Wow guys thanks for the answers! Nice to confirm that the difference between the PDN and Sovereign is only the leather, and some input on the other models, super useful!
They are wonderful, well-made saddles that promote correct position and good riding. But they aren’t popular anymore–hence the bargain-basement prices. Look on ebay–you can find many Prix des Nations saddles in good condition for much less than $350.
I have a 1996 PdN I’m trying to sell…only to help pay for my new Voltaire. I never thought I’d part w/ this saddle b/c it is so wonderfully balanced. I especially loved it when my TB was green and spooky. I could feel what was coming before it happened!
Since they aren’t in style anymore, I can’t even get a bite on it which is frustrating since it really is a nice saddle. I sold my Pessoa quickly but the Crosby is much better balanced and a better ride. Frustrating, but what’s “in” is “in” I guess.
We have one in the shop:
http://www.trumbullmtn.com/store/demo-and-used-saddles/used-jump-saddles/seat-sizes-15-5-to-16-5/crosby-sovereign-16-5-m/
Hey OP, check out this Whitman for $90:
(And the rest of y’all back off her saddle.)
Whitman’s were well-made, balanced British-made saddles in the PdN era. This one has the embossed leather/pig skin seat like the PdN. They did come in a smooth grain version, like the Sovereign.
They were one of the first saddles flocked with memory foam. That is to say, the foam was different and higher quality than the stuff Crosby was using. The panels, accordingly. look a little different-- they have well-defined, sharp edges. The panels on these saddles are narrow at the back, as were the PdNs. If I were buying an old, foam-flocked saddle, I’d choose a Whitman over a PdN with the same mileage on 'em.
I don’t know if I’d pay the $200 since reselling this brand might be harder than a PdN. But I’d consider $90 a steal/risk worth taking.
Maybe others can weigh in on Whitman close contact saddles.
The link isn’t working for me! 
I’ve been thinking of picking one up so I can do my no-stirrup work in it. I figure it might keep me more “honest” than my deep cushy CWD. 
Seems like there are a lot to be had, many even at or under the $200 mark. It does seem like 16.5" is the most popular size though. I’m keeping my eyes peeled for a 17-17.5"… we’ll see if the right one comes along for the right price.
OP, I thought I saw a 17" Sovereign on Ebay for $200. That seems to be the saddle you wanted/had ridden in, eh?
Yes indeed! But not sure if my search terms are different than yours, but I get no Sovereign and only PDN’s on ebay (but maybe I’m not seeing the difference).
One more comp to consider: the Crump Prix de Saute. It was extremely similar to the Crosby PDN and comes from that same era of can’t-kill-em-with-a-gun, plain flap, solid little saddles. There’s tons of them on US Craigslists, typically.
'http://nmi.craigslist.org/grd/4234369143.html
There is a Crosby LTD listed on ebay for 300$… How about that model, anyone know about it?
Sigh. I just sold mine on eBay…it’s bittersweet. I haven’t used it in years, but it was my first ‘new’ saddle. I hope the buyer likes it!
Ditto what everyone has said about the Crosbys…I’ve owned more than a few over the years & ridden in more. We still have an old Mark VI in the tack room and another dressagey model - it’s brown with a high cantle, straight molded flap - maybe a super early TC…IDK. Of all I owned my Mark VII and Equilibrium were my faves. They fit just about everything I put them on.
Somewhere someone mentioned the diff between the PDN and the Sovereign. IIRC, when the Sovereign first came out the Millers rep pitched the Sovereign as a fancier PDN, made out of bridle leather.
I am NO fan of eBAy (for a buyer I guess it’s great) but I have enjoyed dealing with Middleburg Tack and Rick’s Heritage in the past. They both have websites and sometimes you can find a deal on an out of style saddle. Not likely as great a deal as eBay, though. FWIW, on one of the Facebook pages for selling tack (I’ll go back and dig - couldn’t find it on the fly), a person listed her Hermes Steinkraus for $600 for fast sell…it was a nice little saddle (17 I think).
[QUOTE=WinsomeTK;7362360]
Yes indeed! But not sure if my search terms are different than yours, but I get no Sovereign and only PDN’s on ebay (but maybe I’m not seeing the difference).[/QUOTE]
I used “close contact saddle” in either title or description while searching in English tack. You get a heck of a lot of saddles, but that’s also how you get to those other good brands I mentioned, and sometimes some wicked good deals if you are buying in the Old Skool category.
This PdN looks to be in good shape and the price is right:
I know the pictures are funky, so the OP needs help from other people who have known these saddles intimately. The panels and gold lettering left on the underside of the sweat flap suggest that this saddle hasn’t been used very much. The one picture of the rubs on the off-side flap suggest to me that it’s dry. I think the seat is pig skin, not schrumpf leather. The small knee roll is a bonus, but that means it was probably made in the 1990s sometime (or later). Those weren’t an '80s thing. A pig skin seat, however, would make it an older and well-built Crosby… before the weirdness that happened when Miller’s split up.
Here’s the Sovereign for $200
It looks like it’s in nice shape, too.
Aargh life won’t let me see your links… And typing Crosby Sovereign close contact 17" saddle on ebay only shows me a 650$ one… :mad:
But serious thanks for this search and analysis that I can’t view ! Going to go cry in my corner because for 200$ I would purchase it in a hearbeat…
Oh ebay is such a tease… I totally saw it in a ad at the bottom of the page, clicked on it and then it was still unavailable. Guess that one wasn’t for me.
Too bad…the linked worked fine for me. The saddle is available for another 26 minutes. Try a different browser.
Nope. I’m feeling very much computer challenged now… Tried ebay.ca, ebay.com, north american items, international items…
I’m, like, floored that you can’t find one of these in Canada. These old pancake-flat plain-flapped saddles are a dime a dozen. Have you put out a “wanted” ad on your three nearest Craigslists? A lot of people just throw these in their closets and don’t bother to try and sell them, on the assumption that it’s too much hassle to find a buyer. If you make yourself available, they might crawl right out of the woodwork.
Two recent ads from within Canada: and I’m sure the girl asking $400 would take an offer (plus, consider that you’re saving shipping charges and time since you’re ordering within Canada):
http://www.equiman.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=548589
http://www.equiman.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=548450
If you’re determined to order from the US, remember that Ebay isn’t the only game in town. Middleburg Tack has a few in stock, as does Tack Solutions by Leslie. I don’t know if either vendor ships to Canada, but it’s worth asking. If you don’t like the sticker price, make an offer because these aren’t in high demand and they make accept a lower price.
http://tacksolutions.shoprw.com/Crosby-Prix-de-Nations-Narrow-17-USED-GOOD-Close-Contact-Saddle.html
Oh, I’ve seen quite a few available, just not the specific ones you posted… Since my unexperienced eye is alone in this, I was definitely more keen on purchasing something COTHers have looked at and “visually inspected” rather than trusting myself! I mean some details like “this saddle needs to be reflocked”, “billets are a little iffy” are things I wouldn’t be able to determine myself but easily found by you experienced saddle peeps!
The choice is not what is missing, but I am leery of purchasing somehting I can’t see from complete strangers (especially when paying duty fees and shipping from god-knows-where)… And my local ads on CL either don’t have Crosbys or they sell them for a ridiculous amount compared to the ebay pricing.
I am determined to find something and not particularly in a hurry so it’s all good, and I immensely appreciate the input and suggestions on this thead!
