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The Colonel Tells a Tale
My previous line of work took me to some of the finest men’s stores in the country. Even though these stores had the best to offer in clothing and accessories and a clientele that appreciated finer things, I found their selection of gifts to be seriously lacking and not at all consistent in quality with their other merchandise.
So, I saw a real need for unique gift items of high quality.
It all started when I bought 17 pairs of vintage cufflinks back in 1987. After carefully hand designing the packaging for the cufflinks, I took them to a few of the stores on which I called. I returned empty handed, selling all 17 pairs. The excitement of providing others with products that were unique and designing my own packaging set the wheels turning. The Col. Littleton business was born and is now in its 31st year of operation.
Over the years, my business has expanded from cufflinks and knives to leather goods, home accessories, business accessories, belts, hats, jewelry and more –all quality, unique products crafted with a special touch. I personally design each product–whether it’s constructing a leather cell phone holster from scratch or coming up with a whole new concept in men’s belts. Each product is brought to life in leathers and woods, brass and other materials with careful, detailed handwork.
Most of the things I do have a nostalgic feel to them…things that are handcrafted… things that can be personalized and passed down in families.
I have a real respect for days gone by and get a lot of inspiration for new products from the past. My hope is that all Col. Littleton products have staying power, become special items to their owners and eventually become family heirlooms.
NO. 3 GRIP IN AMERICAN ALLIGATOR
Serial No. 001
The romance associated with American Alligator continues with Col. Littleton’s No. 3 Grip, taking center stage. The No. 3 Leather Grip Travel Bag in full-grain leather and in American Buffalo has been a favorite of Col. Littleton customers since its inception, and they are pleased to be able to offer it in luxurious American Alligator.
The beauty is in the details; solid wooden rods and solid brass fixtures set it apart from any piece of luggage you’ll ever see. The No. 3 Grip may be carried by either the handle or the adjustable shoulder strap. Straps on the back secure your umbrella (umbrella not included).
A bag like this doesn’t just roll off some assembly line either. It is planned and orchestrated to the smallest detail. The Colonel himself chose the three American Alligator hides that were used in creating this bag and supervised every step of the construction at the hands of his master leathersmith Lana Owens. It took a couple of hours just to study the hides before making the first cut. There is an art to planning a bag like this, and mistakes can be costly. But the end result is well worth it.
Details
This is truly a custom, handcrafted bag of superior quality and timeless beauty. It comes with instant heritage because it looks as if it could have been inherited from your Grandfather.
Colonel Littleton Ltd., Inc.
755 Abernathy Road
Lynnville, TN 38472
1-800-842-4075
www.colonellittleton.com
Jesse W Smith was born in 1939 on his grandfather’s ranch in southeast Colorado. He was raised on a ranch and worked on ranches in the area until after High School. He then spent 4 years in the U.S. Air Force. While in the Air Force, Jesse started doing leatherwork in his spare time, making belts, billfolds, album covers, and purses. After leaving the Air Force, Jesse returned to Colorado to work on a ranch.
In 1963 Jesse made his first saddle for his dad and soon after made four more. Then in 1965, he received a phone call from The Tack Shop in Spokane, Washington. They wanted him to come make saddles for them. He took a leap of faith and moved to Spokane with his wife and two young sons to be begin his life as a saddlemaker.
At The Tack Shop Jesse made saddles, tack, and packing equipment as well as a great number of holsters, knife cases, and rifle scabbards. Custom knifemaker Rodrick Chappell, rated one of the top 10 knife makers in the world at the time, commissioned Jesse to make knife cases for his knives. He made over 30 for one collector alone.
In the spring of 1972, Jesse W Smith Saddlery was founded when Jesse bought a portion of The Tack Shop, taking over their saddle shop. He maintained the shop while honing his skills building saddles and creating leather art, all while using only the best leather and hardware he could buy. During this time he always strived to create the very finest leather goods. He did a lot of work for hunters, especially in the packing industry, along with trail riders and cowboys involved in ranching. He made rodeo equipment, bronc saddles, bareback riggings, and chaps as well as saddles, tack, and chaps for the horse show crowd.
