An issue of the Society’s newsletter, transcribed from the original.
(8 pages, 1.3 MB)
the full-resolution scan, 23 MB, for close research
Page 1 — FRED BROWN - F.C.S.C.L.
CANADIAN LEATHERCRAFT
Volume XIII No. 1 Autumn. 1963
FRED BROWN - F.C.S.C.L.
Fred has been a practising leathercrafter for the past 18 years.
He taught for six years at the Toronto West End Y.M.C.A., and for other organizations; worked for some time with Lewiscraft, where he acquired a thorough knowledge of craft materials; had instruction from Bob Muma on fine points of technique, and has developed his specialty, 3D Tooling Technique and Turned Edges to a fine art.
Fred joined the C.S.C.L. ten years ago. For nine years he has served on the Executive Council; one year as Vice-President, three years as President and two years as Past President and is now Vice-President in charge of Branches. His service on the Executive Council has been of inestimable value to the Society. His enthusiasm and hard work helped our branches to become active and important groups in Society activities. He has represented the Society with distinction at the Canadian Conference of the Arts, at Handicrafts Guild Board meetings and on numerous other occasions when he was called upon to speak for the Society. This year he was elected as a Director of the Canadian Handicrafts Guild.
He has exhibited at Annual Meetings, International Assemblies, C.N.&., Lord Simcoe display window, and has demonstrated at many of our leathercraft meetings, as well as at the C.N.E. He has won Salon awards, Branch Competition awards, and first prizes at the Canadian Handicrafts Guild Exhibitions. He has served on the Board of the International Assembly and this year was elected Chairman of the Advisory Board. Fred has been unflagging in his efforts to promote Society interests with other organizations, and to encourage the Society to venture into new fields. And countless times we have used his home as a meeting place. Perhaps here too, we might give a formal word of thanks to his wife Phyllis for putting up with us so often. Fred has attended as many Branch meetings as he could possible manage, and has indeed served the Society far beyond the call of duty.
All material published in "Canadian Leathercraft" is the property of the Canadian Society of Creative Leathercraft, and may not be reprinted in any form without written permission of the Society. Editor of "Canadian Leathercraft" is Mrs. Margaret McFarlane, 45 Summerhill Gardens, Toronto 7, Ontario.
Authorized as Second-Class Mail bv the Post Office Department, Ottawa, and for payment of postage in cash.
Page 2 — NEW FELLOWS AND ASSOCIATES; BRANCH REPORTS; TENTH INTERNATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF LEATHERCRAFTSMEN
NEW FELLOWS AND ASSOCIATES
At the Annual Meeting on April 6th 1963, the Board of Selection were pleased to announce that the following members qualified:-
Fellow: Mr. Fred Brown Islington, Ontario
Associate: Mrs. Mary Caldwell Barrie, Ontario Miss Dorothy Proctor Toronto, Ontario
DEMONSTRATIONS: As usual our Annual Meeting demonstrations were one of the highlights of the day, with everyone not wanting to miss any of them. Demonstrations were given by Clara Cavanagh on Jewellery: Alvin Haig on Morocco Billfolds; Jessie Little on Braided Belts; Isobel Mair on Picture Frames; Sadie Roebuck on Desk Sets (stacked sole leather); and Janis Zalitis on Spray Dyeing.
BRANCH REPORTS
BARRIE: Barrie had their annual get-together with husbands on July 4th at May Corbett's home enjoying supper on the patio and visited Simcoe County Museum. At the first meeting of the season on September 4th,Clara Cavanagh gave a demonstration on moulding and dyeing leather trays. At the next meeting Nora Huyck demonstrated embossing and stacked pens. A work session was held at Helen Anderson's at Longford Mills where the pens were finished. At the meeting in October Garnet Pratt gave a very interesting demonstration of braided belts.
LONDON: The regular meeting was held on October 4th with members and three visitors present. It was decided to buy supplies of mixed dyes and a box of Garnet Polish Coat.Our President, Mrs. Wheaton, gave a report on the International Assembly held in Rochester in May. Also a report of the executive meeting held in Barrie in June.Pictures taken at the Assembly were shown and proved of great interest to our members. The meeting date was changed to be the first Thursday of each month. After the business meeting a discussion was held on projects and interests for future meetings.
