4568

H. Messing & Son Vintage Saddle [125777]

Currency:USD Category:Western Americana Start Price:750.00 USD Estimated At:1,500.00 - 3,000.00 USD
H. Messing & Son Vintage Saddle [125777]
SHIPPING & HANDLING: Shipping is subject to a minimum charge of $19.00. Shipping and handling cannot be estimated prior to invoicing as it is based on the size and weight of your purchase. Additional shipping and handling costs, if required, will be re-invoiced for the balance due. Items are not shipped until the invoice is completely paid. Many buyers purchase a number of lots. Every effort will be made to include all lots in a single shipping charge calculated to cover the weight and size.SHIPPING & HANDLING: Shipping and Handling cannot be estimated prior to invoicing, based on the size a...
A fine, rare and pretty well preserved 1880 western cowboy saddle by John Henry Messing (1824-1902) & Sons of San Jose California. The working saddle is complete with all of its riggings including the fenders, skirts and stirrups. Maker marked near the pommel and on the cantle. Fully tooled in the California Poppy or Spanish Colonial style. The seat jockey, fenders and skirt are fully tooled (Fading a bit with age) with beautiful Poppy patterns as is most of the rigging straps. The horn leather is still intact. The saddle still has its original tooled leather conchos and some of its original rawhide ties. The saddle tree appears solid. The seat measures 15", the cantle is about 6" high. The wool padding is gone. This saddle remains in its original condition and doesn't appear to have been re-worked. A super great saddle for display and a rare piece of Western Americana from the height of the Cowboy period by a premier California maker. Messing was a German immigrant born in 1824 in Prussia. Messing originally settled in San Jose and operated a tannery in Santa Clara before buying a saddlery business. His sons joined the business as they got old enough and it was renamed to Messing and Sons around 1884. Messing and Sons was one of the first companies to craft and sell saddles, bits and spurs to a wide audience in the 1800s. Please see photos for more detail and condition.

Date: 1880
Country (if not USA):
State: California
City: San Jose
Provenance: