I don’t think that saddle looks too beat up.
FWIW, the shape of the panels may help you out. They look like what I have on my AGA Grand Prix. And the gullet on my Grand Prix looks more narrow. But the Grand Prix seems to please a lot of horses, including modern, WB-infused wide ones.
ETA: Seller says the gullet measures 4.5" up front. That is wide by Crosby-of-that-era standards. And she calls it a wide tree. Not sure about this saddle, but I’d bet that if it were a wide tree, you’d find the stirrup bar stamped with a W (as opposed to the M for Medium) that’s on most of them. I might ask the seller for a picture denoting that W.
The forwardness of the flap my screw you with respect to big shoulders, depending on whether you mean mutton-withered (which might be OK for this kind flap) or “regular” near/behind the withers but with a large, muscular actual shoulder.
My only hesitation with buying this saddle would be the price and PITA involved in re-selling it. At $350, you might get your money back out…sooner if you get lucky and someone wants it or much, much later and via a tack store that allows trials. That’s the toughy with buying older saddles that modern buyers don’t know personally.
I saw these saddles “live” when they were new/first invented. But I never put one on a horse or rode in one, so I can’t tell you what you need to know. In your spot, I’d hold out for some old skool COTHer who does have that knowledge. Maybe post pictures of your horse’s naked back, too. And I think you can afford to wait: This kid of saddle has a specialty buyer.
