Ragnarokr Products 1970
The craftsmen at the Ragnarokr Leather Shop made many leather items although the shop specialized in accessories, sandals and battery belts. Sandals were a seasonal item that sold well only in the spring and summer months. Clothing accessories such as belts and bags sold throughout the year and accounted for most retail sales during the last four months of each year. Clothing accessories were also sold on a wholesale basis.
During the first ten years of its existence the shop had a large wholesale trade in clothing accessories. Those orders were written in late summer and had to be shipped prior to Christmas. As soon as the wholesale orders were shipped in October the shop personnel began to make items for sale in-house during the Christmas season. What little activity occurred in January was related to returns from the Christmas sales and specialty items such as cases. There was very little sales activity between January and April when customers began to order sandals for the summer season. Hot summer weather kept the craftsmen busy making and repairing sandals until later summer.
Most of the shop’s wholesale accounts were gift stores in small Ontario cities. These stores ordered clothing accessories as well as gift items. Gift stores usually marked their retail price at twice the wholesale price. A second wholesale item was battery belts. Battery belts were made for use with battery-powered hand-held cameras. The Ragnarokr Leather Shop made the leather belts and another company installed the wiring and the rechargeable batteries. Ragnarokr made battery belts for several different companies. Ragnarokr’s battery belts were made from leather which proved more durable than competing plastic belts. In the mid-1980s camera technology changed and this market disappeared.
The following is an inventory of the goods sold during the 1973 Christmas gift season.
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Inventory 1973
This inventory of retail sales was made in November-December 1973 to record the sales made during the Christmas gift season at the Ragnarokr Leather Shop. Similar inventories was prepared on a periodic basis and used to trend changing fashions. All the leather goods in the inventory were produced by the craftsmen at the Ragnarokr leather shop in Toronto and South River. Jobbed goods are products that were purchased by the leather shop for resale to the public.
Leather bags
10 bags priced at $40 and up
7 bags priced at $35 to $40
3 bags priced at $30 to $35
16 bags priced at $25 to $30
18 bags priced at $20 to $25
9 bags priced at $15 to $20
4 bags priced at under $10
67 bags were sold
Miscellaneous
9 button sets
6 leather hats
14 wristbands and straps
30 cast-lead medallions
14 leather sandals
22 leather hairpieces
2 leather vests
3 guitar straps
28 pot hangers
Leather belts
20 belts priced at $12 and up
17 belts priced at $10 to $12
30 belts priced at $8 to $10
10 belts priced at $7 to $8
24 belts priced at $6 to $7
14 belts priced at under $5
115 belts were sold
Jobbed Goods
42- brass belt buckles
34- pairs of shoe laces
3- bags of leather scraps
27- cans of wax, neatsfoot oil or saddle soap
45- key cases, key rings and key fobs
Leather poaches
6 leather pouches at $10 and up
8 leather pouches at $8 to $10
20 leather pouches at $6 to $8
6 leather pouches at $4 to $6
9 leather pouches at $3 to $4
5 leather pouches at $2 to $3
35 leather pouches at $1 to $2
7 leather pouches at under $1
96 leather poaches were sold
Leather wallets
3 leather wallets at $10 and up
13 leather wallets at $5 to $10
9 leather wallets at under $5
25 wallets were sold
Leather watchbands
6 leather watchbands at $5 and up
31 leather watchbands at $3 to $5
37 leather watchbands were sold
Leather boxes
17 leather boxes at $15 and up
4 leather boxes at under $15
21 leather boxes were sold
640 items were sold in November-December 1973
The retail value of sales in November was $1,317.60
The retail values of sales in December was $3,714.29
1970 Christmas Catalogue
Beginning in 1970 the craftsmen at the Ragnarokr leather shop prepared a Christmas sales catalogue which was mailed to its list of wholesale buyers. In 1970 the wholesale operation was named the Fourth World. The Christmas catalogue was illustrated with line drawings showing each item in the catalogue. The following transcription omits the drawings but contains the text of the catalogue.
1970
Christmas Catalogue
Fourth World
33 Baldwin Street
Toronto 130, Ont.
Representing Ragnarokr Cordwainery and Mud Farm
Purses
Item 3/1 is a Man’s Satchel Purse of heavy leather, laced and with an adjustable shoulder strap, 13” x 11” x 3”, priced at $15.00 each.
Item 3/2 is a Pouch with braided shoulder strap and a carved sole leather buckle, 13” x 11”, priced at $14.00 each.
Item 3/3 is a Travel Bag of suede with a braided shoulder strap, bag attached with brass rings, height 10”, diameter 15”, priced at $14.00 each.
