Folks wanting to identify their saddles... These pictures were sent by people wishing to know the makers of their saddles.  Without a maker's mark it is difficult.  Perhaps some visitors will recognize them and let us know . Tony Horton Howdy from West Virginia! Have been trying to identify this old saddle.  After cleaning off years and years of filth, we are still unable to find a maker's mark. The only thing tooled on are tiny, singular flowers here and there around the border.  Thank you!! And am enjoying your website immensely!  Candace Faw Made in the 40s or 50s in Texas.  It is still in beautiful shape, and the leather is very soft and supple.  The underside is padded leather.  Peggy Wag
EDDLEMAN BROS. SAD. CO. Maker Graham, Tex. My husband has a saddle that his father bought back in the late 1960s. It has a stamp that reads EDDLEMAN BROS. SAD. CO. Maker Graham, Tex. on the seat and both Stirrup leathers. It also has a bull stamp on both stirrup leathers and tooling across the seat. I have attached a photo of the stamp. Thanks, Julia Washburn A. B. Eddleman, Graham Texas 1900-1957 The Eddleman Bros brand was used from about 1897-1957. There is a bit more to the history about ownership changes, but the business burned in 1957 and nothing was salvaged.
Side Saddles Does anyone recognize the maker of these two side saddles?  The both bear the distinctive sunflower medallion in the third picture.  We have a visitor who sent these photos and who would like more information.  Please email us if you can help.   He says, "I'm trying to figure out who made these 2 side saddles.   I believe both were made by the same maker because of the distinctive medallion in the leatherwork and similarities in the tooling and design, but have been unable to find a maker's mark on either one.    I'm guessing they might have been made in Oregon, because I've seen photos of one that IS marked (have not seen it firsthand) and was told that the maker was from there.  It too, has the sunflower medallion that you see just above the stirrup leather here.  I know this saddle has had repair to both the horns and the rear skirts, but it's still a lovely saddle and it's very durable..I specialize in ladies sidesaddles and have been dealing in them for 35+ years, but these two are part of my private collection.    Thanks for any help you can give.     Marti Friddle VP American Sidesaddle Assn. ASA Certified Instructor http://hundredoaksinc.com "
Porter Saddles Newton Porter, originally from Texas, opened a shop in Phoenix, Arizona around 1898.  He died around 1912 but his sons were among the most important saddlemakers in the world during the 1930s and 1940s.  From the 1890s through the 1960s, Porter's Saddles employed two dozen or more master craftsmen, who tooled and sewed the saddles.  Their saddles were world famous for being among the finest made.  They also mentored apprentices who often opened their own shops.
N. Porter Phoenix, Arizona Genuine Lee Robinson Trademark
Miles City Saddlery I In 1909, Charles E. Coggshall employees Clem Kathmann, Frank Jelinek and Bert Coleman, bought out Coggshall and formed the Miles City Saddlery Co.  At its peak between 1910 and the Depression years of the 1930s, there were up to 40 saddle makers working in Miles City.  During this period,  the cattle range started closing up and there was a corresponding decline in the need for saddles. During the Depression, no one could afford buying saddles. The company changed hands a number of times and Carl Wilson closed the saddle shop in 1982.  In 1989, Jack and Mary Lou Deibel bought Miles City Saddlery  and reinstated saddlemaking.
Makers of the Original Coggshall Saddles	This is a Miles City #8 Bronco or Contest Saddle that originally sold for $66.  It is made on a Coggshall's Improved Roundup Tree and has a 15" swell.
1918 custom-made No.4 saddle by Miles City Saddlery. Courtesy of Michael Redman www.PureCowboy.us
Hamley & Co. - Pendleton, Oregon
Each maker in Hamley's had a distinctive border that he placed around the Circle H Trade Mark.
Maupin Bronc Saddles - Elko, Nevada     Contemporary saddle maker
Vanco - Sacramento, California VanCo was a maker out of Sacramento, California.  Van Voorhees and Company started in 1850.  In 1920 they took on a partner and became Van Voorhees-Phinney Co.  They used the VanCo brand until the 1940s.  Photos courtesy of Rayanne Engel Currin
Maker Don Hughes, Burnes, Oregon   Bill Long -Spokane, Washington     Bill Long Spokane, Washington Custom saddlemaker who also ran "Bill Long Saddle School."  He set up the custom saddle making course at Spokane Falls Community College and taught there the first year, before Jesse Smith took over the position.  Long later moved to Hamilton, Montana.  Courtesy of Cole White.  His Grand Dad's saddle built in 1969.
Otto F Ernst -Sheridan, Wyoming   Otto Frederick Ernst, born 1872 in Louisville, KS, learned the trade working for a Mr. Dodgion in Wamergo, KS.  Ernst and his family moved to Sheridan, Wyoming in 1900 where he worked at several jobs including making saddles for George Parmeter.  Otto and John P. Buckley opened the Ernst-Buckley Saddlery in 1902 and it continued until 1907.  Otto's brother John became the master saddlemaker.  Otto died in 1938 and the business continued until it closed in 1975, a year after Otto's oldest son Ernie died. Photo Courtesy of Chandra Weeks
AL Furstnow - Miles City, Montana Albert F. Furstnow, born 1822 in Wisconsin, established the Al Furstnow Saddlery Co. in Miles City, Montana in 1884.  In December 1894 he went into a partnership with Charles E. Coggshall.  That partnership lasted until 1899.  Furstnow was known for his fancy leatherwork.  He died in 1923.  The saddlery continued in business until 1982. Photo Courtesy of Chandra Weeks
Pete VerBeck - Miles City Montana Born in 1900, Pete Verbeck began his apprenticeship with Al Moreno at Al Furstnow's Saddlery.  In 1919 he went to work and Miles City saddlery and stayed until 1931.  In 1936 he returned to Furstnow's, but left again to work at Miles City Saddlery, and later returned again to Furstnow's.  In 1947, he opened his own shop, Pete's Saddle Shop, and made saddles there until he died in 1976.
