These custom spurs were commissioned by a collector from Diane Scalese. The customer's only instructions were to use an "eagle and snake" theme, and he wanted them to be fancy.

Eagle and snake designs are common and popular in spur making, but other decisions had to be made before the actual design was ready. The focus for Scalese became patriotic. Diane explains the she always liked the quote "In God We Trust," so she started with that for the eagle. Some revolutionary war research lead to the phrase "Don't Tread on Me" accompanied by a snake. After that, the other details were more easily decided.

The spurs are made with both inlays and overlays in a combination of 24K gold, 14K gold, fine silver, and sterling silver. The elegant finish is French grey.

Engravers and artisans are often challenged to create design themes that not only please the customer but are also appropriate to the piece itself. Perhaps the story behind these spurs by Diane Scalese will help other engravers merge client's wishes with their own creativity.