Artisan Mike Roths carves passion for the Old West into saloon replica.
Mike Roths is a self-taught, natural talent who turns knotted wood into finely crafted, artistic furniture and installed cabinetry that will take your breath away. Roths, owner of Bear Paw Custom Woodworking in Stevensville, has been working with wood since 1979. He’s won five awards from the Bitterroot Tour of Homes and Missoula Parade of Homes, but, recently, his meticulous craftsmanship and interest in the architecture of the Old West culminated in his acceptance into the prestigious Wester Design Conference 2003, where only 70 artisans are chosen to exhibit their work. For his entry in the 2003 Western Design Conference, Roths built “Isabella’s,” a scaled-down version of the saloons of the late 1800s. At almost 10-feet-tall, this masterpiece is a liquor cabinet with five rooms (including one with the customary red light) for storage.
The many impressive details of this masterpiece include a hallway that appears three dimensional, and a bar behind swinging doors, with small bottles of liquor lining the shelf. There are rusted iron lamps that hide dovetail joined, touch-latch drawers, which open to a light touch, and finish closing after a gentle push. Roths’ penchant for the Old West doesn’t keep him from embracing all forms of modern technology. Many of his pieces have an old-time appearance, but smooth, contemporary function.
“Isabella’s” took about 400 hours to build. The saloon comes apart in three pieces, which he drove to Wyoming and assembled for the three-day conference. He’s hoping to sell “Isabella’s” for around $25,000.
Operating out of a shop in Stevensville, Bear Paw serves homeowners, interior designers, and contractors. Many of the projects are in-home remodels or new construction, crafting fine, custom cabinetry for in-home entertainment centers, kitchens, bathrooms, or an entire house.
Roths’ free-standing pieces can also be incorporated into homes, for truly opulent effect.