Me: (browsing the boots on the display table at the Bootmaker Round-Up.)
Mark F.: Hey there… you taking photos of all the labels?
Me: Uh, yeah …right. Yep. Sure am!
Thanks Mark!
(Many of the photos are courtesy of LDPNDP, one of my favorite eBay sellers.)
Yes, at long last I’ve updated my page of vintage cowboy boot dealers.
The key to vintage boots is to act fast. Call or e-mail the dealer with questions…don’t bookmark a page expecting to find a boot where you left it. And unfortunately, when vintage boots are gone, they’re really gone. No such thing as “backordered.”
Check out the vintage boots at Cowboy Legends. Cowboy Legends now offers free shipping and easy returns on all its vintage boots. When it comes to fit, eBay is always such a crapshoot.
Photo courtesy of Cayuse Western Americana.
Here are a few of web pages I’ve been enjoying lately.
One is a vintage cowboy boot blog called “Man In the Crowd” written by James Davis. Even though I enjoy pages like the Custom & Vintage Boot Collectors’ Topic, it’s a treat to visit James’ blog which focuses on a single, personal, cowboy boot collection. Good photos, good information. Click on the photos for closer look…and leave a comment behind if you like.
…another is a website full of boot jacks. The site (which is slow to load) belongs to bootmaker Frank English and includes boot jacks of all types…buggy, naughty, wooden, old, hinged and horned. Personally, I like the snake. 
Thanks to everyone who’s bought my book.
I’m eager to hear what you think of it. So …I’m sponsoring a contest*.
Post a review of my book, Cowboy Boots: The Art & Sole on Amazon.com and you’ll be entered in a drawing to win a HARDCOVER copy of the 1981 classic, Texas Boots (which, when you can find it… retails for $75-$200.)
This 1st prize hardcover copy of Texas Boots will be given away in a random drawing among those who post reviews. Criticism of my book will not hurt your chances of winning. Your chances of winning depends on the number of reviews posted and entries received. Short, one-line reviews are a-okay with me.
2nd prize will be a paperback edition of Texas Boots in excellent condition. This prize goes to my “favorite” review…which could be something instructional, insightful, funny…who knows?!
*Here are the rules:
Here’s the fine print: I will pay the shipping costs associated with these prizes. The hardcover copy of Texas Boots is in very good condition, but is missing its paper dust jacket.
Factory-made? Custom made? Take a peek inside the secret language of cowboy boot labels, signature stitches and inking. I’ve posted a bunch of photos of cowboy boot labels and signature stitches on Flickr. I’m hoping it’s a help to boot collectors and a tribute to makers.
Move your mouse over the photos to view extra notes and info.
Add your own photos to Flickr and join the fun! Points awarded for artistic merit. (If you run into to trouble you can e-mail me your photos and I will post them.)