HAMILTON: The first meeting of the season was held in October. The former meeting place is no longer available so future meetings will be held at the West Pavilion of the Hamilton San. The meeting date is the second Thursday of each month.
TENTH INTERNATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF LEATHERCRAFTSMEN
This important event will be held in Toronto, 1st, 2nd and 3rd of May 1964 at the Park Plaza Hotel. It is not too early to start planning to be there and to be willing to do your share to make this Assembly a great success. The Committee to date:-
The Tenth International Assembly committee list below is printed as a two-column table — each row a name/role pair on the left, a second name/role pair on the right. Read straight across instead of down each column, the right-hand names and roles run together into a spurious third column, and the "&" joining each pair of co-chairs drops out. It is set out below in the order the columns are meant to be read; the picture of the page above is the original, untouched. The right column's "Ann Hook" is printed exactly so, without the final "e" the Society’s Anne Hook carries everywhere else in the archive — kept as printed, not corrected.
| Viola Harris - Secretary | Cecil & Sadie Roebuck - Publicity |
| Dorothy Muma - Treasurer | Nora Huyck - Exhibits |
| Thelma Terry - Registrations | Irva Ford - Salon |
| Harold Wilson - Programme | Ann Hook & Olivia Smith - Demonstrations |
| Cal Brigden - Ribbons | Winnifred Coombs - Hospitality |
Jean Newton - General Chairman
Please remember the date, the place, and plan to be there.
Page 3 — PRESIDENT'S SUMMARY OF SEPTEMBER EXECUTIVE MEETING; CHRISTMAS SALE; STRATFORD SHAKESPEAREAN FESTIVAL
PRESIDENT'S SUMMARY OF SEPTEMBER EXECUTIVE MEETING
On September 13th the Executive met at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Wilson in Hamilton. While our attention was directed chiefly to the Christmas Sale and the organization of the 10th I.A.L.C. Assembly, other items were ratified.
C.S.C.L. Annual Meeting, 1964 - will be held in BARRIE, on April 4th, 1964 at Central United Church, corner Ross and Toronto Streets, from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.
Programme Chairman appointed - Mrs. May Corbett, Barrie, Ontario.
Editorial Committee - Thelma Terry and Winnie Coombs have been added.
The National Library at Ottawa, requested a copy of the first issue of Canadian Leathercraft for their monthly bibliography Canadians and authorization was given for this to be sent.
An enquiry re organization of a Branch in the West was referred to Fred Brown, Vice-President in charge of Branches.
Demonstrators at the C.N.E. reported keen interest on the part of teenage boys and girls in Leathercraft. The list of C.S.C.L. Qualified Teachers was found most useful. Also a registration was made of people interested in purchasing leather articles and invitations to the Christmas Sale will be mailed to persons on this list.
Due to our present heavy programme, a Travelling Exhibition is to be postponed until the fall of 1964.
It is the hope of the Executive that the membership will respond promptly to the two letters sent them; one re Christmas Sale and the other re Demonstrators and Custom work.
CHRISTMAS SALE
This year our Ninth Annual Christmas Sale of Handcrafted Leather
Articles will take place in the recently remodelled "Upstairs" of the Canadian Handicrafts Guild Shop at 77 Bloor Street West, Torontofrom noon Wednesday, November 20th to 5:30 Saturday,November 23rd,1963.
From all indications this year is shaping up as a good business season for Christmas and with the newly renovated Shop there will be many more potential buyers and we should have a large stock of items, both for selling and display.
STRATFORD SHAKESPEAREAN FESTIVAL: There were 11 leather articles shown at Stratford this year.
Irva Ford - Candle Holders,Small Tray Daphne Lingwood - Necklace,Sculpture Anne Hook - Gavel and Anvil Lillian Neelands- Purse and Belt
Nora Huyck- Pen,Basket Holder,Card Case Olivia Smith - Coasters
Page 4 — PRIZE WINNERS — CANADIAN HANDICRAFTS GUILD COMPETITIONS AT THE C.N.E.
