PUNCH, LEATHER
Boultenhouse Heritage Centre
All rights reserved.
| Object Name: | PUNCH, LEATHER |
|---|---|
| Object Type: | Pattern for shoe sole |
| Category: | Punch, Leather |
| Material: | Iron |
| Accession Number: | 2021.20.81 |
| Use-Province: | New Brunswick |
| Use-Country: | Canada |
| Description: | Solid iron punch for leather working in the shape of a shoe sole. The pattern is very large - this shoe sole is for someone with very big feet! The sides of the pattern are very thick. The bottom is sharp in order to puncture through thick pieces of leather. There are two holes drilled into the sides of the pattern, one the at the "heel" and the other at the "toes". There is a manufacturer's mark pressed into the sides of the pattern, but it is too dusty, rusty, and faded to make out, even with the assistance of a bright light and magnifying glass. On the other side, the number 9 can be seen impressed into the pattern. |
| Narrative: | Used at the Sackville Harness Shop. Founded in 1919, the Sackville Harness Shop handmade a variety of quality leather goods before its closure in May 2021 with the retirement of its longtime owner and leather craftsman Bill Long. The harness shop was famous for its harnesses, along with its straw-stuffed horse collars. In later years, the shop branched into making other leather goods such as belts, bags, and boots. |
| History of Use: | A leather punch (also known as a "stamp press" according to Bill Long) for cutting out the sole of a shoe or boot. The punch would be positioned over a piece of leather, then given a firm whack with a maul / mallet, in order to cut through the leather and create a perfectly shaped piece. |
| Height: | 5.5 cm |
| Length: | 32.2 cm |
| Institution: | Boultenhouse Heritage Centre |
| Institution City: | Sackville |
| Institution Province: | New Brunswick |