My Tanner

I have heard people say that, as a fur sewer, you develop a very special relationship with your tanner. The sort of relationship you have with your dentist or a family doctor. You trust them, are loyal to them and highly recommend them others. This is how I feel about my tanner, Angelo of Angelo's Tannery.

I first heard about him from someone who had had a good experience getting his musk ox hide tanned. He recommended a man named Angleo. Only a few tanneries will bother with the very long hair on a musk ox skin, and Angelo is one of them. So a few years ago, I sent him an old dried out hide that Brian Crockett had given me. Angelo did wonders for it. He soaked it in his special stuff and scrapped it, soaked it and scrapped it, until it was beautiful. It was the hide that would later become C.O.'s parka lining.

Angelo is wonderful in so many ways, he does beautiful work, has very good prices, does his work by hand, but the best thing about him, is his accent. He's from Greece you see, and has the most wonderful way of saying things. Both his accent and his phrases are adorable. For instance, shortly after sending him our most recent furs, Angelo called. One of the hides was not scrapped very well (we're far from being experts) and he would have to do some extra work and charge us $50 for his time.
"No problem," I said, "I understand."
"Yes, o.k., you are very wonderful lady," replied Angelo. =)

I'm so fond of him that I even sent him a Christmas card a couple years ago. If I should find myself in Clackamus, Oregon some day, my dream is to stop by and visit good ol' Angelo.

We recently sent off two hides to be tanned. They should be returned to us shortly. We just heard from Angelo and he said they look wonderful.

--AnnMarie