Beaded vest

[Will Sellit]

After that great thread on Scout Garb with the great pictures posted by Pawnee Bill, Nolan Sackett and others, I think that I should have a beaded vest like the one that Pawnee Bill posted on the first page.
Does any one know of someone who could make one similar to that one. It would be for the 1875 time period.
Thanks for your help.

[Pawnee Bill]

After that great thread on Scout Garb with the great pictures posted by Pawnee Bill, Nolan Sackett and others, I think that I should have a beaded vest like the one that Pawnee Bill posted on the first page.
Does any one know of someone who could make one similar to that one. It would be for the 1875 time period.
Thanks for your help.

The only one I can personely reccomend is Cathy Smith I'm sure there others but she is the best I know of.
http://www.cathyasmith.com/home.htm
Cheers
Pawnee Bill

[James Hunt]

Indeed I would second Pawnee Bill's recommendation of Cathy Smith. I have seen her work and spoken with her. Very nice lady and VERY NICE stuff. She gave a presentation with slides of her "adventures" as a consultant on Dances with Wolves - it was hilarious as she described the in and outs of being a consultant to Hollywood types that had their own "artistic" ideas. Oh yeah, bring your check book!!!! Her stuff is worth it though.

[Dr. Bob]

Howdy Will,

You might want to PM Terry Lane who recently post that he received a new elkhide beaded coat.  Sounded real happy with it.

Good hunting!

[Pawnee Bill]

The only one I can personely reccomend is Cathy Smith I'm sure there others but she is the best I know of.
http://www.cathyasmith.com/home.htm
Cheers
Pawnee Bill

Just as a side note.
I am asuming that you want stuff of comprable quality and historical accuracy.
To match that it will require the use of only old time beads , brain tan , documented patterns and higest degree of workmanship.
Ala the recomendation of Cathy Smith.
Cheers
Pawnee Bill

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

I'll Third the reccomendation for Cathy Smith.. Another good one is Lallie Bartman House, Lallie did the quill work/beadwork for Mel Gibson in the Patriot. Her husband Frank House was the advisor and armorer on the Patriot and Captain and Commanders with Russell Crowe. Good friends and I've known them a long time...very expensive though...

Bill

[French Jack]

The only other one that comes to mind off hand is Diane Chambers, in Somerset, KY.  Her work is excellent, and she does it on brain tan or trade wool only.  Pretty expensive, but worth it.  She usually sets up in the Primitive area at Friendship, Indiana, at the NMLRA events.  Just inside the gate to the primitive area on the right.

[Lone Gunman]

Oh yeah, bring your check book!!!! Her stuff is worth it though.

...very expensive though...

Pretty expensive, but worth it.

We've all heard, "If you have to ask you can't afford it"  but, with 3 warnings I gotta ask... at least a little hint ?

[James Hunt]

A couple of years ago at the Kalamazoo show I saw smaller beaded bags for around $300, but the work was very intricate and beautiful. I talked with her and she explained alot, and I was amazed at the amount of time she would put into a small item. I can't remember if she had a vest there to sell. I just remember the bags cause it was the closest thing to my $100 bill that was going nowhere at her table. With Cathy Smith and Lallie House, you are buying a "name" item for sure. Sorta like buying a Shilo, a Colt, a Frank House rifle, a Proctor painting  , etc. There are probably others doing fine work.

[Pawnee Bill]

The only other one that comes to mind off hand is Diane Chambers, in Somerset, KY.  Her work is excellent, and she does it on brain tan or trade wool only.  Pretty expensive, but worth it.  She usually sets up in the Primitive area at Friendship, Indiana, at the NMLRA events.  Just inside the gate to the primitive area on the right.

Yes Diane is good I did not mention her because I didn't know she was still active.
Cheers
Pawnee Bill

[Pawnee Bill]

We've all heard, "If you have to ask you can't afford it"  but, with 3 warnings I gotta ask... at least a little hint ?

I would venture to guess that a braintan vest with edge beadwork would start around $1000
a vest like mine in the Avitar in the neighbor hood od $2000
Cheers
Pawnee Bill

[Will Sellit]

First I want to say thank you to all that have responded and for the great leads. I have not had contact with all of them yet but I have received some feed back and suggestions from a few people that I have contacted.
I sent the picture and I had a couple people say they thought the vest was probably used more for a Wild West show or for dressing up and it may be a little fancy for a 1875 scout every day wear. Some suggested less beading maybe some painting or a little of both. I am open to any suggestions as long as it can be documented. I am suppose to get a few pictures on some suggestions.

Now, let's see, can I afford this? Well I kind of look at it more if I can justify the price. How I do this is I tell my wife that it will really make me look good. She says that she is all for that and probably it is expensive because it apparently has mystical powers. I wonder if she realizes how much she acts like her mother sometimes.
This has become an interesting project and I am looking forward to the suggestions and also the pricing. Of course if they don't guarantee the mystical powers I may have to settle for a naugahyde vest with maybe 4 beads on it. I wonder how hard it will be to find documentation on one like that.

Anyway, I again want to thank everyone for their help.

[Mogorilla]

Will, explain to the wife the alternative.
1.  Print the directions for brain tanning a deer hide (braintan.com) 
2.  You may need two hides, depending on your size, and the size of the deer
3.  Learning to sew
4.  Remember to keep the sinew from the two deers for stitching
5.  Purchase period correct beads, decorations, or quills
6, buy period correct buttons
7.  Put the whole thing together (anticipate an appropriate amount of time)

you will have to have all the afore mentioned items "sitting" around for a while, Braintanning is not overly easy, so you may ruin a hide or two.  Or, you can have a professional do it for you.   My wife would hand me the check book half way through #1.

[James Hunt]

Ask the wife is she would please help you tan those hides, in fact you really need help with the fleshing and the brain part of brain tanning, and can you use the kitchen for the project as you have some other things going on in the garage. Insist, that it would be quality time that the two of you could spend together, oh yeah, and would she help you with the sewing and beading, in fact the hides are so expensive, would she do the sewing and beading so you won't screw it up.

[Will Sellit]

Wow Mogorilla that is a great idea!
I really need a new tactic as the "it's really going to make me look good" one is wearing a little thin and my track record has not been good. When I used it for the Shiloh Quigley. she said she thought instead of looking like Tom Selleck, I took away from the beauty of the rifle. Again, it's her mother coming through.
But with your suggestion, I could get a container of brains and tell her I am going to put them in the fridge because I was getting prepared to make a vest. I think she will probably run out and get a job to help pay for one.
Yep, I can almost see me in my new vest now. And I don't care what she thinks, I'm going to look good in it.
Of course when it is new gun time, I probably will have to come up with a better idea than a container of brains in the fridge.

Will Sellit

[Two Flints]

Will,

If you go to this site   http://www.gareneker.com/index.html  you may find some items of interest.  Gary made a pair of mountain man pants for me and a shirt years ago and an Indian dress (Crow) for my wife.  He doesn't show vests on his web site, but might do a custom order for you...just a suggestion.

Two Flints

[Noz]

Re: getting the wife involved. Remind her that the sinew used in the sewing must be chewed to make it usable.

[Delmonico]

Along the lines of thread I have been using the hand quilting cotton thread from these folks for years on canvas items, it also goes through a machine fine.

http://www.guttermanthread.com/

They also have silk thread.  I find it at most sewing stores or they have a link to a supplier.

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

Nolan,
Do you know Gary Johnson?? Old friend of mine as well as the Old Elk family....small world...

Bill

[River City John]

I have jars and jars of my Great Aunt's seed beads from 1900. Always meant to use them on a project but never got around to it. Someday, I keep telling myself, someday.