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New Book RESTORING ANTIQUE SADDLE S by Alain Eon SIGNED Restoration MAKE OFFER For Sale


New Book RESTORING ANTIQUE SADDLE S by Alain Eon SIGNED Restoration MAKE OFFER
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New Book RESTORING ANTIQUE SADDLE S by Alain Eon SIGNED Restoration MAKE OFFER:
$55.00

Our good friend Alain Eon has given us a few copies of his book to sell. It is an awesome book. His work is incredible

Fantastic book by ALAIN EON from PARIS FRANCESIGNED BY AUTHOR!!


“Restoring Vintage Western Saddles” by Alain EON
This is the only book about old time saddles restoration.
More of 340 pictures showing restoration works step by step
from the taking apart to final presentation.
With 15 old time saddles presented.
A4 format(21 x29,7 cm)
64 pages + cover printed in color on heavy 170g
mi-mat coated paper & 300g Cover.

MOST COMPLETE and Comprehensive \"Saddle Restoration\" BOOK ever written

Here is an article that we wanted to share with you about Alain:Vintage Western Saddle Restoration Tips from Alain Eon, Author and Craftsman

by Meg

29 August 2012 at 20:04

The Reenactors historical news team had the pleasure of corresponding with Alain Eon author of “Restoring Vintage Western Saddles” seen in American Cowboy, Cowboys & Indians, and Western Horseman. This is the only book available on antique saddle restoration, and it is truly an amazing resource for any reenactor or cowboy wanting to preserve history and the original craftsmenship of an antique saddle. Alain shares over 340 pictures that demonstrate the process step-be-step. He is a true artisan, and this interview, along with his book, demonstrate his dedication and love for the Old West.


TR: Did you have a mentor or role model as you learned to restore saddles?

AE: I was born in 1946, after WWII and my Heros have always been Cowboys. I liked western movies, Country Music, American History and horse riding. My dream was to become a Cowboy myself. In 1969, my dream came true. I was 22 and I went to the West. I worked for the CM ranch, near Dubois, Wyoming. I very much liked the cowboy’s life. One day the boss, Mr. Les Shoemaker, asked me to clean a bunch of old saddles stored in his tack room. Discovering the fantastic work of the saddle makers of the past century, I was immediately conquered, and that passion never left me. I also visited several good saddle makers, and I saw many leather artists there.


TR: What is the story behind your skill and products? How did you come to develop your skill?

AE: When I came back to France in 1970, I had for project to make my own horse equipment, especially a saddle, and I bought some leather tools from the USA. I asked several saddle makers in the USA but very few wanted to share their knowledge at that time and no book on the subject was on the market.

After a long period of bad and good results, I finished my first saddle in 1972 with the help of the good book “Cowboy Horse Gear” written by Bruce Grant & Lee M. Rice with the section about saddle making. I contacted Mr. Lee Rice by letter and he gave me a lot of very interesting information and told me what was not good in my saddle work. Later several other famous makers like Don King, Howard Munsell,Fred Harsant and many others gave me good advice. Over the years I built around 20 old time style saddles for friends and I perfected my skill.

Saddle making was not my job but just a hobby. I didn’t have a saddle shop and year after year, I didn’t find enough time for saddle making as I wanted. I began collecting & restoring old time saddles around the 1980’s. Now I have more than 60 old time saddles in my collection. Usually, people begin with saddle restoration and follow with saddle making. I did the opposite.

Over the years I went to the USA many times and every time visited my friends in their saddle shops. I have been in touch with famous saddle makers and collectors for more than 40 years. Some of them have come to my home to visit my collection. I am also NBSSCA (National Bit, Spur and Saddle Collectors Association) member and SHATA (Saddle, Harness & Allied Trades Association) member.

TR: Any advice to a reenactor looking for a quality product? What should he or she look for or perhaps ask?

AE: It depends if the old saddle is for collecting or riding. Be sure that the wooden saddle tree is not broken. Move the cantle and fork for control. If you hear some crack the tree may be broken. Don’t buy it. The condition of all the saddle leather parts is very important, sometime the leather is very dry. I think LEXOL is the best Leather care product for old leather.


TR: Do you have tips for a reenactor who would like to restore a saddle?

AE: You will find in my book, \"Restoring Vintage Western Saddles,\" all the necessary information to restore your old saddle. The many years of experience of the work of restoration presented will help you to obtain, by yourself, a satisfying result, bringing back to life a saddle badly treated by time. Whether it is a collection piece, or a saddle that you will ride, you will learn to bring value back to an object of the past. Restoring your old saddle will make you feel an immense satisfaction.

I would like to share my passion and knowledge with others, over 40 years of experience, and method to obtain the best results when you have an old saddle to restore. Wash the old leather slowly for a better restoration result. Take your time. You will have to take apart all the saddle leather pieces. If you are not sure how to do the best, do nothing. I have seen a lot of bad restoration works destroy a good saddle. You will have to make some repairs if necessary and know how to do them correctly. Keep in mind that old saddle restoration requires a long time of work.


TR: Where might a reenactor or consumer find your finished products?

AE: I sell very few old saddles after restoration. Now I have too much saddles, and I think that I will sell some of them.


TR: What makes your work unique?

AE: Not unique, but I spend the necessary time to give another life to these old famous saddles of the past. I very much like early saddles from 1850 to 1930, and also to find documentation & history about the makers, saddle pictures from old catalogs, Maker’s photos, etc.


TR: Is there a piece in which you are particularly proud?

AE: Certainly the next one.........Because I always have several other projects. Sure I have a lot of very interesting early saddles, ready for a new life. I am always proud to bring back to life an old saddle destroyed by time.


TR: Where can someone learn more about restoring saddles?

AE: Unfortunately, there is no school for old saddle restoration, only saddle making schools. I think they also teach repairing. Visit some good saddle makers around you and look how they do repairs.


THANKS FOR LOOKING!


Be sure and check out the \"COMPLETE OLD WEST MUSEUM\" that we have listed in our store!

~~Wewill beGLAD to ship this to most other Countries~~

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