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The Medieval Traveler is a tiny workshop involved in the hand-fabrication of unique, custom designed, Medieval-period, leatherwork bags and boxes for stage performers and strolling entertainers at Renaissance Festivals, historical re-enactments, and community theatre performances. No labor saving machinery is used in bag construction; the materials, tools, and hand fabrication methods replicate as much as possible the designs and workmanship of the Medieval English guildsmen. .

Prior work has included leather-jacketed bottles of various shapes and colors; elaborate custom designed sheaths for daggers; various purses and bags of all sizes; specialty belts; wall ornaments, and various wooden trays and dishes to accent some bag designs. Using full grain, natural finished, tannin cured cowhide; oil-finished rawhide; tannin-cured and dyed calf lace; waxed and dyed full-grain goatskin; and other fine leathers, these items are fabricated for heavy use and a long service life, while maintaining the historically accurate appearance. .

Most items are hand-punched and hand-laced at the structural joints, or hand saddle-stitched with linen thread. Most items are decorated with the simple carving and stamping techniques used prior to the Cordovan period, although a few deliberately-nonauthentic items are decorated whimsically. Most designs incorporate the usable pockets, tie rings, and handles characteristic of travelers' equipment. For items requiring fasteners, latches and buckles are fabricated to simulate the Medieval Period appearance as much as possible - for some items, modern snaps and zippers are used internally to facilitate practical use. Most items are left a natural color, a few are brush dyed; all items are treated with modern leather surface finishes to provide a reasonable service life under heavy use. For all natural leather, the color changes from white/pink to a deep-gold after several months of routine handling and exposure to light and air. .

Thank you for looking in! Because we do custom-designed leatherwork only, there isn't a catalog - so for additional information about custom fabricated leather bags, accessories, wall decorations, and fake antiques, please contact - Medieval Traveler, Post Office Box 240, Lonaconing, MD 21539 email - Web1A@att.net

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Examples of Custom Work

Designed and fabricated to customer specifications for use by a patron at a local Renaissance Festival. 13" x 10" x 6" - natural color tannin-tanned cowhide; wood panel reinforced bottom; hand laced with dark-brown dyed calf; hand saddle-stitched with linen thread; decorated with free-hand tooling and free-hand punchwork; hand-carved poplar wood lid (not shown) "fake antique" - basic materials and fabrication compatible with 16th century Europe. Designed and fabricated to customer specifications for use by a patron at a local Renaissance Festival. 15" x 13" x 7" - natural color tannin-tanned cowhide; wood panel reinforced bottom; hand laced with dark-brown dyed calf; hand saddle-stitched with linen thread; decorated with appliqué, free-hand tooling and free-hand punchwork; hand-carved poplar wood lid (not shown); numerous interior pockets "fake antique" - basic materials and fabrication compatible with 16th century Europe. Designed and fabricated to customer specifications for use by a professional entertainer on stage at the Maryland Renaissance Festival - customer's trademarks appliquéd on front and back. 18" x 12" x 8" - antique-dyed cowhide structure with soft goat sides; wood panel reinforced bottom & oak dowel reinforced rolled top seams; nickel-plated chain side panel supports; laced with dark brown calf - all seams laced except appliqué work hand saddle-stitched with linen thread; free-hand tooled; finished with numerous snap-lid pockets inside; oversized lid fastened with belted snaps. CD carrying case for on-stage use, designed and fabricated to customer specifications for use by a professional entertainer at the Maryland Renaissance Festival and similar events. 13" x 8" x 5" - deep-brown cowhide; wood panel reinforced bottom; rolled top seams; laced with dark brown calf; free-hand tooled with compartments inside; fitted lid with locking latch, snap-attached folding display album for two CDs, snap-attached rider's wallet.