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Re: Of interest...

Posted: Sat Apr 20, 2013 11:19 am
by dearbone
DW,

What I like about these old thread bound books is the fact that when one open them, both sides of the book lay flat which makes it easier to read, my copy is threaded and it looks like a # 15 linen thread is used, Now some things like old hand bound books, malt whiskey, and you and I are amazing as we ageImage

Regards
Nasser

Re: Of interest...

Posted: Wed Nov 06, 2013 4:14 am
by das
Please forward to all Footwear Professionals, Apparel & ID students:

RISD has the honor to host a Footwear Trend Forecasting seminar held on RISD campus November 15th 9:30am - 12pm (location will be posted on website later this week). This is will include a Future Footwear Trends Presentation as well as a Mini Workshop of Applied Forecasting.

Outside professionals in the field of footwear are welcome to attend.

All attendees will need to log onto the SLEM website and register.
http://www.slem.nl/nieuwsbrief/28/slems ... -to-the-us

Best,
Kathleen Grevers

Re: Of interest...

Posted: Sun Nov 17, 2013 9:24 am
by das
Nice piece on English boots and my old pal H. Batten:

http://www.gentlemansgazette.com/riding ... 56a2818f1c

Re: Of interest...

Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 5:23 am
by das
A nice article about an HCC board-emeritus member:

http://www.taylormadeshoes.co.uk/news-guardian.html

Re: Of interest...

Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2014 7:38 am
by proxy_posting
An interesting photo from an interesting exhibition
xrayphoto.jpg

Re: Of interest...

Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 6:53 pm
by homeboy
OUCH! Hurts my feet just looking at it!

Re: Of interest...

Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2014 6:10 am
by proxy_posting
FYI -

One of the largest shoe collections in the world is to be catalogued online. Northampton Museum and Art Gallery holds 12,000 pairs of shoes, from David Beckham's football boots to shoes dating back to 1000BC.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-nort ... e-26486528

Re: Of interest...

Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 5:18 am
by proxy_posting

Re: Of interest...

Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2014 8:11 am
by dw
The Carreducker blog is one of the best on the Internet, in my opinion. The work they do is exceptional and, even more importantly, they spend enormous amounts of time and energy sharing insights and skill and educating the public about fundamental shoemaking issues and techniques. "A work of love and respect." I can't recommend it highly enough esp. for people wanting to learn about shoes and how they are made...when made correctly.

Sometime ago, James Ducker and Debora Carre (I hope I got that right) invited me to do a guest blog some time ago. How generous is that?!

Today was the day and the guest blog can be found here.

It was/is an honour to share their space and be associated even if only for a day.

Thank you Deborah.

Thank you James.

Re: Of interest...

Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2014 1:49 pm
by lancepryor
An interesting article and short accompanying video about a Berluti shoemaker is in the New York Times Magazine:

http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2014 ... a-profile/

Re: Of interest...

Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2014 10:48 am
by inz
Lance,

Thanks for that link. It led me on a search for Berluti material, which led me to this interesting interview with Anthony Delos:

http://parisiangentleman.co.uk/2014/07/ ... ony-delos/

Re: Of interest...

Posted: Fri Mar 13, 2015 9:19 pm
by paul
It is my pleasure to be the one to announce that our very own D.W. Frommer II has been selected as 2014 Academy of Western Artist in the BootMaker category.
Their web site says this about the award:
The Academy of Western Artists is a small group of folks whose agenda is to recognize and promote those western artists who do excellent work. In the 18 years of its existence, over 500 well deserving individuals and groups have received a “Willie” statue. The award, in many fields, is the most recognized and prized recognition of their work.
The presentation will take place March 27-28, 2015 at the below mention venue:
19th Annual
Academy of Western Artists
Will Rogers Western Awards
Sheraton Hotel
Irving, Texas
I'm sure I am not the only one who wants to say congratulations to DW.
Congratulations my friend. I'm proud to be a of student of yours.

Paul Krause
PK BootMaker

Re: Of interest...

