Jarrett Van Curen · Identification & Dating

Construction / ID tells

Jarrett described his construction directly to Western Boot World (May 2026). Treat these as maker-stated, not inferred.

• All leather, two exceptions. By his count only two parts of a Van Curen boot are not leather: the shank and the toe box.
• Hand-forged shank. He forges his own shanks from a 60-penny nail — a bench signature in the spirit of the old Lucchese “40-penny nail” language, but literal.
• Wooden pegs everywhere pegs belong. Shank covers, soles, and stacked heel layers are pegged with wood. Look for the peg rows when the sole is up.
• Toe box. Standard is celastic (harder, holds shape, lasts longer). He will build a leather toe box on request — a pair he built for collector Tim Bishop got them.
• The Van Curen “ribcage” stitch. His best-known top pattern: long, curved rows that fan out from a center spine like ribs, often in a single accent color on a solid shaft with white or contrast piping down the side seam. Variations include a flame / feather reading of the same idea.
• Silhouettes. Tall shafts, cutter and square toes, underslung riding heels with stacked leather; frequent pairing of a smooth or exotic vamp with a contrasting solid-color top.
• Photographed pairs. Finished boots are shot by a photographer before delivery — his social feeds are the best reference archive for his tops.

Not to be confused with

• Van Curen Leather, Gainesville, Texas (vancurenleather.com) lists a founding of 1974 by Bill Van Curen and a Dixon Street storefront. That is a different business from Jarrett’s Pittsburg bench. Confirm the maker before attributing a “Van Curen” pair.
• Calavera Mercantile in Jefferson, Texas carries his work and hosts a maker page; the boots are still built in Pittsburg.