101 Photos of Men, Mustaches, and Memories by Jim Wigler

Photographer Jim Wigler is a treasure. He was born in Detroit, and as soon as he was able he headed to New York City to begin his photo career with the Nikon his father had just bought him. 

His New York adventures included a big early photo shoot with Leonard Cohen and a torrid drug- and liquor-fueled affair with a New Yorl City beat cop, Paul Borter.

When that fell apart, Jim beat a hasty retreat to San Francisco just in time to spin out of control completely in 1979. 

Then, happily, recovery happened early in 1980. Along with his newfound sobriety, he rekindled his affair with photography, learning everything from scratch sober. He began shooting for all the gay sex magazines there — Drummer, Bear Magazine (Brush Creek Media), Honcho, and many more. His knowledge of the leather scene in San Francisco from the ’80s on is astounding.

He mounted several important exhibits in S.F.: "Faces of AIDS," "Viet Nam War Vets: Face to Face," and "Stars of the SFPD."

The collection of images here is from his massive Tumblr archive, which has since been deleted by Tumblr. The images are both sexy and moving. Many of the men are no longer alive, due to both AIDS and old age. What began as sexy photo shoots has become, over the years, a soulful archive of a time both magical and tragic. 

"I found the remainder of the 'Clive' photo session. This was paid for by a Japanese businessman who sort of became my patron for a while by commissioning photo shoots. It was both a lucrative and artistic relationship. Maybe I’ll find another patron before long."

"A fantasy man, he came out of Texas … He was a 23-year-old medical resident at the University of Texas at Galveston when he stepped onto the stage and won the title of International Mr. Leather 1983. He radiated sex. Although he was only 5 feet 9 inches tall, his chest and butt were perfection, so people didn’t much notice or care that he wasn’t tall. He was a sunny blonde. He was a doctor, a cowboy and a leatherman. He was every daddy’s boy and every Top’s bottom. He was classy, and better still, he had class." — International Leatherman magazine

"I found more negatives from this Bear Magazine shoot. This was shot when Richard Bulger, Bear’s founder, was still in charge. Before everything was ruined by Bear Dog, who bought Brush Creek Media."

"I found more negatives from this Bear Magazine shoot. This was shot when Richard Bulger, Bear’s founder, was still in charge. Before everything was ruined by Bear Dog, who bought Brush Creek Media."

"Yes, I found the entire photo shoot with Joe Hollinger, SF Eagle Mr. Leather 1990. These photos were paid for by my Japanese patron and a good time was had by all, except for Joe. As you can see, he wasn’t the least bit turned on and he certainly wouldn’t have lowly me fluff, or do anything he might have found to be exciting. The pictures are hot (not really), but they would have much more thrilling with an erection.  :P"

Andrew Pear was an amazing person and fabulous model. I met him when I did the Eagle Bare Chest Calendar for whatever year it was in the '80s. Of course, I tried to photograph him when and wherever I could. These pictures bring back lots of memories.

"This guy, nicknamed The Thug because I haven’t the faintest idea who he is, was one of those models I called back time and time again for obvious reasons. I sure Jim Trudeau of The Connecter used these pictures for something, anything."

I found the remainder of the 'Clive' photo session. This was paid for by a Japanese businessman who sort of became my patron for a while by commissioning photo shoots. It was both a lucrative and artistic relationship. Maybe I’ll find another patron before long.

"Peter Austen! Not only was he one sexy cowboy, but he wore the sexiest leathers in San Francisco. You can almost smell the leather."

"Peter Austen! Not only was he one sexy cowboy, but he wore the sexiest leathers in San Francisco. You can almost smell the leather."

"Grant Dupont desperately wanted to be a porn star. He worked at Orphan Andy’s as a waiter during the day, and at night, he’d troll the gay bars for porn stars to learn the ropes. No one wanted him. I did this photo session for an exchange of services. He, too, had an enormous glove fetish."

"Michael Pereyra was a friend of Colt Thomas and graciously consented to model for Do You Get It Graphics, a greeting card company started by Colt and myself. What a stud! These pictures are part of a group of never been seen before photographs. I’m glad I can share with you all what an amazing man Michael Pereyra is."

This is was a leather shoot looks like in the late '80s, early '90s. I actually think Kevin’s hot, retro or not.

"A hot man from a shoot for the Castro Country Club Calendar. Unfortunately, and for various reasons unknown to me and God, the Castro Country Club, at the last minute, decided not to publish the calendar. It was a pretty stupid decision, if you want my humble opinion."