Posted: Sat Mar 14, 2015 6:04 am
by dw
paul » Fri Mar 13, 2015 9:19 pm wrote: I'm sure I am not the only one who wants to say congratulations to DW.
Congratulations my friend. I'm proud to be a of student of yours.

Paul Krause
PK BootMaker

Paul,

Thank you!

The award came as a bit of a surprise. I didn't even know I was nominated. Through the years I have met and known a lot of terrific artists and craftsmen. So, I know many many of the past winners, esp. in the saddle and silver categories. Of course all the bootmakers.

I can't help feel that I am in a very select company indeed.

Re: Of interest...

Posted: Sat Mar 14, 2015 6:25 am
by homeboy
Dee-Dubb,

CONGRATULATIONS!!! It's well-deserved! Glad to hear you are being recognized for a "life-time" of study and contribution to your profession. As I understand it, only three bootmakers have ever been recognized, with you being the fourth. This confirms what I have felt for many years. You're one of the BEST!

Thanks Paul for mentioning this!

Re: Of interest...

Posted: Sat Mar 14, 2015 7:06 am
by dw
homeboy » Sat Mar 14, 2015 1:25 pm wrote:Dee-Dubb,

CONGRATULATIONS!!! It's well-deserved! Glad to hear you are being recognized for a "life-time" of study and contribution to your profession. As I understand it, only three bootmakers have ever been recognized, with you being the fourth. This confirms what I have felt for many years. You're one of the BEST!
Jake,

Thanks! :beers:

Yeah, I don't know why the bootmakers have been neglected when most of the other categories--saddlemakers, bit and spur makers, silver engraving, etc. ...as well as the fine Arts...have been being recognized for almost two decades. But I am honoured to have been chosen.

I guess I've had my share of recognition...starting with a pair of dress packers I sent to an HCC meeting a lifetime ago, along with awards from the old CBSG, as well as commissioned boots for the Gene Autry Museum and the Cowboy Hall of Fame...but this one is special if only because it was a surprise.

Reminds me of an old story that just happens to reflect my own long and deeply held view...

Seems there was this newspaperman at the National Finals Rodeo and he was interviewing the winner of the bullriding event. "Congratulations on your win! You had some stiff competition out there...you beat out a lot of good cowboys today."

The old waddie pushes back his hat and says "You misunderstand. We don't compete with each other...we compete with the bull." :old&wise:

Re: Of interest...

Posted: Sat Mar 14, 2015 7:26 am
by das
Hey DW,

Just waking-up on the east coast when I read this, then the Forum wouldn't let me on. I said years ago (and the quote is on Google), you're the "real deal". I'm glad you finally got the recognition you deserve :beers:

Re: Of interest...

Posted: Sat Mar 14, 2015 7:51 am
by dw
das » Sat Mar 14, 2015 7:26 am wrote:Hey DW,

Just waking-up on the east coast when I read this, then the Forum wouldn't let me on. I said years ago (and the quote is on Google), you're the "real deal". I'm glad you finally got the recognition you deserve :beers:

Al,

Thanks.

And thanks for your kind words on Google...I never heard about or saw that. ??

As I alluded to in my response to Paul and Jake, it was a surprise ...so, in a very real sense, I don't know whether it's deserved or not. I suspect one has to pursue excellence for its own sake, not for any recognition that might be in the offing.

But having you guys say such nice things about me is as good as the award itself. :cool:

Re: Of interest...

Posted: Sat Mar 14, 2015 8:11 am
by dw
PS:

FWIW (probably not significant)...when I received the letter announcing the award, it was called the Will Rogers Bootmaker of the Year Award.

Just sayin'--for those wondering about the "Willie" in the excerpt from the AWA site. (It's a statuette of Will Rogers presented to the winners.)

Re: Of interest...

Posted: Sat Mar 14, 2015 1:09 pm
by lancepryor
DW:

Congratulations on this award. It is a testimony to the quality of your work.

Lance

Re: Of interest...

Posted: Sat Mar 14, 2015 2:24 pm
by dw
lancepryor » Sat Mar 14, 2015 1:09 pm wrote:DW:

Congratulations on this award. It is a testimony to the quality of your work.

