Cowboy in Charlotte

Never thought I'd end up spending a lot of time here. I can't even remember how many years it's been... seriously. Came here for work during the 80's recession. You know one of those economic terms tossed about by politicians for when times are tough for the working class and poor. The rich even blinked their eyes. I'd been laid off from a pretty good white collar job in advertising. Hell, you couldn't buy a job in that business in those daze. Here I am. Gainfully employed trying not to go out of my mind. Cowboy boots are a part of my mental ticket out of here.

Sweet Acme Cowgirl Boots

Here's a fine, and very rare, pair of PeeWee style Cowgirl Boots made in the early 1940s for the Acme Boot Company. These beauties were prototypes, the 1930s design "borrowed" by Mr. Cohen, they were handmade to spec in limited quantities, probably by Tony Lama. It was not uncommon for Lama and Lucchesse to produce small custom runs of Acme Boots. These boots were used as salemen's samples and shown at rodeos, stock shows and trade shows. This way orders could be taken while the Acme factory tooled up and produced a more often than not lesser quality boot of the same design on their assembly line.

To the best of my knowledge, Acme never rolled out this design. WWII, and the shortage of leather, probably had a lot to do with the decision not to tool up the Acme factory in Lebanon, Tennessee and produce this design on their assembly line.
These cowgirl boots were worn a time or two, rodeos and trade shows most likely. They have no style or sizing codes and they have plain white canvas pulls. The only way you can be sure they're Acme Boots is to look at the sole... the Acme logo is burned into the leather.

Photography: J. Davis

Rambling About

My "Man In The Crowd" handle is from a monograph about Garry Winogrand. He's one of my favorite photographers and the photographs in The Man In The Crowd were taken when I was a painter in my '20s. I lived those strange exciting days. His photographs capture their very essence.
His 1980 book, Stock Show: The Fort Worth Fat Stock Show and Rodeo was a little too much for Texans to handle. What is it... between thought and expression lies a lifetime? Winogrands' photographs hit the nail on the head.
T'ain't pretty McGee... but real the photographs are.

A Great Pair of Cowgirl Boots

Cowgirl Boots by C.H. Hyer and Sons, Olathe, Kansas. Made in the 1940s, post WWII. These were custom made and have the original owners name written in ink inside the shafts. Three rows of single needle stitching, killer 1" square toes, black & gold Hyer cloth pulls. Premium deep red calf vamps and tubes. Shanked, pegged soles and a 2-3/4" undershot heel. Killer cowgirl boots with plenty of attitude, they'd hold a stirrup too! Beautiful bad ass cowgirl boots. They were like new when I found them... sold them to another collector a few years ago and still miss 'em.

Hyer PeeWee Cowgirl Boots

Hello. Hi. Howdy.

I collect vintage cowboy and cowgirl boots.
Many are works of art.
All are more than the sum of their parts.
All have a voice.
All should be seen.

I can't guarantee that my words or the photos I publish here will speak only of boots. Most certainly, they will not.

Political correctness is not my forte. It is not welcome here. Smoking is encouraged. Opinions are welcome.

Now, what are you doing here?