[The prize list on this page is a four-column table — award or class at the left, then winner and town, then donor, then the money at the right. Read straight across instead of column by column, the entries run together, welding the first four awards into one unbroken line and turning Janis Zalitis's $15 into "#15" and the second placing into "end". It is set out below in the order the columns are meant to be read. The picture of the page above is the original, untouched.]
PRIZE WINNERS — CANADIAN HANDICRAFTS GUILD COMPETITIONS AT THE C.N.E.
WINNER DONOR AWARD BEST ENTRY IN SHOW Endel Ruberg F.W. Woolworth Co. Ltd. $50 Montreal, P.Q. And Silver Medal donated by President, Canadian Handicrafts Guild BEST ORIGINAL ENTRY Daphne Lingwood Anonymous $35 Caledon, Ont. MOULDED LEATHER, best Olivia Smith Women's Committee, Canadian $25 Form and Design Toronto, Ont. Handicrafts Guild, Toronto FIRST TIME PRIZE Viola Harris Canadian Handicrafts Guild $25 WINNER Toronto, Ont. UNDECORATED LEATHER 1st Sadie Roebuck Lewiscraft, Toronto $25 Toronto, Ont. 2nd Janis Zalitis Lewiscraft, Toronto $15 Toronto, Ont. DECORATED LEATHER 1st Nora Huyck The Tandy Leather Co. $25 Newmarket, Ont. Barrie, Ontario 2nd Fred Brown The Tandy Leather Co. $15 Islington, Ont. HONOURABLE MENTION Jean Newton, Toronto, Ontario Card Box Clarice Packham, Weston, Ontario Evening Gloves Endel Ruberg, Montreal, Quebec Guest Book
DEMONSTRATORS: Doreen Allison, Toronto; Fred Brown, Islington; Clara
Cavanagh, Barrie; Lillian Neelands, Mono Rd. Station, Ont.; Jean Newton, Toronto; Clarice Packham, Weston; Sadie Roebuck, Toronto; Endel Ruberg, Montreal; Janis Zalitis, Toronto. Demonstrators reported a keen interest in all phases of leathercraft this year, with teenagers showing great interest.
There are still loud complaints from the general public as well as people interested in leathercraft that not enough leather articles are shown, and those that are shown are poorly placed. Also not enough information on the tags. For instance, this year everyone confused the price of the article with the amount of prize money. It is also suggested that if so few articles are to be shown it would be much better to concentrate them in one or two cases rather than having them scattered around.
Page 5
This page is a plate of six sketches of leathercraft pieces, each captioned with a maker's name. The captions are transcribed in full below the picture of the page.
Endel Ruberg
Nora Huyck
Olivia Smith
Fred Brown
Sadie Roebuck
Janis Zalitis
Page 6
The prize list on this page is a four-column table — class, place, winner, and the winner's town or address at the right; there is no separate donor column at the C.N.E. Read straight across instead of column by column, the class labels weld into one run and the winners into another, the same fault as the Handicrafts Guild table on page 4 above. It is set out below in the order the columns are meant to be read; the picture of the page above is the original, untouched. The page opens with the last sketch of the plate begun on page 5, a box with "Viola Harris" typed beside it.
Viola Harris
PRIZE WINNERS — CANADIAN NATIONAL EXHIBITION COMPETITIONS
Tooled Leather, Commercial Design 1st Mrs. Lillian Neelands Mono Rd. Station, Ontario
2nd Mrs. Gladys Miles 573 Greenwood Ave., Toronto
3rd Mrs. J. Hilder Oxford Junction, N.S.
Tooled Leather, Original Design 1st Mrs. Clara Cavanagh 10 Duckworth St., Barrie, Ont.
& CHATELAINE AWARD
2nd Miss Olivia Smith 32 Mountview Ave., Toronto
3rd Mrs. L. Neelands Mono Rd. Station, Ontario
Carved Leather, Commercial Design 1st Mrs. Clara Cavanagh 10 Duckworth St., Barrie, Ont.
2nd Mr. H.L. Fox 734 - 1st Ave. S.W., Calgary
3rd Mrs. H. Stanford R.R.1, Wasaga Beach, Ontario
Carved Leather, Original Design 1st Mrs. Lillian Neelands Mono Rd. Station, Ontario
2nd Mrs. Clara Cavanagh 10 Duckworth St., Barrie, Ont.