In 1979 Spokane Falls Community College asked him to take over their Custom Saddle Program, a two-year custom saddlemaking course where students made five saddles. Upon finishing the course, students received an Associate of Applied Science degree in Custom Saddlemaking. Jesse taught this program for 21 years, all the while maintaining his custom saddle shop in Spokane. Some of the graduates of this program are rated top saddlemakers in the country.
Jesse retired from teaching at the college in 2000 and moved back to Colorado with his wife, Sharri and son, Nevada in order to claim a portion of his grand dad’s ranch. He has a full production saddle shop on the property and runs a small her of Red Angus cattle on the land too.
Awards and Achievements
Al Stohlman Award for lifetime dedication to leatherwork and education
Lifetime Achievement Award in Leatherwork from the International Federation of Leather Guild
2017 Saddlemaker of the Year from the Academy of Western Artists College
Howard Munsell Award from the C.S.M.A.
Former Vice President of the Colorado Saddlemakers Association
Degree in Commercial Art from Spokane Falls Community
“Being able to make vests out of domestic elk and bison is exactly like waking up every morning in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains; you never get tired of it,” says Paul Trachy founder and owner of Fox Creek Leather in Independence, VA. “Each landscape is familiar and yet unique with the nuanced influence of weather and time. The topography and feel of each vest is a feast for the senses.” ?
At Fox Creek Leather, they use different colored liners and side laces to highlight their vintage vests. They also use a variety of antique US minted coins for snaps. Using these antique coins is the perfect complement for the elk and bison leather. The aging process the coins go through via circulation renders each one unique. But regardless of how they accent the vest, the eye is always captivated by the deep, arresting beauty of the hides. Full grain leather, especially from wild or semi-wild animals has quite a tale to tell. The history is in the hide.
“When working with leather that is so eat up with character, every hide?just begs to be made into a collector’s item. If you ever get bored, you can just sit around and look at your vest,” says Paul.
Made in America with a lifetime guarantee
Fox Creek Leather
2029 Elk Creek Parkway
Independence, VA 24348
276.773.3131
www.foxcreekleather.com
French leather artisan, Ariane Rubiella often buys leathers before she knows what she’s going to do with them. Once she has them in hand, the shapes come to her.
“I use mainly French leather, goat, calf and bull hides, from tanneries judiciously chosen for the quality of their leathers,” says Ariane.
All of her creations are born of a desire and a context. They have a story and are made by hand in a unique way.
The model “Insoumise” is numbered and all models are hand-signed, hand-stitched, and have hand-painted edges. Each one benefits from special attention. And each model is customizable by choosing new leather colors, adapting the size of the bag, or adjusting the length of the handles or shoulder strap.
Ariane’s inspirational, non-conformist style goes beyond the mundane and functional characteristics of a handbag and gives each lucky recipient another means by which to express their personality.
“Your bag becomes a friend and companion, one you can depend on, a part of yourself,” she says.
“I have become acquainted with leather through riding since my childhood. Sensitized to its sound and characteristic smell, I wanted to learn how to work it,” says Ariane Rubiella, a French leather handbag artisan.
At the age of 17, Ariane headed for the Compagnons de Devoir to learn boot making. She spent two years in Saumur, the French capital of the horse, making custom riding boots for the famous Cadre Noir and high level riders with Joël Albert, a Compagnon bootmaker who mentored Ariane without reserve.
She then started practicing the Japanese martial art, Kendo and for the next two years she created Bamboo sword holsters that are used in this sport.
Ariane’s initiation to leather goods then began. She perfected her knowledge of the trade by entering the workshops of the great French Hermes house and then by integrating the design office of the very elitist malletier Goyard. Her thirst for learning led her to learn about saddle making and the manufacturing of bridles and harness.
Life then offered Ariane “human-oriented” detours, first by volunteering in Senegal and then as an Oriental dancer in a medieval troupe.
It is when Ariane hit 30 years of age that she first felt a strong need to create. Fed by her dreams of travel, the atmosphere of Southern France, and the discipline she gained through her practice of martial arts, she created the “Ariane Rubiella” brand in 2015.
