Today's eBay Pick

All's fair in love and eBay.

If you are up for the challenge, go for it! I guarantee you'll bidding against top-notch boot collectors and Hollywood stylists for this pair of vintage cowboy boots.

Five rows of stitching. Ranch-worn and high-fashion... this pair of Dixon from the 50's-'60's are today's definition of uni-sexy.

These are the boots you wear to fashion week anywhere in the world, eliciting the envy of others.

Classic never-ending style.

(Ladies, confirm your calf measurements before bidding.) Good luck!

Click here for ebay auction.

eDirectory of Cowboy Bootmakers

You’ve read my website and my book. You’ve gotten advice from friends and colleagues. This eDirectory is the next step in your careful cowboy boot research.

This is a directory of all the talented bootmakers featured in my book, Cowboy Boots: The Art & Sole (Universe 2007.) This pricing and delivery information is not available anywhere else online. I spent hours on the phone, calling bootmakers one-by-one, so you don’t have to. (I hope someday to create a directory which includes the nearly 300 bootmakers listed on my Cowboy Boot Web Page.)

Yep. Here's the information you need to be an educated and confident custom cowboy boot buyer.

This downloadable directory includes starting prices, delivery times, years of bootmaking experience, and whether the bootmaker will accept measurements through the mail, or if he/she must measure your feet in-person. You'll get up-to-date bootmaker contact information, and (when available) live web links to each maker's website.

$29 digital, free shipping

Return to products page.

Over the last ten years, I've called hundreds of custom makers looking for information about cowboy boots... I know, it's not always easy to get your calls and questions answered.

This directory will save you a pile of time and trouble. You can...

• Quickly narrow your search to custom bootmakers in your price range.
• Understand typical delivery times before you make a single call.
• Look in my book, or use the web links, to see photos of each maker's work.
• Print a copy of the directory and annotate it with your own notes.
• Get a jump-start on all your travel plans!

And finally, these are the custom bootmakers included in the directory: Arditti Alligator Accouterments & Handcrafted Footwear · Austin-Hall Boot Company · Back at the Ranch · Big Star Boots · Blucher Custom Boots · Bob McLean Custom Bootmakers · Brian Thomas Boots · C.T. Boot Shop (Carl Chappell) · Capitol Saddlery · Caboots (Champion Attitude Boots) · Coe Custom Boots · Cowboy Boots by George · Cunningham's Lone Star Boots · Custom Boots by Morado · Daly Boots · Dave J. Hutchings' Boots · Devote Bootist (Tlo Lowry) · Dew's Custom Handmade Boots · Duck Menzies Bootmaker · Gina C. Guy · Gjelstein Custom Cowboy Boots · James Leddy Boot Company · Janet Stoddard Custom Boots · Jass Boot Shop (Pablo) · Jim Babchak Bootmaker · Jim Covington Bootmaker · J.P.'s Custom Handmade Boots (Joe Patrickus) · Kimmel Boots · Lariat Gang Boots & Shoes · Liberty Boot Company · Little's Boots · Lonesome Ace Boot Company · Lucchese Boot Company · Luis' Custom Cowboy Bootmaking · Manuel · McGlasson Custom Boots · McGuf?n Custom Boots · Meanwhile... Back at the Ranch (Heather Joy) · Melody's Custom Boots · Olsen-Stelzer Boot Co. · Paul Bond Boot Company · Richard Cook Custom Boots · Riff Raff Leatherworks (Pascal) · Rocketbuster · Schwarz Custom Boots · Slickfork Boots · Sorrell Custom Boots · Spikes Custom Boots · Stallion Boot Company · Stephanie Ferguson Custom Boots · Tex Robin Boots · Texas Traditions / Boots by Lee Miller · Tres Outlaws · Weinkauf Boots & Leatherworks · Wheeler Boot Company · Wild Bill's Custom Boots · William Shanor and Julie Bonney · Young's Custom Boots

 
Return to products page.

Photograph by Marty Snortum. Cowboy boot made by C.T. Boot Shop (Carl Chappell.) You'll recognize this boot from the cover of my book... now, without the book's cover text you can see all the beautiful stitching.

Twitter

What am I doing, when I'm not blogging?

Follow me on Twitter. How you receive Twitter updates is up to you. You can check back here at the right-side of this page (look under my photo,) ...or get my updates delivered to your IM, or phone.

Cowboy Boot eBook

I love looking through Tyler's book, Cowboy Boots...nearly 400 pairs of cowboy boots.

Did you see all those great Dave Little Boots? What's that?!
You say, you can't find them?

And those five pairs made by Joe Patrickus, you mean to tell me you don't know what pages they're on?

Well here you go, the "Missing Index" for Tyler Beard's book, Cowboy Boots. It's my first eBook.

I originally created this index for my personal use. It’s great, an indispensable reference tool for recognizing the individual styles and skills of America’s best known bootmakers. I used this index over and over again while I was writing my cowboy boot book, and now I am sharing it with you.

Tyler’s Cowboy Boots should be on every collector’s shelf. By purchasing this index you’ll get the most out of your book. Here’s why, it's...

• Fast. Less time hunting for a famous bootmaker’s work. Don’t miss a single boot!
• Accurate. Errors in the book’s captions (First Edition) have been corrected in this index. Six pairs of cowboy boots were labelled with the wrong maker. Do you know which ones?
• Easy. A separate index means less page-flipping. And a larger font for more comfortable reading.
• Practical. There is a convenient space for note taking. By writing your notes on this index you can keep your book in a fine “collectable” condition.
• And finally, your $3.99 purchase supports the work of the Cowboy Boot Web Page. Thank you!

(A link to download the PDF will be sent to the email address you specify. File size: 368 KB)

Vintage Cowboy Boots, Tough Love

Yes, I know how much you love those great old Acme patterns. They're great. They've got the tiniest bits of colored inlay with those 2 rows of stitching swirling around them. .. factory-made minimalism at its best. They are indeed wonderful.

BUT, let's get couple things straight...

1. Your feet are too big. Only people like me who are too short to be seen over a deli counter can wear 'em. I can wear vintage Acmes... and you get to order your sandwiches with dignity. That's just the way things are. Don't worry, you are a member of a very big club, so to speak.

2. It is now 2008. Many of these very cool boots were made a looooong time ago. Don't believe me? I hate to break it to you, but a cowboy boot made in 1945... is now 63 years old. Bargain leather, once worn, now boxed and brittle. And these boots aren't getting any younger.

Save yourself a pile of grief. When you're in Austin, TX go to Heritage Boot. Jerry & Patti Ryan are remaking many of the favorite old patterns in present day sizes.

With lots and lots of boots on the shelves...their stock boots range from the $250 to around $700. (Those old Acmes are costing about the same.)

Heritage Boot also sells custom boots made in the Rio Grande Valley. Prices start at $600 for calfskin and bullhides. Delivery is approximately 8 weeks.

Heritage Boot
Jerry & Patti Ryan, Owners
117 West 8th Street
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 326-8577
sales@heritageboot.com
www.heritageboot.com