Ab Womack - Hailey, Id

[Mechanical Cowgirl]

Anyone out there know any history on saddles stamped with A.W. Mack Hailey, Idaho? I picked one up to repair, needs a good bit of work but I think it will fix up nicely. It would be interesting to know some history on the brand.

Thanks!

[Luke Hatley]

a photo would be great.

[Mechanical Cowgirl]

a photo would be great.

Umm,,, I already have it in pieces :-) I'll get some photos of the parts when I get out to my shop today and post them. Currently I'm picking all the rotted stitching out of the skirts to re-fleece them and it's taking forever. Any tricks to get it done faster other than pliers, an awl, and patience?

[lazyd]

Umm,,, I already have it in pieces :-) I'll get some photos of the parts when I get out to my shop today and post them. Currently I'm picking all the rotted stitching out of the skirts to re-fleece them and it's taking forever. Any tricks to get it done faster other than pliers, an awl, and patience?

I have a little short stubby awl haft and a short diamond shank awl with the tip broke off that I use to push the old stiches out from the bottom. That is, after I stick a knife in between the old fleece and the skirt and cut the threads off. That works pretty good for me. Good Luck!--------------Bill

[bruce johnson]

Old men are generally wise, and here's the tip from an old departed friend. He told me about doing this and then sold me the tool to do it with. Besides a marriage license it may have been the best $75 I spent. First off take a freehand stitch groover/gum tool, patent leather tool/whatever you choose to call it. I am attaching an example of one I have. It is basically a very small U-gouge. Run it over the top stitches and cut them off or severely weaken them. It may take two passes. Then just pull the woolskin from the bottom and the stitches all or mostly all pull out. The whole procedure takes maybe 10 minutes. I have used the loop blade type race compasses also, but the freehand groovers do a cleaner job for me.

As far as the tool, the only ones making them now are Jeremiah Watt and I believe Bob Douglas. The old ones were made by Dodd, the Osbornes, and Gomph. I had a waiting list for the old ones I have finally cleared, but none to sell right now.

[jwwright]

I started using the method Bruce describes a couple years ago, after Bruce told me about it. It works slick, and really cuts down on possible bad language in the shop doing reline jobs. JW

[Mechanical Cowgirl]

That sounds great! Luckily I have more to try this out on...

And, I found out today I'm missing a letter in the saddle maker's name, apearantly it is A. Womack of Hailey Idaho. So, anyone heard of this one? I took a few pictures today but they didn't turn out very well, I'll try to get some better ones tomorrow.

[bruce johnson]

The only thing I can find is in Graham's book "Old Cowboy Saddles & Spurs".

Ab Womack - Hailey, Grangeville, Kooskia, ID 1892-1966

[Mechanical Cowgirl]

The only thing I can find is in Graham's book "Old Cowboy Saddles & Spurs".

Ab Womack - Hailey, Grangeville, Kooskia, ID 1892-1966

That's all I've been able to find out about this maker as well. My neighbor just gave me a number of a guy up to Shoshone (just south of Hailey) that he thinks might know of the guy or know someone who might know something. If I find anything out I'll post it.

I have finally finished the saddle, every bit of stitching was rotted out so I've hand sewn the cantle binding, horn, and all of the rigging back together and refleeced it (in the original holes, don't worry). Maybe the pictures will help be able to date the saddle?

And of course now that I'm done I'd like to sell it but have absolutely no idea what it is worth these days. There's a lady over this way that is trying to find a saddle collector to buy it, I guess Idaho made saddles where quite sought after a few years ago (in Idaho), but now it's hard to find people with excess money for pieces of history. Do any of you have any experience pricing these old saddles currently? I'm not in a hurry to sell it, it is completely rideable and fits me very well so I'm not interested in dumping it. Everything is original except new fleece, rope strap, stirrups, and strings, and the 20 hours of hand stitching, I sure appriciate my machine A LOT).

Here is the maker's mark.

[Kevin]

You might try "Sitting Tall: Saddles and Saddlemaking in Idaho' from the Idaho State Historical Society.

Good luck,

Kevin

[Mechanical Cowgirl]

You might try "Sitting Tall: Saddles and Saddlemaking in Idaho' from the Idaho State Historical Society.

Good luck,

Kevin

Yep! Looked there, all it has is the exact same info that Bruce Johnson found and a picture of the maker's mark.

I spoke with the guy my neighbor said to contact and he said he knew Ab very well and that "he made a hell of a good saddle." But told me to contact another saddle maker up in that area and if he couldn't get me any info then to call him back... the hunt is on.

[Berlinda]

I have my grandpa’s (Ted Edholm) saddle and I believe it is the same saddle maker. Eventually my mom started using it and mom was born 1930. So I’m thinking 1910-20 (my family history is packed right now). My grandpa raised sheep in the Willow Creek area of Fairfield with the ranch north of Gooding. 
 

I’m looking at selling it but I have no idea the value.

On 3/9/2011 at 6:59 PM, Mechanical Cowgirl said:

Yep! Looked there, all it has is the exact same info that Bruce Johnson found and a picture of the maker's mark.

I spoke with the guy my neighbor said to contact and he said he knew Ab very well and that "he made a hell of a good saddle." But told me to contact another saddle maker up in that area and if he couldn't get me any info then to call him back... the hunt is on.

 

[Berlinda]

I found an article from Albuquerque, NM news paper about Ab and his wife. He started making saddles in 1900 approximately. I would love to know the value.

[Mallory]

On 3/8/2011 at 8:21 PM, Mechanical Cowgirl said:

That's all I've been able to find out about this maker as well. My neighbor just gave me a number of a guy up to Shoshone (just south of Hailey) that he thinks might know of the guy or know someone who might know something. If I find anything out I'll post it.

I have finally finished the saddle, every bit of stitching was rotted out so I've hand sewn the cantle binding, horn, and all of the rigging back together and refleeced it (in the original holes, don't worry). Maybe the pictures will help be able to date the saddle?

And of course now that I'm done I'd like to sell it but have absolutely no idea what it is worth these days. There's a lady over this way that is trying to find a saddle collector to buy it, I guess Idaho made saddles where quite sought after a few years ago (in Idaho), but now it's hard to find people with excess money for pieces of history. Do any of you have any experience pricing these old saddles currently? I'm not in a hurry to sell it, it is completely rideable and fits me very well so I'm not interested in dumping it. Everything is original except new fleece, rope strap, stirrups, and strings, and the 20 hours of hand stitching, I sure appriciate my machine A LOT).

Here is the maker's mark.

Do you still have this saddle? I’m interested in buying, Ab is family and I’d love to have a saddle of his.