............................................74 Campbell-Randall ............................................. 50 Chicago Stockyard Saddle Tree .......................... 66 Chino Tack .........................................................74 Coblentz Collar...................................................75 Deeter Custom Saddlery.................................... 25 E.C. Leather ...................................................... 68 Fairview Country Sales.......................................11 Fine Tool Journal ................................................ 9

N & A Harness.................................................... 9 Orion Calf......................................................... 70 Precision Saddle Tree .........................................77 Sho-Tan ........................................................... 70 Small Farmer's Journal ......................................74 Sorrell Notion & Findings .................................. 28 Springfield Leather ........................................... 60 Steel Stamps .................................................... 68 Strap Eze (Frontier Gunleather)......................... 66 Sunset Trails ......................................................37 Tandy Leather ........................................back cover

Fisher Harness Shop.......................................... 66

TechSew ............................................................. 4

Hansen Western Gear ........................................72

Texas Custom Dies .............................................73

Hermann Oak ..................................................... 2

Tippmann Industries...........................................12

Hide House........................................................75

Toledo Sewing .................................................... 3

IHS ELP .............................................................74

Wayne Jueschke ................................................74

International Sheepskin .................................... 66

Weaver Leather............................11, 28, 50 & 71

Keystone Leather/RJF Leather............................74

Weber Stirrups ...................................................74

Landis Sales & Service...................................... 66

Wickett & Craig .................................................76 SHOPTALK! 73

IHS ELP, LLC

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74 JANUARY 2020

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THE

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DE A M THE IN A U S

202 Industrial Loop Yoakum, Texas 77995 SHOPTALK! 77

78 JANUARY 2020

THE

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SHOPTALK!

JANUARY 2020

Issue price $6.50

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P.O. Box 6, SALINA, UTAH 84654 1 (435) 565.6052 | shoptalk-magazine.com

NEW YEAR, NEW PRODUCT

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SHOP OUR LINE OF TEMPLATES ONLINE OR VISIT US IN STORE FOR EXCLUSIVES.* *FULL LINE OF TEMPLATES AVAILABLE IN-STORE AND ONLINE. EXCLUSIVES AVAILABLE IN-STORE ONLY. LIMITED SUPPLY. AVAILABILITY VARIES BY LOCATION.

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