Thanks for the compliments, folks.
bikemig That particular motif was just imagined up by me and I did not have Tolkien or anything else in mind. However, I've been heavily influenced by Tolkien's literature and artwork for years, and one of my articles was even published in
Mallorn, the annual journal of the Tolkien Society. I've finished several examples of leather work inspired directly by Tolkien's charming, amateur artistry. Here's some of it... Please note that everything below is actually carved into the leather, though some of it may appear to just be ink or paint work. The colors on the purse are all leather stain applied with brushes.
I can and hope to do this level of work for cycling equipment in the future. It just takes clientele!
Cheers!
-Gregory