Mine!!
Bruce davidson or torino crosby xc
I don’t have pix since I don’t do “cloud,” but 2 years ago on E-Bay I picked up MINT 2-tone Stubbens; one Imperator and one surreal Loreley, for $500.00 each! 
A Loreley is the one with doeskin suede center inserts on seat and flaps; grippy city and looks awesome. 
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No pictures either, but several years ago at a horsey tack yard sale I also bought a Stubben Imperator for $200. It had been sitting in a tack room virtually untouched by human hands since 1974 when it had been the prize in an AQHA jumping medal class (still has the brass plate with the class name and date on the cantle). With some judicious padding it fits my horse.
Two years ago I stumbled over a Stubben Tristan (either a made in Germany or Switzerland era) that had virtually never been ridden in (no marks on billets, no marks anywhere). Since it was in the neighborhood of $150 I snatched it up. It’s at a consignment shop right now, but nobody wants to bite, so I may bring it home and re-try it on my present horse.
Can never turn down a cheap saddle bargain; guess that’s why I have 4 saddles for my one horse!
The grand mum of 'em all, though, was the mint, like brand new if ever used, ca. 1935 Whippy sidesaddle in the original case a friend of mine nailed at a tag sale; for $25 bucks! That saddle now, with it’s doeskin seat and pommels and all the fittings, would go in the $5,000.00 range if you could find one at all.
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[QUOTE=betonbill;7588950]
Two years ago I stumbled over a Stubben Tristan (either a made in Germany or Switzerland era) that had virtually never been ridden in (no marks on billets, no marks anywhere). Since it was in the neighborhood of $150 I snatched it up. It’s at a consignment shop right now, but nobody wants to bite, so I may bring it home and re-try it on my present horse. [/QUOTE]
I’d totally bite a Tristan. Whatchagot?
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Got a Crosby Lexington TC that might have been ridden in twice for 200 at a thrift store. Too small for me right now, but an excellent fit for hubby. I figured with 4 riders and 7 horses, we should be able to find some combo it fits. So I brought it home. Figured even if it didn’t, I could still resale at a leisure if I was willing to hold it for a bit.
I recently purchased a 1998 PJ/Delgrange that looked almost brand new… it had to be sitting in someone’s garage all this time… Big jump from my first saddle that didn’t even have a makers mark on it, rode it until the stuffing fell out of the panels & then my move up Crosby Corinthinan that I wore out the seat…lol
[QUOTE=Bogie;7587520]
I bought this Kieffer Zugspritz Springen Spezial last year. It had never seen the back of a horse. It was made in about 1974. It was in absolutely perfect condition and was a steal of a deal.
http://equineink.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/kiefer.jpg[/QUOTE]
WOW. Where on earth did you find that?! That looks like something that I would absolutely LOVE.
[QUOTE=Bogie;7587520]
I bought this Kieffer Zugspritz Springen Spezial last year. It had never seen the back of a horse. It was made in about 1974. It was in absolutely perfect condition and was a steal of a deal.
http://equineink.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/kiefer.jpg[/QUOTE]
OMG! That saddle is gorgeous. Made the year I graduated from high school! I’ve never heard of it, but I love it!!
I’ve been riding in this one the last few weeks https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1418523431755628&set=a.1410578352550136.1073741832.100007939534081&type=3&theater
I’m not sure what the model is on it. I don’t see it anywhere. My Antares had to go to the company for a little while and luckily I happened to have this one from my sister since I’m trying to sell it for her. Otherwise I wouldn’t have had anything to ride in! I was a little worried about going from something like an Antares to something with no blocks or knee pads. It’s been a while since I’ve ridden in a plain flapped saddle. I was worried too because my horse can be…special… sometimes while riding! But so far so good in being able to stick with it! What’s funny is whenever I post it for someone looking for a saddle (generally of the younger generation) They like to say “sorry, I’m looking for a close contact.” … I really want to tell them this IS a close contact! The only way to get closer is riding bareback. :rolleyes::rolleyes:
Reviviving this ancient thread that memorializes
these great old classic saddles.
I actually bought a mint pristine Crosby ÀGA Grand Prix. because of these discussions.
[Edit]
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I have a Crosby Lynn Palm saddle. I bought it because it has a wider channel for the backbone than my ancient Crosby PDN Wide Front saddle.
It rides OK, but nothing I’d write home about. It is a more modern type saddle with the calf skin (?) leather on it, nice and slippery. It has a pretty high thigh block in front that does not interfere with my legs or my comfort in the saddle. The flap resting against the horse’s barrel is one layer of pretty thick leather unlike my PDN which has two layers of leather there. It has no knee rolls like the ones on my PDN.
My PDN now “lives” on my Home Horse. If I ever get enough money to afford an Equicizer I’ll use the Lynn Palm saddle on it (probably never going to happen but even ancient ladies can have impractical dreams.)
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What state was that sale in? Those saddles (Imperator) were used by a few people I knew, who also showed in AQHA.
Love this thread!
I have a good handful of older saddles, but two in particular that have seen very little use and are in excellent condition for the age. A Courbette Husar and a Crosby Sovereign. Love both of them!
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Just saw this. I bought the saddle in Ocala at a Tack Shack tack sale. I still have it. The plate on the back reads AJQHA Finals, Tulsa OK 1974. Jumping. The lady I bought it from said she hadn’t used it much, as she already had a similar saddle.
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I have a 1962 Stubben Siegfried I purchased to trail ride. The horse passed away a long time ago and it has been sitting in a closet. I contacted Stubben USA with the serial number and they told me the year it was made. I should sell it but have never made the effort.
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@betonbill, wow! 1974? I wonder who that winner was? Lauren McKenzie? Those were fun days for jumpers at the AQHA shows.