"A hot man from a shoot for the Castro Country Club Calendar. Unfortunately, and for various reasons unknown to me and God, the Castro Country Club, at the last minute, decided not to publish the calendar. It was a pretty stupid decision, if you want my humble opinion."

"This guy was a Jim Trudeau model, picked up right off the street. Now these really do look like vintage AMG material."

"This guy was a Jim Trudeau model, picked up right off the street. Now these really do look like vintage AMG material.

"I found the complete set of negatives for this 'Leather Lovers' photo shoot. This would have been perfect for Valentine’s Day. Well, better late than never. I’m pretty sure this was shot in the early '80s. Probably when I was Drummer magazine’s staff photographer. I just love photographing gay guys in love!"

"I found the complete set of negatives for this 'Leather Lovers' photo shoot. This would have been perfect for Valentine’s Day. Well, better late than never. I’m pretty sure this was shot in the early '80s. Probably when I was Drummer magazine’s staff photographer. I just love photographing gay guys in love!"

"I found the complete set of negatives for this 'Leather Lovers' photo shoot. This would have been perfect for Valentine’s Day. Well, better late than never. I’m pretty sure this was shot in the early '80s. Probably when I was Drummer magazine’s staff photographer. I just love photographing gay guys in love!"

"I found the complete set of negatives for this 'Leather Lovers' photo shoot. This would have been perfect for Valentine’s Day. Well, better late than never. I’m pretty sure this was shot in the early '80s. Probably when I was Drummer magazine’s staff photographer. I just love photographing gay guys in love!"

"Lord knows I tried with Mr. Cavalier, but I find the pictures completely unsatisfactory. Yet for some reason, he seems to be very popular. So, in the interest of being ecumenical, I present Part Two of the photo session."

"These pictures were shot in Chance Reardon’s apartment. The cop is Chance (who really was a cop and all the gear is authentic) and the gear freak, my alter ego, is Norman, a neighborhood aberration. The love of my life was a New York City patrolman, Paul, and we would play scenarios enacted in this layout. I hope all you gear, leather, and gun freaks can identify and enjoy." 

"This is what a leather shoot looked like in the late '80s, early '90s. I actually think Kevin’s hot, retro or not."

"Some of you have asked if I had pictures of Paul B., the love of my life, a New York City Patrolman and the inspiration behind the recently posted Cop Sex layout."

"This is Dawn… Actually, he has a Norwegian name and “Dawn” is the approximation of it. Is is an early '80s shoot for Jim Trudeau and The Connecter. I hope you like them."

"This is Dawn… Actually, he has a Norwegian name and “Dawn” is the approximation of it. Is is an early '80s shoot for Jim Trudeau and The Connecter. I hope you like them."

"The amazing, sexy, provocative, seductive, sensuous, alluring, appealing, dazzling, exquisite, handsome, stunning, wonderful WOLF! The gay rodeo superstar!"

"More of Colt Thomas’s more explicit leather shoot for our greeting card line 'Do You Get It Graphics.'"

"Here is the amazing Stephan Mistler leather shoot I promised. I believe these pictures were commissioned by my Japanese patron. Boy, those were the days! Stephan was a friend of Colt Thomas and I used him quite a bit for various magazine layouts and commercial work. Stephan died of AIDS on Valentine’s Day 1995. We all lost an utterly fabulous friend."

"This is Dawn… Actually, he has a Norwegian name and “Dawn” is the approximation of it. Is is an early '80s shoot for Jim Trudeau and The Connecter. I hope you like them."

"More Grant Dupont. I thought Grant was extraordinarily sexually and exciting. He had a ferocious leather and glove fetish, and being a South African redneck, he knew how to talk nasty as shit. I miss you Grant!

"

"Lord knows I tried with Mr. Cavalier, but I find the pictures completely unsatisfactory. Yet for some reason, he seems to be very popular. So, in the interest of being ecumenical, I present Part Two of the photo session."

"Yes, I found the entire photo shoot with Joe Hollinger, SF Eagle Mr. Leather 1990. These photos were paid for by my Japanese patron and a good time was had by all, except for Joe. As you can see, he wasn’t the least bit turned on and he certainly wouldn’t have lowly me fluff, or do anything he might have found to be exciting. The pictures are hot (not really), but they would have much more thrilling with an erection.  :P"

"Yes, I found the entire photo shoot with Joe Hollinger, SF Eagle Mr. Leather 1990. These photos were paid for by my Japanese patron and a good time was had by all, except for Joe. As you can see, he wasn’t the least bit turned on and he certainly wouldn’t have lowly me fluff or do anything he might have found to be exciting. The pictures are hot (not really), but they would have much more thrilling with an erection.  :P"

"The only identifying note on these negatives was “RAW.” I think they were this hot guy’s initials. I even remember him doing a shoot with Colt Thomas, but I don’t remember his name. He reminds me of old Patrick Batt from the old Mercury Mail Order catalog of sex toys."

