Pawn Stars - Parade Saddles

[Alagirl]

Anybody watch that show?
(If it wasn’t for Chumly, I know I wouldn’t)

Anyhow this is horse related:
this guy brought in 2 sets of parade saddles, hardly a smidge of leather to be seen on it, one even had the matching - forgot what the expert called it - part hat goes over the back with it.

The expert did contibute it to a saddle maker, placed it around the 1950s and valued them around 6k each. No, really?

Considering that a new one with tooling of a lesser quality costs more these days, I am astonished, borderline aghasted!

[bascher]

I’ve seen it a couple times, but haven’t seen this episode and know absolutely nothing about parade saddles, so I’m afraid I don’t have anything to contribute lol!

[To_the_MAX]

I love how he always has “buddies” that are experts in every field.
And the guy said the saddles weigh like 100 lbs! I bet the horses dreaded being in parades.
I too thought they would be much more expensive.

[Amwrider]

That sounds way too cheap for a parade saddle.

I usually watch Pawn Stars, love that show! I missed it tonight though

[Amwrider]

One of the ASB ladies on here shows in Parade classes and is pretty knowledgeable on them. Maybe if you change your title to include “parade saddles” she might show up and give her input.

[Alagirl]

@Amwrider;5179204

One of the ASB ladies on here shows in Parade classes and is pretty knowledgeable on them. Maybe if you change your title to include “parade saddles” she might show up and give her input.

LOL, as you posted I edited!

[Guilherme]

I didn’t see the show (I don’t normally watch it). With any collectable you’d have to start with three questions:

Is the item a quality example of the genre? (Is it well made and is the decoration well done and the like?)

Does it have any unusual provenace? (Was the parade saddle owned by William Boyd or Yakima Canutt somebody like that.)

Is there a “real world” market for item. (Or is it like the “collectables” regularly sold on late night cable TV?)

In the case of 100 pound saddles, do they come with a groom to put on the horse for you?!?!?!?!

Everything is worth what somebody else will pay for it. Pawn shop owners have got to have a “feel” for that sort of thing or they go bankrupt PDQ.

G.

[Alagirl]

I didn’t wait to see if they made a deal, I was floored by the ‘Expert’s’ appraisal.

I would have guessed - from what I learned on COTH - they would be worth about twice of the estimate.

Now after the appraisla, the slap in the face offer is another story! :lol:

[copper1]

I love that show but always wonder why people expect the owners to give the fair market value! The shop owners need to make a profit and why would you take an expensive item to a pawn shop when you could get so much more at auction or private sale? I think a lot of those who bring stuff into that particular store need the $$$ ASAP to either go gamble or pay off gambling debts!

[Tiffani_B]

I told Mr. TB I was going to call the shop and buy one. I know what they paid!!! LOL

[mp]

@Alagirl;5179232

I would have guessed - from what I learned on COTH - they would be worth about twice of the estimate.

Yeah, because parade saddles are such a hot topic here, there must be a huge demand for them.

[Alagirl]

@mp;5179458

Yeah, because parade saddles are such a hot topic here, there must be a huge demand for them.

Don’t you want one or 2? :eek:
I thought everybody does!

[bludejavu]

If you check out my website under my signature, you can learn a bit about parade saddles. I didn’t see the episode but the price given means they were most likely made by Ted Flowers and are not sterling. A top sterling parade set made by Edward Bohlin, who was considered one of the best parade saddle makers of the time, will command much more money even in today’s market. My husband and I collect Ted Flowers sets and most of them range anywhere from $3,000 to $8,000. Occasionally one will sell for more but because he didn’t make many sterling sets, pricing is more reasonable - at least by parade saddle standards.

[bludejavu]

@Guilherme;5179220

In the case of 100 pound saddles, do they come with a groom to put on the horse for you?!?!?!?!

G.

The saddles don’t weigh 100 pounds - they’re about 60 to 75 pounds, depending on amount of silver. One person can lift them and put them on but generally my husband and I lift them from behind the horse, one of us on each side of the saddle. An entire outfit weighs about 125 pounds or less and is disbursed over the horse’s body - the entire weight is not centered directly on the horse’s back.

