105

Tommy Singer Fancy Parade Saddle

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:2,500.00 USD Estimated At:5,000.00 - 10,000.00 USD
Tommy Singer Fancy Parade Saddle
Smooth black leather saddle with over 100 beautiful sterling silver and turquoise conchos marked several times and dated 1993. Horn has a sterling top with a large turquoise nugget. Originally came out of the Gene Autry Museum. Includes bridle, reins, and chest piece. Also included is a framed photo of the saddle and photo of Tommy Singer. Tommy Singer was s a Navajo silversmith who specialized in chip-inlay jewelry. His inlaid turquoise, coral, and silver pieces incorporated traditional Navajo designs. Singer gained acclaim as the originator of the chip inlay design which he developed in the 1970s. Singer was a member of the Navajo Nation from Winslow, Arizona. He perfected his craft working on the Navajo reservation in a small studio surrounded with his family and other tribal members. He grew up on the Navajo Reservation and was taught silversmithing by his father, beginning at the age of seven. In the 1960s he invented the "chip-inlay" technique of using turquoise or coral chips in this silverwork. This technique has become widespread in his community. He also used stamps and work in overlay.