"Here is the amazing Stephan Mistler leather shoot I promised. I believe these pictures were commissioned by my Japanese patron. Boy, those were the days! Stephan was a friend of Colt Thomas and I used him quite a bit for various magazine layouts and commercial work. Stephan died of AIDS on Valentine’s Day 1995. We all lost an utterly fabulous friend."

"The only identifying note on these negatives was 'RAW.' I think they were this hot guy’s initials. I even remember him doing a shoot with Colt Thomas, but I don’t remember his name. He reminds me of old Patrick Batt from the old Mercury Mail Order catalog of sex toys."

"Presenting Rodney Felix! I met Rodney when I was doing the Castro Country Club calendar (which the Castro Country Club blew off and never published). Rodney’s lover was a member of the club and we did duos for the calendar and this solo shoot for God know’s what. No matter how 'vintage' or “retro” you consider my work, I think the pictures are fabulous."

"This cute street urchin was picked up by Jim Trudeau for a Connecter advertising shoot. I think Jim just wanted to do drugs and have sex with him. I just wanted to have him grab my head with his hot gloved hands and force me to fluff him, get him hard and take his load. On the way to fulfilling my fantasies, we got some great pictures."

"This cute street urchin was picked up by Jim Trudeau for a Connecter advertising shoot. I think Jim just wanted to do drugs and have sex with him. I just wanted to have him grab my head with his hot gloved hands and force me to fluff him, get him hard, and take his load. On the way to fulfilling my fantasies, we got some great pictures."

"(Around 1990) A leather daddy and his boy dropped by Jim Trudeau’s garage and I was lucky enough to be there. I left before the party started.  I thank God on a daily basis for my sobriety."

"Deniz, A Boy With A Big Dick Wearing Black Leather Gloves! (Part One) I thought these pictures (at least from the teaser) would be wildly popular and garner untold wealth in donations. Apparently, I was wrong. But I adored Deniz and I think these photographs are wonderful."

"This man was a Jim Trudeau find and the pictures were for Jim’s The Connecter sex telephone service. Actually, this was the very first photo shoot for Jim Trudeau. It was all so wonderful. I got to play around with the models, take awesome pictures, get paid and Jim got the photographs for ads. By the way, Jim’s lover when he lived in Los Angeles was a rather well known “fitness guru” who he used to lead around on a leash to L.A.’s leather bars. This had to be taken in the late '80s.

"This guy is 'Eric,' a Jim Trudeau Connecter model. Just between us, I think he was hotter than shit. The jacket, the gloves, the look, the hair. Very 1980s and very sexy. I wish he could have gotten hard. We certainly tried, but I think he had stage fright. Although I did get to taste those gloves, jacket, beard, lips and, of course, cock. Grrrrr… Damn, he is so sexy!

"A Stephan Mistler shoot for the Do You Get It Graphics greeting card company, a company started by Colt Thomas and myself. Stephan was an amazingly sweet man. We did many shoots for many magazines together. He was the star of a bartender shoot for Honcho magazine which became the singular most popular issue of Honcho. Shooting for those magazines was good money back then… sigh."

"A Stephan Mistler shoot for the Do You Get It Graphics greeting card company, a company started by Colt Thomas and myself. Stephan was an amazingly sweet man. We did many shoots for many magazines together. He was the star of a bartender shoot for Honcho magazine which became the singular most popular issue of Honcho. Shooting for those magazines was good money back then… sigh."

"The Scott Neely, Mr. Sleazy bondage boot shoot done for whatever at Blow Buddies in the late '80s. Both were pretty amazing models."

"​Rick Bolton was a star and director for Bob Jones Productions. Bob, for all his thousands of character defects, was a gay video pioneer. Who could forget Pits, Tits & Feet starring Donny Russo, a Bob Jones discovery? I don’t think Rick Bolton liked me. The first thing he said when I arrived on the set to take pictures was, 'I’m in charge.'"

"The Scott Neely, Mr. Sleazy bondage boot shoot done for whatever at Blow Buddies in the late '80s. Both were pretty amazing models."

