Porter Style

[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

[robert]

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

enjoy the notebook pic... it isnt my work, and actually it isnt marked with a maker mark. i live in pflugerville, so if you want, you can come study it first hand sometime. i also have a bunch of pics from the ranger museum, but they are better in person, so its worth the trip. re the doodle pages, i can either make a copy or you might check with dennis at the tandy store in austin - he may can get you copies. I seem to recall that tandy frowns on their doodle pages being posted online or reproduced on a large scale but i think a single photocopy for personal use would be fine.

yes, the presidential saddle was made by troy west - truly a work of art.

[King's X]

Yea, I checked Dennis' collection and didn't find anything like that, but I would mind a copy. He has allowed me to make personal use copies of items before. Since I don't run a business or charge, he gets it back from in sales. Plus, I started teaching the Basic carving class there with Jim. We usually get together for the our Saturday morning O.F.C. Coffee Club every week if you want to drop by. I am usually available on Sundays if you have some free time.

I appreciate the response.

[robert]

Yea, I checked Dennis' collection and didn't find anything like that, but I would mind a copy. He has allowed me to make personal use copies of items before. Since I don't run a business or charge, he gets it back from in sales. Plus, I started teaching the Basic carving class there with Jim. We usually get together for the our Saturday morning O.F.C. Coffee Club every week if you want to drop by. I am usually available on Sundays if you have some free time.

I appreciate the response.

tried to send you a pm, but it doesnt show in my sent box... i am not too technology literate, so i apparently messed it up. anyway, i will just bring these to tandy one of these saturdays - not this coming one though. I used to teach some classes there also, so look forward to meeting.

robert

[MikeV]

Another thing that might help some is there are some Doodle Pages that feature Arizona (Porter), California, and Texas style carving. I have been lucky enough to have found 2 of the Arizona style Pages (done by Ken Griffin) and am looking for the rest of them.

Mike