Old Hamely Saddle

[Randy Cornelius]

I thought I would post a picture of this Old Haney saddle that came in for repair. It is stamped "Hamleys Company Pendleton Oregon. On the back on the cantle is the Initials "D.C.S." Under the intitials is E203 Special E798 I presume these are the model numbers and the special indicates that the customer ordered it with his initials tooled in the back of the cantle. The saddle is flower stamped with a small flower tool about the size of a quarter all over the saddle. I really like this one and wish I had taken a picture of it before I started the work. The saddle was in really good shape and taken care of for the shape it was in. I fould a picture of a simular saddle in an old Hamley Cataloge dated 1940, so I presume it was made before the war. The tree was in very good condition, all the rawhide tight with no signs of pulling apart at the laces. Just thought you might enjoy seeing this good old saddle.

It would be nice to know who the orginal owner was that had his initials carved in the cantle, but that info is most likely long lost.

Randy

[bruce johnson]

Randy,

Call up Hamley's. They have the records. Not sure if they still do, but they used to have a place on the website to look a saddle up by the numbers. Last year I bought a Hamley association saddle hull from "fleabitpokey" on the forum here. When she brought it down to me, she had done the homework. They had sent her a copy of the original order form, the receipt when done, and a certificate of authenticity. It was from the late 20s. Pretty cool. Eventually I am going to retore it for the museum display. We don't have one from Hamley's on display.

Yeah, the trees in some of these old ones are good. The one in my Hamley looks good, as does my great-grandfather's Duhamel saddle, and an old Porter I have. I am restoring an old Rowell right now that doesn't have half as good a tree as any of those.

[Randy Cornelius]

Cool! I had no idea they were still in business, I sent them and email querry asking for history on the saddle.

Thanks again Bruce.

Randy

[Randy Cornelius]

Bruce, I sent Hamley an email just after I got your post on this. I got a phone call from a very nice lady from Hamley Co named Margret just a few minutes ago. She was so nice to look this up and call me. Here is what I found out about the saddle.

It was made on Aug, 18, 1936 by a saddle maker working for Hamley named Henry Donis

It sold new for $82.50

3/4 rigging, 14" seat and 14" swell

The stamp used was a # 580

It has a triangle tree, she did not know what that ment, if it was the tree maker or what.

It was a special order by a man named Allen Fquakin of Chopaku, Washington

I just love finding out the history of these old saddles, this just made my day!

If anyone knows anything about the stamp used # 580 please let me know.

Thanks again Bruce,

Randy

[Mike Craw]

Wow, we've gotten saddles in that were made in 1996 that only looked like they were made in '36. That thing is beautiful!

Mike

[Randy Cornelius]

Wow, we've gotten saddles in that were made in 1996 that only looked like they were made in '36. That thing is beautiful!

Mike

I just do good work, LOL should have seen it when I started LOL !

[Mike Craw]

Hey, how about a "Before and After" on restoration jobs? If any of us really brings one back from the dead, we can post them, assuming we remembered to take a "Before"...

Mike

[Randy Cornelius]

That's my trouble, they look so bad when they come in you don't think you will ever get them looking good again so I don't take a before picture.

Randy

[steveh]

Bruce, I sent Hamley an email just after I got your post on this. I got a phone call from a very nice lady from Hamley Co named Margret just a few minutes ago. She was so nice to look this up and call me. Here is what I found out about the saddle.

It was made on Aug, 18, 1936 by a saddle maker working for Hamley named Henry Donis

It sold new for $82.50

3/4 rigging, 14" seat and 14" swell

The stamp used was a # 580

It has a triangle tree, she did not know what that ment, if it was the tree maker or what.

It was a special order by a man named Allen Fquakin of Chopaku, Washington

I just love finding out the history of these old saddles, this just made my day!

If anyone knows anything about the stamp used # 580 please let me know.

Thanks again Bruce,

Randy

[Ronny]

That's my trouble, they look so bad when they come in you don't think you will ever get them looking good again so I don't take a before picture.

Randy

Randy, I can't tell from the pictures but Hamley used to use a flower stamp they called a Daisy May. It was popular about that time period. I have an old Hamley catalogue that shows it. I bought a Hamley low model B Form Fitter that Duffy Severe built when he worked there that had the traditional, Daisy May stamp. Ronny