Vintage Dmitri Omersa Leather Donkey Figure

Description

Dimitri Omersa Donkey Leather Footstool,
England,
1960s-70s

The charming brown leather model of a donkey made by Dimitri Omersa is … more Dimitri Omersa Donkey Leather Footstool,
England,
1960s-70s

The charming brown leather model of a donkey made by Dimitri Omersa is in good condition with no losses. This donkey has the early nail heads under its feet, and is covered in beautifully aged brown leather.

Dimensions: 19 inches high × 28 inches wide× 10 inches deep

Reference:
(https://omersa.co.uk/about-omersa/history/)

Dimitri Omersa and his wife Inge came to England in 1955 and settled at Lavender Croft, a sanctuary for refugees in Hitchin, Hertfordshire. Dimitri Omersa, a Yugoslav by birth, had been a naval officer and a political prisoner having been imprisoned by Tito for 10 years after the second world war.

Dimitri Omersa found work in the leather trade and whilst representing a small leather company in Hitchin met ‘Old Bill’ at Liberty. ‘Old Bill’ was due to retire and a deal was struck for Dimitri Omersa to take over the business and continue the supply of pigs to Liberty’s. The business was relocated to Hitchin in 1958 and before long Dimitri Omersa had ideas for other animals! His first new piece was the leather elephant, followed by the leather donkey and leather rhinoceros. Initially, Liberty was skeptical of the rhino but it became a “best seller” and subsequently formed the Omersa logo. The animals were sold exclusively through Liberty up until the mid-1970s. Animals made during this period have the words “LIBERTY OF LONDON” embossed on the underside of an ear.

1963 – Omersa expands into North America

Dimitri Omersa wanted to expand the business and so took the animals to North America. In 1963 he entered the new donkey in the Californian State Fair and won a Gold medal. The animals caught the eye of Abercrombie and Fitch, at that time purveyor to the fantasies of the rich and famous, who sold the animals from the mid-1960s through to the late 1980s. Since then the animals have developed a significant following in the USA,

(Ref: NY10594-mrr) less