Well, I seem to be the case cheerleader lately and I understand that money's tight these days. Jay's work is really top notch though and $700 for this case is ripping the guy's heart out. Jay is a great artist and his leather work is no exception.
And Jay I know I owe you some contact among other things, been off yahoo for a while since getting the new laptop. (sorry lame excuse I know)
Anyway this case has been known to me for a while as I have the progress pix.
As far as I know there are less than 10 fully tooled GTF/Fellini style cases in the WORLD. When I say fully tooled I DO NOT mean stamped with a braided seam. I mean HAND CARVED 360 degrees on a glued seam. There is a HUGE HUGE difference to making a bag with a braided seam and slipping the tube inside and this case.
The REASON that there are so few cases like this is because it's FREAKING HARD!
Seriously, you have to account for everything and space it all just right. Then after the leather is tooled partially and glued to the tube you have to be VERY VERY VERY careful about how you tool the rest of it so that you don't break the tube or mess up the leather or misread the design and have to start all over. And using a GTF case that you had to strip first is doubly hard. We have the luxury of being able to work with the tube before the interior goes on and so we can brace the tube properly. Jay didn't have that and had to figure out another way to do it.
$700 for this case is the nuts really. Someone is going to steal it for this price and be bragging about it for years to come.
Jay, your photos suck! No one can appreciate this case based on these photos. Take some new ones without the flash so it doesn't look washed out. If you do that then it will sell faster.