HOMEPAGE
Leathercrafting and Saddlery
My
first encounter with Leathercraft was in Vilseck Germany (Bavaria)
on a US Army Post in the 1950'swhen they had what was then called
"Open Door Day" where civilians could come to visit and have a look
around and talk with Army personal. There was a
"Special Service Club" and there I have seen the first Leather
items that GI's
made there and was fascinated how it all was so nice and fantastic.
After
finishing school I joined the Merchant Marine in Hamburg. On my first
visit to the USA I aquired my first "Tandy Kit" and was as proud as I
would have won the Lottery.
It was something that I treasured
very much and at sea we had much times on the weekends and often even a
small part of where we could do such hobby. All others where interested
too as it was something unusual.
What helped me later with it
all was, that at sea we still learned how to make knots and making
mats. Thurks heads where often on rail ladders for ornamentation and
for use, that is it had a value and a purpose.
In
1963 I migrated to Australia and continued there with it. My first
encounter was with Dudley Towery, then then Manager of "The Tannery" in
Elizabeth Street, Brisabne, Queensland.