Can you help identify this old saddle?

[slickfork]

Hi you guys...I'm new to your forum. Maybe one of you can help me identify this saddle. I figure it's 1890ish. No maker mark inside or out. Double rigged, leather covered rigging rings,full flower carved, 16 inch seat (big for that era) Still has the steel match striker button on the right swell. The leather is shot but the tree (rawhide covered) is in great shape, so I'm going to re-use it and re-build from there up. Only clue is a stamp on the wood under the rawhide of the tree says "CREOLE" or maybe "CREDLE" ?? difficult to read. Anyway it should be a fun project. Thanks for your interest

slickfork

[greg gomersall]

You might find a clue to its origin on the tree once you get the leather stripped off. Quite often the tree itself would have a label either under the rawhide or stuck on top. You should be able to read it thru the hide even if it is under. Greg

[slickfork]

You might find a clue to its origin on the tree once you get the leather stripped off. Quite often the tree itself would have a label either under the rawhide or stuck on top. You should be able to read it thru the hide even if it is under. Greg

You're right, I got it all peeled down and the only mark on the whole thing is under the rawhide of the tree, stamped in ink on front the cantle it says "CREOLE" (I think) the O might be a D? other than that nothing. I understand a lot of these unmarked saddles were made by saddleshop workers who were allowed to moonlight by their employers but were forbidden to mark the finished saddle in any way. Who ever made this one was a real craftsman and an artist. I was told that these "Moonlight" saddles usually looked very much like the official shop saddles (use the boss's patterns) so if I can find a marked saddle that looks similar, this one might be unmarked from the same shop.....thanks for your input Greg!!

Edited March 7, 2009 by slickfork

[slickfork]

You're right, I got it all peeled down and the only mark on the whole thing is under the rawhide of the tree, stamped in ink on front the cantle it says "CREOLE" (I think) the O might be a D? other than that nothing. I understand a lot of these unmarked saddles were made by saddleshop workers who were allowed to moonlight by their employers but were forbidden to mark the finished saddle in any way. Who ever made this one was a real craftsman and an artist. I was told that these "Moonlight" saddles usually looked very much like the official shop saddles (use the boss's patterns) so if I can find a marked saddle that looks similar, this one might be unmarked from the same shop.....thanks for your input Greg!!