Commission Your Own Vintage Page Portrait

If you would like to commission a portrait of your four footed friend for yourself, or as a gift, but are looking for something a little different we have just the thing. A beautiful Pen & Ink work, drawn especially for you on a vintage book page. A perfect gift for someone who loves nostalgia and the combination of old with new. Why not pair a portrait with a Horseshoe Heart made from your or their own horseshoes for a most thoughtful and touching gift.

Whether it’s your horse, dog, cat or something else we can produce a unique, original piece from a reference photo you supply.

Vintage book pages

We are avid book worms and love nothing more than a browse through second hand stores. On doing so we noticed titles such as pony stories, shakespeare and quote compilations crop up time and again. Rather than going unsold and eventually pulped (having worked as a bookseller for a number of years this really does happen even with more recent titles) we decided to give them a new life and dimension, in a similar way we do with the horseshoes – to create something unique, precious and personal from something old.

We never, ever use rare books. The ones we use are have found in charity shops or are readily available in many second hand shops either in store or online.

What page will my drawing be made on?

If you have a specific title in mind please do get in touch an ask, if you do not specify we will use either a pony book or vintage quote book page, whichever works best for the size portrait you have selected.

If you would like us to source a particular title, we can always try. But as previously stated we won’t work on rare titles. Please do fill in the contact form if you would like to discuss this, or to enquire if I have a particular title.

What reference photos do you need?

What we need from you is a clear, good focus image or images.

You can email photos to us hello@horseshoehearts.co.uk

As a general rule, if it isn’t an image you’d love to have framed then it probably isn’t an image that would work well as a drawing. If you are unsure we are happy to discuss a variety of images if you can’t decide.

All portraits will arrive with you in a cream or white mount, with backboard, wrapped in cellophane, ready for a frame of your choice. The images on this listing are examples of my previous works. Some as commissions for previous clients or some that are for sale as original pieces.

Lead Times:

We aim to dispatch textile & gift voucher within 3 working days of receipt of your order.

For horseshoe creation lead times please bear in mind we are not Amazon! Please be understanding of the time, effort and care that goes into what we do. Each item is individually handcrafted. We do not bulk create and we do not buy in and resell. We make and create everything we offer here.

The majority of our pieces are hand forged and crafted to order.

In general please allow 3 weeks lead time for dispatch of your order. We do endeavour to be as quick as we can while taking time on the art we create. We combine Horseshoe Hearts work alongside farriery (and any emergencies that occur with this!) and other work, family life and our own animals.

Please allow 4/6 weeks lead time for Braided Horsehair items and Horseshoe Photo Frames.

Some larger pieces and larger bespoke orders may take longer lead time.

If you would like a gift in a hurry may we suggest our Boxed Gift Certificate here

Please Note: If using your own horse’s shoes delivery lead times are from the date your shoes are received by us, not the order date. Please ensure shoes arrive with us as promptly as possible.

Sending your own shoes:

The address to send your horseshoes to is Horseshoe Hearts, 3 Cromer Close, Little Gaddesden, Herts, HP4 1PR. Please include a note with your name and order number so we know they are your shoes.

On check out you will be given the option to select your item under 2kg to be sent to you via Royal Mail First Class Signed For or via Special Delivery. Please note the only Special Delivery is tracked. Signed For acknowledges when the item is sent and when the item was received. It is not a tracked service. If you are sending precious shoes we recommend Special Delivery or other Tracked and Signed Service.

All items over 2kg will be sent with a courier (usually UPS) and are sent on a tracked and signed service.

International Orders:

We are happy to ship to most locations worldwide. International Delivery is for International Standard delivery. Approx. transit/shipping time between 5-10 days depending on your location. We cannot guarantee shipping times.