Leather Related News
MacGregor and Michael – where to see our work
We were featured in Country Life ( September 28 th, 2011 issue) in a feature on the Cotswolds.
A range of work made by MacGregor & Michael is available from their new showroom at 37 Silver Street, Tetbury, Glos. GL8 8DL. UK. Tel: ( 0044) 01666 502179
Opening hours 10 am -5 pm from Wednesday – Saturday.
Gloucestershire Guild of Craftsmen
If you are interested in contemporary crafts visit www.guildcrafts.org.uk or visit the Guild Gallery, Painswick Centre, Bisley Street, Painswick, Glos. GL6 6QQ
Tel: 01452 814745
Gloucestershire Guild of Craftsmen Spring Show – May 8 to 12.
Tetbury Market House. GL8 8DD
Open 10 – 6 daily
Place to stay in Tetbury 2013
Field View, 4 Cottons Lane, Tetbury, GL8 8DP
Leather Shows
‘Le Cuir a Paris’ twice a year at Paris Nord Villepinte. www.lecuiraparis.com
‘Lineapelle’ leather fair twice a year in Bologna, Italy. www.lineapelle-fair.com
New Web Sites
Ian Beaumont and Louise Drover are a highly skilled couple who specialise in the conservation of leather and paper. See their new web site at www.leatherconservation.org.uk
See Kate Langley’s new web site www.langleyleatherwork.com
Publications
M.de Garsault’s 1767 ‘ Art of the Shoemaker ‘ – an annotated translation by D.A. Saguto.
For as long as we have known him, Al Saguto has been working on the translation of this remarkable work. It is now completed and published by Texas Tech University Press. ( www.ttup.ttu.edu). Its a wonderful book and we highly recommend it .
Ten of thousands of shoe makers worked in 18th century Paris & London but if any of them wrote about their trade before M.de Garsault’s ‘Art du Cordonnier’ of 1767, nothing has survived. ‘Art of the Shoemaker’ takes us to a world where shoes were made by hand using time honoured techniques.
Al is a fifth generation artisan whose eighteenth century ancestors were shoemakers in Maryland and North Carolina. He is a master boot and shoe maker and has worked for the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation since 1990.
‘ The Art and Craft of leather’ by Maria Tresa Lladoi Riba and Eva Pascual i Miro – Published by Barrons.
If you are interested in decorated leather, its history and techniques check out a recently published translation of this Spanish book

Neil MacGregor
Courses
Also take a look at these courses ‘Guademeci leather art techniques’ with Jorge Centofanti. Courses held at his studio in France.
Other news
If you like our web site take a look at small business specialist Duck On Water who are known for their affordable and dynamic websites: www.duckonwater.co.uk
Visited Paris in September 2012 to buy some crocodile skins for a collection of wallets, belts and key rings we made for The Mint & Co. Visited Hermes factory in Pantin. Travelled north to Lille to buy some lovely linen threads. A successful trip !
In April 2012 visited the leather show in Bologna. Lineapelle is a huge show full of suppliers so its really important to know who and what you are looking for. Bumped into John & Astubal of Bag Icons.com, and Caroline Groves the well known ladies shoemaker. www.carolinegroves.co.uk
In 2009 we made a trip to Barcelona and the Catalonia region of northern Spain where we visited a great leather museum in Vic. They were selling the spanish version of my book and showed us a writing case in their collection made by Neil for their founder Andreu Colomer i Munmany. They interviewed Neil about the leather used to make the case, 200 year old ‘russia’ leather, and why he was commissioned to make it.
Visit : Museu de l’Art de la Pelle ,
Centre Cultural Convent del Carme,
C. Arquebisbe Alemony,5. 08500 ,
Vic, Spain