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Victor Ario Saddlery Co. Great Fall, Mont. Chaps

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:25.00 USD Estimated At:300.00 - 600.00 USD
Victor Ario Saddlery Co. Great Fall, Mont. Chaps
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The lot features a set of Victor Ario Batwing leather cowboy chaps. They were made by Victor Ario Saddlery Company of Great Falls. The chaps show dark brown color with four scalloped conchos running down each leg. Victor Ario immigrated to the United States from Austria, and moved to Great Falls, MT in 1891. When Victor Ario arrived in Great Falls, MT he went to work for J. B. Steffen and Tom Moreland where he worked as a saddle maker applying the trade he had learned in Austria from his Father. By 1903, Victor Ario was sole owner of the Victor Ario Saddlery Company which over the coming years led to big success. The belt has a fancy tooled border and is stamped with the makers mark in fancy script, thought to be an earlier of marks. The chaps are in good condition, though the loop for the bottom clip is missing on both legs and some of the hooks are missing the closure. They measure 34.5" in length According to the book, “Saddleries of Montana – Montana’s Makers from Territorial Times to 1940” by Jay C. Lyndes, Bobby R. Reynolds, and E. Helene Sage on page 153, figure 5.10 taken from a page of the Victor Ario Saddlery Company Catalog these chaps show a Wyoming Catalog Batwing Style which would have cost $24.00 and was No. 5 on page 20.