Large Hand Tooled Leather Portfolio

[Lady Spencerian]

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7134/7606223868_c94325b8e4_b.jpg

July 2012 028 by Lace Lunatic, on Flickr

 

I was actually shopping for a briefcase when I came across this handsome portfolio in Vince Smith's etsy shop. He also had a briefcase with oak leaf and acorn detail that appealed to me, so I bought that first. Then I kept coming back to this portfolio, because it appeared to be a truly magnificent piece of craftsmanship. Did I really need a large leather portfolio? Maybe. Maybe not. I dithered for weeks.

 

When I was just about to commit to buying it: it disappeared! whisked away for a photo shoot for a glossy in-flight magazine. Thus began a lengthy correspondence with Vince's sister, Melody, who manages the etsy shop for him. It was a couple of months before the portfolio came back and could be sent to me, but it was well worth the wait!

 

The leather is thick and sturdy, and the tooling superbly executed. I quote from the product description:

"As with all my hand tooled leather items, it is made from top grain veg tanned tooling leather. This tanning process uses tree bark and other natural vegetable materials, which is easy on Mother Nature. No harsh chemicals used here on the leather or the finish. And, as was done back in the old West days, every stitch on this portfolio was hand sewn to ensure that it lasts a long time."

 

Listed as sized to fit an 8.5 x 11 pad, I was overjoyed to discover that it will also accommodate an A4 pad very easily.

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8013/7606221304_413e42cd75_b.jpg

July 2012 025 by Lace Lunatic, on Flickr

 

Should anyone be interested, there is a similar portfolio in Vince's Etsy shop, and there will be more in the future. He makes a smaller portfolio as well, and I have put in a request for A5 size.

 

No affiliation. Just a very happy customer.

Edited July 19, 2012 by Lady Spencerian

[dgturner]

That is beautiful.

[dannyboy]

Wow! That is a fine piece of craftsmanship! So tell us about using this portfolio--does it lie flat easily for you to write in the A4 pad? I find this pieces REALLY interesting and am hankering after one in the worst sort of way. Many thanks for posting this!

[Lloyd]

That's beautiful . I hate Thank you for posting it.

[goldiesdad]

Nice looking ... Congrats

[geoduc]

That's gorgeous. I'll definitely be watching for the A5 version.

[LWW]

Very nice.

[Lady Spencerian]

Wow! That is a fine piece of craftsmanship! So tell us about using this portfolio--does it lie flat easily for you to write in the A4 pad? I find this pieces REALLY interesting and am hankering after one in the worst sort of way. Many thanks for posting this!

 

The leather is quite thick (about 1/4") so, when pressed flat, it pretty much wants to stay that way. Draping the left arm as is usual for holding the paper in place and moving it around is sufficient to keep the front flap flat. The portfolio is no more awkward to use than any other portfolio of similar size.

 

A wonderful, rich, leather aroma surrounds the portfolio. The tooling is superior to that of my best saddle. It really is a work of art.

Edited July 21, 2012 by Lady Spencerian

[dannyboy]

Wow! That is a fine piece of craftsmanship! So tell us about using this portfolio--does it lie flat easily for you to write in the A4 pad? I find this pieces REALLY interesting and am hankering after one in the worst sort of way. Many thanks for posting this!

 

The leather is quite thick (about 1/4") so, when pressed flat, it pretty much wants to stay that way. Draping the left arm as is usual for holding the paper in place and moving it around is sufficient to keep the front flap flat. The portfolio is no more awkward to use than any other portfolio of similar size.

 

A wonderful, rich, leather aroma surrounds the portfolio. The tooling is superior to that of my best saddle. It really is a work of art.

Thanks, Lady Spencerian! I've got my eye on both a billfold (trifold) and a portfolio from Leathersmith. So guess I should say that I'm indebted to you for making me about to become indebted to leathersmith!!! Ahh, the rich smell of leather surrounding the writing experience. And I should've guessed, as much as I love horses, that they would be somewhere in the background of all this appreciation.

[Lady Spencerian]

Wow! That is a fine piece of craftsmanship! So tell us about using this portfolio--does it lie flat easily for you to write in the A4 pad? I find this pieces REALLY interesting and am hankering after one in the worst sort of way. Many thanks for posting this!

 

The leather is quite thick (about 1/4") so, when pressed flat, it pretty much wants to stay that way. Draping the left arm as is usual for holding the paper in place and moving it around is sufficient to keep the front flap flat. The portfolio is no more awkward to use than any other portfolio of similar size.

 

A wonderful, rich, leather aroma surrounds the portfolio. The tooling is superior to that of my best saddle. It really is a work of art.

Thanks, Lady Spencerian! I've got my eye on both a billfold (trifold) and a portfolio from Leathersmith. So guess I should say that I'm indebted to you for making me about to become indebted to leathersmith!!! Ahh, the rich smell of leather surrounding the writing experience. And I should've guessed, as much as I love horses, that they would be somewhere in the background of all this appreciation.

 

Always happy to be the enabler. Mind you, there is an element of self-preservation in this: every item you purchase is one that will no longer be there to tempt me! I know that I will not stop at the briefcase and leather portfolio I think Melody was planning to list more items in the shop this weekend. If I remember correctly, they were to include another large portfolio and (what will likely be my undoing) fabulous handbags.

Edited July 21, 2012 by Lady Spencerian

[KrazyIvan]

Wow, that looks like it took a long time to make, thank you for sharing.

[dannyboy]

Well, at least I'll be safe on the handbags! Err, that is until my wife sees the site!!!!!!!!!!!

[raging.dragon]

That's the nicest portfolio I've seen yet.

[nujak]

That is some amazing hand craftsmanship. I would love one of those.

[reprieve]

I posted this in another thread (in reply to Lady Spencerian's post over in Marketwatch), but I figured I'd post it here as well:

 

After your review, I went to Vince's Etsy store and saw this large portfolio. I fell in love with it, but I hesitated--did I really need a leather portfolio, would I use it, etc. But I kept going back to it for weeks, looking at the photos, admiring the tooling. I realized how disappointed I would be if it sold to someone else so I finally bit the bullet and ordered it. It arrived very quickly, at the beginning of this week, and I've been using it with a Staples Bagasse legal pad. I've already received several compliments from co-workers. Most importantly, it makes me so happy to feel and smell the leather and look at the gorgeous tooling work; I use it all the time because of that. It is stiff enough to be able to write on your lap or away from a desk, which I really like. And the pockets inside are convenient for all those loose slips of paper that seem to accumulate during meetings. I'm so glad I broke down and bought it. I really shouldn't have hesitated for so long! I'm going to keep an eye on Vince's store. If he ever does a hand-tooled briefcase satchel, I'll be in real trouble.

[goldiesdad]

Great work ... Congrats on a real conversation piece ...

[sdcurnow]

Here are a couple that I have made for fellow FPNers:

 

 

[leomitch]

Thank you ma'm...I just picked up a hand-tooled A-5 sized portfolio! Much obliged for the heads up!

 

Leo from Canada :clap1:

Edited September 4, 2012 by leomitch