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Visalia Stock Saddle Cowgirl Chaps

Currency:USD Category:Antiques Start Price:400.00 USD Estimated At:800.00 - 1,100.00 USD
Visalia Stock Saddle Cowgirl Chaps
Maker-marked Visalia Stock Saddle Company / San Francisco Ser No. 26102, these lovely 27” long batwings have an inlaid two-tone brown diamond pattern billet with repeating diamonds on the exterior pockets and down each leg and on the tan trim. There are four 1 1/4” slotted nickel conchos down each leg with latigo string ties and an inlaid D on each wing. Very fine condition, c 1930s PROVENANCE: The Chaps were made for Deborah Spalding, the only daughter of Silsby Morse Spalding (1886-1949) a councilman and past mayor of Beverly Hills, who purchased the Tecolote Ranch in Santa Barbara in 1926. Deborah, according to Norma Jean Roden’s History of the Tecolote Canyon (1977) was accorded the privileges of the estate which included a seven-stall stable presented to her as a present on one of her birthdays.

Tecolote Ranch – a History of Tecolote Canyon (OWL Canyon)
Tecolote Ranch’s history begins with archeological excavations of the Santa Barbara coast, with Indians whose settlements were developed with the highest type of hut building found along the coast, at the mouth of Tecolote Creek. Fast forward to 1500s, with the first recorded sightings in the area by early Spanish explorers sailing up the coast of California. Deemed one of the most beautiful wooded properties in California, Tecolote Canyon developed into large-scale cattle-ranch operations, then lemon groves. By 1926 Silsby Morse Spalding, past mayor of Beverly Hills, California purchased the land and lived in the old Tecolote Ranch house with solar heating panels on the roof, while building a Spanish style mansion. Keeping true to its Spanish roots, he built lovely gardens, courtyards and immersed himself with the finest collection of western tack in America: silver saddles encased in glass housings with their silver bits, paintings in grand frames, massive doors with iron locks and studs and magnificent chaps and other tack adorning the walls. High Noon is proud to present a few pieces from this glorious ranch of yesteryear. Other pieces, namely silver saddles, can now be found in the Carriage Museum in Santa Barbara.