"These pictures were shot in Chance Reardon’s apartment. The cop is Chance (who really was a cop and all the gear is authentic) and the gear freak, my alter ego, is Norman, a neighborhood aberration. The love of my life was a New York City patrolman, Paul, and we would play scenarios enacted in this layout. I hope all you gear, leather, and gun freaks can identify and enjoy." 

"Andrew was an amazing person and fabulous model. I met him when I did the Eagle Bare Chest Calendar for whatever year it was in the '80s. Of course, I tried to photograph him when and wherever I could. These pictures bring back lots of memories."

This guy was hot, but never really got hard, despite utilizing numerous techniques known only to gay erotic photographers.

"A photo shoot using the then brand new Leather Pride flag with one of the sleaziest, sexiest models I’ve known. These pictures took a while to get up because my car was towed Gay Pride Parade weekend and it totally devastated me physically, financially, emotionally and spiritually. But slowly I’m recovering. May God fuck the SFMTA."

"A photo shoot using the then brand new Leather Pride flag with one of the sleaziest, sexiest models I’ve known. These pictures took a while to get up because my car was towed Gay Pride Parade weekend and it totally devastated me physically, financially, emotionally and spiritually. But slowly I’m recovering. May God fuck the SFMTA."

"The Scott Neely, Mr. Sleazy bondage boot shoot done for whatever at Blow Buddies in the late '80s. Both were pretty amazing models."

"The Scott Neely, Mr. Sleazy bondage boot shoot done for whatever at Blow Buddies in the late '80s. Both were pretty amazing models."

"This might be the first photo shoot I did after leaving Drummer. I had just setup my studio, bought backdrops, and setup my own darkroom in the apartment. I can see how tentative I was with the model."

"Smoking Glove Fetish Alert! I just found more negatives from a wonderful afternoon I spent with a young smoking glove fetishist."

"August 1998 Honcho layout starring Michael G. and someone else from the Bob Jones Studio. Shot at Blow Buddies. A good time was had by all."

"It was 1980. I just got a Nikon FM with three great lenses and there was a hot model ad in the Bar Area Reporter, a cheap throwaway gay paper in San Francisco noted for their “gay model section.” Not having any money and horny as hell, I called an ad and suggested we exchange services. I’d do a photo session in exchange for his manly services. I was hesitant to ask, but soon divulged my secret fetish: I’d love to see him smoking a cigar and wearing skin tight black leather gloves. I couldn’t believe he said it sounded hot. And hot the shoot was. Even today, these pictures drive me crazy."

"House Slave (part two), the very first photo essay I did for Drummer magazine in 1981. A follower, 'Howard,' who actually had a copy of the book, scanned all the pictures. An amazing gesture and contribution to the art of male erotic photography!"

"When I did the color Honcho shoot, I also did two rolls in b/w and gave them to Leon. My assistant at the time, Zak, fluffed Leon and I got some great pictures of that, too. Well, some of those b/w images have turned up on the internet. I just wrote to Leon and asked if I could scan those images."

"The most ridiculous photo shoot ever. We have Blue with Jim Trudeau. Blue was a famous bodybuilder (who died recently) and Jim Trudeau was, well, a crazy old coot who died as a result from a cocaine overdose while he was clean and sober."

"A shoot with the recently deceased body builder, Blue, and some kid in a sailor hat. Blue’s real claim to fame was that his lover and partner was his biological father. We’ll all miss Blue."

"I found Tony completely mesmerizing. He was like evil personified, and it was completely sexy beyond all belief. Tonynever really did anything, but he carried the erotic off with just his boots, gloves, and cigar. I promised a fellow glove fetishist friend that I would scan and publish every single frame of the shoot. By the way, Tony, if you’re still around, let’s finish the photo session.

"Larry Hunt was into being strangled by men wearing skin tight gloves. I took this picture in the early '80s… Later he was found murdered in a park in Los Angeles."

"Don Roberts was a hot friend of Rob Marvin. He was totally in to gloves, leather, uniforms and the darker side of sex. The only thing that turned him on was a guy wearing skin tight black leather gloves threatening him and preferably strangling him. (Don’t look at me, Rob Marvin was there on the sidelines to help things along.) This sheet of negatives was set aside for the Tom of Finland exhibition."

"I cracked open a new volume of negatives and discovered this photo shoot taken in the original Mr. S leather store in the late '80s. The concept was to have two hot guys actually wearing merchandise during sex. We weren’t allowed to show the sex part, but the pictures are as erotic as I could make them."