At one time Millers hired limousines to bring their wealth international customers to the store. Sheiks from Saudi Arabia would often come into the stores and spend tons of money because at that time, mid 60’s quality tack was not readily available as it is today… Although Miller’s, Kaufmans, Knoud and Eisers were like competitors it was only Millers, essentially Joe, that materially created the modern tack shop industry.
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Really, It is true that EEG, which was owned by the investor Stephen Dent of Greenwich CT owned those companies; However he did not suck the assets out of the companies. He paid for the companies and proceeded to lose his shirt due to total mismanagement and arrogance. Whitman saddle shop was never "sold "back to the Normans. Dennis Norman who ran the Whitman business was a very talented saddle maker and designer. The Whitman brand along with Mid West saddlery was owned by the Normans. Dennis brother Mel ran Mid-West saddlery and Dennis ran Whtiman. The two were sold to Dent. Dennis began a new company later called Norman saddlery. It was not a success. Time past them by.[/QUOTE]
Thanks for the history lesson. All of the big saddle seat tack shops and manufacturers changed ownership and experienced consolidation and other changes in the past decade. Took a beating, possibly. Schneider’s went western. Hartmeyers got out of tack (after some scandal??) and just does apparel. Libertyville Saddle Shop closed. Barnsby and Whitman both are defunct. Who would have ever predicted that back in say, 1982. I’m out of horses right now. I may never get back into the hobby. Saddlebreds and Morgans were my interest. But things ain’t what they used to be, the oldtimers whom I enjoyed have died off, and you can never go home again, right? (sigh)
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As I recall Barnsby made the saddles for Knoud who put their nameplates on them. But I don’t recall who made them for Kauffman’s. Miller’s were always Wasall Riding Saddle Co. Barnsby was in its heyday back then.
Kauffmans, Millers, Eisers, Knouds and other major saddle stores sold not only major brand name saddles (Stubben, Passier, Barnsby, Whitman and others) but also saddles made in Walsall, England with their store name on them. (Millers’ English-made store brand name was Crosby.) Most also had a line of Argentine-made saddles under their store brand name, such as Borelli and Cortina.
We lived on Guam, when I was younger, and I ordered from the H Kauffman and Sons catalog. There wasn’t any place on that, much to be desired, island to purchase horse supplies and tack. So I too waited for my catalog with baited breath! I just happened to find this forum, because I Goggled Kauffman’s to see if they were still in business and unfortunately they are not.