John Clark - Portland, Oregon John Clark started his saddlery in Portland, Oregon in 1878.  He died around 1923 and his family continued the business until 1927.     "Child’s saddle we believe was built in the early 1900’s.  It has been in our family almost 100 years. The saddle makers mark is a small diamond inside a larger diamond.  In the space between the lines is stamped 'John Clark and Son Portland Oregon'."  Steve and Leslie Dobson   Unusual saddle made by the John Clark Saddlery Company in Portland Oregon.  The estimated date is late 1800's to early 1900's.  Some of the features are a brand marking on both sides which is the letter M crowned with a sun burst.  Their is also the number 8 on the center of the pommel.  The horn is metal and looks like it had be covered with polished nickel.  The seat is a rough out type with a brochette design.  Stirrups are wood and measure across the inside 4.5 inches.  Measurements from the inside of pommel to the back edge of the seat are 13-inches, and 15-inches from the back edge of horn to the back of the seat.  And the measurement from the base of the horn while touching the seat to the back edge is 18-inches.  The tree is also in excellent condition and not broken.  The approximate weight is around 20-pounds.  We would appreciate your emailing with any ideas about the original use of this light-weight saddle.
Don Peters - Clark Saddle
Keyston Bros. Saddlery
In 1868, James Keyston began Keyston Bros. James began making whips and lashes in the stable of his father's home on Church Street in San Francisco. James and William Keyston, sons of Samuel Keyston, started manufacturing saddles in San Francisco in 1906.  Shortly after the earthquake and fire of that year they bought out JC Johnson Co. makers of saddles and harness.  In later years, they bought out several other companies and became the largest manufacturer of saddles and harness on the Pacific Coast.  In 1950 they bought out HH Heiser (Denver) from the Denver Dry Goods Company  with the Keyston Brothers marketing under the Heiser - Keyston combined names and 1959, Lichtenberger (Los Angeles.) and became Heiser Keyston Lichtenberger to late 1960s.  The company continued their riding goods business in Sparks, NV until 1999.  Keyson Bros. remains in business today as an upholstery fabric and supply distribution company.
LOST SADDLE We have posted the saddle information below for a visitor from Texas.  If you are able to help him recover his saddle, please respond directly to him at his address below. My name is Bob Burnitt and I am trying to find my saddle that was stolen in March of 2004.  I bought it BRAND NEW in 1968, it was a “Potts Longhorn” built by Billy Cook, the REAL Billy Cook.  You could put it beside a Windy Ryon, a L. White, or a Billy Cook saddle of the day and NOT tell it apart.  It was a”professional Horse-Man’s” saddle.  Not one of the Billy Cook feedstore saddles you see now.   It had a Chuck Shepherd Tree, with a silver horn cap that said Longhorn Roper.  It was handtooled all over and was buckstitched all over which was popular at the time believe it or not.  The buckstitching wore off the first year I had it.  Very little of that remained but the holes for it are still there..  The saddle had an EXTREME amount of wear on it when it was stolen but it had not been ridden since I quit training racehorses in the late 70’s.  The seat was padded and SMALL.  The left wear leather was missing from under the dee rings and I STILL have that.  I can PROVE it’s mine when I see it. I have been looking for it for 6 years and will pay a $1,000 CASH reward for the return of the saddle and another $1,000 for the name of the sob that stole it.  A ton of other stuff was stolen when this saddle was stolen but the saddle was IRREPLACEABLE!!!! I found a saddle VERY SIMILAR to it and have attached some photos.  This saddle is a little different, it is an “Ashcraft All Around” and appears to have a “Low Down Roper tree in it.  Mine had a Chuck Shepherd BUT it had the same HORN in size and style.  The major difference between the saddle in the photo and mine is mine did NOT have as much “swell” at the fork.  Other wise it is VERY similar but mine had a LOT more wear as I trained horses all over the United States and Old Mexico when I was young.  I can’t ride a horse now and probably never will again, but I want that saddle BACK.  I most certainly want to find the low life that stole it so I can give him his.  This saddle was stolen in our 30th burglary here in Ellis County.  Jeff Crilley from Fox 4 did a story on it and Scott Gordon with KXAS 5 did a story and LIVE broadcast out here regarding the fact we have been burglarized 30 times.  Take a tip from me, don’t move to Ellis County, it is the thieving capitol of Texas.  I want this saddle back. I will look for it until I am dead. Thanks for your help!!!!  Bob Burnitt  800-692-6319  bobburnitt@aircanopy.net
We would like to make a collection of photos and history of makers and maker's marks.  If you have something to share, please email us.