Lyle Tayson (American, 1924 - 2014) "Leatherworker Craftsmen" Signed lower left. Original Oil painting on Canvas.

Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation.

This painting is the original painting which appeared on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the U.S. 13c Leatherworker stamp issue of July 4, 1977. During the Colonial era, leather was one of the most widely used materials. It was used for boots, shoes, coats, gloves, aprons, belts, harness, and many other things. Belts drove simple machines and served as valves in pumps. When America's War for Independence started, the need for leather for military use increased at once by leaps and bounds. The leather harness, for instance, pulled artillery guns and wagons. And, to protect fragile paper musket cartridges from dampness or damage, leather was used to make stiff waterproof cartridge boxes. Every soldier needed one, for damp cartridges could lose battles. As the army grew, more leather was needed. The constant cry from commanders in the field for supplies was not always heeded, but civilian craftsmen, and Leatherworkers in particular, were responsive when possible. To increase production, they shortened the tanning process, producing only slightly inferior leather. In their own shops they worked long and hard, knowing that in the army men went without shoes. These civilian craftsmen answered freedom's call as fully as soldiers and sailors. They, too, risked their lives and their fortunes as collaborators of rebellion.

Image Size: 26 x 20.75 in.
Overall Size: 30.25 x 24 in.
Unframed.
(B05136)

- By registering to bid for this auction either in-house or online and/or placing a bid in this auction the BIDDER/BUYER agrees to all the terms and conditions of Helmuth Stone Gallery Auctions.

- Due to the size of our gallery not all items are out for preview at one time. If you plan on coming to preview any lot(s) we recommend letting us know prior so we can have them collected and prepared for your preview.

- All silver, gold and/or jewelry lots or invoices containing said lots MUST be paid for via WIRE TRANSFER, no other forms of payment will be accepted.

- All items are sold as-is where-is and no guarantees are made of any kind. All sales are final; no refunds will be given under any circumstances.

- All artwork is listed and sold per section (10) of our terms and conditions, please read over all definitions of authorship prior to bidding to better understand artwork listings.

- Helmuth Stone Gallery provides condition reports as a courtesy to our clients and assumes no liability for any error or omission. Any condition statement is given as a courtesy to a client and is only an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Descriptions are our opinions and should in no way be construed as a guarantee of any kind as to age, condition, mater. The bidder assumes responsibility for ensuring that the condition of the item(s) meets with their satisfaction prior to bidding. The absence of a condition statement does not imply that the lot is in perfect condition or completely free from wear and tear, imperfections, or the effects of aging.

- Online images can sometimes be low quality due to the uploading process, original high-resolution images can be requested via email at HelmuthStone@gmail.com

- We recommend looking into shipping quotes prior to bidding, shipping quotes can take up to a week or more post-sale as we host our auctions through multiple online platforms and shipping can become backlogged, if you would like a list of local shippers please email us directly.

- Our auction catalogs are hosted through multiple online platforms along with phone and in-house bidding. Bids placed on other platforms are not shown through this catalog. Because of this, even if it appears you are the only absentee bid or bidder on a lot, you may already be outbid or may have placed a bid equal to another bidder. Therefore, we always recommend bidding live.

- Unless otherwise stated in the description, all items are sold without additional documentation or COAs. If any supporting documentation is available an image will be available online via the catalog listing.