"l'artisan Pratique" Paris Stamps

[JDTagish]

I found these leather stamps in an antique shop in Cambria, CA over this past weekend. I've tried looking them up online, but cannot find out any information about these stamps, and I'd really like to know more.

Each is stamped on the shank, "L'Artisan Pratique" Paris" and has a number on the stamp, leading me to believe that multiple stamps by this marker would have been available. They make pretty good impressions, and I'll actually put them to use. Some were pretty rusty, but they've now been cleaned off and are ready to use again.

I have no idea what era they're from, but I did find an article online about a magazine that was published in France during the 50's by the name "L'Artisan Pratique" which was something like a hobbyist magazine that published hobby articles and things you could teach yourself to do. So, I wonder if these were related to that or not.

Does anyone out there know anything about these stamps? I'd really love to know more about them.

There were also 2 modeling tools in there with the same name stamped on them with wooden handles and brass spoons. I'd assume they're from the same era. I'm just surprised that I can't find anything online about these tools and it's driving my buggy trying to find out about them.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

Edited February 11, 2014 by JDTagish

[camano ridge]

You can find Bruce Johnson on theses forums send him a PM he might have some knowledge of them also WyomingSlick has a fair amount of knowledge about leather stamps.

Edited February 12, 2014 by camano ridge

[WyomingSlick]

My best guess is that they originally were tools for stamping thin sheet metal, usually softer metals like tin, copper, silver, etc. In times gone by, artisans used such tools to make all kinds of fine items. Such stamping tools generally have a small tool face like these due to greater force being required to stamp metal. Of course they can be used on leather since leather is a lot easier to stamp than metal. And I am sure that such tools could also be used for gilding book covers by mounting them in wood handles.

In any case, this is one hell of a find.

[JDTagish]

The bookbinding thing makes sense in the context of that older article I found, which mentioned bookbinding as one of the things the magazine had articles on

A new search using bookbinding and checking images found this, which has the modeling tool listed, and a couple of the shorter ones with the balls on the ends. I have 2 different sizes of those, but the do not have the same markings as the others, so I wasn't sure if they came from the same place or not. Looks like they may have. But the page I did find said the photo was from a 1931 catalog. Sure wish I could find some details on the stamps tho.

I got these because I wanted to use them, but now I'm almost afraid to, if they're that rare. I'm sure cleaning off the rust wasn't a bad thing, but I hope I didn't devalue anything by cleaning them. I guess it doesn't matter since I only paid $15 for the box of tools. Could hardly have devalued anything below about .75 per tool in the box. There were 13 stamps total, 2 of the "modeling" tools, 2 with the round balls on the end, a punch marked as "Eyelet Tools Co Boston MS", a couple of awls that look handmade, and another tool that has interchangeable ends (which feels made of aluminum and marked LESCO on the shank & has knurled grips on both ends where the interchangeable tools screw in, an old angled horsehair paintbrush and a old CS Osborne creaser and #6 overstitch wheel in the box I got.

I also spent another $40 at a different store to get an old punch marked Kraeuter USA 27-9/16, a double ended beveler, an old swivel knife with no markings at all, a scored pear shader with no markings but that has a few grooves on the shank that reminded me of the old zippo hashmarks, a hole punch that broke when I tried to get the old leather out of it (marked with a 4 1/8 on the shank, and a 4 pronged lacing chisel.

I suppose for the total of $55 I spent, I can't go wrong at all, but I don't want to devalue anything either, especially if they are something really rare or valuable.

[JDTagish]

My best guess is that they originally were tools for stamping thin sheet metal, usually softer metals like tin, copper, silver, etc. In times gone by, artisans used such tools to make all kinds of fine items. Such stamping tools generally have a small tool face like these due to greater force being required to stamp metal. Of course they can be used on leather since leather is a lot easier to stamp than metal. And I am sure that such tools could also be used for gilding book covers by mounting them in wood handles.

In any case, this is one hell of a find.

The bookbinding suggestion has been very helpful, THANK YOU! I see what you mean now about them being mounted in a wood handle. I've seen several photos now of similarly shaped tools mounted in wood handles. I'm going to have to investigate more on book binding and figure out what makes it different than leather tooling, since many of the descriptions I've seen seem to use them almost interchangeably.

Do you know any information as to how they would have been used to imprint on a book binding with a wooden handle? I know with leather and a metal stamp you're supposed to strike it with a mallet, but with a wooden handle, that seems excessive and not they way it would be done. Would it be hand pressure only and just press into the leather? I think most books use such thin leather on the covers that may be all that was necessary. I'm not sure how the "modeling" tools would be used in this applicaiton either, particularly the ones with the balls on the ends of them.

Edited February 12, 2014 by JDTagish

[JDTagish]

This is the LESCO tool I was trying to describe. Can't find anything online about this either. Any thoughts? I'm pretty sure that the handle is aluminum (a magnet will not pick it up) but all but the tools themselves that screw in are steel. (Magnetic) Any thoughts on this one?

[chrstn53]

The lesco looks like a interchangeable modeling tool for carving leather.

[Trox]

Hello JDTagish, Leather decoration stamps has been around for quite some time. We have to go bit further back in history than the leather factory and Mr. Al Stolhman.

Joke aside, according to pictures of old tool and old leather work, these stamps looked just like yours. Here is some history of leather decoration and book binding http://www.gutenberg.org/files/40286/40286-h/40286-h.htm

These tools and techniques was used by every kind of leather craft men not only book binders. And as far back as the primitive times. People tend to take better care of books than shoes, saddles and bags. That might be the reason we mainly see this old art on book covers. Some great looking leather artwork in this book.

Tor