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Good job Spider! I'm glad they got them right, they look purty.

WE ARE FINALLY SELLING OUR VINTAGE COWBOY BOOT COLLECTION - ALMOST ALL OF IT - AT THE GUITAR SHOW IN DALLAS TEXAS AT MARKET HALL - IT OPENS TO THE PUBLIC ON FRIDAY, APRIL, 18TH AND WE WILL BE THERE UNTIL DUSK ON SUNDAY-
WE HAVE OVER 200 PAIR OF FINE VINTAGE AND COLLECTIBLE BOOTS IN SIZES FROM
A LADIES VINTAGE 2 THRU FINE VINTAGE MENS SIZE 13...........
THIS IS OUR 16TH YEAR AT THE GUITAR SHOW - IT IS THE ONLY TIME EACH YEAR
THAT WE PULL ALL OUR COLLECTION TOGETHER AND SHOW IT FOR SALE TO THE PUBLIC. THIS WILL BE THE ONLY YEAR THAT WE ARE ACTUALLY SELLING OUR TOUR COLLECTION, WE JUST SOLD OUR TOUR BUS AND HAVE MADE SOME CORRECTIONS IN OUR DIRECTIONS!!
SO PLEASE COME AND PERUSE AND LOOK OVER ALL OF OUR SUPERB ITEMS....

WE ALSO HAVE OVER 100 VINTAGE MOTORCYCLE JACKETS, MOTORCYCLE BOOTS, VINTAGE
WESTERN WEAR FOR BOTH MEN AND WOMEN, FINE STETSON HATS FROM THE 30'S TO THE 70'S, DOUBLE D RANCHWEAR, H BAR C FINE VINTAGE WESTERN SHIRTS, FORMAL AND SASS WESTERN WEAR AND UNIQUE ITEMS THAT ARE TRULY FUN AND AFFORDABLE.

REGRETTABLY, WE ARE UNABLE TO PROVIDE OUR CLIENTS AND INTERESTED PEOPLE WITH FREE TICKETS TO THE GUITAR SHOW...SIMPLY NOT POSSIBLE----

HOWEVER, PLEASE CALL US AT 214-769-4234 OR 214-821-7755 FOR INFORMATION PERTAINING TO OUR BOOTH OR BETTER YET - LOOK UP THE DALLAS GUITAR SHOW.COM
AT MARKET HALL THIS WEEK-END FOR THE REAL SCOOP -
MERCI FOR YOUR INTEREST IN OUR BOOTS - WE HAVE QUIT SELLING ON EBAY FOR
THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE........
SIMPLY NOT HAPPY WITH THEIR POLICIES.......
RATHER MEET YOU IN PERSON -
WE WILL BE PHOTOGRAPHING MOST OF OUR COLLECTION AND THOSE WILL BE POSTED ON THIS SIGHT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR ALL THE INFORMATION AND HELP WE HAVE FOUND WITH ALL OF
THE WONDERFUL PEOPLE ON THIS SITE-
WE LOVE YOU MOLLY GIBBONS - (YOU HAVE A FREE TICKET TO THE GUITAR SHOW FROM ME! - COME SHOW WITH ME!!)
BE SAFE, BE WELL AND COME SEE US OR LET US KNOW HOW IT GOES -

ONLY OUR VERY WESTERN BEST,
DONNELL WELLS
AND
FRED DUNLAP
DALLAS, TEXAS
214-769-4234 (SHOW AND CELL #)
214-821-7755 ( LEAVE A MESSAGE #)

SEA TURTLE BOOTS

NOCONA SWEET CHOCOLATE 12 D

ACME STARBURST

BULLHIDE CUSTOM

MEDALLION ON SHAFT OF 21 INCH BUCKAROO

HARLEY EAGLE BOOTS

PATENT AND LEATHER VINTAGE BURGUNDY BOOTS

CUSTOM MONOGRAMMED BULLHIDE 50'S

TINY BLACK AND GREEN TALL INLAYS

KIDS OUTFIT

KIDS BOOTS W/ SPURS

FROGSKIN CUSTOM WITH ZIPPERS AND PULLS-11.5 D

PINK XX TOED LADIES 50'S

THANKS FOR LOOKING - THERE ARE 200 MORE PAIRS FOR SALE!
MERCI,
DONNELL WELLS
THE OLD SCHOOLHOUSE
DALLAS, TEXAS
214-821-7755
OR CHECK OUT THE

DALLAS GUITAR FESTIVAL IN APRIL 2008
WE HAVE A HUGE BOOTH THERE AND ARE SELLING OUR BOOT COLLECTION
AND MOTORCYCLE JACKET COLLECTION
OVER 1000 FINE VINTAGE ITEMS FOR SALE AT THE VERY BEST PRICES
AT THE VERY BEST EVENT!

COME SEE US OR WRITE ME..........
BE SAFE AND THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR INTEREST............

I am not sure if the boots on #4945 are frogskin, they look like ostrich, #4941 looks like calf, #4937 look like kangaroo or calf, and #4934 looks like gator, not sea turtle.

CBBN,
I would have to agree with that altough I am not sure of the Sea Turtle boots, as the pic is not conclusive. But they do look like Gator...TR

HORNBACK LIZARD

PUMPKIN ELEPHANT - GREAT LEATHERWORK!

This board is costing me a fortune. Every time we go a long time without any new boots going up........I wind up getting a pair made. I have two pair underway at the moment.......and they should be up in a couple of weeks. I think Brian Thomas should show us something new and nice on here.
Scooter

Scooter,

I blame Brian too! <grin>

CBBN

All Boot Connoisseurs,

Our good boot pal Jennifer June, is putting out some good information on boot makers and boot buying. It is available as an “eBook.” To quote Jenn

“I've compiled an eDirectory of Cowboy Bootmakers ...a digital download on sale for $29.

My directory includes the 50+ talented bootmakers listed and
photographed in my book, Cowboy Boots: The Art & Sole.

This directory includes the contact information for each shop
as well as...each bootmaker's starting price, delivery time,
years of bootmaking experience, and whether or not the bootmaker
must personally measure a customer's feet.

Don't waste your time making dead-end phone calls!
This directory makes it easy to find a great bootmaker who is right for you.

Get your copy at... http://www.dimlights.com/products.

AND...if you buy a copy of the directory within the next 36 hours*,
you will receive a discount code for a free copy of my ebook,
The Missing Index... AND a $25 off the price of a private boot consultation. Yep. That's an additional $29 total value, if you act fast.”

Jenn has been a great source for us bootnuts, and bootmakers. Her web site has been a great resource for me.

CBBN

Edited by author 05-06-2008 11:34 PM

d.pollard custom made gal leg spurs

I have this pair and another pair of suberb silver overlay with swans on them that are epic -

Please advise -
The more advice - the merrier!

Merci,
Donnell Wells
The Old Schoolhouse
Dallas, Texas 75204
214-821-7755

SWAN OVERLAY

FORGIVE ME -
THE MESSAGE IS THAT I NEED TO SELL BOTH PAIR OF THESE TERRIFIC DANNY POLLARD SPURS -
MUST PAY THE TAXES ON TARA!

THANKS FOR A GREAT SITE AND GREAT MINDS----- BOTH THE GAL LEG AND THE SWAN SET ARE SIGNED AND NUMBERED
THE YEARS ARE 1998 & 1999 -
PLEASE OPINE!

DONNELL WELLS
THE OLD SCHOOLHOUSE
DALLAS, TEXAS
214-821-7755

Edited by author 05-10-2008 08:18 PM

THE BOYS AND THE GIRLS OUT TO RIDE

ANYONE FOR A SWIM?

SERIOUSLY FINE SET

Happy Mother's Day to all the mom's out there

I.O.U.
(Dean / Markes)
Jimmy Dean - 1976

Many people look through their wallet or their pocket books and, way down at the bottom, past the credit cards and baby pictures and so on, you usually find a little 'ol piece of dog-eared poetry.

I was cleaning out my wallet the other day and ran across a whole bunch of I.O.U's, some of 'em thirty-five years overdue. And you know the funny thing, all these I.O.U's are owed to one person and I kinda felt like that maybe now would be a pretty good time for an accountin'.

Mom, I sure hope you're listenin'.

Sweet lady, I.O.U. for so many things.....
A lot of services, like nightwatchman for instance..... Lyin' awake nights, listenin' for coughs and cries and creakin'
floorboards.....hah-hah, and me comin' in too late. Boy, you had the eye of an eagle and the roar of a lion, But you always had a heart as big as a house.

I.O.U. for services like, uh, short order cook, chef, baker.....
For makin' sirloin out o' hamburger an' turkey out o' tuna fish,
And big ol' strappin' boys out of leftovers.

I.O.U. for cleanin' services,
The daily scrubbing of face and ears....all work done by hand.
And for the frequent dustin' of a small boy's pants To try to make sure that you led a spotless life. And for washin' and ironin' that no laundry could ever do. For dryin' the tears of childhood and ironin' out the problems of growin' up.

I.O.U. for services as a bodyguard,
For protectin' me from the terrors of thunderstorms and nightmares
Hah, And too many green apples.

And Lord knows, I.O.U. for medical attention,
For nursing me through measles, mumps, bruises, Bumps, splinters and spring fever.
Oh-oh, let's not forget medical advice....important things like,
'If you keep on scratching that, it'll never get well' or 'If you cross your eyes, they're gonna stick like that'.
And probably the most important advice of all, 'Boy, you be sure you got on clean underwear, in case you're in an accident'.

And I.O.U. for veterinarian services,
For feeding every lost dog that I dragged home at the end of the rope,
And for healing the pains of puppy love.

And I.O.U. for entertainment.....
Entertainment that kept the household goin' through some pretty rough times.....
And for wonderful productions at Christmas, the Fourth of July, Birthdays.....
And for making make-believe come true.....
And you did it all on such a limited budget.

I.O.U. for construction work, for building kites and confidence, hopes and dreams an'..... Somehow you made them all touch the sky.....
And for cementin' together a family
So it would stand the worst kind of shocks and blows.....
And for layin' down a good strong foundation to build a life on.

I.O.U. for carrier charges.....
For carryin' me on your books for the necessities of life That a growin' boy somehow, well, they just gotta have. Things like, hah-hah, a pair of high top boots, With a little pocket on the side for a jack-knife.

And one thing, Mom, I'll never forget....
When there were two pieces of pie and three hungry people..... You were always the one who decided, well, I'm not really that hungry anyhow.

