197:, Jack Fritscher described the article as "an image-liberating historical issue that was read across the nation as an invitation to come to San Francisco and be a man's man." The article also included an interview with Bill Ruquy, part owner of the bar, who detailed the strict dress code that excluded tennis shoes among other garments that didn't fit the biker aesthetic. Especially for queer men living in conservative small towns, the publication shed a spotlight on this gay subculture of butch leathermen, who did not fit the widespread clichés of the 'effeminate homosexual'—and where to find them. Thus, the
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The patronage of the Tool Box included influential personalities of the early San
Francisco leather scene, among others artist Bill Tellman, Jack H. (owner of the Detour and the Slot, co-owner of Febe's), artist Mike Caffee (creator of the logo and a statue for Febe's), as well as the
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plan. During the lengthy demolition and construction work, one wall remained virtually undamaged for several years, exposing the two remaining panels of the mural to passers-by. This can be seen in historical photographs from the collection of the GLBT Historical
Society.
235:. Two panels were located along the south-facing walls towards Harrison Street, and two west-facing, on the glass storefront windows looking out onto 4th Street. During the 1960s, Arnett painted several replicas of the murals on wood panels, one of which was donated to the
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in 1964, it was considered the archetypal leather bar, helping to cement San
Francisco's reputation as the “gay capital” of the US. The bar's history was short-lived: from 1965 onwards, the epicenter of the leather scene shifted towards
185:, which not only brought San Francisco as a hub of gay life into public consciousness, but also the Tool Box. The article opened with a two-page photo-spread of its interior with patrons dressed in leather beneath a
655:
297:
Rubin, Gayle (2005). "Sites, settlements, and urban sex: archaeology and the study of gay leathermen in San
Francisco, 1955-1995". In Schmidt, Robert A.; Voss, Barbara L. (eds.).
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depicting a crowd of tough-looking masculine leather-clad men in black and white, among them sailors, bikers, businessmen and construction workers. The inscription read "
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that operated from 1962 to 1971 on the east corner of 4th Street and
Harrison Street. It was the first leather bar in the
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211:. This further illustrates the importance that contemporaries awarded to the Tool Box's role in gay leather history.
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piece unintentionally became an advertisement for the leather scene and ultimately a catalyst of gay emancipation.
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magazine dedicated an article about the demolition of the Tool Box in its second volume in August 1975, titled
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147:(most notably Febe's bar), which ultimately led to its closing in 1971. The Tool Box is commemorated at the
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Rubin, Gayle (2001-09-20). "The South of Market
Leather History. A Short History and Walking Tour Guide".
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archive in 2021. One of the depicted men has been identified as the biker and photographer Joe
Winters.
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Fritscher, Jack (1992). "Artist Chuck Arnett: His Life/Our Times". In
Thompson, Mark (ed.).
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recreated Arnett's iconic Tool Box mural for his exhibition "FREE!LOVE!TOOL!BOX!", at
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579:"Ringold Alley's Leather Memoir – Public Art and Architecture from Around the World"
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After the closing of the bar, the building was torn down as part of the city's
231:. The mural, consisting of four panels in total, was painted in 1962 by artist
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615:"Honoring gay leather culture with art installation in SoMa alleyway – J"
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479:"The Artistry of Leather and Desire: Archives Acquire Tool Box Mural"
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permanently displays a reproduction of Arnett's Tool Box Mural.
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Leatherfolk: radical sex, people, politics, and practice
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Country...", casting the depicted as a whole roster of
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The interior of the bar prominently featured oversized
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Defunct LGBT drinking establishments in San
Francisco
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San
Francisco South of Market Leather History Alley
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San Francisco South of Market Leather History Alley
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528:"Chuck Arnett mural, Tool Box Bar ruins, 1975"
444:Opel, Robert (1995). "Requiem for a toolbox".
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532:Hidden from History: Accessing the GLBT Past
379:. Vol. 56, no. 26. pp. 66–74.
167:also worked as a bartender at the Tool Box.
159:(oldest gay motorcycle club in the US) from
598:: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (
343:"Folsom Street: The Miracle Mile - FoundSF"
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420:. Alyson Publications. pp. 106–118.
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50:399 Forth Street, San Francisco
661:South of Market, San Francisco
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613:Paull, Laura (21 June 2018).
390:Brogan, Scott (2010-08-24).
301:. Routledge. pp. 62–88.
581:. Artandarchitecture-sf.com
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371:"Homosexuality in America"
369:Welch, Paul (1964-06-26).
299:Archaeologies of Sexuality
183:"Homosexuality in America"
504:"16 — Pride is a Protest"
392:"Looking back at leather"
316:"16 — Pride is a Protest"
237:GLBT Historical Society's
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483:GLBT Historical Society
209:"Requiem for a toolbox"
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465:San Francisco Frontier
157:Satyrs Motorcycle Club
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175:On June 26th 1964,
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278:Chuck Arnett
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233:Chuck Arnett
229:Marlboro Men
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120:The Tool Box
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22:The Tool Box
195:Leatherfolk
161:Los Angeles
81: /
69:122°23′59″W
56:Coordinates
640:Categories
625:2018-06-23
585:2019-12-30
563:2024-06-10
538:2024-06-10
513:2024-06-09
489:2024-06-09
352:2024-06-09
325:2024-06-09
284:References
113:Bill Ruquy
66:37°46′53″N
171:Reception
594:cite web
558:Artforum
467:: 20–22.
452:: 28–29.
272:See also
225:Marlboro
126:bar for
446:Drummer
205:Drummer
128:gay men
124:leather
47:Address
40:Gay bar
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221:murals
215:Murals
122:was a
102:Closed
94:Opened
187:mural
110:Owner
600:link
422:ISBN
264:The
199:Life
105:1971
97:1962
36:Type
130:in
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