Source Of Dark Green Leather?

[david robertson]

I've been asked to repair some badly damaged bellows from an early Wheatstone, but my usual supplier doesn't have any dark green leather to match the original.

It needs to be around 0.5mm thick for gussets, valleys and top runs, and I'm happy to cut and skive it myself (and to adjust the colour by blending dyes), but has anyone found a reliable source, please?

The other problem is with the white, green and gold papers. Because these early Wheatstone belows have such a big inset, the outermost papers are much deeper than the rest, and all of them are a few mm shorter than the widely available reproductions. Does anyone reproduce these odd sizes?

[Mike Hulme]

This place should be able to sort you out.

 

Leather4Craft Limited

Unit 1, Norton Road,

Newhaven,

East Sussex

BN9 0BZ

 

www.leather4craft.co.uk

 

And they do have 0.5mm leather in stock. We use it for Musette bellows

 

Cheers,

 

Mike

[Dana Johnson]

Alas, you are in the U.K. My supplier is specializing in bookbinding leather custom manufactured to his specs, a fair variety. I use his smooth historical goat. I think he exports. He is third generation in the leather biz. I bought my first leather from his dad on South Street in Boston. He had a big business in California for many years, but moved to North Carolina after a heart attack and decided to specialize in book binding leathers. It is all excellent quality, most of it archival tanned and prices are quite good compared to people who are just retailers. Check him out.

https://www.siegelleather.com/

[Theo]

I got some Victorian green leather from

pittards last year. They may still have some. It was a good match for the rather bright green bellows I had to repair. For example https://www.pittards.com/shop/emerald-green-leather-skin-5mm

[david robertson]

Thanks for your help, everyone.

[Jack Campin]

smooth historical goat

 

Band name!

[Matthew o Casey]

Hi 

On 5/20/2017 at 7:49 AM, david robertson said:

I've been asked to repair some badly damaged bellows from an early Wheatstone, but my usual supplier doesn't have any dark green leather to match the original.

It needs to be around 0.5mm thick for gussets, valleys and top runs, and I'm happy to cut and skive it myself (and to adjust the colour by blending dyes), but has anyone found a reliable source, please?

The other problem is with the white, green and gold papers. Because these early Wheatstone belows have such a big inset, the outermost papers are much deeper than the rest, and all of them are a few mm shorter than the widely available reproductions. Does anyone reproduce these odd sizes?

Hi David , did you manage to find the green Moroccan leather and papers ? If so could you tell me where you got it from as I have the same bellows to repair, I need 4 of the outer papers and 4 internals. Also I am trying to find out what material was used behind the fret ends, is it vellum, and would they have originally used black felt for the button holes? I am missing 3 of the silver end caps on the buttons and one fell off, just wondering how I can reattach it - glue? Many thanks