Lance
Thanks, Lance.

Or maybe "persistence of vision?" Ie. stubbornness?

Re: Of interest...

Posted: Sat Mar 14, 2015 3:23 pm
by paul
Hehehe, when I read back through that and saw the Willie reference, I had the thought it was due some explaination.
It is a prestigious award, and I'm glad you were recognized.

Re: Of interest...

Posted: Sat Mar 14, 2015 3:39 pm
by dw
Reminds me of the story of the guy who worked for a software company and who programmed an very popular video game.

But, of course, because he developed it while working for the company, all the profits and the rights went to the company.

When he started complaining, the bosses forced him into early retirement.

At his retirement party they honoured him with a very columnar looking, marble statuette called the Software High Achievement in Futuristic Technology award.

So when he retired, he got the SHAFT.

:crackup:

I don't mean to be flip...I think it is indeed a very prestigious award. Maybe they could have come up with a better nickname?

Re: Of interest...

Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2015 6:38 am
by dw
There is an exhibition opening on 8 May 2015 at the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto, entitled Standing Tall - the curious history of men in heels.

One of the exhibits is this Persian shoe...which some point to as an example of early heels--maybe earlier than the generally accepted late 16th century.
persian_main-1024x678.jpg
I am not an historian...maybe DAS can chime in here...but it is my understanding that this was not really a heel as we know it but rather a device to hold the foot in a stirrup. And it was not intended to be walked on.

It would be interesting for one of our members who live on the East Coast check it out and maybe report back on the conclusions drawn by the Bata Museum regarding this controversy.

And of course photos would be nice.

Re: Of interest...

Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2015 4:28 am
by das
Here're June Swann's comments/extracts sent, from her forthcoming dictionary of shoes:

"Extract from Dictionary:

The Middle Eastern heels develop during the same two centuries, from a
1397-8 Persian miniature showing Gengis Khan (1162-1227; i.e. what might have been worn in the past) with a slight, almost flattened Λ marking the arch of his boot. But the heel becomes usually a quite different, triangular or hooked
shape: covered; of stacked leather and/or metal; or bound with metal wire; rarely copied in Europe except in Poland. The earliest I have found there is a portrait of Michael Borysowicz d.1505. But even the construction appears to be similar to western European heels, though with an added "horseshoe" extended to support under the arch (in lieu of the shank, which we place between insole and sole, hence invisible in wear. The latter feature is also found in adjacent countries, such as Russia. The Middle Eastern heels appear to be higher earlier than in Europe, see Heels High.
The only European painting I have found which shows this heel is by Pisanello, The Vision of St. Eustace, 1438-42. The only surviving metal heel I have found which may be related to the Eastern type, is the pair of reinforced, unworn orthopaeidic boots with brass horseshoe-rim (Museum of London). Thus the Middle Eastern heel is unlikely to have been the origin of the European heel. It appears a contemporary development, each taking the general idea from the other, but using different methods to achieve it.

Note with the number of examples of the word ‘heel’ used before the 1590s, it almost certainly then referred to what have been known since the 20th c. as Platform Soles, (term not used in the 15th or 16th c.; see Rame); see e.g. 1533 below.
Also the word ‘heel’ was again almost certainly used, before the extension underneath, for what are now called Quarters, the one, or more often 2 pieces of leather that encase the sides and back of the heel of the foot.

Ancient Crete, K.M. Lester & B.V. Oerke Accessories of Dress 252: men and women wore sandals, shoes and boots.. some of these show a heel.

June M. Swann (c) 2015"

Re: Of interest...

Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2015 5:18 am
by dw
Al,

Thanks for posting that.

But now I'm confused...in the past I understood that there was no archeological or cultural evidence for heels (as we know them) on shoes prior to the late 16th century. I may have come to that conclusion from discussions with you, in fact.

June doesn't clarify this with the excerpt posted above. To the contrary, she seems to be acknowledging that earlier heels may have existed in the East. And that they did indeed function as heels...as we know them--ie. for walking around on.

Is there a contradiction here?