Review of Willy_Trambone (Girdle Purses)

[Cian of Storvik]

Willy_Trambone is out of the Ukraine and advertised in this thread below:

http://forums.armourarchive.org/phpBB2/ ... p?t=102476

I contacted Willy on the 17th of October about doing a purse just like one of the other ones he had made with brass mounts and three internal pouchlets, in the color of my choice. I also asked about getting a drawstring pouch for my SO. He quickly replied and we worked out the details and agreed upon price.

He finished both of the pouches approximately 2.5 weeks after the initial contact, and sent photos of the completed pouches. He then asked if things were to my satisfaction that I send payment. He didn't ask for any money up front. And I was given several options of payment including paypal. I received the items 4 weeks after the initial order.

The purse and drawstring pouch together were very affordable (he stuck to the prices he had quoted in his post). Shipping from the Ukraine was only $15. And obviously the shipping time was well within reason considering the intercontinental travel.

I consider the workmanship of the purse to be excellent. The leather appears to be an oil-tanned 6-7 oz. cow and deerskin, with what appears to be a flax canvas on the exernal pouch flap. It also appears to be completely hand-stitched, which I don't know if you can truely appreciate the quantity of hand stitching in this until you hold it in your hand and open the pouches and pouchlets. Each pouchlet is blanket stitched around the opening.
The brass buckle and mountings are very nice. Not thin pressed or plated pieces, but well polished cast pieces. And the purse weights are finely peened with hand cut brass backings. Once again, all the little details just add up to a beautiful piece for a fraction of what you would expect something of this craftsmanship to go for.

My only critiques on he purse are that the body leather appears to be oil tanned and the pouchlets chrome tanned. And that there is no blanket stitching on the pouchlet front flap. But these are my own perfectionist ideals and in no way detract from the over-all quality of work put into the pieces. An absolutely super product for a super price. I know we tend to say "fives on the Frieman scale" a lot on this board, but I only am repeating it because the scale doesn't go any higher.

-Cian