Pure Cowboy

Member: National Bit, Spur & Saddle Collector's Association and Texas Longhorn Breeders Association of America

Item #SP105 /  $3,900.

Spectacular Spanish Colonial - California Transitional Silver Inlaid Spurs ca 1870

This pair of spurs is an incredibly rare find.  The well documented history of spurs has few representations of the mixture of styles that became the collector's spur of the Old West in each distinctive style - California / Vaquero, Wyoming, Texas, and Northern Plains.  Certainly, a pair of matched spurs that date back to the mid 1800's is a rare find, indeed.  These venerable spurs, kept together as a pair for over 150 years, illustrate the transition from the Conquistador to Spanish Colonial to the California / Vaquero style of the 1880's that was popularized by such makers as G. S. Garcia, Raphael (Filo) Gutierrez, Gus Goldberg, Juan (John) Estrada, and Jose Tapia to name a few.

These spurs have 3 inch rowels and very old leathers.  The 8 - point rowels are finely made and quite sharper than those of the later 1880's spurs.  They feature silver inlays on both sides of the heel-bands in the form of a heart engraving pattern around floral conchos on one side and long pieces of silver inlaid into the other side of the heel-band - as well as along the shank and chap guards and inset into the top of each heel-band in a checkered pattern that can be found in the California Style that we are familiar with from our famous makers such as G. S. Garcia.

Silver inlay is a feature that was added to the Spanish Colonial style by the French influence that was irrepressible between Catholic and Jesuit Missions.  Although the  French had a free trade policy with both the Spanish and the Indians, the Spanish Crown forbade the trade of merchandise with the French (except food) and forbade the trade of guns and alcohol to the Indians.  Prior to the French influence, all Spanish spurs were made in the chased iron method free of any silver or other precious metal adornment.

These spurs had heel chains that are no longer attached.  They are in 100% original condition and retain all their silver.  They are in very good condition.  Two of the spokes of the rowels are slightly bent with use, adding the character that makes collecting spurs one of the pride of having a piece that was used as the maker intended, long ago.

A similar pair (although they only had 2 inch rowels) was sold as Lot 226 at Christie's Auction House in 1999 for $2,070, plus the buyer's premium.  CLICK HERE FOR CHRISTIE'S PAGE.

*Your purchase of G. S. Garcia items will include a complimentary copy of "Legacy of Silver and Saddles": G. S. Garcia to J.M. Capriola Co. (Limit One Copy Per Client)

Please contact us at your convenience:  michael@purecowboy.us or sarah@purecowboy.us

Members: National Bit, Spur & Saddle Collector's Association

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