ANTIQUE HAMELY SADDLE ORIGINAL

[agreeneyes]

WELL I'M BACK AGAIN, YOU'VE ALWAYS COME THROUGH BEFORE SO I'VE COME TO YOU AGAIN.  I DON'T KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY ANTIQUE SADDLE EXPERTS OUT THERE BUT I THOUGHT I'D GIVE IT A TRY.  I HAVE AN ANTIQUE HAMELY ROPING SADDLE.  IT'S NOT FANCY, IT'S SOMETHING AN OLD RANCH COWBOY WOULD HAVE USED ON THE RANCH. IT HAS A LARRIAT STRAP AND TIES INSTEAD OF BLEVINS BUCKLES FOR THE STIRRUP ADJUSTMENT.  IT APPEARS TO BE ALL ORIGINAL EVEN THE STIRRUPS.  IT HAS A SMALLER 13 IN SEAT BUT IT DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE A CHILDS SADDLE.  BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE SMALLER IN THE EARLY 1900'S THIS WHY I BELIEVE THIS SADDLE DATES BACK TO THAT ERA BUT I'M NOT SURE SO THAT IS WHY I'VE COME TO ASK THE EXPERTS.  THE SERIAL NUMBER ON THE BACK OF THE SEAT READS (D 176 SPECIAL M330).

POSSIBLY SOMEONE KNOWS THE AGE OF THIS SADDLE AND COULD GIVE ME SOME IDEA OF THE VALUE, THANK YOU

[talesofthesevenseas]

I am going to stick my neck out a bit on this one. I don't think your saddle will turn out to be quite that old, but I could be wrong. Maybe it is the photos, but the hardware looks fairly mass produced from what I can see. I'm not seeing the kind of brittle age I would expect to see in the leather of an older saddle also. Finally, the presence of a serial number on a saddle also indicates a large scale production item, rather than an early one. But then again, they may have started putting serial numbers on their saddles early on. More research would answer that question.

The Hamley Web site's history section says that they have been making saddles since 1883 and they are still in business today. So I think if you contact them with your serial number, they can give you an exact date on the saddle. Here's the Web site:
http://www.hamleyco.com/home.htm

[talesofthesevenseas]

From what I am seeing by running a search on Hamley serial numbers, some of the WWII era saddles are worth $$, depending on which saddle maker created it. So I'd say contact Hamley directly and ask them to look up your serial number.

[agreeneyes]

thank you for your information

[sapphire]

agreeneyes, here's a few Hamleys.......(unfortunately no dating info)

http://www.flatcreeksaddle.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&category_id=21&Itemid=2

http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/1341166


A 1955 Hamley pictured 1/3 of the way down page......

http://forums.horsecity.com/lofiversion/index.php/t30038389.html


A restored Hamley here........possibl y they could help out with info if you were to contact them

http://www.flealess.org/sharpsaddlery/repairs/index.html

Hamley company info and another possible source for you......

http://www.vintagegunleather.com/company-marks/hamley_history.html


Hope these are some help.

[agreeneyes]

thank you your links were very helpful and greatly appreciated.

[sapphire]

Here's another one for you. Hamley's site    You can request info on your saddle ......but it appears to cost $10. 

http://www.hamleyco.com/webstore/detail.aspx?ID=254

[agreeneyes]

thank you