These are just a few of the things for which payment is long overdue..
The person that I owe 'em to worked very, very cheap....
She managed by simply doin' without a whole lot o' things that she needed herself....

My I.O.U's add up to more than I could ever hope to repay,
But you know the nicest thing about it all....
That I know, that she had marked the entire bill 'Paid In Full'
For just one kiss and four little words....Mom, I Love You!

Evan Voyles, Ralph Brinkley, Mark Fletcher aka Cowboybootnut

Evan Voyles Boots, made by Kimmel

Evan's boots, side view

Custom boots made by Brian Thomas

This past weekend I attended the Western Heritage Classic in Abilene, Texas. If you enjoy quality western gear, you'll want to attend this event.

Besides El Paso, Abilene has the most custom boot makers (Tex Robin, Brian Thomas, James Leddy and Alan Bell) in one town, and I had a great time visiting them all.

I'll post a few pictures over the next few days and share with you some of the things I saw at the WHC.

I've attended the trade show at the National Finals in Vegas and I would say I enjoyed this one at the WHC much more as everything is truely "western". No guy selling the Ginzu knives or blue blocker sunglasses.

And besides the trade show there is the ranch rodeo, chuckwagon cooking, ranch horse sale, cowboy music/poetry, horse clinics and horse races. And some of the nicest people you'll ever want to meet.

Really worth attending!

More pictures to follow in the next few days.......

HEY MARK -
GREAT PHOTO OF THE BOYS -
I LOVE EVAN - HE COMES BY TO SEE US AT THE GUITAR SHOW EVERY YEAR.
GLAD YOU HAD A GOOD TIME -
WILL MARK IT ON THE CALENDER FOR NEXT YEAR -
I THINK MOLLY WAS OUT THERE - WILL SEE HER LATER IN THE WEEK AND
WILL HEAR ALL THE FUN STUFF I MISSED.

STILL NEED TO SELL THESE SPURS!

THANKS FOR THE UPDATE ON ABILENE.

BE SAFE,
DONNELL

Vintage Boots sold at Western Heritage by "Gypsy Cowgirl" from Dallas

Kimmel boots made for Evan Voyles

Boots in Tex Robin's shop

Had a chance to get over to Tex Robin's boot shop (and recording studio....note the guitar!) during the Western Heritage. Had a great visit with Tex and his wife and had a great conversation about cowboy boots and life in general. Below are a few the boots in his shop.

Pair on the left are Tex Robin boots

The 5-D Hats and Leather booth at Western Heritage

Boots by Al Reynolds, Wickenburg AZ

Al Reynolds boots, Wickenburg AZ

Al Reynolds is a bootmaker located in Wickenburg AZ. He sent me a few photos that he made to post.

Old West Leather
Alfred R. Reynolds, Owner
(by appointment only)
PO Box 21166
Wickenburg, AZ 85358
(928) 684 3134
E-Mail: bootguy1@cox.net

Marshall, Tex, Brian,

I had a great time visiting with you all during the Abilene Western Heritage Classic. Great memories, friends, and of course food.

Tex, I enjoyed those boots you posted.

Love that pattern! Tex Robin boots, collection of CBBN, 2004

Mark,
Always glad to have y'all drop in. We can always find a good place to eat in Abilene too..

Hey, that Al is a lot wilder than I though he was. Those are both some boots...TR

Bootmaker Al Reynolds, Wichita Falls Roundup 2007

Close up of Al's boots

And if you look close you see that Al inlayed the bootmakers "Tools of the trade" on those boot tops.

Yep,

Al's boots have some neat ideas and artwork.

Al Reynolds boots

Al Reynolds boots, Wickenburg AZ

Boots by Al Reynolds, Wickenburg AZ

What are the inlays on picture 4989? Really nice boots--all of them.

I believe it is a bird. I have some other pictures at home, I will look at them tonight.

Al Reynolds boots, Wickenburg AZ - Bird inlay

Vintage Capital Saddlery (?) collection of Evan Voyles

CBBN,
Evan asked me about those boots when he was here during the Western Heritage. He thought maybe my father had made them when he was at Capitol with Charlie but I am sure he didn't. My father did the last building and bottoming while he was there. I told him the best bet was Charlie Dunn had made them with the cross over initials on them..It is not Charlies usual letters but who knows..I have only seen three people do them like that, Charlie Dunn, Lee Miller and myself. I got the trick from Lee and my father never tried doing them that way. But maybe somebody will see them and recognise the work to be positive. Charlie or somebody working there with him is my wild guess...TR

Many thanks to all the men and women of our military who served and sacrificed. You have made this the greatest nation in the world.

God bless you and your families.

CBBN

Memorial Day is the day we stop, remember and give thanks.

Al Reynolds Airborne boots, 1995

The 101st Airborne Division NEVER does ANYTHING half-way.
Those are great boots in honor of a great unit.

When we had breakfast with Al and his wife at Wichita Falls last year, Mrs. Reynolds brought Al's boot photo album for us (Tex & Mrs. Robin, Marshall, Jess, Ralph Brinkley, and of coarse Brian who never misses a meal). I was amazed at the finely stiched and well-crafted inlay work that Al did. I am glad that he has sent me some CDs of his work to post, and more than happy to do so.

Wow, look at that unit emblem and the detail on those jump wings on the heel counter!

Justin Centennial Boots, collection of CBBN

Unknown maker -perhaps Trijillo, collection of CBBN

Unknown maker, heart boots, collection of CBBN

Edited by author 06-08-2008 11:59 PM
The boots below with the heart inlay are extremely small, I have never seen a pair of custom made/hand made/shop made/bench made boots that small. I tried to put a boot tree in them, not even a small ladies boot tree would fit. They seem to be nicely made for the size.

Willie Lusk Boots (?), collection of CBBN

Willie Lusk was one of the few black bootmakers in the business. He was pretty remarkable, he was one of the first blacks that had a pilot's license, plus from the 1940's on he ran a shop or owned a shop with white employees. Extremely rare for those days. He was a very talented bootmaker too. I love the two different stitch patterns in Willie Lusk boots that I have. Most of the top-stitching was done by Evelyn Green. Willie learned bootmaking in San Angelo, then moved to Lubbock. The Las Vegas gambler Benny Binion, financially helped Willie set up his first shop in Lubbock. Willie passed away in the mid-1970s.

I got an email from Mickie Ross, who is the Educational Program Coordinator at The Williamson Museum in Georgetown, TX. She asked me to post some info on a great event. Looks like fun, I may put it on my calendar! Here is an excerpt from her email.

"The date is September 26 & 27, here in Georgetown, Texas, just north of Austin. The chuckwagon event starts Friday night with live music by Grady Lee from Marshall. The all day event on Saturday starts at 9:00, and I am looking for demonstrators of any western work - boots, hats, saddles - whatever I can find. We don't charge to come, and I can offer a gas allowance to all demonstrators. There are events all day ending with a show with trick riders and ropers, then the longhorns being driven along the San Gabriel River. Please post whatever you can, with me as the contact person - mross@wilco.org. I appreciate your help!"

"Join us for Up the Chisholm Trail Cattle Drive and Chuckwagon Cook-off, September 26 & 27, in Georgetown. Visit www.upthechisholmtrail.org for details."

Unknown Maker (Leddy??), collection CBBN

Edited by author 06-20-2008 08:52 PM
Don't know who made these but they maybe the work of a Leddy or someone in San Angelo. Any ideas?

I just found a pair of boots marked ROBERT BURTON BOOTMAKER ROSWELL, NEW MEX. Can anyone tell me about them?

I have only heard of him, I believe he is still making boots and saddles. Can you post a picture.

I did some googling, apparantly Mr. Burton passed away. You may want to contact a former student of his, David Brunson, for information.

Brunson Boot
113 South Third Street
Artesia, New Mexico 88210
Phone: (505) 748-3201
Fax: (505) 746-2727
http://www.brunsonboot.com/index.html
E-mail: dbrunson@brunsonboot.com

Edited by author 06-30-2008 10:36 PM

Boots by Al Reynolds, Al did the tooling.

Paul Bond calfskin boots, collection of J Walker.

Rocketbuster boots, collection of J. Walker.

Ammons boots, collection of J. Walker.

 Inlayed Rocketbuster boots, collection of J. Walker.

Have a good 4th of July, many thanks to the Founding Fathers.

Boots by Al Reynolds, Wickenburg, AZ

Ammons Calf, steer/stars inlay, collection J. Walker

Ammons ostrich, collection of J. Walker

Herman Smith boots (in side labeled), collection of Mark Fletcher

According to Tex, Herman Smith was a leather salesman from Lubbock and then later Amarillo. He last owned Panhandle Leather. His father in law was Carl Hagedorn from Hagedorn Leather. He wasn't a bootmaker, so these were probably made by someone in the Lubbock-Amarillo area.

CBBN,
Did these have a label saying Herman Smith or just his name written in them? I don't know if I ever met Pewee Barnwell but I bottomed some of his tops for Herman Smith too with the same pattern...My father worked for Barnwell in the early 50s for a short time in amarillo...TR

Edited by author 07-12-2008 10:29 AM
Tex,

There is a hand written name "Herman Smith" in them, about 1/2 way down the tops. Then there is a small print, faint inked label with his name that looks like it was put in after it was made.

Terry Young emailed me that these boots were made by Pee Wee, because of the vamp tongue pattern. Terry done some bottom work on his boots too.

I have another pair with the same stitch pattern, similar vamp tongue, and boot pulls, that you said several years ago they were made by Barnwell, or at leased stitched by him.

Barnwell Boots, collection of Mark Fletcher

All,
These boots are on ebay for sale:

They were made in 2000 in Coleman, Tx by me...Tex Robin

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...T&item=330254779380

Happy National Day of the Cowboy!

Giddy-Up

Thunderbirds to drive my Thunderbird.

Every Thunderbird has a Turquoise insignia, so here you go. Picture of car and design of boots are over on my friend's site, Boots Reitzel.

http://geocities.com/tucsonboot/

Initial design by Spider Daley/further application by Mingo, construction by Mingo.

Wild ideas by yours truly.

Scooter

Beautiful, my compliments to all involved.

CBBN

Thanks.
To clarify.
The vamp and counter designs were by Spider.
Stitching, initials, and collar were by Mingo.

Gosh, it appears that the Brian Thomas signature stitch on the side of the boot looks amazingly like an Alan Bell boot, but turned vertically. Has anyone noticed this? I'll try to find a pic of a bell boot for reference.

