Dimitri Omersa footstool Model rhino made in England,1960

Dimitri Omersa, originally from Yugoslavia, arrived in Hitchin, England in 1955 and entered the leather trade. There, he met a Liberty's of London designer known as 'Old Bill,' who had created a popular leather pig footstool from leftover pigskin in 1927. When 'Old Bill' retired, Omersa took over the business and moved it to Hitchin in 1958. He expanded the collection with new animal designs like the elephant, donkey, and rhinoceros. These handcrafted leather animals were sold exclusively through Liberty’s until the mid-1970s and are now recognized as timeless, collectible pieces.