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John S. Collins "Mother Hubbard" Saddle c1860-70's

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:25.00 USD Estimated At:500.00 - 2,500.00 USD
John S. Collins  Mother Hubbard  Saddle c1860-70's
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This lot provides you the option to bid on a very beautiful "Mother Hubbard" style saddle with Sam Stagg rigging and was built by the famed saddle builder, John S. Collins in the 19th Century. The cantle binding style is typical of Collins' early saddles. John and his brother Gilbert opened a saddle shop in Omaha, Nebraska in 1864. The saddle was built in the late 1860s or early 1870s. The "Mother Hubbard" style was extremely popular with the Texas cattle drivers from the 1870's all the way to the first World War, due to its one-piece mochilla, its extremely comfortable ride and excellent durability. The name "Mother Hubbard" was adopted for the resemblance to the large brim sun bonnets that were being worn by prairie women at the time. This particular saddle shows linear and floral hand tooling and two double layered, scalloped leather conchos. J. S. Collins & Co. started the J. S. Collins & Co. saddlery in Glendive, Montana in 1885 as a satellite shop to the Collin’s brother’s primary shops in Cheyenne, Wyoming and Omaha, Nebraska. Later the Glendive shop was moved to Miles City, Montana were it was open from circa 1885-1887. John S. Collins died in 1910. The saddle is in good condition, especially for the age. The saddle has a 13 1/2" seat. Information from Saddleries of Montana: Montana;s Makers from Territorial Times to 1940 by Jay C. Lyndes in Billings, Montana. Authentic John S. Collins Saddlery and leather worked items are very scarce with the following examples being sold at public auction: JS Collins Territorial Saddle sold for $6,000 at the 6/23/2005 Brian Lebel's Old West Show & Auction sale, J.S. Collins Omaha holster that sold for $8,400 at the 5/2/2010 Rock Island Auction Company sale, J.S. Collins Pommel Bags that sold for $4,800 at the 6/22/2006 Brian Lebel's Old West Show & Auction sale, and others. The piece was found to be an authentic original J.S. Collins by an early history expert in Montana.