A long process then began: drawing, creating prototypes and manufacturing. Finally, by the end of 2017, the first collection of four models of handbags, entirely thought and manufactured in her workshop in the South of France, was born. The collection was presented later in Paris and Dubai.
In addition to the models that Ariane offers, she personalizes the bags that customer’s dream of, working in close collaboration with them. She gives shape to their needs and desires.
“It’s the women who inspire me, the women who know who they are and have never thought of living life another way; confident women who are in control of their lives,” expresses Ariane.
Ariane Rubiella
32, rue des Iris
Lézignan-Corbières
France
Contact@arianerubiella.com
www.arianerubiella.com
Back in 1981 Jon and Cindy Judd were newly married with not much money and a baby on the way. Cindy didn’t have a saddle of her own, so out of necessity, Jon decided to make her one himself. After all, he had a background in construction and had been making historic reproduction Mountain Man gear for years. He traded his Simco “Roy Cooper Super Looper” roping saddle for a cow and a calf and took the pair to the auction. With that money he bought leather, trees and a book on how to make western saddles. The rest, they say, is history.
Jon’s craftmanship and eye for perfection suited his new undertaking. For a decade Jon cowboyed, worked construction, and built saddles on the side. In 1995, after surviving a serious horse accident, Jon decided life was too short not to do what he truly loved. He quit construction and focused on his talent. Since then, the Judd’s have been making a living with their company San Rafael Works. They believe in using only top quality materials and always giving their customers more than they expect. Jon doesn’t consider himself an artist, but more of a craftsman with an eye for detail. Learning to engrave and making his own sterling silver conchos and trim pieces have taken his work to a new level. He loves building unique one-of-a-kind saddles but says, “58 Wades pay the bills.”
Over the years, Jon has been inspired by many other makers and artists. He knows how fortunate he has been to have met these people and truly appreciates their graciousness in sharing their knowledge.
Jon and Cindy aren’t limited to making saddles; they also create other leather items and stunning sterling silver jewelry. If you have ever met the Judd’s, you know their catering and sour dough rolls are a story for another time.
Jon Judd
San Rafael Works
110 W. 100 N.
Castle Dale, UT 84513
435-381-5695
srw.jon@gmail.com
@sanrafaelworks
As a craftsman in the leather industry, it’s hard not to be inspired by other artisans. Mike Vaughn came up with the design for his wife Phyllis’ chocolate full quill ostrich, hand-tooled boot after seeing a belt. This belt had been tooled with a beautiful floral pattern then hand-painted, but only the background was painted, leaving the floral pattern in its natural color. The wheels were turning in Vaughn’s head as he envisioned a chocolate full quill ostrich vamp, tooled top and braided side seams.
With 38 years of boot making experience, Vaughn went to work. Terry Henson, award winning saddle maker, hand tooled the top and his wife Phyllis, in whom the boots were made for, did all the braiding making this beautiful boot a catchy collaboration.
Mike Vaughn grew up in Texas riding horses and wearing cowboy boots, so naturally when given the opportunity to work in a boot repair shop during high school work release, he took it. The experience he gained working in a boot shop during his junior and senior year served him well, landing him an apprenticeship with Clyde and Joe Vasquez of M.L. Leddy’s. This is where Vaughn learned the labor intensive process of making custom boots.
In 1989, after six years with the famed boot company, Vaughn ventured out on his own, opening up his own boot shop in Milsap, Texas. Later he moved his shop to Bowie, Texas, where it resides today.
Vaughn’s boots dot the globe with clients from Turkey, France, Australia, Canada, and Switzerland and of course, the good ‘ol USA. Right now you’d have to wait 2 ½ years to get a custom boot built by Mike Vaughn.
Like his friend and fellow bootmaker, Lee Miller of Texas Traditions, Vaughn has plenty of work to keep him busy. But that doesn’t keep the two artisans, along with Mike Allred, another Texas boot making friend, from giving back in the industry by lecturing at various gatherings and events. “We learn from one another and mentor each other,” says Vaughn of Miller and Allred.
