Adjustable strap purse finished.

[immiketoo]

We were commissioned to make a series of bags for a Greek historical society as part of their costumes.  Each bag is supposed to be unique and the only requirements are that there is no metal on any bag, and that any design features must have been possible in ancient Greece.  This bag features all hand made construction, and adjustable strap with no buckles and a captive loop closure.  Of course, it's hand stitched and made with love

The only cheat is the thread.  I should have used linen but this is nylon.  Shhhhh.

 

[TSes]

I assume that border stamp was made by one of Bob Beards' ancestors. 

[immiketoo]

55 minutes ago, TSes said:

I assume that border stamp was made by one of Bob Beards' ancestors. 

Artistic license.  You COULD do it by hand and some of the art in Acropolis Museum in Athens has something similar, if not quite as crisp.

[TSes]

I think it looks very nice. Your stitching is straight and clean, even on the back side. Great job.

[battlemunky]

Looks good Mike. What leather is that? It's like a fat milled look but not sure if that is actually milled or just character from the critter it came from.

[DrmCa]

Nice!

[plinkercases]

I like this one better than the first. Nice work for sure.

[immiketoo]

8 hours ago, TSes said:

I think it looks very nice. Your stitching is straight and clean, even on the back side. Great job.

Thank you.  I remember the days where I would hide the back side of stitching

8 hours ago, battlemunky said:

Looks good Mike. What leather is that? It's like a fat milled look but not sure if that is actually milled or just character from the critter it came from.

Honestly I have no idea.  Could be fat milled.  Nat calls it oil hide, but it isn't like any oil hide I've ever seen.  Has a textured surface on it and stamps ok, but its very soft.

5 hours ago, DrmCa said:

Nice!

Thank you.

3 hours ago, plinkercases said:

I like this one better than the first. Nice work for sure.

Me too.  The second one of anything is always better   Thanks!

[ABHandmade]

Mike, I liked your idea with an adjustable strap length. Everything else, as always, is superb and thoughtful.

[immiketoo]

7 minutes ago, ABHandmade said:

Mike, I liked your idea with an adjustable strap length. Everything else, as always, is superb and thoughtful.

Thank you.  I like to use friction for straps and retention.  In this case, I just put two cords in one hole and there's enough friction to keep it tight.  And in the keepers creating a sharp bend and it won't move unless you want it to.

[billybopp]

20 hours ago, TSes said:

I assume that border stamp was made by one of Bob Beards' ancestors. 

19 hours ago, immiketoo said:

Artistic license.  You COULD do it by hand and some of the art in Acropolis Museum in Athens has something similar, if not quite as crisp.

Some things never change.  Then as now, some people had more money than others and liked to flaunt it with a bit o' bling.  When people are willing to pay for bling, there are always going to be others willing to make something to accommodate, for profit.  Where there is a craftsman willing to make and sell things with bling, there's another craftsman willing to make the tools needed for said bling. 

I could be wrong, but I think Bob Beard hand-cuts his tools.  Stamps were almost certainly made - probably using brass - possibly cast then hand finished, maybe just cut from a chunk of brass.  They would not have lasted like steel does, but long enough to makes lots of bling before they wore out.  As for the repeated wave patter, who knows ...Maybe. A Greek key pattern seems pretty likely - they seemed to like that one well enough to have it named for 'em!

I also wonder if somebody willing to pay for that kind of bling might have been willing to pay for a bit of metal too for clasps and such, maybe even made from gold?  Maybe a gemstone button or two?  We'll probably never know, but it's interesting to think about.

No matter what the ancients did, your work looks fantastic, Mike!

- Bill

 

 

 

 

[immiketoo]

Bill, 

You nailed it.  In the museum in Athens, there was a LOT of bling, and a lot of gold.  There's another design that was my first choice, its called a meandrous.  Sort of like the wave pattern but spirals.  At the price point for these, hand carving it was out of the question, and the leather wouldn't have supported it anyway.  Greek clothing and are was very detailed and their metal work was astounding.  So much precision in their surviving jewelry.  I just tried to channel some of the feeling of the things we say rather than recreate a specific piece.  Hopefully, the client will like them.