How To Tell The Age Of A Bona Allen Saddle

Amazing All original Bona Allen! This original piece of western saddle history is a collectible early saddle from one of the most renowned and sought later saddle makers. I would estimate this is 1940s. This saddle was before Blevins buckles and the stirrups adjust with laces. The saddle has a xv very deep hard leather seat. FULLY tooled lovely fancy basket weave blazon tooling. Original Texas star blazon conchos all around. The leather on this is truly in amazing shape minimal crazing or wear considering its historic period. Y'all would have no idea it is around 75 years old! Past what I tin tell this is all original. I believe this might exist either a mule saddle or a plantation saddle – does not accept the typical horn of a western saddle. The only affair I have done to the saddle too conditioning and cleaning the leather was to take off cinch rigging so I could make clean it fully and bank check the rigging integrity and remove the cinch. All rigging straps seem to be original and includes the vintage rope cinch which is in amazing status that came with it. I believe these must take been used when added to the saddle. I did not adjust the stirrups at all every bit I did not desire to remove the original lacings. I believe you could conform the stirrups fine with adding new lacings if y'all chose to remove the former ones. The fenders are in adept shape and supple – i side shows some habiliment towards the bottom which I showed in pics -still lots of leather for integrity but want to note this. Lovely wooden Oxbow stirrups no splits. That being said, the tree is sound and rigging appears sound and in good condition. As mentioned before, long leather ties all around are original only are crazed/cracked. Nevertheless, none are broken or replaced. Includes all sure-fire strapping shown – these are the ones that came with it and I would recommend putting new ones on if you did choose to utilise this. Fleece is as well original and is quite worn as shown in pics. Tree is the steeper fork type consistent with its historic period. This saddle is in fantastic status and the tooling is superb! LOTS of tooling on everything! Includes the cinch and Navajo pattern saddle pad shown in pics! xv seat measured as a western saddle. I can send pics of measurements or any other pics you may want! This is an astonishing function of Western History! Bonaparte Allen learned the trade of tanning from his father, Washington Allen. Bonaparte opened the Bona Allen Visitor at the age of 27 and operated information technology as a tannery and leather appurtenances shop. It started off making whiplashes, and so followed with the production of equus caballus collars. In 1903, a fire swept through the edifice and destroyed the business concern and the unabridged building. It didn't take Bonaparte long to restore his thriving business and pay off all of his debt. In 1925, Bonaparte Allen died. He left everything to his sons, Bona Jr. They took over their male parent's business and continued to produce what some people have deemed the countrys finest leather. The Smashing Low of the early 1930s had a positive effect on the Company'due south tannery. The nation'southward farmers could no longer afford to operate their tractors, so they had to render to using horses. This, in plough, created a demand for saddles and collars, also as all other horse related equipment. In 1933, a Bona Allen saddle won a blueish ribbon at the Chicago Worlds Fair. At the fair, The Bona Allen Visitor provided several jobs every bit well as entertainment; information technology sponsored many sports events and teams such as basketball, football, and the Bona Allen Company'south ain baseball game squad. In 1941, a strike was chosen and shut down the Company's shoe plant. Half dozen months later on, the government stepped in and reopened the shoe institute to repair ground forces shoes. The Company's neckband factory was closed for good after WWII. The Bona Allen Company received special acclaim in the 1950s for production of its classic saddles. During the meridian of western movies, many of Hollywood's famous cowboy actors, including Roy Rogers, William F. ("Buffalo Bill") Cody, Gene Autry, Kenny Rogers, Lash LaRue, Gabby Hayes, and the cast of the popular Television testify "Bonanza, " preferred a Bona Allen saddlesome even bringing their horses to Buford, Georgia, to become them custom fitted. To head its saddle department, the Company hired Victor Alexander, a famous saddle adept from the King Ranch in Texas. Nether his management, the Bona Allen Company produced some of the finest hand-tooled saddles and bridles e'er made, including a silver-studded special club saddle for Roy Rogers. In 1932, the Bona Allen Company hit the peak of its employment: 2,200 people worked there until rough times hit in 1943, when it closed its horse collar factory, shoe and chrome tannerydropping its total employee headcount to 500. The railroad depot closed in 1972, and the demand for horse-related leather goods decreased. Continued operations for a few years under the Bona Allen name, after the devastating tannery burn in December 1981, they chose not to rebuild, and the last of the Bona Allen Visitor'southward 160 employees were let get. Felt pad underneath Navajo pad in picture not included! The item "Stunning All Original Bona Allen Vintage Western saddle-Plantation style" is in auction since Sunday, March 17, 2019. This particular is in the category "Sporting Appurtenances\Outdoor Sports\Equestrian\Western Saddles & Tack\Saddles". The seller is "jmillsap3″ and is located in Hydesville, California. This particular can be shipped to United States, Canada, Britain, Denmark, Romania, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Czechia, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Republic of lithuania, Malta, Estonia, Australia, Greece, Portugal, Cyprus, Slovenia, Japan, China, Sweden, Republic of korea, Republic of indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand, Belgium, French republic, Hong Kong, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Kingdom of spain, Italy, Germany, Austria, Bahamas, State of israel, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland, Kingdom of norway, Kingdom of saudi arabia, Ukraine, United arab emirates, Qatar, State of kuwait, Bahrain, Croatia, Malaysia, Antigua and barbuda, Aruba, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Saint kitts and nevis, Saint lucia, Montserrat, Turks and caicos islands, Barbados, Bangladesh, Bermuda, Brunei darussalam, Bolivia, Egypt, French guiana, Guernsey, Gibraltar, Guadeloupe, Iceland, Jersey, Hashemite kingdom of jordan, Cambodia, Cayman islands, Principality of liechtenstein, Sri lanka, Luxembourg, Monaco, Macao, Martinique, Republic of the maldives, Nicaragua, Sultanate of oman, Islamic republic of pakistan, Paraguay, Reunion, Uruguay.

• Saddle Size: 15″
• Make: Bona Allen
• Saddle Blazon: Plantation
• Country/Region of Industry: United states
• MPN: Does Not Apply
• Color: Brownish

Source: https://westernhorsepads.com/stunning-all-original-bona-allen-vintage-western-saddle-plantation-style/

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