Porter Style

[Kustom]

Hello,

I would like to learn what "Porter Style" carving is.

Does anyone have any examples of "Porter Style" carving? What makes it differrent than regular floral carving? Any info would be appriciated.

Thanks, Steve

[skipj]

Last year at Wickenburg a class in 4 styles of of carving including Porter. I also wondered what it was. This doesn't answer your questions but I'm curious too. I didn't realize there was anything except Sheridan and the old floral carving.

SkipJ

[hidepounder]

Kustom & skipj,

I will try to answer your questions regarding Porters style tooling. It is not as easy as one would think! As I'm sure you're aware, Porters was a very large saddle making company located in Phoenix, AZ., where it thrived for many years. Consequently hundreds of saddlemakers/toolers worked in their shop at one time or another, each perpetuating the Porter style of tooling. Old style Porter tooling is most represented by a large flower at the end of a stem which flows out of another flower or stem. There is a logical flow in the pattern where a stem starts, grows into a flower which is continued by another stem & flower, etc. Here are photos of Porter saddles from their 1931 catalog:

As time evolved so did their tooling patterns. You will notice in the photo on the left, that the pattern now flows in interconnected circles, as opposed to the one on the right, which is flowing in a general circle. These photos were taken from their catalog which was being used in the early and mid 1960's:

When considering Porter style tooling you must also recognize Bill Porters Saddle Shop where the Porter traditions were continued into the 1980's, long after Porters had closed their doors. In the next two photos you will see the Payson pattern (left), identical to one of the saddles from the 1965 photo and a Deer Valley pattern (right) which is very close to, and might even be confused with the Sheridan style. These two photo's came from a Bill Porters Saddle Shop catalog used in the 1960's, 70's and 80's:

So here are six examples of Porter style tooling and you can see the evolution to what is now considered Sheridan sytle tooling. What I see published and called Porter style, today, mostly are those patterns as represented by the 1965 photo's, largely because of Ray Pohja's influence, as he is internationally known as a Porter style tooler. I find this particularly interesting because he was primarily responsible for reducing the size of the Porters patterns into what Bill Porters Saddle Shop, produced, as represented by the Deer Valley pattern. Ray designed a pattern known as the Small Payson, where the Payson flowers were the same size as the flowers in the Deer Valley pattern. I don't know, but suspect that Ray may also have designed the Deer Valley pattern. The Small Payson and the Deer Valley were Bill Porters most popular patterns!

How do I know all of this you ask?...................Because I tooled for both Shops !.....................hope this helps to answer your questions!

[Hilly]

Wow! Thanks for the walk through time, hidepounder! Very intersting stuff.

Hilly

Edited November 11, 2008 by Hilly

[BearMan]

Hi Steve,

Here is an example of the "Porter" style that I used to do back in the 80's when I worked at the saddle shop. We actually had 3 diff. Porter patterns, but this is the only one I have a picture of. Hope this helps,,, Ed

Hello,

I would like to learn what "Porter Style" carving is.

Does anyone have any examples of "Porter Style" carving? What makes it differrent than regular floral carving? Any info would be appriciated.

Thanks, Steve

[skipj]

Thanks, thats the best description I've seen.

SkipJ

[Kustom]

Thanks Hidepounder and Bearman, that's a lot of great info. I feel like I have understanding of it now.

[Go2Tex]

Last year at Wickenburg a class in 4 styles of of carving including Porter. I also wondered what it was. This doesn't answer your questions but I'm curious too. I didn't realize there was anything except Sheridan and the old floral carving.

SkipJ

OK, now we know what is the Porter style and the Sheridan of course, but what are the other 2? Any examples?

[skipj]

In my earlier posting I mentioned a class at Wickenburg teaching 4 styles of carving. It was in 2007. Jessie Smith demonstrated 5 styles, they were:

Sheridan

Porter

California

Northwest

Texas

SkipJ

[Kustom]

Is Al Stohlman considered "California style"? What is the typical "California style"? I'm thinking it's what is kind of the standard style, but I could be wrong.

[skipj]

I didn't take the class, I just remember it being offered. I was curious at the time as to the difference between them. Are there more?

SkipJ

[bruce johnson]

Skip,

Were you in there with us? I took that class at Wickenburg, and it was pretty fun. It was an interesting class, and I'd recommend it if they give it anywhere again. Like anything it is hard to put these styles into strict definitions since they have crossed over, borrowed from each other, evolved as time has gone on, and every practitioner of a certain style will do that style differently. Basically the California style as Jesse laid it out was more of the Visalia style - larger flowers mostly filling the circular elements, flowing stem work, matted background, and veiners on the ends of the stickers. Another "California" I like is the work of Ken Griffin. It is well worth it when you find his book.

I sometimes wonder about the patterns we'd be seeing if guys like Ken Griffin and Al Shelton had been picked up by Tandy, or of some of the other guys in the belt book and early writings had gone on and done more.

