Vintage - Antique Western Saddle - C. Moore Saddlemaker - Pleasure, Trail, Highback Saddle - Close to 100 Years Old
They just don’t make them like this anymore! I aquired this saddle from a dealer that made his living collecting rare, quality made Western saddles. It was his business to know a “good one” when he saw it. I almost hate to part with this really nice saddle. Thick leather, nice patina on a good solid rawhide covered tree. The shearling has been replaced with thick wool felt, 8 latigo strings all replaced, stirrup leather ends replaced with new leather and roller buckles, horn recovered, new wide Calvary style wooden stirrups, everything is sound. This saddle is ready to ride on or use as a really nice display. Saddle maker’s stamps on rear of cantle are imprinted twice “C.MOORE” (once on each side) as well as a “3” and “39” (in the center). Seat measures 14”, but don’t be totally decieved by seat size, as old western saddle seats where designed to “hug” the rider’s “seat” for a secure ride. Saddle weighs about 25 pounds. One vintage saddle collector valued this saddle as at least $800.00.

I had the saddle evaluated by an expert on old vintage/antique saddles. The comments by Sharon L Myers, J&S Old West Store Saddle Shop, Museum & Saddle Research Service, 25141 honeybear Loop Warsaw MO 65355, [link removed by ], are as follows.

“You have a nice saddle with great patina! If I were you I would sure keep it!
Around 1880-1910 the skirts were huge and after that they started getting smaller (I see many of the old highbacks that have had their skirts cut down). Since the stirrup leathers are on the outside of the fenders then it would date it pre 1930\'s. So I would guess the date of your saddle around 1918-1925. It is impossible to say for sure as they made many of the same style of saddles for many years. Your saddle would have been loved by a working cowboy as it would be easy to clear and take care of as there is no tooling on it to gather dirt and grime.
If your saddle had a makers mark on it it would help the value. It could have been made by a famous old Saddle Shop and not marked with the makers stamp as it looks much like an H H Heiser we have and a couple more we have had through the years. It is my guess that often saddle workers would make saddles on their own time and that the shop would not allow them to put the shops name on the saddle which makes since.
Saddle prices have been slow the past few years but this saddle would be better than 99% of saddles made today...and last longer as well.
Sounds like a maker that made a lot of military western style saddles from in the teens to early 40\'s. The numbers may mean it was made in 1939 but looks earlier to me, could be style #3 saddle #39 of that style...impossible to say unless a person found one of their old catalogs etc! I would think would be worth 1/4 to 1/2 more! I could not tell about the fleece but condition of the saddle looked great.”

Any questions please feel free to email me and I will be happy to answer. If you need more photos of a particular area of the saddle I will be more then willing to send. USPS Priority Postage to a Continental United States address will be $45.00 ( listing may say something else but it will be $45.00). Parcel is 21”x21”x16” 25 pound weight. I will ship worldwide, the cost will depend on your location, email me to determine your postage. I will also combine shipping on any of my items at sale. Please see my other items up for offers. I ship items out as soon as payment is received, usually the next day. Thank you for looking. Buy with confidence. I have an excellent rating.