Bootmaker
Melody Dawkins
Melody Dawkins was one of the few women building whole pairs of boots in the early 1980s, as fellow bootmaker Deana McGuffin remembered it. She later worked by appointment as Melody’s Custom Boots in El Sobrante, California, with twenty-eight years’ experience by 2007.
Known for
One of the few women making whole boots in the early 1980s
Related: Deana McGuffin
Biography
History
Melody Dawkins is a California bootmaker. In a 2019 interview, Deana McGuffin recalled that in the early 1980s she and Dawkins were both making boots at a time when few women built whole pairs.
Jennifer June’s eDirectory of Cowboy Bootmakers, a companion to her 2007 book Cowboy Boots: The Art & Sole, lists her shop as Melody’s Custom Boots, working by appointment in El Sobrante, California. At the time she had twenty-eight years of experience, pairs started at $5,000, delivery took four to six months, and she accepted measurements by mail.
Sources
Identification and markings
Maker-specific markings guidance has not been documented yet. Preserve the complete stamp and compare it against dated sources.
Sources and references
Historical references are cited with the history above. Each catalog record includes its own supporting evidence.
Encyclopedia references: maker archives and published sources linked where available. Historical dates and attributions can vary by source.