[skipj]

I was at Wickenburg in 07 and 08. I took John Banches holster class both times. Have to do it till I get it right :-) Took a few other classes. I hope the schedule comes out sooner this year. It seems all the things I want to take are at the same time. Went over to the "Winter Range" Cowboy Action Shooting National Championships at Ben Avery range in Phoenix the same weekend. Just shopping not competing.

SkipJ

[King's X]

I appreciate the history lesson. It's good to know how to do the craft, but even better to know the history behind what we love to do. Thanks again

Greetings from Austin, TX

[Johanna]

We sometimes forget that the American southwest and Mexico's leather carving was a direct result of the Spanish who copied the Moors...our craft originally came from Europe and North Africa.

Johanna

(who is reading a book about Iberia this week)

[ArtS]

Thank you for the lesson!!!! I love this site!

Art

[tgardner]

That is a great bit of historical information. I really get into that stuff. I have a question for skipj even if it is a stupid one. You listed the different types of floral carving, so what exactly constitutes a Texas carving. Just curious because I love all things Texas.

[skipj]

I just got the class listing for Wickenburg and they are offering a class in Porter style again. Re: Texas style, I just remember the class being offered, didn't take it and I'm not knowledgeable about styles.

SkipJ

[HighDesert]

Here's a sample of "Porter's" style carving.

Hope it helps

[Kustom]

Here's a sample of "Porter's" style carving.

Hope it helps

That is nice. Do you use Sheridan tools for that?

[HighDesert]

yes, you can use sheridan style tools.

Sorry for the delay in response, been a busy holiday.

[King's X]

Adding more about Joanna's 'thread', I actually bidded on a book and pattern set on ebay before christmas titled something like 'Spanish floral carving' ? Anyways, I really wanted to have the pattern book just to admire the floral patterns and how they differ from the 5 discussed earlier. I lost the bid, it went way to high for me to admire, but a copy would have been just as good....old well.

Greetings from Round Rock, Tx.

[ketchum]

Hello,

I would like to learn what "Porter Style" carving is.

Does anyone have any examples of "Porter Style" carving? What makes it differrent than regular floral carving? Any info would be appriciated.

Thanks, Steve

theres a site you can go to ,,,,,, with only one sample of my fathers work ,,,,,look up cliff ketchum and add saddle maker ,,,,,,,,, and mervyn ringlreo ,,,,,,, worked at the porters saddlery an arizona ,,,,,, my father opened the san fernando valley saddle shop sometime just after the world war two ,,, ran the shop up until 1967 ,,,, all so head up to calabasas saddlery and ask for dave thornbary ,,,,, he leaned from mervyn ringlero ,,, have a good one patrick ketchum

[robert]

In the book "Sheridan Style Carving" and you can easily see the evolutionary change from some of Don King's early carving to what is called Sheridan style today. In the book "King of the Western Saddle," King credits Porters and particularly Cliff Ketchum as influences. So as noted above, the styles evolved as saddlemakers and cowboys moved around.

That is a great bit of historical information. I really get into that stuff. I have a question for skipj even if it is a stupid one. You listed the different types of floral carving, so what exactly constitutes a Texas carving. Just curious because I love all things Texas.

Old Texas carving often used an S style pattern. Flowers often used basal pedals, a cam tool was often used instead of a mule track, stems were stamped with veiners (where stems converge - where sheridan carvers typically use a large mule track). Smooth pear shaders were common. "Stickers" were much more bulbous than other styles. A lot of makers used a "birds eye" seeder for a backgrounder.

This notebook was made in San Angelo in probably the 1970s, but shows the historical style.

Also, there are some doodle pages on the various styles, reprinted over the past few years by Tandy:

Texas Style and Belt Patterns by Ken Griffin original print in 1964, reprinted in 2006

Texas Style Saddle Stamping by Ken Griffin, original print in 1964 and reprinted in 2005

California Style Stamping with Wallet and Belt Patterns by Ken Griffin, original print in 1964 and reprinted in 2006

Arizona Style Saddle Stamping by Ken Griffin, original in 1964 and reprinted in 2007

Another good source for reference, if you are in Texas, is the Texas Ranger Museum in Waco.

Troy West and Carey Blanchard (and others no doubt) have taken some of the historical flowers and elements from saddle companies around Texas and stylized them into a contemporary Texas style... they both do beautiful work... so the evolution continues.

Edited December 30, 2008 by robert

[King's X]

I appreciate the response. You are the second to mention the Texas Ranger Museum. I live about 1 1/2 hours away and I think I will make a trip this coming weekend. I will let you all know what I come up with after the visit. I appreciate the information and the picture. I hope you don't mind that I printed out the picture and now is hung up in my makeshift shop for reference.I love this site! great information..... Greetings from Round Rock, TexasSide note: I believe Troy West built the presidential saddle? I remember reading something about it. Anyways...just a tidbit.Oh I forgot, if you have those doodle pages and are willing to make copies for me, I will gladly pay for them.Greetings from Round Rock, Texas