Nowadays, it is unlikely that many know what saddlery is – a craft activity in which leather is molded to shape belts, aprons, saddles, and other items. A very laborious activity indeed, almost extinct because of technology. However, there are still many saddlers who try to preserve it, because working by hand requires more dedication, attention to detail, and keeps alive an ancestral tradition.
Saddlers are experts in the art of turning leather into unique pieces that last a very long time. Meet some of the greatest exponents of Cuenca.
Talabartería Andrade
The last saddler in a sector where this trade was once actively practiced, Miguel Andrade has preserved this tradition for some 50 years. His father and uncle were also saddlers, from whom he learned the technique for works of the highest quality, thus preserving the family heritage. He signs all his saddles, and the oldest one was made 30 years ago.
His workshop is located at Tarqui and Presidente Córdova streets.
Mercedes Cantos
It has been her passion since she was 10 years old, and Mercedes is one of the few female saddlers in Cuenca and in the whole country. She learned the trade from her father and makes fine key chains, belts, and wallets. She knows the craft inside out and, with precise technique, selects the material that she coats with linseed oil so that it becomes soft and has the necessary flexibility to mold it. To shape the leather she uses a file, knife, hammer, and, above all, her hands, which acquired the experience and carry the legacy of her family.
Currently, the artisan has her workshop located at the Centro Municipal Artesanal. (CEMUART)
General Torres and Pdte. Córdova.
Do not miss the experience of discovering this art and appreciating the effort of these artisans to preserve the technique of our ancestors and the wonders that human beings are capable of creating with their own hands.
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