older A Fork saddle

[fleabitpokey]

I have an older A Fork saddle and it has a simple design on the fenders and the seat,kind of like a gourd or something. Just a single ,tooled piece. It kind of gives the impression of a Mexican flavor. I will have to get a picture and post it. But I was wondering if anyone knows how to find this kind of information, the maker. I have looked it over and can not find any hints as to who made it.Thanks Stephanie

[bruce johnson]

Stephanie,

Please do post some pictures. I really like this sort of thing. I have several references, and have access to some other guys who have forgotten more about old gear than I will ever hope to know. I have one of those who-made-this-saddle puzzles sitting in my living room.

Bruce Johnson

[fleabitpokey]

Stephanie,

Please do post some pictures. I really like this sort of thing. I have several references, and have access to some other guys who have forgotten more about old gear than I will ever hope to know. I have one of those who-made-this-saddle puzzles sitting in my living room.

Bruce Johnson

Bruce, I will dig it out and get some pictures of it. When I got it ,someone had cut out the seat and put in roughout leather in it's place. But the rest was pretty good. I was going try to make it usable again and began tearing it down, with the knowledge that a saddle repairman was going to help fix it. Well I got it ready to put new woolskins and riggin in and the like, and low and behold the repairman left the country. So it is in a barrel,waiting for me to get more knowledge to put it back together. I have an old Hamlet about in the same shape in the barrel next to it. But the Hamlet I have it's "Birth Certificate" from the company in Oregon. It is the order and invoice that went with it. All by the numbers on the various pieces on the saddle. The man's name that ordered it is on the saddle and the papers. Pretty cool,I think.

I will post some pictures of it soon. Maybe you or sombody you know will solve the mystery.

Thanks Stephanie

[bruce johnson]

Stephanie,

Can you see me writhing in agony at the thought of an old Hamley (with provenance, no less) sitting in pieces in a barrel?? Please take good care of it. One thing to consider with fixing up these old relics. Most of the trees they were built on are not sized or shaped to fit modern horses. General recommendation is to fix them up as a restoration, not necessarily to be a "user". Be careful how you restore these. Just like on Antiques Roadshow, some well-intentioned restorations can seriously lessen the value of some of these old treasures. How old is the Hamley?

Bruce Johnson

[fleabitpokey]

Stephanie,

Can you see me writhing in agony at the thought of an old Hamley (with provenance, no less) sitting in pieces in a barrel?? Please take good care of it. One thing to consider with fixing up these old relics. Most of the trees they were built on are not sized or shaped to fit modern horses. General recommendation is to fix them up as a restoration, not necessarily to be a "user". Be careful how you restore these. Just like on Antiques Roadshow, some well-intentioned restorations can seriously lessen the value of some of these old treasures. How old is the Hamley?

Bruce Johnson

Bruce, it sounds like you really appreciate the older saddles. It really does sound bad to admit it is in a barrel,but at least I still have it(had a couple bumps in the road).

The history on this old saddle is kind of neat. I rode this saddle in 1976 and 1977. I got it from a guy who came into a saddle shop that my ex. used to work in. He had several saddles in the back of his truck. He let me have it for the repair of another saddle(ex did the work). Cleaned it up and ponied horses at the track riding it. I became pregnant with my first son and sold horses and tack. In 1998, 21 years later I see the saddle on the back of a truck and talked the guy out of it for $150. I sent to Hamley(not Hamlet,that is my dogs name) and got a copy of the original order form and a certificate of registration for a custom made Hamley saddle.

It was made in 1928 for a man in Livermore CA. Has the name Antone Soares on the cantle back. All the numbers and name all show it is the real deal. After reading your post makes me leary to do much fixing. What do you suggest on something like this. It is a 14 inch,with I believe 14 inch swells. Like riding in a little box. Made me feel like I could ride anything....back in the day.

Looking forward to hearing what you think about it. Stephanie

[bruce johnson]

Stephanie,

My first recommendation is ... I will give you the $150 you have in it and not even ask for the barrel it is in. Second recommendation is that this saddle is 80 years old from one of the most respected saddleries of the time, be careful. Is Antone Soares the original buyer from Hamley's? Antone is a fairly common Portugese first name, and Soares is a real common Portugese last name. Lots of Portugese in this area. The Livermore valley is the next valley over from me, and it was a real cowtown at one time. Still a lot of cattle wintered on the hill pastures over there. The Rowell saddlery in Hayward was over there too. I just got in a "grandpa's Rowell" to restore. I would really suggest you try to find someone to work on restoring this saddle with. It just has too much age and experience on it to be a learner. There are other ones to learn on out there.

Bruce Johnson

[fleabitpokey]

Stephanie,

My first recommendation is ... I will give you the $150 you have in it and not even ask for the barrel it is in. Second recommendation is that this saddle is 80 years old from one of the most respected saddleries of the time, be careful. Is Antone Soares the original buyer from Hamley's? Antone is a fairly common Portugese first name, and Soares is a real common Portugese last name. Lots of Portugese in this area. The Livermore valley is the next valley over from me, and it was a real cowtown at one time. Still a lot of cattle wintered on the hill pastures over there. The Rowell saddlery in Hayward was over there too. I just got in a "grandpa's Rowell" to restore. I would really suggest you try to find someone to work on restoring this saddle with. It just has too much age and experience on it to be a learner. There are other ones to learn on out there.

Bruce Johnson

Bruce ,thanks for the offer but I am not looking to sell. Of those 80 years, I have a bit of 30 years connected. I had to give it up in 1977, then to get the chance to own it again 21 years later. Think I'll pass. Besides I have a 4 year old Grand daughter I am raising,and another on the way. Hope one of them will be instilled with taking care of the past.

I was raised in the Livermore Valley. As a teenager ,I probably got one of the best blue dogs off the Rowell Ranch.

Any suggestions who might be willing to help me restore my old Hamley I am up in Sonora.

Respectfully

Stephanie

[bruce johnson]

Stephanie,

Oakdale here, you got snowed on last night. I would be glad to look at it after I get back from Wickenburg.

Bruce Johnson

[fleabitpokey]

Stephanie,

Oakdale here, you got snowed on last night. I would be glad to look at it after I get back from Wickenburg.

Bruce Johnson

Bruce, We got about 5 inches of snow last night. Beautiful! It doesn't last long. Look forward to having you check out the old saddle. Enjoy the show.

Thanks Neighbor, Stephanie

[fleabitpokey]

[fleabitpokey]

[attachment=933:attachment

Here are a couple shots of the carving on saddle parts of my old A fork. Maybe someone out there will recognize the style and shed some light as to who the saddle maker was.

Thanks Stephanie

I get to answer my own question. Someone with better eyes then I, made out the mark on it.

S. F. Ahlstrom from Lakeview Oregon has his stamp on it.

Stephanie