Brian,

The leather has a bit more green to it than the picture shows. I believe it was calf, but thick. I bought it from Spider down at Bond's while he was still there. I already had another piece, actually better suited in weight, but too much green to suit me when compared to this piece. Turquoise, to my eye, either leans towards green or leans towards blue. The blue shade pleases me more.

Scooter

My new ML Leddys

Alan Bell boots, former collection of CBBN

Mark from Plano,

I like your Leddy's. Good color.

Here is a subject I have not seen discussed before on boot forums.

I am interested in hearing people's thoughs about XG(Triad) constructed cowboy boots.

The XG(Triad) style has a one-piece vamp construction and counter foxing that does not reach all the way to the sideseam. It may also have outside-turned sideseams that are covered with a leather "side rail".

I have seen this design used mostly with exotic hides.

I like the look of this design, even for calf and kangaroo boots.

Are there any specific advantages and disadvantages to this style of boot construction, compared to a standard cowboy boot?

Do any bootmakers or collectors have any feelings about this design good or bad?

Do any of the readers of this forum have any XG(Triad) boots? Does the fit feel any different then your other boots of a similar maker on a similar last? How do you like these boots overall?

Maybe if CBBN or another collector or bootmaker has a pair of these boots, you could post a photo so everyone reading this forum can see the type of boot I am describing.

Jess

Jess,

I never heard of XG, I have heard of the triad. From what I have seen, it is usually done with exotic skins for the vamp. My thinking is that it was a style started when when a company/shop had a small piece of the skin to use (just a thought). Personally, I don't care for it for a man's boot. I think it would be okay for a woman's boot (I am not trying to be a sexist on this). It is just a dressy-style boot.

I have a pair in my collection at home (not part of my wearing collection), I will post it tonight. It was made at Norris Boot Shop in Midland, TX. The vamp is shark.

CBBN,

XG(Triad) is the name of this design illustrated in the Ammons catalog. I am curious to know where the XG designation came from, and the general history of this design.

J. Gilbert Footwear in Seattle (and Tucson) is doing a number of these boots as special Lucchese make-up designs for their stores.

I like the design beause it is somewhat unusual, and I have always been drawn toward things that are unique and unusual. I just think this design is interesting, and merits some discussion.

Jess,

Pink butterflys inlays on boot tops and a blue Resistol hat are unusual too. <grin>

I believe the XG that Rodney Ammons uses may have come from TO Stanley. Rodney worked for TO in the 1980s. I believe TO calls it "Vegas," but I believe the code may be XG. I now recall seeing it somewhere. I think it is a lettering code, similar for toes and heel styles. I don't know if TO started the triad though.

I have a couple pairs of triads, one by T.O. Stanley in tobacco anteater and navy blue leather that is really spiffy. Mahan made a lot of these, too. I quite like them as a change of pace. And for something like snake, where a single skin is too narrow to cover the vamp, I think they look better than a pieced vamp.

Edited by author 08-07-2008 04:13 PM
I just checked my T.O. Stanley catalog. This design is called the "Vegas".

Now I am really curious about the origin of this design, as I have never read about this design in any of the cowboy boot books, or in all the years we have been doing these internet forums.

Anyone know?

Jess,

Give him a call, 915-588-5419.

Larry Mahan elephant triad boot

Well I WAS going to bring my Triad boots with the pick butterfly inlays to the Bootmakers roundup........but not anymore!.....grin

Mark from Plano,

The original owner of those Larry Mahan triads probably bought a matching pair for his wife, along with matching western shirts, jeans and belt/buckles to go line dancing with.

Charlie Dunn triads, from collection of CBBN

Norris Boot Shop, collection of CBBN

Shorty Hall Boots, collection of CBBN

Edited by author 08-21-2008 03:20 PM
You learn something new everyday. I always thought these boots were made by James Owens in Claredon TX. Terry Young, a bootmaker in Paducah TX was familiar with Shorty's and James Owens work and said that one easy way to tell a Shorty Hall boot from a James Owens boot is the stitch on the counter cover. Shorty had half of a chain stitch. James made a full chain with a diamond in the middle. Shortys was just to a downward point,

Thanks Terry!

James Owens Boots, collection of CBBN, thanks Vintage Cowboy!

Dixon Boots (?), collection of CBBN

I have several boots in my collection made by Dixon Boots of Wichita Falls TX. Some of them have this same stitch pattern, but have a label. I could not see a label in these below.

In post 5057 I made a mistake in Terry's name, and corrected it. I had put down Hall, it is Terry Young, a bootmaker in Paducah, TX. Sorry Terry.

Harold Norris calfskin boots,

Harold Norris lizard boots

Harold Norris inlayed boots

Harold Norris ostrich skin boots

Edited by author 08-17-2008 01:44 AM
I was in Midland TX last week and stopped at the Norris Boot & Shoe Shop. The owner of the shop is Mike Norris, and his dad was Harold Norris who made boots in Midland for many years in his shop at South Main. Harold Norris died in 1993. Mike doesn't make boots, just does repair, but he had these four boots in his shop and let me take pictures of them.

It is hard to believe that 40-50 years ago there were several bootmakers in Midland, and now there are none.

Brian Thomas Boots, Horween Waxed Rough-Out, collection of CBBN

There are three pairs of boots on ebay that really resemble those James Owens below.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Custom-HAND-MADE-Dark-...goryZ63850QQssPageN meZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Chris Bennett Boots

I recently acquired the pair of Chris Bennett boots pictured below. I don't know much about the bootmaker except that his shop is in Nogales, AZ. They have the look of a pair of Paul Bond boots which is also located in Nogales. I did a web search and didn't find much info. and he has no web site. Does anyone have any info on this bootmaker and his boots? Thanks!

turpin,

If I recall correctly, I read somewhere that he did work at Paul Bonds, and left in the mid-1990s(?) to open his own shop. He did have a good reputation 10 years ago about his boots (from what I read), but I haven't heard anything about his work for several years. I have seen several pictures of his boots and they do look nice.

If you could, post another picture of your boots, its hard for me to take a good look at them at this angle.

T. Cowan,

I am prety sure that those were made by James Owens too. He was a well-respected and popular bootmaker in the Clarendon TX area, who passed away several years ago. Fortunately his son Jim, has continued the tradition of making fine boots.

Edited by author 08-28-2008 09:50 PM
There is a nice 3-page article on Paul Bond in the Fall 2008 issue of Range Magazine.

Leddy Boots

I bought the below Leddy Boots at the Rose Bowl Flea Market a few years back for $85. I finally got around to asking Leddy's about them and here's what they told me via e-mail:

Those boots were made for a man named Lewis Paxton of Wynnewood, Oklahoma. The were made in the year 1955, here in Fort Worth, and they cost $44.50 at that time. Today, these boots would be marked anywhere between $1,500.00 and $1,600.00. The boots are made of calf skin and the color is co-co. The tooled top is our Leddy Floral pattern

Mark from Plano,

A pair of old Leddys, in good shape and that fit the spouse is a great deal at that price.

Note, they mention Cosimo and Sam Lucchese in the same release with "brass nailed outsole, cushioned channel leather insole." I see humor in that.

CBBN
-------------------------------------------------------------- -----

EL PASO, TX, September 2008 – Lucchese Boot Company is proud to launch Lucchese Cowboy and Lucchese Cowgirl Collection.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Lucchese is painting a new and authentic picture of what "Cowboy" and "Cowgirl" should be. With inspiration coming from early designs of Cosimo and Sam Lucchese in San Antonio, the Cowboy Collection combines comfort and functionality while staying true to the cowboy way of life.
The Lucchese Cowboy Collection is a revolutionary new cowboy boot. With fit, comfort and style, the Lucchese Cowboy Collection is Handmade and features premium leathers, a cushioned channel leather insole, stacked leather heels, performance heel counters, 3/4 welt, brass nailed outsole combined together for a Classic fit.


For more information please visit http://www.lucchese.com/collections.php?cat_id=58

Brian,

Unfortunately Webster did not get around to "Handmade Boots" or "Custom made Boots." And unfortunately no group or person has set a “standard” to define the two terms. Where is the line drawn and more important, who draws the line? When does a shop become a factory? All of these terms right now, are just personal definitions. If and when an acceptable group within the trade can standardize the terms, there will always be this “custom vs. handmade” use going back and forth.

CBBN

Brian,

I have always believed that Cosimo was more of a perfectionist than Sam. If Cosimo was alive today, he would be putting the "FD" stamp on a lot of the boots being made.

I saw a pair of boots on eBay that were advertised as "Ray Jones boots." Now I'm not an expert on the late Mr. Jones and his handiwork, but from what I do know, these ain't them. No toe bug, for example. Could people look at item 120308590278 to see if they agree. This wouldn't be the first time that boots were misdavertised as Jones's boots.

Jerry C,

A toe flower is an "extra" charge for most bootmakers. The customer may not have wanted to pay that or did not want a toe flower.

I am pretty sure those are Ray Jones, or one of the Jass brothers. It is too hard to tell the difference some times.

Can you tell me who made these boots?

Thanks for the info. Is Mr. Owens still around and making boots? If not, any idea about when these boots might have been made? By the way, HOW do you determine who you think is the bootmaker without having any label or writing or information written in the boots? These boots have a pretty distinctive design to the "tongue" (is that what it is called?). BUT what do you look for to ID the maker of a boot? Someone told me that the toe bugs are also distinctive of the bootmaker (these have no bug), also that the stitching on the tops and sometimes the heel shape can help ID the maker. Could readers of this forum tell me how they ID the maker just by looking at a boots design? I know it is more of an "art" than a science. It would make an interesting discussion. Thanks!

if Cosimo Lucchese was a gunslinger there'd have been a whole lot of dead bootmakers...

turpin,

James Owens passed away 10-15 yrs ago, he was a highly respected and liked bootmaker in Claredon TX (from what I heard, I never got the opportunity to meet him). His son Jim is running the shop.

"HOW do you determine who you think is the bootmaker without having any label or writing or information written in the boots?"

For me, I have to go by things like vamp tongue, counter, toe flower, stitching, boot pulls, etc and make a "semi-educated guess." Some bootmakers who are familiar with the maker can just take a "look." and tell.

James had that vamp tongue pattern, plus he had a diamond pattern on the counter stitching (in the rear). From what I seen, he didn't use toe flowers, sometimes he used wrinkles. A lot of the Panhandle-North Texas bootmakers did not use toe flowers.

ManInTheCrowd,

Good to see you posting!