3rd Mrs. J. Hilder Oxford Junction, N.S.
Non-Tooled Leather 1st Mrs. Lillian Neelands Mono Rd. Station, Ontario
2nd Mrs. Sadie Roebuck 22 Khedive St., Toronto
3rd Mrs. Jean Newton 614 Huron Street, Toronto
Leather Gloves, Plain 1st Miss D.H. Proctor 70 Glendonwynne Rd., Toronto
2nd Miss M.M. Wilkie 77 Mavety Street, Toronto
3rd Miss H. Stanford R.R.1, Wasaga Beach, Ontario
Leather Gloves, Fancy 1st Miss M.M. Wilkie 77 Mavety Street, Toronto
2nd Mrs. T. Terry 27 Clifford Dr., Scar., Ont.
3rd Miss D.H. Proctor 70 Glendonwynne Rd., Toronto
Sketches of Canadian Handicrafts Guild prize winning pieces and 1st prize winning pieces of C.N.E. competitions by Ann Hook, F.C.S.C.L.
Page 7
Sketches of Canadian National Exhibition prize-winning leathercraft pieces (continued from p6), hand-lettered, each captioned with a maker's name:
Clara Cavanagh — Chatelaine Award — tooled wallet with a floral (orchid) design
Lillian Neelands — envelope-shaped clutch, floral cutwork
Clara Cavanagh — cut-work box or letter holder, floral design
Lillian Neelands — trunk-style handbag
Lillian Neelands — buckled handbag
Miss D.H. Proctor — pair of long gloves
Miss M.M. Wilkie — pair of long gloves, dotted design
This page is headed "7" at the top right. There are seven drawings in all, each captioned with a name, and the captions are transcribed here in full. Only one of the seven captions names an award, the Chatelaine Award beside Clara Cavanagh's name; the rest give a name alone. Page 6 closes by naming the plate's subjects: sketches of Canadian Handicrafts Guild prize winning pieces and 1st prize winning pieces of C.N.E. competitions by Ann Hook, F.C.S.C.L.
Page 8 — BRANCH PIN MAKING
BRANCH PIN MAKING
Making branch pins can be extremely interesting, so the Barrie branch discovered.
For many weeks we tossed "Branch pin making" around in our minds. Finally a meeting was set aside for open discussion, and many good suggestions came up. Now we had the suggestions, which one would we use. We soon realized we had to decide on the size, so we drew up several sizes and agreed that an approximate size of 2¼" by 2½" would be best. Next came the shape. Should it be a circle, oblong, dog, flower, etc. What significance did any of these shapes have to our pin. We decided to make our pin shield shape, as the shield is used in the City of Barrie crest. Next came what decoration or identification would we have. We decided on a "Rose" to represent our name and place as the rose is Barrie's flower.
Now with the approximate size, shape and decoration all decided, I went home and drew up several designs. The group liked this one best, so I wrote up the following instructions.
The next meeting was a very enjoyable one, every member making their own branch pin.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING BRANCH PIN
1. Cut 2 pieces of natural cowhide 2¾" square. We cut top piece from 2 oz. leather and bottom from 4 oz.
2. Cut one piece 2¼" square for padding and one piece ¾" square to cover bar pin.
3. Dampen the 2 oz. leather. Trace on shield and rose. Cement to cardboard.
4, Place thread over lines in pattern. Tape down at each end.
Remove pattern.
5. (With thread to keep you straight) stamp name at top of shield, and place (Barrie) at bottom. Remove threads.
6. Carve rose. (When dry remove from cardboard).
7. Cut padding shield shape, only a little smaller. Skive top edges of padding.
8. Cement flat side of padding to bottom 4 oz. leather.
9. Cement carved piece over padding to bottom piece.
10. Use very sharp knife, cut around shield.
11. Smooth edges. Put on finish coat.
12. Skive piece of leather 2" by 2" very thin and cement to barpin
(use CIL cement). Sand back of pin and back of shield (where pin goes). Cement together.
by Clara Cavanagh, F.C.S.C.L.