TSII #448, 10th Donation Saddle (NAN 2008)

 

TSII #448 was built in 2008 as a portrait of a real saddle.  Its 2024 auction closes on Thursday, July 11, at 9 pm Eastern (Note new closing time!).  Free delivery if at BreyerFest!  Details and the latest bid are on the master Sales Catalog post here.

From the TSII Saddle Numbers Registry pages:  "High Noon Southern California Parade Saddle.  2008 North American Nationals Auction piece.  My 10th-ever donation [to NAN].  Second-ever saddle to use a Sculpey tree I made myself.  Third-ever saddle to use hot-fix silver conchos;  1st to use gold ones.  First to have solid silver pommel (silver tape) & back skirt plates above the concho bar [read: solid, undecorated silver plate set above the concho row, something the real saddle had].  Based on a saddle seen in the 2008 High Noon Auction in January [of that year]..."

Here's a birds-eye shot:

Compare the above with a birds-eye shot taken 16 years ago.  You will agree Colette took care of her tack!!

Sold to Colette Robertson in 2008 (16 years ago) for the then-record-breaking price of $2000.  Reserve is currently set at $600.

On June 22, I replaced three buckles with twisted stainless-steel-wire ones.  Here is the bridle before,

And after.  There's not much difference.  See the bottom of this post for details on the buckle replacement.  I still think these face conchos are among the best I've ever done.

This resin is Ramses sculpted by Carol Howard.  The blanket is made with Melody Snow's [blanket-making] book as inspiration.  The bit is one of a kind, made from Argentium with an inset gold round, an ikandi (iron on), as are the other gold spots.

The next few shots aren't quite as flattering to the horse, but the saddle shows up well.  The last face shot is almost comical;  I guess it proves that the bridle can adapt to a forelock!

2406.22 (June 22, 2024)  In hand, the bridle proved to have 3 buckles almost solidly covered in verdigris:  poll, throatlatch and noseband.  Only been 16 years!  This photo shows all three.

I made the decision to replace them with our standard twisted-stainless-steel-wire buckles, also handmade and proven to not corrode.  (At least not over the ~20 years I've been using them.)  There were other twisted-wire buckles on the bridle, (curb, face ornament), so why did I use what now appears to be white brass?  Indulging in my ability to carve beautiful buckles, I suspect.  The photo shows them partially cleaned.  The rest of the saddle is fine.

Here's a shot of a horse wearing this newly-fixed bridle.  I know, it's the horse for Medieval.  Y'don't s'pose I'd admit I got 'em mixed up, now, would you...?!  The bridle was too big for her, and now I know why.