The "Used Saddle Pick of the Week"
Every week we scour the Internet searching for a particularly juicy bargain on a high quality used western saddle and feature it here on the WSG Saddle Blog. The saddles featured are listed for sale on ebay as of the date of the post.
The Western Saddle Guide is not the seller of the saddles featured and does not make any representations about them. We encourage all potential buyers to do their own due diligence on the seller and the saddle before purchasing.
Oh, I am such a sucker for the great old saddle brands of yesterday - Tex Tan, Bona Allen, and Simco, among others. They were just such great using saddles and they are still solid today and are very affordable.
This week we've found a unique little Simco gem. It's a smaller saddle with round skirts and oversized swells that were popular mid last century. This is a saddle with some style, and it's been lovingly cared for.
This is a saddle for a youth or smaller adult and a smaller horse. With a narrow gullet and a short skirts, this would be a good fit for a short-backed horse with narrow shoulders.
It would also just be a nice little saddle to add to your collection. As of this writing, there's only one bid for $99.
We present the Saddle Blog's Used Saddle of the Week:
14" Vintage Simco Trail Saddle
Check out other Simco Saddles for sale in our tack shop.
Chattanooga saddle maker Big Horn Inc. has closed its doors after decades of manufacturing saddles, horse riding equipment and personal leather goods.
A company spokeswoman issued a statement to the Chattanooga Times Free Press Oct. 28. She indicated that recent slowdowns in the economy had hurt the business. Many saddle manufacturers rely on credit to front the cash required to produce a line of saddles. The current credit crisis makes that financing tough to come by.
Many, many people email us asking if we can help them identify the maker of their antique saddle and determine it's value. Unfortunately we don't have the resources to provide that service. What we can, and do, tell folks is that there are tons of antique saddles out there and very few have any collector value.
This month's issue (November 2008) of Western Horseman, confirms our comments in a short feature called "Decorative vs. Collectible Value."
Traditional Cowboy Arts Association saddlemaker and antique-gear expert Chuck Stormes, says that thousands of saddles from the early 1900's still survive, but most are of little collectible value.
"A famous maker, historically important owner, or an outstanding example of craftsmanship is what makes a saddle a collectible piece," he explains, adding that an old saddle will retain more value if it's in original condition and with all the original parts."
While this information may be disappointing to some, many others understand that antique western saddles are pieces of art and Americana that have an inherent value for the owner. Just enjoy the wonderful craftsmanship and imagine the life they've lived.
The "Used Saddle Pick of the Week"
Every week we scour the Internet searching for a particularly juicy bargain on a high quality used western saddle and feature it here on the WSG Saddle Blog. The saddles featured are listed for sale on ebay as of the date of the post.
The Western Saddle Guide is not the seller of the saddles featured and does not make any representations about them. We encourage all potential buyers to do their own due diligence on the seller and the saddle before purchasing.
This week we've found a handsome dark oil Circle Y Show/Western Pleasure saddle. It's had some use but has obviously been well cared for and has many miles left in the show ring.
This saddle has a 15 1/2" suede seat, floral tooling on the fork, skirts, cantle and jockeys and elegant silver trim. The gullet width is approximately 7 inches and the rigging is in-skirt.
A number of folks have an eye on the saddle. Bidding is brisk, but, as of this writing, the saddle is still at a bargain price of $202.50.
We present the Saddle Blog's Used Saddle of the Week:
15 1/2" Circle Y Show/Western Pleasure Saddle
Check out other Circle Y Saddles for sale in our tack shop.
