Evert Collier

An image we saw on Ancient Industries put us on the trail of Evert Collier, the 17th century Dutch still-life and trompe l’oeil painter. Several of his works show strips of leather tacked onto a board or wall to make a kind of catch-all, into which you could slide or hang all sorts of essential objects. A centuries-old great idea.

Evert Collier

…buy some cowhide strapping leather (or cut your own) and afix with roofing nails.

…A variation on the theme: an IKEA Grundtal rail used in a similar fashion at Annaleena’s Hem:

Annaleena K Photography

via Ancient Industries

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One thought on “copy this: leather strap catch-all

  1. Very cool new/old idea. I love that the old combs are similar to ones I own today, too. That’s very reassuring, somehow.

    Who needs to mount a “tackable surface” when you’ve got a drawer full of assorted nails/screws/mollies and a closet with old belts lingering around, the leather too good to throw out but not really in fashion anymore?

    I’m seeing a riff on this with trendy/colorful belts as a fashionista teenager’s closet door. Maybe a collection of gold chains? Or those fabric 1970s rainbow belts for a little girl?

    The underside of a belt is not as “grippy” as cowhide so it might be a challenge to hold slippery items, but it would work for things that could drape. You would also need to experiment with how big to make the space between the wall and the belt; it would be handy hairbrush storage if there was a bigger “loop” or two (or 5, for teenager’s boudoir).

    No matter what, you have to be prepared for the paint or wall surface behind the straps to acquire a certain patina if frequently used items are stashed in there. I can’t imagine putting the soles of my shoes up along a white wall, a la Hem’s photo above!

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