Each morning you can find Vaughn on the back of his horse. “It helps me get my mind right before I head to my shop.” Indeed Mike, indeed!
Mike Vaughn
Mike Vaughn Handmade Boots
2390 Orchard Rd
Bowie, TX 76230
940.872.6935
mike@mikevaughnhandmadeboots.com
www.mikevaughnhandmadeboots.com
Lauw’s passion lies in doing intricate inlay work in boot tops. “For me, the more challenging the better. I like to do multi-layer inlays, which means an inlay inside an inlay. In many cases I have gone 4-5 layers deep,” says Lauw. In spite of his love for inlaying, Duck taught him that “no matter how fancy your work is, no matter how many hours you have in boot tops, if the boots don’t fit the customer, the work was all for naught”. With that said, fit is always first and foremost in Lauw’s mind.
A lot of makers won’t do intricate inlays on a customer’s first pair of boots. Lauw does it because they may be the only pair of custom boots that customer will ever be able to afford, or the only pair they ever intend on buying. “Sometimes an inlayed logo or name carries special meaning for them, so I’ll always do it.”
Dustin Lauw
Dustin Lauw of Salado, Texas is a fourth generation leather worker. He became interested in making boots when he met Duck Menzies, an accomplished bootmaker and then, owner of Boots by Duck in Temple, Texas. Lauw had Menzies make him two pair of boots. Little did he know, he would end up apprenticing with Menzies for 12 years and become an accomplished bootmaker himself.
Duck’s Heritage Cowboy Boots
11095 Brewer Road
Salado, TX 76571
254.681.5300
1924tbucket@gmail.com
Instagram: @ducksheritageleather
Inspired by firm, strong, suntanned leathers and impeccable fit and finish work, Kata Fay demonstrates her love of American tack and saddles in her finished products. She loves designing, turning her ideas and thoughts into something tangible. Working with exotic leathers and sterling silver is her favorite part of the process as long as time honored techniques and traditions are being respected.
It could be said that Kata’s work will be among some of the great’s in the worldwide leather industry.
Pedro Pedrini’s 2013 TCAA saddle is a late 1800s California style saddle and is fully carved in the Visalia style. This saddle features a 4 button loop seat, 25 inch tapaderos, full double stirrup leathers, and a Spanish single rigging.
The silverwork is done by Dave Alderson of Twin Falls, Idaho. Each piece is shaped through repousse, chased, and filigreed with an antiqued hand finish.
Pedrini’s 2015 TCAA 1900s style Lady Astride saddle features inlaid fork and jockeys around a full padded seat. It is fully carved with raised and colored roses with oak leaves. The saddle is fully hand stitched at 9 stitches per inch.
The horn is made of white bronze which is engraved by Ernie Marsh of Lovell, Wyoming.
Other 2015 TCAA items include Pedrini’s dice game set which features a California-style carved border and is fully hand stitched at 9 stitches per inch.
The jewelry box reflects styling of Southern California leather work. It is carved and filigreed with rolled leather rose buds and is fully hand stitched at 8 stitches per inch.
In Pedrini’s own words when speaking of his inspiration he says, “Living in California, you are exposed to the long history of its ranching, horsemanship, and craftsmanship. From the early 1800s with the Spanish mission, to the Miller & Lux ranch, to the Gold Rush, and the fancy saddle shops including Loomis in the 1850s in Santa Barbara, Main & Winchester, Visalia, and Garcia, to name a few, and their highest of craftsmanship; how can you not try to continue this legacy?” Indeed Pedro, how can you not?
“The Brush Popper”, an incredible piece of art that measures 43″ x 27″, is probably one of Al Stohlman’s most ambitious projects, taking over two months alone to carve. The hand-carved leather scene depicts a cowboy on horseback herding strays from the brush in a rugged valley. It includes a beautiful finely tooled leather frame and is a three-dimensional piece that incorporates the use of embossing plugs, a most unique style, and silver conchos, buckles, and spurs.
Other outstanding pieces by Stohlman include four saddles which were built alongside his instruction books, a guitar case decorated with roses and a leather golf bag, all made by hand.
