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The Side Saddlery is pleased to offer a Goodnight saddle built by the famous R.T. Frazier of Pueblo Colorado.
In 1881 R. T. Frazier went to work for Peter Becker of Colorado Springs, a saddle maker from Germany and Deputy Sheriff in Colorado Springs. R. T. Frazier apprenticed under Peter Becker until approximately 1884 when R. T. Frazier moved and went to work at the S. C. Gallup Saddlery Company of Pueblo, Colorado. S.C. Gallup was the maker of the first Goodnight side saddle and where Frazier obviously learned the fine art of building these unique Western side saddles.
In 1892 after 8 years with the S. C. Gallup Saddlery Company. R. T. Frazier was able to buy into the Saddlery and become a partner with S. C. Gallup. This formed the S. C. Gallup and Frazier Saddlery. The Partnership was named continued until 1898 when R. T. Frazier opened his own saddlery in Pueblo, Colorado named the R. T. Frazier Saddlery.
The maker's mark on this saddle clearly indicates that the saddle was built after 1898 when Frazier opened his own saddlery in Pueblo, Colorado.
THIS SADDLE:
The seat measures 21" long, measured from the front of the upright pommel to the rear of the seat. The seat measures 14" wide. The saddle has the typical double skirts of the Goodnight side saddle with unique border tooling.
This saddle has dark brown leather with the under skirts and tapadero covering replaced do to extreme wear on the original leather. Tooling dies were custom made to correctly reproduce the original tooling patterns. The old skirts and tapadero stirrup have been retained for the new owner. The color of the new leather is slightly lighter than the original to allow for darkening with cleaning and aging. The original leather has been professionally cleaned and reconditioned.
The seat is beautifully tooled. The flat seat allows a more athletic riding style than the inexpensive, bowl-shaped catalog saddles of the same era. The offside has a handle grip built into the pommel under the right knee as well as a metal ring for attaching equipment or other gear the lady might need. The pommels are much wider than those typically found on other Goodnight side saddles and the seat (at 21 inches) is quite a bit longer than the typical 18-19 inches. The saddle was clearly custom made for a specific client.
The nice off side purse is covered by a large flap with the original owner's initials prominantly displayed on it. Large initials were quite common on the back of Western highback astride saddles. This lady clearly carried the same idea over to her side saddle.
The rigging rings were originally leather covered with the leather covering partially intact on the off side rings. The rigging is secure and in good condition.
The tree is a medium fit measuring 5 1/2 inches in the gullet. This is a real find for RT Frazier collectors and a part of history!
For a discussion of the Goodnight Western side saddle, see this article.
R.T. Frazier of Pueblo Colorado Goodnight Western side saddle. $1800
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