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The Leather Craftsman Magazine

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G'Day,

I'm not quite sure where to put this.

But here goes.

I help run and organise a small craft fair with a good friend of mine. I help out with the web ads, flyers and general running, etc. However , recently, due to personal commitments, she hasn't been able to be there every month, so I'm more than happy to help out and run the whole show , so to speak.

A customer I was talking to, said that there was a large collection of old leathercraft 'books' for sale at a particular art /craft gallery .....naturally my interest suddenly peaked.

Later that day, I was just about to look on the map and get some details to see where this art/craft gallery was, ....and .........to my complete shock... my good friend of mine walks in and presented me with 10 years worth of 'The Leather Craftsman' magazines, from 1960 to 1970 all nicely bound together ....the very ones that were at the gallery!!!

I was ablsolutely blown away, .....emotional ?? .... yes, yes I was ( sob ,sniff) :bawling:

They were given to me as a token of her appreciation for helping her out with the craft fair.

These mags may be readily available where you are (?) , but for us they are like hens teeth, and much sought after, and would take me a lifetime to find, especially mags this old.

They are now my most prized and much loved collection, along with another prized LCM mag, a Jan/Feb 1986 issue with Ann & Al Stohlman, at their ranch in British Columbia, Canada on the front cover, that I found previously at a S/H shop.

Just thought I'd share that with you :thumbsup:

All the best,

HS

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That is awesome, I am jealous! I have a few "Make it With Leather" magazines that my grandfather left me. The old mags are cool.

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Great gift and some wonderful history in those older magazines.

About 4 years ago, there was a sale of a complete set from Volume one (mid 50's) to 2005 and a library bought it up at the whopping price of $15,000. $300 a year seemed a little steep ($50 per magazine) but I imagine that it was the set that brought that intrinsic value. Obviously the library placed that high of a value on them. Good for that seller.

Enjoy!

Regards,

Ben

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I was blessed to have about the same type of luck a month or so ago. A very nice guy that lives a few blocks away does leather work as well. (mostly jackets and biker chaps) He called me up and asked if I wanted his leathercraft and saddlers journals. Of course I took him up on the offer and low and behold, it was the entire set from 1995-present. Needless to say I was ecstatic. He said he needed to get rid of them because they were taking up too much shelf space. All he asked in return was when he needed to have a piece of heavier leather sewn because his machine can't handle it, that I do it for him. I believe that was as good a trade as you can get.

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I'm glad my father left me his complete set, in binders with his name on the front of the binders.

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My sister gave me a few from the eighties and I love them she thought she had the complete set from the eighties but has moved around quite a bit and they have been misplaced which is unfortunate so it must be wonderful to find such complete collections.

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Thank you for your replies.

Theres some wonderful history in these old mags, and not just the leathercraft, or the patterns, and lovely pics, but also the people in the mags that have the passion to create , something with their own hands.

Before I received these mags, I got a bit of a 'leathercrafters block' ( perhaps a bit like writers block?). with all the books, patterns and leather in my workshop, I just could'nt for the life of me decide what make next. ....it happens I'm sure( Perhaps its just me)

Now ...after I received this beautiful gift???

I can't wait to make 'this ,this or this' :specool:

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Hi everyone,

I'm the newbie that just signed up. About 4 years ago, a kind man sold me his leathercraft tools, etc along with an almost complete collection of The Leathercraftsman & The Craftsman. I found them very interesting and useful for tips and tricks. I got a good chuckle from the older advertisements not to mention the prices 50 years ago!

I was going to put them on Ebay, but after reading some of the comments here, I think I'll search for a library. I didn't think these old magazines would appreciate in value so much.

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I can't wait to make 'this ,this or this' :specool:

Sounds like you have been "re-bitten" by the leather crafting Bug!! I was having this problem also until I started researching historical leather pieces ie: pouches, cases, cofferts (leather covered boxes) and the like. Next thing I know I have a list of this and this and Oh! that too!!!! :Lighten:

Enjoy!

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"They are now my most prized and much loved collection, along with another prized LCM mag, a Jan/Feb 1986 issue with Ann & Al Stohlman, at their ranch in British Columbia, Canada on the front cover, that I found previously at a S/H shop."

I dont have 10 years worth, but when I bought all this stuff, there was a few mags in with everything, and that green one with Ann and Al was one of them!

I have friends that live up near that ranch, and am lucky enough to ride that beautiful country each summer!

The magazines I have are very interesting reading, and as someone mentioned earlier, I also love the old advertisements.

I am now looking in the second hand book stores for more as well

What a thoughtful gift from your friend.

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No doubt you'll all get a great deal of love and satisfaction from these old mags, but the thought of selling them ???...........mmmmmmnup, I just couldn't....share the joy of working with leather perhaps, but never sell them.The fact that someone has created something very special from the very mags that I now have....and they have now been passed down to me .....theres something special in that :)

The one with Ann & Al Stohlman on the cover I keep in a plastic sleeve. :cowboy:

Enjoy :yes:

All the best,

HS

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Hi ,great story! I have the whole magazines history from 1956 to now.I worked for Tandy in eugene and got alot ther,but most I found on ebay.It took me about two years to get them all.Im also selling my duplicates on ebay.Sometimes I had to buy a few I already had to get the one I needed.But if you are patient you can find them all.....Mike

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Are these Mags still under the copyright law? because I have some MIWL mags and want to put them in PDF format, but only if it can be done legaly

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