Cosimo was a perfectionest (from what I've read). I think he would have to call Rambo in some of these factories (I say this in jest).

There are still "real bootmakers" who take pride in their work.

Cowboybootnut

I agree! There are some gifted guys and girls busting their knuckles every day and making great cowboy boots! Those bootmakers are our saving grace.

Edited by author 09-27-2008 06:15 PM
Brian C. Thomas

I was speaking in the historical sense.

I'm certain that Cosimo Lucchese hired bootmakers. And I know those bootmakers executed his designs under very close supervision. Cosimo collaborated with his bootmakers. Those guys were not factory workers. Especially in today's sense of the word.

Cosimo was known to be a perfectionist. He also had a temper. Truth be told, he probably thought about killing one or two of his bootmakers every day. I attribute that to be the nature of the bootmaking business.

Those were different times. A time when people took pride in what they made. And what they sold. Made in America meant something then.

Not the case today... get my drift?

Hell, I think that if you referred to Cosimo Lucchese's bootmakers as factory workers in his presence, you may well have been a dead bootmaker. If he was a gunslinger.

Man In The Crowd

Can anyone tell me the maker of these boots?

bigger picture

I have another pair of boots that have no information in the tops that I would like to ID who the maker is. They are one of the nicest pairs in my collection. They have alligator bottoms but the tops are really nice. All hand tooled leather with stars, fancy scroll work, initials JW and cowheads. The workmanship is first rate and the leather quality excellent. Can anyone tell me who they think the bootmaker is?
THANKS!

ManInTheCrowd,

I agree with you, Cosimo had some of the best craftsmen around. Some of them went on to establish their own shops like Hernandez, Galvan, Garcia. It wasn't until they moved to El Paso, or when it was bought by Bluebell (in my opinion) that it went more to a higher production - more of a factory style type boot. That may have been a reason why Sam left.

turpin

Are there any marks on the inside?

It is hard to tell, can you shoot a couple pictures (close up) of the sides and rear, and inside?

another picture 1

2

3

Edited by author 09-28-2008 11:46 AM
CBBN Hope these closeups will help in the ID.
THANKS!

Hello everybody... hope you all are doing good...

Turpin, CBBN, at first sight they remind me Eddie Kimmel...

Peter B,

I haven't held a lot of Kimmel boots in person, but I did look at the pictures in the recent boot books. There are some similarities in the tooling, but Kimmel usually has his boots labeled, and I don't see any. Turpin, are there any marks inside that I can't see?

For some reason I kept thinking about a boot shop in El Paso or Leon, similar to Stallion or Liberty. But I could be 100% wrong.

CBBN & Peter B.

Stallion was the first name that came to this old mind. Seems to be stickin' as well...

MITC

Nothing written in the tops at all. No name, label or numbers.
Thanks for posting.

turpin

Based on that, I doubt if it is a known shop, like Stallion, Tres Outlaws, Liberty. Most of them have some writing or labels the majority of the time.

But I reserve the right to be 100% wrong! <grin>

Boots by Tex Robin, collection of CBBN

CBBN,

Those look fantastic! Looks like Christmas came early for you.

Will those be for special events?

Kevin

Kevin,

Thanks, Nope they are just the normal going to the office boots,

Boot and Saddle Makers Round Up Display table

Display table at the Round Up

Round Up, display table

Bootmakers Round Up, display table

Display Table, boots by Tex Robin

The Winner, the "Man From Arizona" Al Reynolds and his wife.

Note, boots on post 5113, the pair on the left are clown boots, there happened to be a "Clown Convention" at the same time in a nearby hotel.

Vintage Olsen Stelzer Oil Derrick Boots (NOT OWNED BY CBBN)

Vintage Nocona Boots Nocona Texas Visitor's Center

Vintage Nocona Eagle Boots, Nocona TX Visitor's Center

Vintage Nocona Eagle Boots

Thanks Mark.
It's been awhile since I've seen those boots.

FYI,

They are building a museum in Nocona, the North Montague County Historical Society and Museum. I am sure it will have a "Miss Enid" room, with these boots and other Nocona memorabilia.

Here is an interesting video on Capitol Saddlery in Austin Texas (the old shop, not the new location).

http://www.downtownaustintv.org/#/business/capitol-saddlery/

There are some ads in the beginning.

There is a lot of stopping and starting when viewing.......

Thanks for the link Mark. Good little clip.

I like how they make it look like the gal orders a pair of custom boots, goes out to lunch..... and comes back and they're ready!

I didn't get a sense from the Capitol Saddlery video of how "custom" they really are. Does one guy make the boots, or are there several? Do they use leather toe boxes, etc? I'm just curious because I may be going to Austin and may want to look them up. I hear a lot about Leddy, which seems to be a similar operation, but very little about this place. Thanks!

JerryC,

I would think that they would have to have more than one, but that is just a guess. You probably need to call them about leather toe boxes, etc.

Leather toe boxes are good, but the is nothing wrong with a good celastic toe box. Many bootmakers use them. Just stay away from the plastic pre-formed toe boxes that the factories use.

Their web-site;

http://www.capitolsaddlery.com/

I tried going to their website, but it's just a facade. I can't get anything to open!

JerryC,

They used to have a better website when they were at the old shop. But the phone number is on this one so you can give them a call.

Cowboybootnut

This email address may work.....


mike@capitolsaddlery.com

Another video;

http://imagessanangelo.com/index.php/site/...eddy_handmade_boots

M L Leddy Shop in San Angelo

San Angelo Boot Makers Ensure Clients Are Well-Heeled
Published Jun 23, 2008

Sure, you’d expect to find cowboy boots in Texas, but in San Angelo, boot makers are world famous for creating unique footwear that has been seen everywhere from rodeos to the big screen.

For nearly 100 years, the city has been home to three custom boot makers: J.L. Mercer Boot Co., Brest Boots and M.L. Leddy’s. Watch the craftsmen work with the leather, speak with the owners for a bit, and you’ll know why this profession continues to thrive here.

“We do everything like you’re supposed to, and that’s what gets our name out there,” says Robert Brest, who along with his wife, Karen, owns Brest Boots.

The two bought the business, which was founded in 1923, four years ago and have wasted little time elevating its profile. Brest’s most recent accolades include first-place honors at the Best of American Bootmakers competition at the Festival of American Music and Crafts, as well as a repeat win in the Best Shop Effort category.

In addition to boots, the shop also makes R.E. Donaho saddles and carries a line of jewelry and purses created by Karen Brest. Yet, the boots get the most attention, most recently on the feet of several actors in the Academy Award-winning movie, No Country for Old Men.

“We’re a true West Texas boot shop, and we just want to be the best we can be,” Brest says.

Such is the allure of the boot-making trade that it can even make a banker give up her day job. At least that’s the case for former bank CFO Lindsay Cranek, who bought J.L. Mercer & Son in 2007. The shop, which was founded in 1923, just had an appeal she could not deny.

“I kept seeing that it was for sale, and I collect boots, so I just decided it was a good time to have my own business,” Cranek says.

Over the years, Mercer boots have emerged from the pants legs of President Lyndon Johnson, John Wayne, Charlie Daniels and more. And although she’s fairly new to the trade, Cranek has a definite ace in the hole.

“Even though he’s 87 now, Mr. Mercer comes by most days,” Cranek says. “He checks on us, and he can tell how good the boots are just by feel.”

Over at M.L. Leddy’s it’s still all in the family, as Leddy granddaughter, Beverly Franklin Allen, handles sales at the San Angelo store while her brother, Wilson, operates the Fort Worth headquarters and store. M.L. Leddy founded the business in Brady in 1922 and moved the shop to San Angelo in 1936. Five years later, he opened the Fort Worth location, yet all of the custom boot orders are filled here. The San Angelo shop returned to downtown in 2007 from a 20-year stint within a nearby shopping center.

The new downtown location has become a tourist destination in its own right after adding a glass window that looks onto the assembly area.

“We’re still using the same equipment that M.L. used,” Allen says. “We still do it the exact same way as when he started, and we’ve got people who’ve been with us 30, 40 years. People like to come in and watch, and sometimes I take them back there for a closer look. I’m not supposed to, but I just can’t help myself. It really is a dying art, and I really want people to see the quality, the touch that goes into each boot.”

San Angelo used to have an old bar-b-que place........beat up building, side room with dirt floor and picnic tables and they'd hand you the ribs and rolled up wax paper with salt and pepper in it. In my mind, it's still going well, other than that, perhaps it's gone.

The Wickenburg Sun

http://www.wickenburgsun.com/articles/2008/11/06/news/news22.txt

Local Bootmaker Wins at Show

By Patti Jares, Staff Writer

After 25 years of dedicating himself to the art of creating traditional cowboy boots, Wickenburg resident Alfred Reynolds finally entered a contest and came away the big winner.

The competition was the Cowboy Boot and Saddlemaker Round-Up 2008, held in Wichita Falls, Texas, where the master leather workers of the country gather each year to admire the work of peers, gather ideas, and compete for prizes and recognition. This is a large event, complete with a trade show and seminars.
 
For years Alfred and his wife Dione have attended the show as spectators only, but this year was different.

“Al’s friends told him if he didn’t enter the contest, they’d string him up by his boots,” said Dione. “When he won he was in total awe - he couldn’t even say a word.”

Alfred brought three pairs of boots and entered them in the categories of “Working Cowboy Boots (sturdy built with tough skin),” “Artistry” (judged for imaginative use of carvings, cutouts, inlays, etc.) and “Dress Boot” (simple elegance).

Reynolds took first place for Dress Boot, runner-up for Working Cowboy Boot and the boots he entered for Artistry took runner-up and the coveted Professional’s Choice - the prize given by board members who choose one pair out of the entire contest that they believe is the finest boot at the show.

Dione and Alfred Reynolds with winning boots

Congratulations Al and Dione, two of the nicest people you get to meet in the business.

Happy 233rd Birthday to the United States Marine Corps!

Nice boots, and Happy Birthday to the USMC.

Its Veteran's Day, many thanks to all who have served and will serve.

Chocolate and bright blue Sheridan Kangaroo boots by El Vaquero

Edited by author 11-13-2008 01:47 PM

Canyon and chocolate brown Sheridan kangaroo boots

Black Italian kangaroo and cobalt blue Sheridan kangaroo

Navy and medium brown Italian Kangaroo

These are some of my latest boots made by El Vaquero of Raymondville, Texas.

The stitch pattern I chose for these boots was originally used on boots made by Rios of Raymondville.

