{"product_id":"patriotic-eagle-hand-tooled-leather-valet-tray","title":"250th Anniversary Patriotic Eagle Hand Tooled Leather Valet Tray","description":"\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCreated for competition. Made as a piece of American leather art. And absolutely one of a kind.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMy one-of-a-kind \u003cstrong\u003ehand tooled leather valet tray\u003c\/strong\u003e was designed and created for the 2026 Heart of Texas Leather Show's Last Minute Leather Shootout, celebrating the 250th birthday of the United States.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe competition challenge was to create a functional, travel-friendly patriotic valet tray that could flatten for packing while securely holding its shape when assembled. Entrants had 30 days to create their piece and deliver it to the show.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNaturally, I couldn't just make a simple tray.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMy piece began with an original patriotic design featuring a soaring American bald eagle against a hand-painted American flag, surrounded by deeply carved Western floral tooling, Texas stars, six-shooters and bold red, hand dyed, \u003cstrong\u003eUSA\u003c\/strong\u003e lettering. The banner above the eagle commemorates \u003cstrong\u003e1776–2026\u003c\/strong\u003e, marking America's 250th anniversary.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe raised center panel is individually hand carved, tooled, painted and \u003cstrong\u003ehand stitched\u003c\/strong\u003e into the surrounding leather. I constructed the tray from two layers of vegetable-tanned leather, allowing the inside to carry extensive carved artwork while giving the exterior a beautifully smooth, finished surface.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd then there my inventive corners.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRather than using the traditional snaps or clasps you'd expect on a folding valet tray, I wanted the construction itself to become part of the artwork. Pigskin suede lacing securely draws each corner together, finished with sliding silver-tone beads that add a subtle Native-inspired influence and unmistakable Cherokee Rose character.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eThe story behind the piece\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe competition project was announced a month before entries were due.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI, of course, decided to enter \u003cstrong\u003eone week before the show.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwo days into creating my entry, I realized I'd made a mistake in the background stamping that I simply couldn't live with. Yeah, it WAS that bad!!  So—with only four days remaining—I scrapped it and started completely over.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is the piece that emerged from round two. And I personally think it turned out even better than I could have imagined!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the Heart of Texas Leather Show, it received scores of \u003cstrong\u003e9\/10 and 10\/10 across every judged category on my two scorecards\u003c\/strong\u003e, recognizing the craftsmanship, design and execution that went into the finished work.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is not a design I plan to reproduce. The tray offered here is the \u003cstrong\u003eoriginal competition piece\u003c\/strong\u003e shown in the photographs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eDetails\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOne-of-a-kind original Cherokee Rose Custom Leather design\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCreated for the \u003cstrong\u003e2026 Heart of Texas Leather Show Last Minute Leather Shootout\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eApproximately \u003cstrong\u003e9.5\" × 9.5\"\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTwo-layer vegetable-tanned leather construction\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHand carved and hand tooled throughout\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHand-painted American flag, bald eagle and patriotic details\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWestern floral tooling and Texas star accents\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHand-stitched raised center panel\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePigskin suede corner lacing\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIncludes signed and dated Certificate of Authenticity\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDecorative silver-tone sliding beads\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSmooth finished leather exterior with Cherokee Rose maker's mark\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDesigned to flatten for travel and hold its shape when assembled\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBrand new competition\/display piece\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReady to ship\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMade by hand in East Texas\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAlthough fully functional as a valet tray, this piece was created and priced as original leather art.\u003c\/strong\u003e Its intricate hand carving, commemorative 1776–2026 design and competition provenance make it equally suited for display in a home, office or Western art collection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003eCertificate of Authenticity\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis original leather artwork will include a \u003cstrong\u003esigned and dated Certificate of Authenticity from Cherokee Rose Custom Leather\u003c\/strong\u003e, documenting the title of the piece, year of creation, artist, and its history as an original entry created for the \u003cstrong\u003e2026 Heart of Texas Leather Show Last Minute Leather Shootout\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe certificate will identify this piece as an \u003cstrong\u003eoriginal, one-of-one work of leather art that will not be reproduced\u003c\/strong\u003e, providing permanent documentation of its origin and provenance for its future owner.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Cherokee Rose Custom Leather","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50539686134003,"sku":"Eagle-Valet","price":595.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0524\/9309\/1008\/files\/250-year-commemorative-patriotic-eagle-leather-valet-tray_6.jpg?v=1787776358","url":"https:\/\/cherokeerosecustomleather.com\/products\/patriotic-eagle-hand-tooled-leather-valet-tray","provider":"Cherokee Rose Custom Leather","version":"1.0","type":"link"}