metalwork to leatherwork

[FEATHERS]

Reading a thread on the Cutting Edge forum,A Good Read by WWE & the link he posted,well I have a book on leatherwork & how it suggests that a lot of the patterns we use date back to the metalwork done on Spanish armor.This pic is from the link WWE posted,I can see a lot of carvings in this pic that could easily be transposed to our leatherwork.Any thoughts?? Feathers

[Mogorilla]

I haven't had a chance to read WWE's post, but that picture is amazing.  I can definiitely see those as tooling patterns.   I can't remember who was doing it, but one of the professionals on here was using old pistol egraving patterns in their holsters.  work was beautiful.

[Slowhand Bob]

Chuck used a style common to Pennsylvania(?) rifles on the 45 ACP rig he posted a couple of years back.  In that particular example it was definitely an example of less being more and still my favorite look for a WB or late era cowboy rig for the then modern 1911.

That is a gorgeous photo and I am sure that the patterns could be reproduced in leather rather easily by a talented carver.     

[Dalton Masterson]

Very beautiful carving. That would easily transfer to leather I bet.

My wife wants me to do rubbings on old headstones and use some of those patterns for carving patterns. Some of them are very intricate, but beautifully simple at the same time. Anyone tried that?

DM

[Skeeter Lewis]

I'm not sure if that's a wild rose or not. Many types of plant have been used as motifs in leather work.

The acanthus or 'bear's  britches' must be one of the older sources used for design in leather work.

The acanthus leaf was used on Corinthian Greek columns and later was widely used in the Renascence and in the following centuries. Here is an example of wallpaper designed by William Morris in the 19th. century....

http://www.vam.ac.uk/images/image/22358-popup.html

and here are some comments on shotgun engraving...

http://www.shootinguk.co.uk/qa/440155/In_shotgun_engraving_what_are_acanthus_leaves.html

In Packing Iron, the acanthus leaf keeps turning up!

The roots of our style go way back....

Skeeter

[ChuckBurrows]

I've also used Colt engraving patterns - this one was done to match the engraving on the knife which was based on teh owners 1880 period Colt SAA


As to which came first - metal or leather I'd vote for leather - there are example of very early leather carving going back to the ancient Egyptians at least