D.A. Kabatoff Report post Posted June 9, 2007 Hi, Just wondering if anyone has ever heard of a book or catalog (not sure which) put out by Fred Harsant? I think it's called "Saddles of the Old West". I have an old Chuck Stormes catalog that was sent to Fred in the 1970's, with a message offereing help in the research department for the book he was writing. I know that Fred was a saddlemaker and treemaker who apparently was interested in old saddles and did some nice work... other then that, can't seem to find anything else about him. thanks, Darc Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bruce johnson Report post Posted June 9, 2007 Darcy, Apparently it was done as a booklet. A google search shows a copy in the collection of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum (formerly The Cowboy Hall of Fame) in Oklahoma City. Not a lot is showing up on a search. The name is correct, it is called Saddles of the Old West. Sounds like he made some period reproduction saddles for display. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
T Moore Medicine Hat Saddlery Report post Posted June 9, 2007 Darcy, Apparently it was done as a booklet. A google search shows a copy in the collection of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum (formerly The Cowboy Hall of Fame) in Oklahoma City. Not a lot is showing up on a search. The name is correct, it is called Saddles of the Old West. Sounds like he made some period reproduction saddles for display. I bought some trees from Mr Harsant It is true he was interested in the old saddles when I was first starting out he was very helpful A good man Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blake Report post Posted June 9, 2007 Darcy, Apparently it was done as a booklet. A google search shows a copy in the collection of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum (formerly The Cowboy Hall of Fame) in Oklahoma City. Not a lot is showing up on a search. The name is correct, it is called Saddles of the Old West. Sounds like he made some period reproduction saddles for display. Hello Bruce Fred Harsant and I corresponded for awhile some years back. Saddles of the Old West was his business or company name. When I met him he was teaching Tree and Saddle Making and one of his students lived near me and made a pretty nice tree in his class after making a saddle. Both were impressive. He had a strong accent and I believe he said he was from Australia. Someone else told me that he was a Kiwi. We exchanged many pictures and the last ones that I returned to him came back as undeliverable and I lost track of him after that.I believe he was in Colorado at that point. I've often wondered what became of him and if anyone knows I would appreciate any information. I still have pictures that belong to him.He is a very interesting person. If I can get the pictures scanned I will post them for the group. I gotta catch up to 21st century technology but first I have to overtake the 20th. Blake Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rod and Denise Nikkel Report post Posted June 10, 2007 We met Fred Harsant at the Sheridan show in '97 and '98. He was an Aussie. We heard a few years ago that he had passed away, but can't remember who we heard it from. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blake Report post Posted June 10, 2007 We met Fred Harsant at the Sheridan show in '97 and '98. He was an Aussie. We heard a few years ago that he had passed away, but can't remember who we heard it from. That is sad news to hear but thank you for the information. I don't know if Jim McSuns was one of your clients but he passed away just a few weeks back. He worked for Price McLaughlin for many years as well as Mclellends . He was living in Williston Florida and was turning out some really nice Wade saddles. I know that he was using some trees from Swanke and Rick Reid. Somebody needs to start seriously documenting some of the old guys before they are all gone. Blake Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
barra Report post Posted June 10, 2007 http://www.abc.net.au/tropic/stories/s1360765.htm Here is a link to a story on the Australian broadcasting Corporation (ABC) relating to Fred. It is dated 04 May 05 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RyanCope Report post Posted November 10, 2007 (edited) Just a side note. I've got a catalog that Chuck Stormes delivered to Forrest Shoup in the late 70's. The note inside the front cover was asking for help on a book that Stormes had in the works about Visalia Saddle Co. Did Stormes ever produce such a book? Maybe he was just helping Fred? Ryan Cope Edited November 10, 2007 by RyanCope Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bruce johnson Report post Posted November 10, 2007 Ryan, Griff Durham and Chuck were corresponding on doing the book too, but it hasn't happened yet. When Griff was down here for the cowboy museum antique roadshow this summer, I asked him because I had heard the same thing. It has kind of been back-burnered. Griff has quite a lot of Visalia stuff. He has some saddles and stuff in his collection, but the paper is what is neat. He has a binder of original shop photos they took of each saddle as it was completed in-shop for their records. Also he told me he has the engraving plates they used to print the early catalogs too. I think Greg posted a while back that Chuck Stormes recently ended up with Stanley Dias's stamping tools. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RyanCope Report post Posted November 10, 2007 I saw those catalogs a couple weeks back. Pretty amazing. I've heard Shoup talk quite a bit about working with Stanley. I think Shoup even employed him as tooler for a while when he went out on his own. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
