Quality goods made by real people

October 20, 2008 8:36 AM

Talented people making high quality goods (belts, wooden objects, pens, misc leather items , clothes, manuscript books, etc) at reasonable prices.

A recent askme thread whetted my appetite for lovingly crafted objects created by real people who have a talent and a passion for their work, and are maybe selling on eBay...or via a personal website.
These things are perhaps made simply but effectively, or in a traditional way - and the seller's aim is usually not massive profit but just to see their quality goods used by happy customers.

Or maybe people who refurbish antiques, get them working again and sell them on?

A real world example is a man called David Naish who sells his high quality leather wallets, belts, pouches etc from a bridge in Jesmond Dene, Newcastle, England for very small amounts of money.

posted by dance to shopping (11 comments total)

Isn't this what Etsy is about?
posted by leapfrog at 8:40 AM on October 20, 2008

Is there a question here that you seek an answer to?
posted by philip-random at 8:47 AM on October 20, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

not so random there, Phil, right on the mark!

Yes, I forgot to say - Tips, please!!

Thanks to leapfrog who read between the lines.
posted by dance at 9:06 AM on October 20, 2008

[removed link to ebay store - put it in your profile if it's critical to this post]
posted by jessamyn at 9:55 AM on October 20, 2008

If you like beadwork and leather, you might like Neokistomi, run by a pair of women who create Blackfeet chokers and other goods.
posted by PatoPata at 10:32 AM on October 20, 2008

Here in Portland, the place/time to go for this kind of thing is "Saturday Market". I'm sure that other cities have equivalent things.
posted by Class Goat at 10:35 AM on October 20, 2008

I bought a custom made travel journal from here and I absolutely love it. It's perfect and, since it was handmade for me, definitely unique. The artist was super easy to deal with and prompt as well. If you're after handmade books, this is the place.
posted by LunaticFringe at 10:42 AM on October 20, 2008

I like Elsewares for this sort of thing.
posted by pineapple at 11:00 AM on October 20, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

What do you consider a reasonable amount of money? Making a living as a sole proprietor producing handcrafted goods is tough. The cost isn't generally reflecting huge profit margins, it reflects high overhead and time-consuming labor.
posted by desuetude at 11:31 AM on October 20, 2008

Usually on a thread like this, someone will mention Cool Tools, an excellent blog that highlights one item each day. I guess that someone is me. The highlighted "tool" can be a gadget, a book, or anything that is useful. Some of the items will fit your definition. For example, a leather craftsman in Idaho makes superb handmade cases for geologist's tools, including a lovely case that fits moleskine notebooks. I bought one based on the recommendation, and it is rugged and does a great job protecting my notebook. It also looks beautiful.
posted by seasparrow at 11:59 AM on October 20, 2008

It's not a mass store or anything, but my father makes pens, pencils, magnifying glasses, keychains, bells, whistles, etc.

Dad link

I also have a friend who does custom leather work. He used to work as a bookbinder. His aesthetic is pretty weird (ask him to carve a platypus into the flap on your bag and he will love you forever.) Joey Marez
posted by louche mustachio at 3:14 PM on October 20, 2008