Help Estimating Saddle Value

[Cecil]

This is the the third saddle my friend received from the estate. It has the original Girth. Could you help us determine the fair market value. Here are some pictures.

[buffalo]

$50. I'll take it.

Buff

[grumpyguy]

This appears to be a model 1909 Mc Clellan saddle. This model was the last of the Mc Clellan line. There were at three other versions the fist known as the 1859 model. This saddle was used by the US Army until after WWII when the army sold off hundreds to army surplus dealers. Collectors would have intrest in a saddle like this but it is the least valued version. tThe civil war modles are highly sought after and bring high prices and by the way they were made with black dyed saddle leather. (All 1909 modles were manufactured with natural colored saddle leather.) I'm by no means an authority on these but there is information regarding the specific features of the different models.

[Randy Cornelius]

I saw one simular to this sell on Ebay some time back for 300.00 price range.

[barra]

http://www.militaryhorse.org/studies/mcclellan/

This shows the evolution through the years.

Barra.

[Cecil]

http://www.militaryhorse.org/studies/mcclellan/

This shows the evolution through the years.

Barra.

Barra:

Thanks for the link. The historical information is very interesting.

Edited September 9, 2008 by Cecil

[Echo4V]

There are a lot of factors that go into the value of this saddle. It's a 1904 style saddle ( there is a later model that had fenders like an english saddle added to a 1904 model--the later style is called the 1928 model) but as to the value of the saddle it's very hard to tell without having the saddle in front of me but there are a few ways to tell if it's more valuable or less.

1 Does the saddle have any date stamps on it? Ussually they are on the quarter straps ( the strap that crosses the pommel and cantle)

2 Do any of the items that are not orriginal to the saddle have date stamps ( the stirrups and stirrup leathers and cinch ring straps and the safes are obviously off a different saddle but how old are they?)

3 What size seat is it?( the seat sizes were 11 11 1/2 and 12 and were marked on the pommel shield)

4 Do you have any more of the coat straps?( that strap that is run through the slot on the pommel is called a coat strap)

5 What does the bottom look like? ( some of these saddles had fleece under the bars and some didn't, did yours? if so does it still?)

6 Is it a millitary or civilian version ( military versions had the seat size stamped in the pommel shield civilian versions didn't)

7 Is it an Artillery saddle of Cavalry saddle? ( Artillery saddles had a D ring on the pommel and the cantle Cavalry saddles didn't This ring will look like a crupper D ring)

8 Is the saddle bag post still there?

Actually, I just took another look at your last picture and this is a civilian version saddle(that doesn't mean it's not still worth something) I noticed in the picture from the rear top of the saddle that the pommel has the civilian shield with no seat size marked on it and it never had the saddle bag post. Those are two big indicators that this was a civilian version of the 1904 McClellan Saddle. Supposedly there were more of these than of the military version but I have never seen a civilian McClellan in person ( I have seen the military version of several different eras) so I don't know if this would be more or less valuable. It would really help to know the year it was made. I wish you luck in finding someone who can acurately value this saddle for you, if you want a good guess put it on Ebay with all the info you have on it then see what it brings. There are ways of auctioning an item without selling it on ebay, then at least you will have an idea of what a collector would pay for it.

David

[Echo4V]

Here is a good shot of a military version 1904 McClellan notice the difference in the pommel shield and that the seat size is marked on it even though you can't really read it in this picture. Also notice the saddlebag post in the center of the cantle. This is a cavalry version, if it were an artillery version there would be a d ring right under that saddlebag post.

Hope this helps

David