Item 3/4 is a Patchwork Suede Pouch with a flat bottom and draw-string closure. It is available in two sizes. The large size (9” diameter) is priced at $6.00 each. The small size (5” diameter) is priced at $4.00 each.
Hairpieces
Item 4/1 is Stiff sole leather in several shapes and sizes, affixed with a wooden skewer and price at $1.00 each. They are available in a- spiral, b- fan shaped, c- kidney, d- rectangular shapes.
Item 4/2 is a Friendship Knot, made of softer and more pliable leather, affixed with a wooden skewer and priced at $0.75 each.
Chokers
Item 1/1 is dark brown or tan split cowhide with adjustable tie or buckle (specify which)and priced at $1.50 each. Specify a- with brass eyelets, b- with brass plated findings, c-with nickel plated rings, d- knotted, e- braided or f- dog collar.
Tooled Hairpieces
Item 2/1 is the same as 4/1b and 4/1c but with hand tooled design and priced at $1.50 each. Specify a- kidney shape or b- fan shape.
Bags
Item 3/5 is a ladies bag with braided shoulder strap, 8” x 11” x 4”, priced at $13.00 each.
Item 3/6 is a laced bag similar to the above, 9” x 12” x 4”, priced at $13.00 each.
Pouches
Item 6/1 is a change or cosmetic pouch in various colours and priced at $0.75 each.
Item 6/2 is a change or cosmetic pouch, with fringe and priced at $1.25 each.
Item 6/3 is a belt pouch (designed to be attached to a belt), priced at $1.25 each.
Item 6/4 is a belt pouch with fringe in various colours and priced at $1.50 each.
Belts
Item 5/1 is a belt with buckle, 1” to 1 ¾” wide, nickel plated or solid brass buckle, priced at $4.50 each.
Item 5/2 is a belt with double rings, 1” to 2 ½” wide, nickel plated or solid brass rings, priced at $4.50.
Item 5/3 is a braided belt with either buckle or rings , priced at $5.50.
Item 5/4 is a belt made of ircles and squares of sole leather and latigo lacing and is priced at $8.00 each.
Rings
Item 7/1 is a braided ring, priced at $0.75 each.
Item 7/2 is a simple band, priced at $0.50 each.
Bracelets
Item 8/1 is a simple circle of soling, priced $0.75 each.
Item 8/2 is a braided bracelet, priced at $1.25 each.
Item 8/3 is a double braided bracelet, priced at $1.25 each.
Wristbands
Item 9/1 is a hand-tooled, sole leather wristband priced at $3.50 each.
Item 9/2 is a band with snaps, priced at $1.25 each.
Hats
Item 10/1 is made of suede leather with a wide stiff brim, priced at $10.00 each.
Item 10/2 is made of suede leather with a narrow stiff brim, priced at $8.00 each.
Item 10/3 has a wide floppy brim and is priced at $6.00 each.
Wallets
Item 11/1 is a soft leather wallet, priced at $1.50 each.
Item 11/2 is a hand-tooled bark-tan wallet, priced at $5.00 each.
Watchbands
Item 12/1 is a suede watchband in various colours, priced at $1.00 each.
Item 12/2 is a hand-tooled watchband, priced at $3.00 each.
Tie-Dye
100% wool tie-dye muffler, 8 feet long and 10 4/5 inches wide, beautifully tie-dyed in two bright colours (winter blues and purples or autumn reds and golds) with six inches of yarn fringe at each end and priced at $6.00 each.
100% wool tie-dyed poncho, 54 by 60 inches, two layers of wool, reversible, each side different, tie-dyed in four harmonious colours, edge at neck and border by hand embroidery. Priced at $25.00 each.
Terms: Terms of sale are C.O.D. unless credit has been previously arranged.
Packaging: There are no extra packing or shipping charges other than the usual postage or freight and insurance which will be listed on the invoice.
Tax: 12% Federal Sales Tax is included in the list price. 5% Provincial Sales Tax, if applicable, is extra. We will provide Exemption Certificates for those holding Provincial Sales Tax Licenses.
Quantities: Allow one week before shipment for every fifty dollars of your order. We usually ship all orders within three weeks of receipt. We reserve the right to limit quantities.
Returns: Because we are a craft operation our products are not always identical. Variations usually occur in the colour and leather although occasionally the design itself may be altered. We will accept returns for whatever reason within fifteen days for either exchange or cash credit.
The leather goods presented in this catalogue are designed and produced by the Ragnarokr Cordwainery and the tie-dyes by Mud Farm. All invoicing is done by Fourth World.
Use this link to return to the narrative, The Business of the Leather Shop, November 1970-December 1971