Jess

Jess,

Nice looking boots. Are there two or three different toe styles? (my monitor is not the best)

CBBN,

The Navy/Medium brown boots have a medium round toe. The other 3 have a 1 1/4" box toe, which El Vaquero calls a "Vaquero Toe".

I felt my boot collection could use a few more two tone boots, as many of my other El Vaquero boots have the same color vamps and tops.

I know you like two tone boots, and you were part of the inspiration for me to order these boots.

Jess

Jess,

Thanks, it is good to know that I provide perspiration, I mean inspiration, to other boot wearers.

All,

I have some new Justin boots for sale, lots of sizes and cheap <grin>


http://www.star-telegram.com/189/story/1051998.html

$3 million worth of Justin boots stolen in Fort Worth

By BILL MILLER
wmiller@star-telegram.com

These boots were made for walkin' -- and roping and dancing...
But about $3 million worth of Justin Boots and merchandise were also for the stealing.

Police say the footwear and related materials were hauled away from a distribution center in northeast Fort Worth by someone in a big white truck.

The thefts happened twice at the Justin Boot distribution center, 3500 E. Long Ave., said Lt. Paul Henderson, police spokesman.

The first heist was during Labor Day weekend, Aug. 31-Sept. 1, but it happened again on Nov. 9, Henderson said.

In both instances, someone cut the locked chain used to secure the gate and then drove the white tractor onto the property, Henderson said.

The suspect is a white man, possibly Hispanic, who is about 5-feet-6-inches tall and weighs about 170 pounds, Henderson said.

A surveillance video shows "a white single-cab tractor entering the property without a trailer and leaving with one, three different times. The tractor has no identifiable markings on it," he said.

Three containers mounted on three chassis were taken, Henderson said. They held 10,740 pairs of boots and 7,404 sets of boot uppers worth an estimated $2,386,414.04, he said.

Two of the containers-chassis sets were found empty and abandoned; one in Forest Hill at Southeast Loop 820 and Forest Hill Drive; the other in Grand Prairie at Interstate 20 and Great Southwest Parkway.

The third was still missing on Friday, Henderson said.

In the Nov. 9 incident, two more shipping containers were taken from the same property.

"A witness observed a white single cab tractor towing a Green China Shipping trailer away from the property," Henderson said. "Access to the property was gained by cutting a chain locked gate."

The 9,952 boots in the containers had an estimated value of $774,747, Henderson said.

Both container-chassis sets, he said, were recovered empty in Arlington: one at I-20 and New York Avenue; and the other at Texas 360 and Pioneer Parkway.

Justin Brands spokesperson Lisa Lankes said that the company is working with police and they don't know where the products may have ended up.

Company officials are concerned there may be a black market for their products, she said.

Lankes warned that if you see a Justin product at a flea market or any similar location to be wary, because the company only deals with businesses that have "fixed brick-and-mortar locations."

Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 for information that leads to an arrest, Henderson said. Call 817-469-TIPS.

CBBN, I'll pass, my '40s Justin peewees are all I need, but good luck with 'em! Sell 'em for what they're worth, about $5 a pair, and you'll be rolling in the dough for sure... downside is I reckon it'll take 10 to 20 years to get a pair from Brian or Tex because they'll be damn busy making boots for you. mitc

MITC,

The Justins are great for target practice.

10,740 pairs of Justin boots = $547.98 bongo bucks

From the Dallas Morning News, another good boot article from Mike Young.
________________________________________________________________ ______
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dw...cgm_comments_anchor

Texas Hill Country town's mural is homage to local boot makers

12:30 AM CST on Sunday, November 30, 2008
By MICHAEL E. YOUNG / The Dallas Morning News
myoung@dallasnews.com

LAMPASAS, Texas – These boots were made for talking.

And they are the talk of the town – real boots collected from around the city and reproduced by a team of volunteers as a mural so vivid it required a special exemption from the City Council.

But perhaps most striking of all, each pair of boots seemed to come with a story – about the design or the maker or even where the boots had traveled.

The Texas-size painting, unveiled this month and plastered on a wall a block or so off the square, serves as a testimony to generations of boot makers from this Hill Country town, particularly the legendary Ray Jones.

The late Mr. Jones served local ranch hands with no-nonsense, rawhide-tough footwear for decades.

Tyler Beard, the late Dallas-born writer whose coffee-table books elevated the humble boot to high art, once called Mr. Jones "the boot maker's boot maker."

Lampasas, site of boot mural Mr. Jones' various apprentices continue making boots in Lampasas just the way their mentor taught them, and folks around these parts recognize their work as the essence of regional art.

"Cowboy boots are such a unique form," said T.J. Mabrey, who led the project as chairwoman of Vision Downtown Lampasas' art committee, "and they're so closely associated with such a special culture – boot makers and cowboys."

Capturing cowboy culture on a 15-by-46-foot exterior wall required not just artistic skill, but computer savvy, plenty of willing hands and a whole lot of ingenuity, like using an overhead projector mounted on the bed of a pickup to trace the basic outlines of the mural.

Once the art committee and various officials decided on boots as the subject for the first of at least four murals, the call went out for boots themselves, especially those crafted by Mr. Jones and his apprentices.

And just like that, the artists had a treasure trove from which to choose – 150 pairs, some dating to the 1940s, in eye-searing hues few had expected.

"I was so surprised by the colors," said Donna Clark, one of the muralists, "and by the different designs, like the boots with the playing cards."

"I really loved the little kids' boots," said Kellie Hughes, who photographed the boots and many of their owners. "And every time I thought I was done, I'd turn around and there would be more boots to shoot."

More often than not, the boots spent their lives within a few miles of the bench on which they were built – like the pair Mr. Jones crafted years ago for Ms. Hughes' husband.

"I didn't even know Flint had a pair of Mr. Jones' boots," she said, "and I've moved them around the house a dozen times."

But considering that Mr. Hughes is a bull rider, owning a pair of Ray Jones boots – or those of his successors, like Pablo or John Jass or Joaquin Medina – only makes sense.

Mr. Beard, the Dallas author, wrote why he loved Ray Jones boots and why local ranchers and "cowmen" would wear nothing else.

"They were tough as hell, plain to average in description, with only two choices of stitch pattern," said the writer, who used to live within walking distance of the new mural.

"Most folks never saw the second choice because Ray didn't like it."

But even Mr. Jones would build boots of just about any color imaginable, and other makers often let their artistic fancy fly, so this mural is as bold as it is big, with reds and oranges, yellows, blues and purples that pop from the wall of Jerry Goodson's surveying business.

There are even a few special accoutrements, an idea proffered by a schoolboy who stopped to watch the artists at work.

"We were talking about the symbols and the spurs on some of the boots, and he said, 'Wouldn't it be cool to have real spurs?' " Ms. Mabrey said. "So now we have two spurs, a buckle and the seal on the Texas Rangers boot."

Besides bringing a big bolt of color to the old downtown, the thing the mural does best is start conversations and foster a sense of community in this town of 6,000.

"We had two German ladies who were staying in Austin prevail upon their host to come up to see it," Ms. Clark said.

"And we realized we have this in common – art that can be a catalyst for conversations on the street," Ms. Mabrey added.

One lifelong resident told organizers that she struck up a conversation with someone wearing Ray Jones boots in Alaska.

She recognized them by Mr. Jones' telltale design elements: long, white pulls at the top, white cord side seams and the oversize "toe bug" he favored.

Mr. Jones might not have liked the fuss. But the dozens of people who stopped by to take pictures of the mural on a brisk weekend morning knew differently.

There's art in those old boots, big enough for the whole world to see.

Shane O'Neal boots, collection of CBBN

Edited by author 12-03-2008 09:57 AM
Shane O'Neal worked with noted saddle and boot maker Tooter Cannon of Dickens Texas. The chevron wrinkles are used by a few boot makers, J L Christensen was another who used them.

Charles Weldon "Tooter" Cannon started making boots & saddles at ranches, and opened a shop in Tulsa OK in 1944. He moved to Spur TX in 1949 and had a shop there. In 1968 he moved to Dickens. He passed away in 1997.

If you are in the Lubbock area in the next few months, stop by the National Ranching Heritage Center, they have a recreation of Tooter Cannon's saddle shop.

Tooter Cannon Saddle Shop May 24, 2008 to May 3, 2009.
Features the tools and equipment from C.W. "Tooter" Cannon's saddle shop in Dickens, Texas.

(thanks to Terry Young for the info)

CBBN, beautiful boots. Not only are the chevron wrinkles distinctive, but I also like the heel counters, the stitch pattern, and the unusual one hole pull.

Tooter Cannon boots, collection of Tom Smith

emmett,

You can see a lot of Tooter Cannon in those boots.

CBBN, does that last boot you posted from the Tom Smith collection, does it have one pull hole AND a pull strap?

Also I note the small 'cookie stictch' next to the side seam which I have only seen on San Angelo boots; i.e., M.L. Leddy and Mercer.

Yep, pull hole and boot pull.

The San Angelo side stitch is not always a sign of a San Angelo (Mercer, Leddy, Garrison, Franklin) boot. I've even seen it used in factory boots, or other Panhandle Texas area boots.

Rusty Franklin told me years ago that he thought Charlie Garrison (San Angelo) was the first with that side stitch.

Larger picture

Brian,

Yep, I know, Tex has told me that. I haven't seen a pair of Tooter's with chevron wrinkles though.

Tooter Cannon boots, collection of Tom Smith

CBBN, so, what is the deal on the pulls on these Tooter Cannon boots? It looks like one pull is completely inside, and the other is inside and out. Are we looking at a repair job, missing pulls, or were the outside pulls entirely inside on these boots, while the inside pulls were both in and out? Somehow I am all twisted around, straighten me out if that is possible. Also, the soles on these boots, where'd they go?

emmett,

I believe that the boots on post 5169 have broken pull straps, one on the right-side of the right boot, and one on the left-side of the left boot. I took those photos years ago (2003?), so I can't remember exactly. I think what you are seeing is the remnent of the pull straps. There are soles on the boots, they may have been on the thin (worn) side.

I forgot about that, senior moment.

JL Christensen Boots, collection LDPNDP

Stitch pattern Christensen Boots, collection LDPNDP

Probably Myron Pumphrey Boots (Abilene TX) collection LDPNDP

Pumphrey Boots (Abilene TX) stitch pattern collection LDPNDP

DOn't know where exactly he was located, I know it was downtown. Alan Bell told me, so give him a call.

I think it must have been going in the mid-1950s to 1970s, but it is a guess.

