Texas saddle - EBay

[Mike Ventura]

Thoughts on this?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-1870s-Era-Exposed-RAWHIDE-SADDLE-Complete-Very-Rare-MAKE-OFFER-/200752945628?_trksid=p4340.m2109&_trkparms=aid%3D555001%26algo%3DPW.CURRENT%26ao%3D1

[Mark Choate]

Re: Texas saddle - EBay

Mike,

I would certainly like to have that, but not for anywhere near what he is asking for it. I am a bit dubious as to the age as the tree does not look 140 years old. The leather is weathered but still something just does not ring true. The make up of the saddle is fine as many of the Texas features sort of "plateaued" from the late '50's and held to many similar traits for a good while, but, still not sure. It is noteworth to see how narrow the stirrup leathers are to what we see with many modern repros.

Good find, Mike and I think you should offer him $1500 and see if he takes it. :wink_smil

Mark

[The Egyptian Homeguard]

Re: Texas saddle - EBay

Those folks always have some cool stuff for sale from spurs to saddles but they are always high on their prices... or at least to my way of thinking...

[Doughboy]

Re: Texas saddle - EBay

Pretty saddle. Has been for sale for ages at this price. Casey Mott has gorgeous new one for sale for 1600 which would be a much better value

[Ken Knopp]

Re: Texas saddle - EBay

This saddle is a post war catalog saddle dating anywhere from late 1870's to 1920's. Likely closer to the latter rather than the former. Someone has cleaned it up nicely. It shows little real use but some storage "issues" (dried and pulling rawhide, leather crease damage) although it appears to have escaped most of the usual rodent damage.

These type horned saddles were a very, very common in the above noted era. Made cheaply in significant numbers by a large number of catalog houses (along with other popular horned, or unhorned saddle patterns). Generally, these saddles were made for sale to the "post war" Southern riding class (as prosperity post Reconstruction "slowly" returned) or northern and mid-western rural (farm) populace. Farther west in Texas, NM, AZ, etc., saddle like this were not very popular. There, the prevailing culture understood and knew the quality differences so preferred only higher quality, often hand crafted (often utilitarian) horned saddles. California is another story.
Not alot of market for these today but I had one every bit as nice as this a few years ago. Sold it to a guy in France for about $350 or $400 I think. Nice "wall hanger" but that's about it.

The “catalog era” started just before the war in the bigger cities north (mostly) and south. The Southern riding market was its primary customer base but the war, obviously, had a significantly negative affect on this business for a few years. It was not until the mid 1870's with the stabilization of the economy that it began to flourish again.

Generally, you can easily tell the difference between a post war 1870's to 1920's catalog “Texas”, “Morgan”, etc. saddle from the pre war horned patterns. These post war "jiffys", NUG included more decorative hardware (light weight, stamped brass or thin floral plates and nails) and were more ornate in leather cut (such as scalloped edges) and finish (often using "creasing machines rather than hand tooling). Often, the leather was very poorly tanned, thinner and the "rigging" straps not very durable. The stirrups were usually badly constructed, light weight, quickly made wood (sometimes cheap pine!). The really cheap saddles often employed "split" (a.k.a. tubular or star) rivets on the stirrup straps, quarter straps, even fenders and jockeys.
On the other hand, high quality, hand crafted pre war horned saddles had more distinct patterns, sometimes crude leather cuts (patterns), better tanned more durable leather, features such as more (or little) sewing, little hardware but more "latigo" attachments of stirrup straps, etc. Sometimes these saddles were rather monolithic and even "regional" in features. Yes, all of this but then, not always. High quality hand finished saddle features might also depended upon the regional location of the showroom or shop, the worldliness and skill of the saddler and the pocket book of the customer. Many of these pre war and regional distinctions were later, largely erased, blended or morphed into other features by the war's exposure to other patterns, ideas, techniques and materials.
Just a few observations.


Ken R Knopp

https://www.confederatesaddles.com

[Mike Ventura]

Re: Texas saddle - EBay

Ken,

As ALWAYS, spot on!!!