Can you guess the age?

[Curbstrap2]

It is marked Simons Saddlery from Albuquerque NM. I have been looking for information on this maker, but so far no luck. Thanks for any help.

http://i84.servimg.c...44/cimg1810.jpg

Edited January 17, 2010 by Curbstrap2

[Curbstrap2]

It is marked Simons Saddlery from Albuquerque NM. I have been looking for information on this maker, but so far no luck. Thanks for any help.

http://i84.servimg.c...44/cimg1810.jpg

Anybody? With all the fine minds on this forum someone's gotta have an idea. Come on, don't be shy.

[cowgirlrae]

aluminum alloy dees are after the 50's, stainless steel laced rope edge would be after the mid 70's. no buckstitching, I would say after the 70's.

The general style is late 70's thru 80's. The fact the dees are aluminum alloy would lead me to lean toward the 70's, I would think a later saddler would use stainless. Although he may have used old stock.

Is the lacing stainless or sterling?

Thats the deductions of my theory, based on the picture.

[Curbstrap2]

aluminum alloy dees are after the 50's, stainless steel laced rope edge would be after the mid 70's. no buckstitching, I would say after the 70's.

The general style is late 70's thru 80's. The fact the dees are aluminum alloy would lead me to lean toward the 70's, I would think a later saddler would use stainless. Although he may have used old stock.

Is the lacing stainless or sterling?

Thats the deductions of my theory, based on the picture.

The lacing looks to be sterling and the conchos are all silver pesos from the 1950's.

[Blake]

I'll go out on a limb here, That looks like the work of John Simon . The saddle appears to have a Porter style influence and if I am not mistaken he worked at Porters along with Bob Dellis at some point in his career.

He was in Stephensville Texas for a period in the 1990s and is currently in Arkansas.

Troy West may have more information or can offer corrections to my statement .

Blake

[TroyWest]

I dont know if John built that saddle or not. He is about to teach a leather carving class with Carey Blanchard in Feb. in Little Rock, Arkansas. I dont have his contact info but Carey should.

Carey Blanchard

P.O. box 632117

Nacogdoches, Tx. 75963

(936) 569-9480

mooeyb4@yahoo.com

Careys nickname is Mooey. Years ago he rode bulls and they would stop and buy beer but Carey would always get milk. They started calling him Mooey Milk Bucket and it stuck. Now he's just Mooey. He tooled the cover on the current issue of Leather Crafters Journal. John and Carey both are excellent toolers. Maybe you can track John down.

[Curbstrap2]

I dont know if John built that saddle or not. He is about to teach a leather carving class with Carey Blanchard in Feb. in Little Rock, Arkansas. I dont have his contact info but Carey should.

Carey Blanchard

P.O. box 632117

Nacogdoches, Tx. 75963

(936) 569-9480

mooeyb4@yahoo.com

Careys nickname is Mooey. Years ago he rode bulls and they would stop and buy beer but Carey would always get milk. They started calling him Mooey Milk Bucket and it stuck. Now he's just Mooey. He tooled the cover on the current issue of Leather Crafters Journal. John and Carey both are excellent toolers. Maybe you can track John down.

Thanks for the information but I was mistaken. The saddle in question is the one with 40 years worth of encrusted saddle soap and the more I clean, the more I am finding out about it. Under both jockeys is a makers mark that reads " Carl Fuqua Wichita Falls TX" but on the rear cantle it reads "Simons Saddlery Albuquerque NM" How weird is that? A saddle with 2 completely different makers marks...what do you suppose that means???

[horseforms]

Your post is old, but I just saw your question last night while googling the saddle maker.  Fuqua made custom (made to measure) saddles for many years for Simon's of Albuquerque during the late 50's and 60's.  His design for the equitation saddle eventually gave birth to the saddle marketed by Circle Y's "Jack Bates Equitation saddle" produced in 70's (which is another story).  Simon's of Albuquerque changed its retail focus from Western Wear/ranch supply after it got the contract to supply police uniforms for most of New Mexico's law enforcement agencies.  My guess is Fugua moved to Texas after Simon's closed its tack department and took what materials remained with him.  I never knew for certain where Fuqua went afterwards for certain.

My two brothers and I all had saddles made by Fuqua and one brother still rides his at age 70.  (14 inch seat....wow)  I would expect there is a collector or two out there, maybe including me that might be interested in the saddle if you still have it.

Reg Woodard

Albuquerque, NM

[BillyK]

Hey reg I have an old heiser saddle for sale that's in excellent condition would you be interested? Was reading this guys ?? And saw your reply and thought I'd ask  that's a nice Simons saddle for sure!!