Visalia Age Identification

[compound]

One of my friend received a gift of an old saddle. It is the saddle from Visalia company. Is a in very poor condition, with a broken fork and cantle, very unprofessionally repaired. A friend received information that the saddle is more than 100 years old. BUT ..... I am very closely at this saddle and I discovered that the tree is FIBERGLASS covered. Does anyone have any information please when it began using fiberglass cover of tree? I think that it was later than 100 years ago

Thanks

Martin

[steveh]

This saddle has some features that would indicate that it is early saddle. Eight buttons. loop seat, seperate seat jocket, exposed stirrup leathers. You can see where the rear jockey and front jockeys have been replaced. Is it possible that saddle was stripped to the tree and the rawhide may have decayed or cracked and repaired with fiberglass. Fiberglass was around in 1940's more mainstream by 1950. I would not think the original tree was fiberglass. Visalia moved to San Fransico in early 1900, but the visalia stamp on the seat still read visalia Ca., but the cantle back makers stamp read San Fransico, with a serial #.

Steve

[Harfindel]

I have been digging around in the primary historical records for SF and Visalia, CA, trying to find the specifics of David E. Walker and the Visalia Stock Saddles Co., from inception to about 1910. The sources are things like census records, directories, contemporaneous newspaper references, etc.

So far this is what I have been able to confirm about the progression of the business, and in particular for this topic the use of the maker marks over time. I am posting this in case it helps someone identify these saddles as they come up.

1873-?? David E. Walker, Visalia Mark: Unknown,

18??-1878 Shuham & Walker, Visalia Mark: Unknown

1879–1887 David E. Walker, Visalia Mark: Unknown,

1887-1892 Walker & Wade, Visalia Mark: Unknown

1887-1892 Walker & Wade, SF Mark: “Walker & Wade, Makers, Visalia Cal” on cantle back

1893 Walker & Wegener, SF Mark: Oval, “Visalia Stock Saddle, Walker & Wegener, Makers, San Francisco CA” on cantle back, no serial no.

1894 David E Walker, SF (sole proprietor immediately before death) Mark: Unknown

1984-19?? Visalia Stock Saddles Co., Henry A Wegener, Prop., SF Mark: Oval, “Visalia Stock Saddles, Co., San Francisco CA” on seat back; NO serial no. present

19?? onward Visalia Stock Saddles Co., Edward W. Meeks, Prop., SF (Still looking for the death date of Henry A Wegener, sorry - its after 1901) Mark: Oval, “Visalia Stock Saddles, Co., San Francisco CA” on seat back; WITH serial no.

It appears that the additional mark on the front edge of the seat of these saddles, of an oval, “D E. Walker, Maker, Visalia, Cal, Mark” does not appear until Meeks takes over the company in the 1900's.

Edited October 12, 2013 by Harfindel

[compound]

Hi all

Thank you for your infos

After long time i saw this saddle again. On cantle is oval brand"VISALIA STOCK SADDLE Co. SAN FRANCISCO CA. with number 6970 in center of brand

Have anybody some next infos about age of this saddle?

Thanks

Martin