# truck load of vintage saddles. help?



## edgefarmer (Mar 16, 2011)

Okay, so this guy out by Hearne was cleaning out his barn and selling off lots of neat stuff. Included were six saddles and with a minimum of negotiation I bought all six. One is a M1904 McClellan with 1928 kit installed and in pretty bad shape. One is a Cowboy brand Big Horn child's pony saddle No. 70 and it's pretty decent. One has a readable Mfr. stamp that I.D.'s it as a Ranch King by Tanner leather company, Dallas TX. I could use some info on that. One has a partially legible stamp on the back jockey. One has D-rings that appear to be cast iron. If someone is willing to take a shot I could post some pics. So how bout a little challenge?

Hugs


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## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

I'll try to help you out. Nothing you said is screaming $$$ though. I would need pictures or sure and an honest descripton of condition AFTER they are cleaned up and properly oiled. No big names there but if they are older when they made them with quality you might have something. Cleam them up and post pictures for a more accurate assesment  BELIEVE ME, IT IS WORTH THE CLEAN UP!!!
ETA: if you want or need help with clean up let me know...I can help you with that. Please excuse my typing this is not my computer


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## jill.costello (Aug 18, 2004)

A hint: years of ground-in dirt and sweat can be loosened by a HOT oil treatment. Wipe the gross dirt and dust off with a damp rag, and then use a paintbrush to paint on saddle oil that you have heated in the microwave. keep re-heating the oil until every last crevice of that saddle has been treated. THEN, with a soft bristle brush and mild soap and water, scrub the saddle clean. The hot oil driving thru the grime will have loosened it and make your scrubbing go alot easier!

There I go giving away my secrets, again ;-)


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## Wolf mom (Mar 8, 2005)

I'd find out what they're worth before cleaning. Not just because of the work involved, but because...

Some people like to have them as "decorator items" sittin' on a fence or whatever. They seem to bring more money than a useful saddle.


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## edgefarmer (Mar 16, 2011)

I have figured out some of this. One of the saddles is a H.S. Lebman, it has no tooling at all except for the brand stamp on the back jockey and uses the old four sided nuts on the stirrup bolts. Mr. Lebman started making saddles in Texas apparently in the 1920's and was also reputed to have done some custom gunsmithing for some famous gangsters of the area (Floyd, Nelson).









The other old looking western also uses the old four sided nuts on the stirrups and is double rigged with forged iron D's (not cast). It has minimal tooling and a makers mark on the right fender that's only partially legible. 

















The ornate one that is is nicer shape has a number stamped on the back of the cantle 0429. Other than that my neighbor looked at it and said his old Hereford had the same swirled/spiral pattern on the horn cap.


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## Joshie (Dec 8, 2008)

I've often seen that last one on eBay. You could get an ideal about its worth there.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

The first saddle does not have original fenders and the replacements aren't very good and the third one looks like somebody used it for roping but I don't think that it looks stout enough to safely be used as a roping saddle. 

None stand out to me as being incredibly valuable but if you didn't pay too much and are willing to put some work into them, you should be able to sell them a make a bit of money.


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## edgefarmer (Mar 16, 2011)

The third one, "0429" is definitely the heaviest of the bunch. It weighs a ton. The user that said they'd seen it on E-bay, Joshie , any mention of brand?
And thanks to all for hints on cleaning.


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

wr said:


> the third one looks like somebody used it for roping but I don't think that it looks stout enough to safely be used as a roping saddle.
> 
> .


I have an old Hereford almost exactly like that. It can (and has) handle a ton of roping. They weigh a ton and have an oak tree covered with thick raw hide. Steel horn well attached.

The horn is a little short so if you want to dally rope and keep your fingers you need to stay awake.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

tinknal, thanks for the information. Perhaps it doesn't seem overly stout to me simply because I'm a visual kinda gal and there's nothing to really compare it too or maybe it's a simple matter of looks can be deceiving.


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

wr said:


> tinknal, thanks for the information. Perhaps it doesn't seem overly stout to me simply because I'm a visual kinda gal and there's nothing to really compare it too or maybe it's a simple matter of looks can be deceiving.


Oh, I understand. Most of the padded seat, short horned saddles I've seen are junk, but those Herefords made back in the 60s and 70s were some stout saddles.


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