Any bit collectors online now?

[roseymare]

Passed up a box of misc bridles today at a garage sale. Mainly because I really don’t like the seller. I know it is petty but he is an auctioneer who has pulled some stunts with us in the past. But I digress, I could probably go back tomorrow and get them. But I have spent hours trying to find anything like them online with NO luck. And I am a pretty good internet searcher.

So anyway they are all on 60-70’s or maybe earlier bridles. They have flat shanks that swivel. They have Salinas mouths and some had copper on the bars as well as the spoon. Have to be stainless as no rust. Weirdly they are all pony sized. I guess they could be mule? Rein chains and slobber bars. I forgot to check the slobber bar for a mark. Two or three are marked Luna. Another with a name beginning with a D. They remind me of Sliester. I wonder if the stamps could have been the names of the ponies that wore them? I am a bit stumped and the seller is not to be believed.

I suppose I will just go back and get them.

[goodhors]

No names, just a couple ideas. Small may mean they were Arab sizes or perhaps samples carried by a salesman. There was a lot of performance Arabs back in that time frame wearing spade type bits. As samples, the salesman had less weight to carry with smaller bits, visiting tack sellers for custom orders. Far out ideas, but a possibility for you.

[roseymare]

I grew up showing Arabs so that is a good idea but they seemed really small to me. I am mad that I didn’t look for another mark but I found the one that said Luna so I stopped checking. The shanks were smooth with no engraving which points me away from Arabs. The salesman samples idea is intriguing. They were spotless so maybe.
I guess I will go get cash in the am and pick them up. There was a nickel silver show halter as well that will make a good hanger upper.

[Arem]

If you get them, I would love to see pictures!

[roseymare]

Someone on FB suggested Paso bits but that search is fruitless as well. Off to the bank. What’s money right?

[roseymare]

I wasn’t thinking and only searched Paso Fino. I think they are Peruvian Paso bits. So I am going to leave them as market doesn’t seem strong. And I am still petty and he has made enough money off us over the years with those fantasy bidders that always appeared when we bid on items at his auctions after my husband stopped working for him!

[Aces_N_Eights]

Without seeing a picture of them it’s hard to say.
A lot of auctioneers who mainly call tack and estate sales know the value of collectibles.

Anyhow, I’d guess since he’s selling a box of them the bits are most likely Mexican made bits. I have a few of the smaller, unmarked Charro bits used for ponies. Usually not worth much and mine have silver inlaid.
There’s a lot of bit makers in Mexico and you can have the cheeks stamped with your name if you want and have them shipped here and sell them as your “brand”. I haven’t heard or seen “Luna”, but it’d be my best guess as that’s the deal.

[roseymare]

This guy wouldn’t know which end of a horse to feed. He does estate auctions.
He has more experience with what is on the non feed end!
After thinking about what other tack was mixed in the box I am confident they were Peruvian Paso and agree may have been made out of Mexico and stamped with what the owners/sellers wanted.

As a picker for years I have learned that you never ever know what can and will show up in any part if the country.

My other thought is they came from the pony ride that closed a couple of years ago. They were the type of people who would have thought of putting their ponies in some type of traditional and nifty looking tack. I can so picture them and their cresty ponies in this type of thing. You know went to a horse fair saw Peruvian Pasos and thought that tack is cool let’s put our ponies in it. It was a labor of love for those folks no matter what you think of pony rides!