Edited by author 12-12-2008 09:28 AM
I have a really nice pair of all-elephant talltop boots (with an inlaid ranch brand) from the "Pickard Boot Company" of Raymondville Texas. Does anybody know anything about this outfit? Thanks!

JerryC,

I have seen a few of their boots on Ebay but that is about it.

Pickard & Boots Co
Address: 15510 77 Business, Raymondville, TX 78580
Phone: (956) 689-2007

Info from Terry Young and Len Boden on Pumphrey:

400 block of Pine in Abilene, on east side in same block with the Windsor hotel.

I believe he died in the mid-1980s.

James Leddy Boots, Abilene TX, collection of CBBN

I just won a great pair of custom cowboy boots on ebay, but there is no makers name in them. Can anyone ID who made them? Click on the link to see the listing with pics. Thanks! Steve

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180313153411

Nothing definate. The top stitching reminds me of Kolton Ross Roberts, who is also a saddlemaker and made boots for Alan Jackson. He was in Olney, TX, now I think he is in Jacksboro TX. The vamp and counter tongue are different, but I have seen a couple different versions with his boots.

I have a pair of his at home to compare, when you get these post more pictures.

Edited by author 12-24-2008 02:27 PM
Holiday 2008

   May your horse always guide you
   May your saddle fit just right
   May you count your New Year's Blessings
   In the wondrous stars so bright

   May you ride in peace and safety
   Wherever you may roam
   May you drink when you are thirsty
   The love of Heart and Home

   May your inner sense guide you
   When the path becomes too steep
   For the Good Shepherd watches over you
   Just look for the light and leap!

     - Jeanne L. Thompson


Best wishes to all for the coming year.

James

Merry Christmas. May there be a pair of custom or vintage boots under the tree.

All, I hate to hear this happening to a boot shop. Lets hope that they will recover, and come back better than ever.

http://www.gosanangelo.com/news/2008/dec/2...n-building-on-fire/

Downtown building destroyed in fire
By Jennifer Rios
Originally published 02:16 p.m., December 28, 2008
Updated 05:46 p.m., December 28, 2008
 
Photo by Brian Connelly

San Angelo firefighters battle a two-alarm fire at the Rusty Franklin Custom Boots building on Avenue B and Chadbourne Street in downtown.


Robert Brest, owner of Rusty Franklin Custom Boots for five years, was at home making lunch when he learned the downtown building was on fire. From outside his home on Harrison, he could see the smoke.

The store, a 10,000 square foot shop that produced boots, chaps, saddles and "just everything that a cowboy needs and works with," Brest said.

Sunday afternoon San Angelo firefighters worked for more than four hours to extinguish a fire that torched the building at Avenue B and Chadbourne Street.

"I don't know what I'm going to do now," Brest said. "I'm sure we're going to do something, I just don't know what."

Battalion Chief Clay Hubbard said no one was there at the time of the fire. No one has been injured in the fire.

Firefighters arrived on the scene around noon today, where they found smoke coming from the second story window and front door of the building, he said.

Hubbard said he thought the blaze started around the stairwell on the second floor. When they arrived, it was not engulfed in flames, but the staircase was too spongy to walk on. Brest said the staircase is the only way to reach the second floor.

Over the next few hours firefighters attacked the building, especially the second floor windows, from outside, Hubbard said. At one point firefighters entered the room, but had to retreat as wood and debris began to fall from the ceiling. By 3 p.m., the roof had caved in and firefighters worked to extinguish fire trapped underneath.

Five engines and about 28 firefighters responded to the fire, Hubbard said.

Fire Investigator Thomas Truett said he did not have enough information to conclude whether the fire was accidental or suspicious.

"We've collected information from witnesses about the case," Truett said, "but the exact cause is still under investigation."

He said he would investigate the fire Monday morning.

"It may not be cool enough to do much looking until tomorrow," he said.

Brest said the next step for him is to speak with his insurance agent and see what can be done.

Items from boot competitions, paintings and photos given to him from "rodeo guys" are gone, Brest said, along with "lots of saddles." Boot and saddle making equipment, along with business ledgers were also lost.

"I just fell in love with the boot and the saddle deal, and that's what I wanted to do," he said. "I wanted to be the best at it."

Brest said when the shop made boots for Tommy Lee Jones and Javier Bardem for "No Country for Old Men," business picked up. He was thinking of hiring more employees to keep up with the demand for custom boots - orders were backed up a year from when someone ordered a pair.

He said his customers, who paid half down when they ordered boots, will have to call him since he has no way of reaching them.

"I've got to help my customers too," he said. "Everything we do is in that building, and it burned."

Hi Folks,

What can anyone tell me about Remington Boot Company in El Paso TX? I got a real nice pair of burgandy sharkskin boots from my girlfriend for Christmas made by them. But I don't know anything about them.

2steps,

I don't know when/how they started, but I believe they went out of business around 2000. I also have a pair, if I recall correctly the soles were nailed. IMO, they were fairly good factory boot, they just had too much competition from Lama, Nocona, Justin, etc.

A friend of mine repped for them, I'll try to get more info.

From my records:

Remington Boot Co.
12124 Rojas Drive, Ste D
El Paso, TX 79936
800-530-8840

They are no longer in business.

Well, the parrot survived!

http://www.gosanangelo.com/news/2008/dec/3...ves-sunday-inferno/

Parrot survives Sunday inferno

By Jennifer Rios (Contact)
Originally published 12:00 a.m., December 31, 2008
Updated 12:46 a.m., December 31, 2008

Covered in soot, but otherwise unscathed, Chester - the parrot who lived in Robert Brest's store - ordered fire investigators away from the rubble after they found him hiding beneath a table, two days after a two-alarm fire destroyed the historic building.

"Get off my property" - one of the bird's learned phrases - was what employees and fire administrators heard when they entered the building Tuesday to investigate the cause of the fire.

Insurers are still evaluating damage, said Robert Brest, owner of Brest Boots/R.E. Donaho Saddle Co., and a building inspector out of Dallas is scheduled to arrive today.

A blaze that gutted the 10,000-square-foot building Sunday, and took 28 San Angelo firefighters hours to control, started around noon, fire officials said.

The historic downtown building was still roped off Tuesday when Fire Investigator Thomas Truett took a look around. Until then, no one had been allowed to enter the two-story structure. The last remains of the fire were finally snuffed by firefighters around noon Monday, and inspectors waited to ensure the remaining shell of brick was stable before entering.

One employee in particular was thrilled to have the store's mascot back.

"When I saw those green feathers on the top of the cage ... I couldn't stop crying," said Lydia Garcia, a boot top designer at the store. "I couldn't believe he survived."

Robert and his wife own the tropical bird, and people had already been asking them about Chester, Brest said.

"He went for cover I guess," Brest said, adding that he could hear chirping Monday but was unable to enter the building.

Mark Sloan, another employee of Brest's, pushed a broom handle under the office desk by the filing cabinet, and Chester clambered onto it.

The bird had been left in its cage at the store, as usual, but the twist ties that normally secure the cage door were left off. Chester is able to undo the lock, Garcia said, which is what likely saved his life.

"Today he was being super nice," Garcia said. "He's glad to be out of that place."

Edited by author 01-02-2009 05:33 PM
To answer some questions about Capitol Saddlery, I worked there in college learning the craft. My first boots, made in the summer of 1972, were custom-made brown calfskin by Charlie Dunn.

The move to North Austin is a result of the value of the block on Lavaca Street, two blocks from the Capitol. The block has been, or will be, sold for several million dollars.

Frankly, the building was a massive fire trap, three floors that would burn down quickly if there were a real fire. We had an inspector come in once (for insurance), he sited that there were a hundred things "wrong with the building"! It was home though...

In the front, on the first floor was boot repair, and the custom boot equipment in the middle and back. More boot equipment was on the third floor (saddle shop).

On the second floor there was kept thousands of leather samples (also on the second floor were retail English equine equipment).

The shop has had two boot makers over the last twenty years or so, Rubin Santos and Ramon Navarro. Each make custom bespoke boots, and they do so on some of the oldest equipment that you'll ever see. Each bootmaker signs his name in ink on the inside of the upper (in addition to the label).

Custom Saddles, chaps, and and leather goods are made.

Dan in Austin,,

Thanks for the info. Yes, you're right that it was a good move, especially since it was a "fire trap." I am not familiar with Austin, what part of town is the new shop at?

I went in the shop several years ago, after Buck Steiner died, and it did have that old leather shop feel to it, which I love.

Paul Bond Boots, collection of Marvin Morrison

Paul Bond Boots below are burgundy kangaroo vamp. The toe and heels foxing are burgundy shark. The tops are a shade under 15" and are red calf skin with the six rows of stitching found in the Mount Trumbull (style 16A) with a burgundy strip of shark on each pull strap.
The heels are 1 5/8" with a nice undershot and the toes are between the 2D and D style.

Marvin has wanted to own a pair of Paul Bond Boots for 35 years and it looks like he did good with his first order.

I got some information on Remington Boots, they were started in early 1990s by an former Tony Lama employee. They tried to compete with the Big Three. They also made boots for the Cavenders Boot City stores. They went out of business around 2001. There is talk that they may start up again.

This article hit the San Antonio paper today.
 
The Link (With photos):
 
http://www.tylerpaper.com/article/20090104/FEATURES01/901020326
 
The story:
 
Tyler Man Turns Boots Into A Real Kickin' Collection
 
By MAEGAN MCGOWEN Feature Writer

The distinctive smells of leather and cologne greet you as you enter the closet of D.M. Edwards.
Rows and rows of boots, in immaculate, perfect order, not a speck of dirt on them, line the shelves.
There are exotic boots made from the mountainous, craggy skin of an alligator, scaly boots made from snake skin, electric blue boots, deep green boots and a beautifully tooled pair of "Tyler" boots, complete with the words "Lone" and "Star" emblazoned on them.

Even with 126 pairs, Edwards, a Tyler businessman and self-proclaimed collector, is still searching for more.

"The goal over the last 30 years has been to have at least one pair of boots of every exotic skin that's made," he said. "And I keep looking for exotic skinned boots that I don't have in my collection."

Glancing down the rows of boots on Mr. Edwards' shelves can be deceiving because many of the plainest-looking pairs are the rarest boots of all.


"Some of the ones that I have that are the most difficult to find are the boots made from Texas turkey skin, Texas deer skin, African tree-toads, African wildebeest, Australian kangaroo, rhinoceros and hippopotamus."


