Heiser Saddle Circa 1880S-1920

[kaitlin]

Hi, I bought a saddle about a year ago to use while training my horse - it has the deep inverted swell. I found your web page and it spurred me to look for the maker's mark - which is H.H. Heiser Saddle Company of Denver, CO. I searched on the Internet and found that this particular mark was used on their saddles from 1880s to 1920. There is also a number stamped on it - looks like 683 but could be 688 and just worn. I've attached a photo I took yesterday. It's not in mint condition, has some nicks in the leather on the swell, but still looks pretty decent. Can you tell me anything about this saddle? I was just about to sell it as a regular saddle. Are these saddles just generally kept in use until they wear out or is there a reason to preserve this saddle for the future? Thanks for any insight here.

Best,

Kaitlin

[Frank]

Kaitlin,

Your saddle is worth a pretty good penny as long as the leather is in good condition, the rigging and also the tree. Anything with the H.H. Heiser stamp on it is constantly going up in collector value. Holsters, rifle scabbards, cartridge belts, and saddles made by Heiser are bringing very good money right now and will bring more when the recession lightens up. I would definitely put some time into caring for the rig and putting it away as a collectible. That's just my humble opinion. If you want to store it in someones closet, I'd like to recommend mine!!

Frank

[kaitlin]

Kaitlin,

Your saddle is worth a pretty good penny as long as the leather is in good condition, the rigging and also the tree. Anything with the H.H. Heiser stamp on it is constantly going up in collector value. Holsters, rifle scabbards, cartridge belts, and saddles made by Heiser are bringing very good money right now and will bring more when the recession lightens up. I would definitely put some time into caring for the rig and putting it away as a collectible. That's just my humble opinion. If you want to store it in someones closet, I'd like to recommend mine!!

Frank

Thanks for the reply. I had no idea it was old saddle when I bought it - just loved the classic styling and the deep seat. I've stored it in my living room since I bought it (except when riding) - it's just a pretty saddle - much nicer than the overloaded frilly saddles being made now. It's also surprisingly lightweight. Can you give me any idea what I should use to take care of it? II've used Neatsfoot oil and saddle soap on it.

I welcome all suggestions. Does anyone else think this saddle could be a collectible? I took a closer look at the stamped number and it is definitely 683. Is there any way I can research what this saddle is called and when it was made?

Thanks!

Kaitlin

PS - Apologize for so many questions but I really don't know what to do.

[Timbo]

There is no "could be" collectible to it..............it IS collectable. HH Heiser is a very big name in the saddlery world. Very much sought after, especially in useable, rideable condition. I would love to have one even in poor shape just for display, let alone in the condition yours is in. Take very good care of it......it will only increase in value especially if you can maintain its condition. The condition could be improved though. Please be careful with how much neatsfoot oil you are using on it as you can over oil it. Personally I would take it apart and give it all a good cleaning. There are several very good products available to clean and restore the leather to a more natural state and renew the ph balance of the leather. Which in the long run will increase its life. If you don't feel comfortable doing this please find someone who can....'cause when you sell it you will definitely get your money back and then some!!!!

Great find.......wish you the best of luck!!!! You own a piece of saddlery history.

Tim

[kaitlin]

There is no "could be" collectible to it..............it IS collectable. HH Heiser is a very big name in the saddlery world. Very much sought after, especially in useable, rideable condition. I would love to have one even in poor shape just for display, let alone in the condition yours is in. Take very good care of it......it will only increase in value especially if you can maintain its condition. The condition could be improved though. Please be careful with how much neatsfoot oil you are using on it as you can over oil it. Personally I would take it apart and give it all a good cleaning. There are several very good products available to clean and restore the leather to a more natural state and renew the ph balance of the leather. Which in the long run will increase its life. If you don't feel comfortable doing this please find someone who can....'cause when you sell it you will definitely get your money back and then some!!!!

Great find.......wish you the best of luck!!!! You own a piece of saddlery history.

Tim

[kaitlin]

Hi Tim,

Thanks for writing - I'll take your advice re: Neatsfoot oil. I found a saddle guy about 30 miles from me who may be able to help me clean it properly. I read all of the cleaning products advice on the forum and hope I can pick the right one in case I'm the cleaner. It's actually a little bizarre how I bought this saddle. I went to see a guy with lots of saddles for sale, didn't like any of them, asked "Don't you have something else?" and he dragged this one out of the back of his barn - it was really filthy and he didn't want to sell it to me. He was a hay truck driver and he had traded hay for this saddle with the local country music star. So it had probably been sitting in her barn for years too. I hope I can restore it properly. If you have a favorite cleaning product you recommend, would you let me know?

Thanks!

Kaitlin

[Timbo]

I really like the Leather Therapy line of products especially for this sort of cleanup and restore. Here is the web address:http://www.leathertherapy.com/index.php?main_page=products_all&type=equestrian

[tonyc1]

One of our local trainers of pacers brought an H H Heiser saddle to me a couple of years ago for some minor repairs and a new girth and I wish I'd taken some photos of it while I had it in the workshop. They were going to use it to work a young pacer around the hills. I remember that it did have a pretty narrow gullet and a very high cantle and a wide swell to it.

It was in pretty good nick for its age and I wonder how it came to make its way down here to Tasmania?

Tony.

[weatherhorses]

Hi all! New to the board, in a very similar position to Kaitlyn, with a very similar saddle. I've owned mine for about 15 years now, and am still riding in it every day. Didn't occur to me to question the value or collectibility of the saddle until my Paint mare started to outgrow it, width-wise (it's got a 6.5" gullet...guess my moose needs a 7"!) I think Kaitlyn's is in better shape, though, but mine's not bad at all. Is anyone brave enough to throw a ballpark value onto a saddle of this era, in reasonable condition? I'll try and upload some photos of mine tonight.

Kaitlyn, I do have a copy of the 1920 Heiser catalog...I'll look through it tonight when I have more time to see if I can ID it from that catalog. Mine is not in it, so I suspect it's older than 1920.

Also, if you could do me a favor and check for a second number on yours? Mine is stamped "283" on the left front of the skirt, but I also have "22" stamped on the underside of the right seat flap, and "18721M" on the left rear of the skirt.

Geez, all these numbers! Does anyone know what they refer to specifically?

[Canadian Cowboy]

Hi there! I have a Heiser saddle for sale, if anyone is interested!? I bought it at an auction and didn't realize what I had bought until after doing some research! The leather is in very good condition but it's missing the right cinch strap. I would be happy to send photos, should anyone be interested!?

Edited May 13, 2014 by Canadian Cowboy

[Aiyanna]

Hello, I am curious. I have seen and read through everyone's comments and want to know more about these saddles as I have one with this brand I'm showing below. It is in great condition and has been used recently. 

[Maslen66]

I have a hhheiser  saddle that i cant find out to much about it has a #564 stamped on it & D15387 stamped under it . Beartrap tree .with a steel horn  wanting  to know if anyone can help with age ,value? 

[Maslen66]

Its a great saddle still gets used most days  for young horses has nee sheepskin & lacing replaced .