[MistyBlue]

I’m not a blong person at all…but I sooooooo want a parade saddle.
For trail rides in the woods.
But then I’d want a Lusitano to put it on.
Although one of those would really dress up my “plain” chestnut QHs.

[bludejavu]

@To the MAX;5179199

I bet the horses dreaded being in parades.
I too thought they would be much more expensive.

Horse’s who are properly conditioned don’t really notice the difference. My smallest mare, a 15 hand Saddlebred, went thru a 7 mile parade in full parade attire in Savannah, GA, and was fit and ready to go again the next day.

Right now, the bottom has fallen out of the parade saddle industry, which was fairly lucrative up until a few years ago. Most sets are over 40 years old and pricing is dependent on condition, wear and whether all parts and pieces really match the saddle. They still have some value as a collectible, but what sounds expensive to most horse owners, is quite inexpensive right now to the real parade saddle collector.

Here’s a link to photos from our most recent parade class here in the state (Go to Proofs, Southeastern Charity, Friday evening - Opportunity Parade Class)https://dougshiflet.com/default.asp. We provided all tack and attire for the three riders - you can see how the equipment is really disbursed over the entire body - the Friesian had worn the equipment only once before. The other two horses had never worn any before this class.

[Alagirl]

@bludejavu;5179509

If you check out my website under my signature, you can learn a bit about parade saddles. I didn’t see the episode but the price given means they were most likely made by Ted Flowers and are not sterling. A top sterling parade set made by Edward Bohlin, who was considered one of the best parade saddle makers of the time, will command much more money even in today’s market. My husband and I collect Ted Flowers sets and most of them range anywhere from $3,000 to $8,000. Occasionally one will sell for more but because he didn’t make many sterling sets, pricing is more reasonable - at least by parade saddle standards.

Does this guy have a horse head trademark thing?

[bludejavu]

He did do a lot of horse head sets, but he also did other styles such as Indian Heads. A lot of the parade saddle makers used to swap or recreate their silver dies. Another maker, Bruce Lovins, made very similar sets and novices have a hard time telling the two makers’ works apart from each other. A really good parade saddle maker put work into every detail, the saddle tooling, the placement of the silver, and the silver work itself. Edward Bohlin reigns supreme as the ultimate parade saddle maker. You can expect to pay upwards of $50,000 to $100,000 for his best work and much of it is in museums now.

[SmartAlex]

Susan, they were two Ted Flowers saddles… or at least that’s what the “expert” said. I could tell one was. They both had bridles and breast collars with them. The breast collars had all their drops. One saddle had the croup decoration (name?) with it. They didn’t give a good side shot, but I think they had the long flank panel things (name?) with them. Bothe the bridles had bits hanging. Can’t remember seeing reins or pads. They were nice complete sets sitting on racks. He paid… what $6000 for both sets? They were clean, the leather looked good. I’d have paid that!

[bludejavu]

@SmartAlex;5179603

Susan, they were two Ted Flowers saddles… or at least that’s what the “expert” said. I could tell one was. They both had bridles and breast collars with them. The breast collars had all their drops. One saddle had the croup decoration (name?) with it. They didn’t give a good side shot, but I think they had the long flank panel things (name?) with them. Bothe the bridles had bits hanging. Can’t remember seeing reins or pads. They were nice complete sets sitting on racks. He paid… what $6000 for both sets? They were clean, the leather looked good. I’d have paid that!

SA - the croup pieces are called hip drops, the panels that extend from under the saddle are called serapes. Considering the market, $6,000 was probably about on target although he can turn around and sell those sets at a good profit, being in California where parades are so prolific. What probably couldn’t be seen was whether the silver matched up completely, whether it was dinged or dented, and if the leather had any dry rot or not - TV cameras don’t catch those details too well.

I watch that show a good bit with my DH but it figures I’d miss the episode that would interest me the most.