Edwards smiled to himself as he told a story about a young girl who visited his boot collection three or four years ago.

"When we finished the tour, she said, 'Mr. Edwards, I bet animals run when they see you coming,'" he said, laughing.


Boots aren't the only thing Edwards collects, and as a tour through his closet progresses, there are color-coordinated western jackets hanging neatly, western ties organized on tie racks and exquisitely crafted western belts and buckles.


"Being a native Texan, I've always enjoyed the great things about our Texas heritage, whether they are from the frontier days or the Old South days or the days of the Wild West," he said.


His collection began with a pair of yellow calfskin boots belonging to his grandfather.


"They are too small for me to wear, but they have a lot of sentimental value," he said. "My family has always had ranches in Texas, and when dealing with horses and cattle, boots are always the natural thing to wear."


This particular pair was worn by his grandfather in the Gladewater Rodeo in the 1950s.


"My Grandfather and my Dad had a matching pair of palomino horses and they would wear their yellow boots when they rode in parades," he said. "The boots were made back in the 1940s, and they are a good example of type of design you saw back then, yellow with white trim and green stitching."


When Edwards rattled off a list of his favorite boot makers, comfort, not aesthetics, was the most important stipulation.


"My favorite makers are Larry Mahan, a former champion all-around cowboy, who makes some of the most comfortable boots, Lucchese boots, they have a wonderful fit, and Tony Lama," he said. "I also like some of the other long-time brands like Justin. Some of the most interesting and unique custom boots are by Rocketbuster and Rocky Carroll in Houston."


Edwards owns several pairs of Rocketbuster boots, including boots resembling the ones Gene Autry, John Wayne and Roy Rogers owned.


Most people would hesitate to wear such rare and unique creations, but Edwards wears them in a yearly rotation.


"I get to each one about three times a year," he said. "There are some boots like the electric eel skin boots that you only wear country-western dancing on a Saturday night. You have to pick the appropriate skin for the occasion."


And for someone who is looking to buy their first pair of boots, Edwards offered sound advice.


"Go to any quality boot store and find a pair of French calfskin or sharkskin if you want something durable to start your collection," he said. "We're blessed in this part of the Southwestern United States to have a lot of excellent custom boot makers that supply all of the United States with quality boots," he said. "We really live in the heart of an area that knows how to produce the quality boots that Texans like to wear."


When asked if he had to pick only one pair of boots to keep, Edwards shook his head.


"I can't pick just one pair," he said, grinning widely. "That's like asking a person to pick their favorite child."

It is contagious……….

Yes it is!

The owner of the boots in post 5203 must be a real nut case!

I,too, have collected boots with an eye to getting all different hides (I draw the line at sea bass and eel because I think they're gimmicky). I even have camel. But RHINO?? I've never seen that one. Must make a tough boot!

Sounds less like a collection and more like an inanimate zoo.

Most skins like eel, frog, sea bass, are more of a novelty boot. It is okay to collect them just to collect. There is a good reason why calf, kangaroo, and bullhide are more popular. They have a track record on durability.

Camel is EXTREMELY tough, and so is hippo. And some more delicate hides, like alligator lizard, are quite beautiful. I also have a pair of shell cordovan boots (made from muscles in horse butt) that have a lovely, waxlike vamp.

http://reporternews.com/news/2009/jan/24/h...ome-to-some-of-the/

Honoring theCraft
Abilene is home to some of the world's best boot makers

By Suzanne McKeon
Special to the Reporter-News
Saturday, January 24, 2009

Dedicated to the history of boot making and the artistry of design, these boot makers are true artists in their own right.

Boot making is where design, function and craftsmanship meet.

True custom boot making, according to Jennifer June, author of "Cowboy Boots: The Art & Sole," involves 372 steps, including measuring, lastmaking, patternmaking, cutting and assembling pieces, lasting, inseaming, bottoming, and finishing.

While factories' cost-cutting measures prompt them to speed through, mechanize and skip all the steps they can, a custom maker's business relies heavily upon careful craftsmanship and the ability to attract repeat customers, says June, a boot maker herself.

According to June, there are approximately 250 boot makers in the nation -- "none of them rich." A handful live right here in Abilene.

Abilene's custom boot makers have a range of experiences -- from the famed James Leddy Boots to the somewhat "new kid on the block," Brian Thomas, whose been making boots since 1975.

Clarence Garrison lives in Abilene and is no longer active in the boot making business, but has hopes that a family member may continue on with the tradition. Garrison preferred to make boots for people in the livestock business over celebrities because he wanted to produce boots for "regular working people who really used them."

As with most boot makers, he never advertised his services and said that getting repeat customers was dependent on how well you did your job.

"When they walked out and your name was on that boot -- it was your reputation," he says.

'All about the fit'

For Brian Thomas, "the fit" determines whether someone is going to be a successful custom boot maker or not.

"I don't care how fancy it is -- they'd better fit," he said.

Thomas says the biggest compliment he can get is when he sees "the most wore out boot with patches all over it because somebody loved it."

Thomas retired from the Air Force after a 20-year career and opened up his shop in Abilene in January 2005. While he has been open for a relatively short time, he has quickly risen to an award-winning, notable boot maker, grabbing the prestigious Annual Boot and Saddlemaker's Trade Show Roundup "Professionals Choice" Award three years running, beating out about 30 other professional custom boot makers across the U.S. The judges for this category are master boot makers, each with over 20 years experience in the custom boot making business. The award is given annually to the boot maker exhibiting excellence in artistry and craftsmanship.

Thomas firmly believes in upholding the traditional principles of boot making and cites a commitment to quality, fit and using only the best materials possible to his success.

'It's in my DNA'

Thomas apprenticed under the great W.L. "Tex" Robin, owner of Tex Robin Boots in Abilene. Robin is listed as one of the "25 Top Custom Boot Makers" by Texas Monthly magazine. He spent the large part of his bookmaking career in Coleman, but is now firmly planted in Abilene. For Robin, making boots is a "kind of obsession."

His father was a boot maker also and passed the skill and tradition on to his son.

"I was raised up in it -- it's in my DNA," he says. "To make a boot, you must have both artistic ability and mechanical ability."

Robin spends most of his days in his workshop located just outside his West Texas home. He makes boots for customers, has photos of Gov. Rick Perry sporting his handiwork -- and makes boots for his family members and grandchildren. He uses the same equipment that his father used in the 1940s and 1950s and doesn't see the need to change a thing.

Keeping tradition alive

James Leddy Boots is probably the best known of all the Abilene, Texas boot makers.

Paula Leddy has run the business since her husband, James, died in 2003. She has a sparkle in her crystal blue eyes when she talks about him and the custom boot business they built.

Leddy Boots has been in Abilene for 45 years James' dad was a boot maker, too. They started making "made to measure" boots in 1947. Leddy makes boots for Gov. Perry as well as many famous country Western singers, including Mel Tillis and George Jones. Paula says the biggest benefit of having a pair of custom made boots is that when made right, "their feet quit hurtin' and they go ahhhh."

She says designing a boot can be a highly personal and emotional proposition sometimes. She showed a pair of boots that were designed in memory for a family dog that had been killed in a car wreck and had the image of the dog designed into the boot. Boot designs run from the love of Texas incorporating the state flag to the whimsical (they have even made a pair featuring Tweety Bird).

A well-worn, dirt-covered pair of boots Leddy created with cracks in the toe leather and worn down heels was brought in by one of the cowboys she fitted. They often repair boots they create when needed. Paula says that in those instances, where someone wants their well-loved boots refurbished, "the manure comes in with it."

Leddy also honors the time-tested tradition of measuring each customer's foot by hand. They record the measurements in a large notebook and have archives of books going back to the beginning, where the first pair of boots Leddy made cost $41.83 in 1950. Today, the most expensive boots they create can run up to $10,000 a pair.

'Real boots for real people'

James Leddy was good friends with another Abilene-based boot maker -- Alan Bell.

"James was like my family. We couldn't have been any closer. I miss him terribly," says Bell.

Alan Bell Custom Boots has been doing business in Abilene for 32 years.

"I've never been anywhere else," Alan comments about his business.

He also prides himself on sticking to the time-honored tradition of custom boot making and still uses the equipment he has used over his 32-year career. Bell started out making saddles, but said that "only 4 percent of the population at the time needed saddles, but everyone needed boots," leading him toward making the commitment to becoming a master craftsman boot maker.

Bell prefers to make "real boots for real people" and says that celebrities are "a different breed of cats" who want the boots made yesterday versus having to wait for 16 or so months, which is his current turnaround time for a pair of custom boots Bell treats all his customers equally no matter what their financial stature is.

Bell and his wife, Pauline, work collaboratively on each pair made, with her doing all the topstitching while he does everything else himself. Bell says he has absolutely no idea about sizing because he hand measures each customer's foot and is only focused on the fit.

He does all of his business by word-of-mouth and reputation -- just like many of the other bookmakers -- and has no plans for any Internet presence. While Bell has a son, he claims his son has no intention of taking on the tradition.

"When I can't do this anymore, this ends with me, which makes me sort of sad," he said.

Ostrich to alligator

Luskey's/Ryon's Western Stores, which has an Abilene location, have been building custom boots for over 80 years. They work closely with their customers and walk them through every step and can create anything from a fine dress calfskin boot to something more exotic using skins such as ostrich or alligator.

Michael Gilmore, their in-house boot consultant, is extremely knowledgeable and happily invests the time to work with customers to create the boot of their dreams. Because they are a bigger operation, Luskey's can deliver a boot in approximately three or four months.

Boot makers: Endangered species

It's an investment to get a pair of custom boots with prices ranging anywhere from $500 for a basic pair to well into the thousands for more intricate work. For the most part, boot making is a family tradition passed on through the generations, but it has taken little traction with the current generation. Due to the fact that there are other businesses to make more money in, true custom boot makers may become an "endangered species."

These artisans are humble in nature, by and large, and take enormous pride in preserving the authentic nature in which boots are made. The Internet and its ability to reach out further and to more potential customers is helping to keep the business alive. But reputation is still the No. 1 marketing tool when it comes to keeping a custom boot maker in business because if the boot doesn't fit right, it's their name on it.

Good job Lee, Carrlyn and Julia!

http://gardenandgun.com/article/cowboy-cool?page=0%2C0

(Thanks for the link qiana)

Garden and Gun

By Joe Nick Patoski; Feb/March 09;

Cowboy Cool

Lee Miller crafts the perfect boot, stitch by stitch


Here’s a guarantee. Once you’ve slipped into a custom pair of Texas cowboy boots, handmade by master boot maker Lee Miller at Texas Traditions in South Austin, you’ll never go back to store bought.

