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ANTIQUE RARE OLD 1890'S WR THOMPSON HIGHBACK WHITE RIVER TREE WESTERN SADDLE VGC For Sale


ANTIQUE RARE OLD 1890'S WR THOMPSON HIGHBACK WHITE RIVER TREE WESTERN SADDLE VGC
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ANTIQUE RARE OLD 1890'S WR THOMPSON HIGHBACK WHITE RIVER TREE WESTERN SADDLE VGC:
$670.00

Lovely old Western Highback saddle that has been in the same family for its entire life. It was made by W R Thompson, a saddlemaker very famous and well respected for his excellence in the early 1900's in Rifle, Colorado. This saddle has been well cared for, the leather is all very supple, and restoration has been done as needed, because this saddle stayed in use until very recently.
All of the old leather that comprises the main body of the saddle is original.....the original exposed stirrup leathers, the fenders, the skirts, seat and jockeys are as they were 110 years ago. The fleece has been replaced, the latigo strings are new, the strap between front and back cinch rings is new, and the horn has been wrapped with roughout leather. The name of W R Thompson appears everywhere.....it is on both the front and back parts of both skirts, and it is on the pocket, or tiny saddle bag attached to the cantle. This pocket does have a tear along the upper edge about 1 1/2 inches long, otherwise is good. The original little strap to buckle it closed is still there and original, although a little worn, and perhaps somewhat fragile, although I have unbuckled and buckled it easily. In the picture of the pocket bag, you will see some conditioner showing white. It really didn't absorb much conditioner, it was well conditioned already.
The tooling is lovely, obviously hand done, and very detailed. The skirts are long, just slightly rounded on the corners, otherwise the length and design of the old squarebacks. There is both basketweave design, and lovely floral patterns throughout. The stirrup leathers, those against the horse, look too good not to have been replaced at some time during the life of this saddle, but are old, and do still adjust by means of latigo lacings. The old back cinch is still attached to the saddle, although the back cinch straps may be newer, but have been on the saddle for a long while.
The seat measures 15 inches, the gullet is the customarily high narrow gullet common to the time period. Everything is solid. But, keep in mind that the saddle is over 100 years old, and has been used hard in tough country, so there are dings and scratches, and some of the leather, although strong and supple, has worn a little thinner that it probably originally was. The back skirts want to curl under a little, but they are buttery soft, and easily pushed back with one finger.
Born in 1847, WR Thompson was apprenticed in his early teens as a saddlemaker. He was attentive and showed a great love for the art, and was making his own saddles by the age of 20. He was very famous, and his ideas and designs were adopted by many of the finest saddlemakers in the western part of this country, including the very famous WHITE RIVER SADDLE TREE, designed by him, and adopted into use by the best saddlemakers in the business. In 1988, he open his own shop in Rifle, Colorado, and worked there, with his saddles in high demand, until he died in 1905.
From what I have read, it seems that this saddle has the famous WHITE RIVER TREE, but I am not sure. This tree, so popular in the late 1800's, and early 1900's, is very similar to todays Wade tree. I have searched all over the internet, and have only found where 2 of the Thompson saddles have sold. Both sold in excess of $600.00, after adding sale fees. One sold at sale in November of 2007, and one at sale in October in 2010, for over $700.00. They looked very much like this one, nearly identical, although I am not sure they are in the same good condition.


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