Everything Horses and Livestock® Magazine May 2017 Vol 2 Issue 2

Everything Horses and Livestock Magazine ®

Continued from Page 22

has the large and colorful metal makers mark plate on the back of the seat. Rope burns on the pommel and the missing horn leather. attest to its working cowboy use. The horn remains tight and the tree remains sol- id. The back of the seat has the initials FGMc carved into it. These likely belong to the cowboy who rode it. The second saddle pictured has a 17” seat (if mea- sured correctly) and came with what appears to be

decline with William’s death in 1900. The Company further declined with the invention of the automobile and the expansion of railroads. Harpham Brothers Saddlery bought the Askew business in 1928. They

moved it to Nebraska just before the Great Depres- sion of 1929. The building still stands and has been repurposed into apartments. I feared I might not find any existing Askew saddles or pictures of them. I did find some, one quite by acci- dent. The saddle pictured here has a 14.5 inch seat,

an original horse hair cinch. The horn cap has been redone and the cantle seems loose. This saddle shows some hard wear. Like the other Askew sad- dles this saddle has few decorations only a small border stamping around the stirrup leathers and seat. Working cowboys did not require fancy saddles. The third saddle belongs to a dear friend who spent her working life in Kansas City. I casually asked her

high back and remains in excellent condition.The owner estimates it dates to the early 1900’s. It has few modifications or repairs. The saddle still has orig- inal lace up stirrup leathers and iron stirrups. It also

if she knew anything about Askew saddles. To my surprise she said, “I have one”. This owner’s father bought is used in the late 1940’s. He had it dyed black and dyed the strings white to resemble a pa-

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