And yes, there are other Texas boot maestros, but Miller stands out. Probably because he trained under Charlie Dunn, the most famous Texas boot maker who ever lived, probably because his celebrity client list is long and loyal (Lyle Lovett and Willie Nelson are collectors), and probably because his designs are so sought after that the waiting list starts at three years.

Accolades aside, his designs are truly worth the wait because of Miller’s contagious belief in the craft, the mystique. “The boot represents freedom, individuality, ruggedness. Boot making is so much an integral part of mythical Texas, especially the cowboy—it was his hat, his saddle, his cowboy boots,” says Miller, a native of the most un-cowboy state in the Union: Vermont. “Everybody wants to be a part of that. Very few states have a clear identity. Boots are a symbol of Texas. Boots are a way of life here.”

And though Miller developed a fascination with boots at an early age (“They made you feel different, more like “Watch out, here I am,’” he says), his real romance began in 1976 when he heard Jerry Jeff Walker sing lyrics that spoke to him:

Well, if you’re going to Austin, Texas,
a little run down on your sole
I’m going to tell you the name of
a man to see,
I’m going to tell you right where to go.
He’s working in Capitol Saddlery.
He’s sewing in the back of the place.
He’s old Charlie Dunn, the little frail
one with the smilin’ leathery face.

As luck and ambition would have it, two years later (after boot-making school and a stint in Utah) Miller found himself face to face with the Charlie Dunn, working as his newest apprentice. Dunn had retired from Austin’s famed Capitol Saddlery in 1975, and investors set him up in a new shop called Texas Traditions so that he could pass his knowledge on to a new generation. Miller hung on every word uttered by the shy little guy with the beret and quick temper, including his assessment of his new student: “You’re a damn Yankee, but we won’t hold it against you.”

Eager to please, Miller pressed on and still remembers the lessons he learned in those early days. “Charlie was such a good artist,” he says. “He always said if the boot didn’t fit, it wasn’t worth anything. It didn’t matter how beautiful the boot was. The focus was on doing every step right. I can still hear him preaching to me. ‘Don’t you ever do this, don’t ever do that because you’ll cheapen the boot.’ I’m trying to stay true to the way he did it.”

It’s a good thing Miller listened so carefully, and a good thing Dunn gave him a pass, because in 1986, Miller took over Texas Traditions. “It’s kind of weird,” admits Miller. “I didn’t do it with the idea I was going to become the man. I did it because I loved it.” His team, including wife Carrlyn, assistant Julia Parmeter, and various apprentices (including one under contract with Hermčs), churns out about a hundred pairs a year.

The average tab runs about $1,900, figuring in an interlaced monogram, and maybe some Charlie Dunn–style roses, tulips, bluebonnets, or prickly pear cactus—all constructed of fine skins like full quill ostrich, kangaroo, calf, or increasingly, water buffalo. Lately, customers have been asking for boots with a vintage feel. “We have designs that go back to 1937, and people are always asking us to go back and pull something out,” Carrlyn says.

Comfort is the ultimate payoff, as is the unique feel of wearing a pair engineered just for you, a pair with a story worth telling. Currently, Miller himself is wearing a pair of his own making (complete with barbed-wire motifs decorating the tops). “These are old boots,” he says, shrugging self-effacingly. “I made them to have boots to put on the shelf. Boot makers notoriously never make boots for themselves. So when my old boots fell apart, I pulled these off the shelf and started wearing them.”

Like the other boots he’s been making, the pair he’s wearing will last forever, or at least twenty-five years, thanks to intricate construction details, like using forty-penny nails for the steel shank of the boot. “If you tore apart a boot that was a hundred years old, you could see it was made in the same manner as we make a boot here today,” Miller says.

And what advice might Lee Miller impart, now that he’s the master? “The boot has to be as fine as you can make it,” he says. “There are just so many ways to make a boot.”

It’s just that his way might be the best way of all.

Lee Miller and Texas Tradition Boots, Julia Parmeter in the background

Can anyone ID the bootmaker of the boots below? I just won them on ebay.
I was thinking maybe James Owen? They have a really distinctive tongue design. Thanks! Steve

Looks like Owens, especially if there is a diamond stitch pattern on the counter, where it meets the top

Nice piece on npr morning edition about custom boot and shoemaker in Hollywood. Listen on the web at http://www.npr.org/

Bicentenial Boots

Been kinda slow on here lately so I thought I'd post some color.
Bicentenial Boots L-R are Nocona, Larry Mahan, Tony Lama and Justin.

Edited by author 02-24-2009 04:21 PM

Gene Autry Boots, unknown collection, unknown maker.

Gene Autry Boots, unknown maker and collector

Gene Autry boot closet, more recent version.

Edited by author 02-25-2009 12:19 PM
Some history......

Azle News Online

Competing boot makers lived 30 miles apart (Thursday, July 10, 2008)

In April I wrote about “Miss Enid” Justin and her sponsorship of a Pony Express ride to San Francisco to publicize her Nocona Boot Company. I had recently learned that she married Julius Stelzer, but the marriage ended in divorce in 1934.

While searching for photos for a project, I saw pictures of two displays at the 1941 Southwestern Exposition and Fat Stock Show and Rodeo while it was held in the Fort Worth Stockyards – a booth for Nocona Boots and one promoting Olsen-Stelzer Boots.

“Was the “Stelzer” the one who married Miss Enid?” I wondered. Julius Stelzer, right after the divorce, traveled only 30 miles west to Henrietta, Texas and went into partnership with Carl Olsen, who had been making fancy made-to-order boots since the early 1900s. Stelzer told Olsen he could increase sales with a production model, because that is what Stelzer learned from his years with the H.J. Justin family, Enid’s father.

Thus began the Olsen-Stelzer Boot Company, which by 1939 produced 500 pairs of boots per week. Carl Olsen died shortly thereafter, but his two sons, Norman and Harry continued, Norman as business manager, and Harry, design and production. Poor Enid, not only did she and her husband split up, he was 30 miles away as a competitor.

After Miss Enid’s passing, John Justin absorbed her boot company into the larger Justin Enterprises, Inc. and after Berkshire Hathaway took control of Justin, closed the Nocona facility. Does Olsen-Stelzer Boot Company still exist in Henrietta? Yes, it does.

“I just delivered a pair of kangeroo boots to a Dallas lawyer,” explained Tom Cartlidge, who handles sales. He told me the history. After Stelzer’s death, the Olsen brothers continued in business until 1978 when they sold to a partnership which constructed a new building. They lasted only a few years, closing in 1982.

Cartlidge, who has been sales manager for Tony Lama, told me that as a teenager in Henrietta he remembered being fitted for a pair of boots by Harry Olsen, and wanted the specialized boot making in his hometown again. He learned that the corporate name of Olsen-Stelzer was available. He helped form a group of stockholders, acquired the name, and opened in 1990 at 114 S. Main in a part of the original boot shop. He said that they prepared an order of boots with “Big Tex” on one side and “State Fair of Texas 2007” on the other for donors for the State Fair of Texas Livestock Program.

Henrietta resident Donald Miller, owner of Montana Boot Warehouse, the distributor for Montana Boots in the U.S. and Canada, is also a stockholder in Olsen-Stelzer Boots. Just like Olsen did the fancy work and Stelzer the larger production styles, Cartlidge sells the production boot orders that Montana Boot manufactures, and also represents Olsen-Stelzer with its special one-of-a kind more expensive boot orders. By so doing, the century-old company of Olsen-Stelzer continues its excellence into the twenty-first century. (Miss Enid’s Nocona Boots are made today at the Tony Lama Boot factory in El Paso as part of the Justin Brands boots.)

I had been aware of Nocona Boots, but not until a couple of weeks ago did I learn of Olsen-Stelzer Boots. They are quite famous, one of the most collectible boots ever; people buy used ones on E-Bay. The long list of folks who wore Olsen-Stelzer Boots includes Presidents Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower, Western singers Roy Rogers and Gene Autry and actor John Wayne.

I have learned that Miss Enid married a second time, in 1940, to Harry Whitman who worked at Nocona Boots. He divorced her in 1945, went to Wichita Falls and with some investors started a boot company that lasted until the 1950s. No wonder Enid Justin Stelzer Whitman decided to be just “Miss Enid.”

From her grave, however, she may have had the last laugh. When the 80th Texas Legislature in 2007 passed a resolution making the cowboy boot the official “State Footwear of Texas,” of the three boot makers mentioned, the resolution cited her along with Sam Lucchese and Tony Lama, Sr.

Gene Autry boot closet circa 1940s

"Decisions decisions...........

"Okay, this pair!"

Replica Autrey boots at his museum

Edited by author 02-25-2009 04:09 PM

Let the boots fall, Lucchese, Nocona and Rocketbusters, collection of CBBN

Back at ya....

Hey, you are getting kinda wild with the inlays!...TR

Rocketbuster Autrey Replica

Tex,

We musta woke ya up!

Let the boots fall Part 2, collection of CBBN

Edited by author 02-25-2009 11:03 PM
Texas Flag boots-Tex Robin
Cactus boots - Tex Robin
Horseshoe - James Leddy
Indian Headdress - Rocketbuster
Butterflys - Ammons

Edited by author 02-26-2009 08:57 AM
BTW~ I sold Marty the original boot that Rocketbuster used for the 'headress' pattern. The original one {yes just 1} came from a barn in West Texas and passed through a few hands before I got it, nobody else had realized it was a headress; of course you have to realize it was dirty and had been neglected for years ...... but the design was apparent to me and the workmanship was wonderful despite the condition ~ ahh memories !

one-piece vamps ~ cuban heels ~ oh yeah

stitched bell and star on top was 'fancy' in its day ... San Fran Ca maker

classics

Tombstone Style

Cowgirl Wild West Show Boots

Edited by author 02-26-2009 10:05 PM

Stewart Romero w/ Blue Ribbon from 1951 Ca. State Fair

Stewart Romero, collection of CBBN

A. Wilkinson good to see you posting, those are old boots, circa 1880s?

Rocketbuster replica of Andy's original head dress boots

Jennifer June's boots

Yes, they are circa 1880's {approx.} I've had the pleasure of finding some very nice ones. They have really peaked my interest BUT I still get excited when I find a 'killer' pair of vintage inlays!

Butterflys, collection of LDPNDP

Rusty Franklin Boots, collection of LDPNDP