Bootmaker
Robert Brest
Robert Brest runs Brest Boots & Saddle Shop in San Angelo, Texas, after buying the former Rusty Franklin Boot Co. around 2004. He has spoken about his frustration with imported Western boots from China, saying bootmaking is an American art he intends to keep in the country.
Known for
Bought and continued the Rusty Franklin Boot Co. shop
Related: Rusty Franklin
Biography
History
Robert Brest runs Brest Boots & Saddle Shop in San Angelo, Texas. True West (2 October 2006) reports he bought the earlier Rusty Franklin Boot Co. about two years before the article ran. He is quoted: "I got tired of going into Western stores and finding boots made in China. It's an art, and it's American, and I'm going to make sure it stays in America."
A photo caption in the same piece calls him one of a few bootmakers still preserving handmade Western boots. The "two years" before the 2006 article was not converted into a specific calendar year, and no birth year, death year, or street address for Brest has been documented.
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Historical references are cited with the history above.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: CowboyBootsDB and maker archives linked where available. Historical dates and attributions can vary by source.