Tell age of old Stübben saddles - a summary

[Shott]

I want to collect all these small tips on how to tell the age of old Stübben saddles in same thread. These old saddles that no longer are available in Stübben´s archives.

I have found out this:

-blue nail started 1985, 1975-1984 it was silver with engravings and before that just plain silver.

-sued flaps stopped 1994

-1962-1969 stirrup bar was made of chrome

Does anyone know something about my questions below?

1. Which year did Stübben start to put a plate on the back cantle with their logo?

2. Some saddles have the logo printed on the inside of the flaps, which years did this happen?

3. The metal plate close to the pommel has changed through the years, does anyone know which years which plate was used? I have found out that it changed from brown to silver (new logo) somewhere between 2003 and 2008.

Please enter all your tips!

[Shott]

Here is the logo on the inside of the flap:

[Shott]

Here is the old metal plate:

[Shott]

The metal plate used 2003 but not 2008:

[Shott]

The metal plate used 2008:

[beowulf]

I think this is a very interesting thread! The old Stubbens can wear like iron so I understand the want to document ways to tell their age.

The only thing I can add to the data point is I had two Stubben Siegfrieds (stamped as such) with suede. One was estimated to be from the 70s, the other from the 90s. Both had the saddle brand, saddle model, seat size, and tree size stamped on the inside flap. To my memory both had a metal plate under the pommel skirt.

I gave one to a COTHer and another to a local Pony Clubber. Maybe they’ll see this thread and confirm.

My 2017 Stubben Zaria, which was not representative of the quality I’d come to expect of Stubben, had a metal plate on the back of the cantle with the logo, a blue nail head, and the saddle info stamped on the underside of the monoflap.

[Scribbler]

The very old Stubbens are completely different from the current Stubbens!

[widge]

I have a Stubben Athos of unknown year, very hard to find info on when these were even made, but it did come with a saddle plate and removable insert for personalization. I’ll have to check on the plate under the flap next time I go out. It’s a fine quality saddle but I hate it like no other so if any Stubben aficionados want to add it to their collection let me know

[widge]

Here are a couple pics of mine (ignore the tape measure, as stated I hate this thing and am trying to replace it so had these on hand lol). This one has the logo inside the flap as well.

[BAC]

What do the embossed numbers on my saddle mean?

If you have your “saddle number” you should be able to find out the year it was made and other info at this link.

[TC3200]

Stubben made saddles in Ireland for only 2 years, 1968 (maybe) and 1969. I’m sure about 1969. I had a 1969 Stubben Ireland Siegfried for a while.

[BAC]

@beowulf

I think this is a very interesting thread! The old Stubbens can wear like iron so I understand the want to document ways to tell their age.

The only thing I can add to the data point is I had two Stubben Siegfrieds (stamped as such) with suede. One was estimated to be from the 70s, the other from the 90s. Both had the saddle brand, saddle model, seat size, and tree size stamped on the inside flap. To my memory both had a metal plate under the pommel skirt.

I gave one to a COTHer and another to a local Pony Clubber. Maybe they’ll see this thread and confirm.

My 2017 Stubben Zaria, which was not representative of the quality I’d come to expect of Stubben, had a metal plate on the back of the cantle with the logo, a blue nail head, and the saddle info stamped on the underside of the monoflap.

I received my Stubben Siegfried for Christmas in 1969 and it was just as you described yours and they do wear like iron! I used it for ten years and then put it away for 20 while I took a break from riding. When I went back in 2002 I started riding in it again for several more years before buying a French saddle. I sold that saddle in 2010-2012? for $500 to the owner of a local riding school. Even at 40+ years old it was in excellent condition.

[Raincityrider]

Unfortunately, Stubben doesn’t keep a record of saddles older than 20-25 years. At least that’s what they told me when I was trying to research an older dressage saddle some years back.

[kenyarider]

If you have a serial number, try the German stubben saddle website. They have more information.

[furlong47]

@Raincityrider

Unfortunately, Stubben doesn’t keep a record of saddles older than 20-25 years. At least that’s what they told me when I was trying to research an older dressage saddle some years back.

I have a mid 90s Siegfried that Stubben NA told me they had no information on (and that was several years ago)

[Jodyml813]

If you’re on Facebook, join the saddle restoration group. There’s a gentleman in there that works in the Steuben repair shop and is extremely knowledgeable.

[Calhoun]

15 years ago I called Stubben with a serial number to see if they could tell me the age of a saddle. It was made in 1962. I still have it.

[Equestrian24]

I only knew about the blue nail heads starting in 1985 and the suede padded flaps being discontinued in 1994. I wish I knew more, but thanks for posting the info you know! I’m very interested in older saddles and the changes made throughout time (I’ve researched a lot about the older Miller’s Crosby and Collegiate saddles, along with bits and pieces of others), and it’s cool to have it documented for future reference! There used to be some cool posts on HGS before it shut down about this kind of thing, along with old catalog photos (which were really cool!), but sadly, they disappeared along with HGS.

I have a couple of 1980 model Courbettes that were made in the Swiss factory Stübben used for some of their saddles, IIRC (I think they both used the same German and Swiss factories in those days), and I think Courbette’s nailheads switched to red probably around the same time as Stübben switched to blue. Both of mine are silver. I was able to get the year of manufacture by e-mailing Courbette when they were still around, plus the serial number on many of the Swiss Courbettes starts with the last two digits of the year of manufacture, IIRC (both of mine start with 80), but Stübben’s numbering is very different.

Love this thread!

[Equestrian24]

This is interesting info! I knew the Irish Stübbens were pretty rare and were only made a short while, but I wasn’t sure exactly when. I actually have an Irish-made Stübben rolled bridle and braided/plaited reins! I found it on eBay in great condition for the age and couldn’t resist snatching it up.

[TC3200]

The rolled leather bridles were very popular, perhaps trendy, in the early '70s. I sent for all of the tack catalogs I could get free when I was a kid, and I can still picture some of those pages even though those probably got thrown away by the mid '70s. I remember rolled bridles. And Stubben and Whippy and Barnsby saddles. Then rolled leather came back in style for a while a couple or 3 years ago. I don’t follow hunt and dressage tack, and don’t know what’s hawt now. Too many modern bridles look like more like S&M strapping than tack. I quit collecting modern catalogs because of all the junk tack in them. It’s sad, really. When you walked into a tack shop in the '60s and '70s, that scent of superb English and American leather greeted you at the door.