Early
G.S. Garcia Bit No. 6 - Kissing Bird Spade with unique "1" mark
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Updated:
Thursday May 17, 2012
Pure Cowboy
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Member: National Bit, Spur & Saddle Collector's Association and Texas Longhorn Breeders Association of America
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Pure Cowboy
Member: National Bit, Spur & Saddle Collector's Association and Texas Longhorn Breeders Association of America
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G. S.
Garcia, Elko
Nevada
Guadalupe S. Garcia was born in Sonora,
Mexico in 1864 and was raised in Santa Margarita, near San Luis Obispo,
California. In 1882, he apprenticed with the Arana Saddle Shop in San Luis
Obispo, prior to opening his own shop in Santa Margarita in 1883. In 1894,
G. S Garcia moved to Elko, Nevada. The first Garcia catalog was published
in 1897. The Saddlery was employing about 20 craftsmen and apprentices at
that time.
Alsalio Herrera was hired from Visalia, California for the post
of master bit and spur maker. He brought 35 years of experience of
working with his father, a famous maker in his own right. By the start of
1904, the G. S. Garcia Harness and Saddlery would be one of Elko's largest
employers. The quality, craftsmanship and attention to detail was
unmatched. When coupled with G. S. Garcia's natural marketing ability,
there was no stopping the resulting success of the company. G. S. Garcia was involved in every
aspect of design and implementation. By all accounts he was inspired by
the elaborate and ornate styles of the early California vaqueros, many of which
had their origins in Colonial Spain and Mexico. Beginning in 1899, G. S.
Garcia employed the most distinguished spur makers of the time, including
Juan
Estrada,
Gus Goldberg,
Mike Morales,
Adolf Biancani,
Alsalio Herrera, and Raphael (Philo) Gutierrez.
These great artists are credited with producing Garcia's finest work.
Juan Estrada had been hired in 1896 to make the bits and mouthpieces. Over
the next 5 years, Estrada apprenticed in silver engraving under Herrera and
became one of the best. G. S. Garcia bits and spurs were marked
in different ways, depending on the artisan, the model and the date made.
Bits and spurs
marked with the backward "N" were made prior to 1910. G. S. one
leather stamp for
saddles and one for
chaps and other
leather
goods. {...continued below} G.S. GARCIA BITS
Item #HS109 7,500
G.S. Garcia Legendary Silver Engraved Snake Bit No. 110 Item # B840 $9,800.
G.S. Garcia #75 Silver Engraved Eagle by Adolph Biancani Item # B1000 Inquire For Price
G.S. Garcia 1904 World's Fair Prototype Bit by Alsalio Herrera Item # B1008 $14,000.
G.S. Garcia No. 1 (Eagle) patterned after the World's Fair Winning Bit Item # B902 SOLD
G.S. Garcia #16 Crescent Bit, Juan (John) Estrada Item # B713 $9,900.
G.S. Garcia Crescent [Ring] Bit No. 60 Item # B883 SOLD
G.S. Garcia Silver Engraved Bit No. 80 - Ortega Braided Rawhide Reins Item # B990 $7,500.
Item # B881 SOLD
Item # B820 $4,200.
Item # B927 $4,400.
Item # B123 SOLD
G.S. Garcia Pre-1900's Santa Barbara Bit Item # B990 $4,800.
Item # B520 $2,900.
G.S. GARCIA SPURS
Item # SP208 $19,000.
G.S. Garcia Engraved No. 40 Double-Mounted Spurs Item # SP929 SOLD
Item #SP400 SOLD
G.S. Garcia No. 5 Silver Spurs Item # SP907 $3,500. JUST ADDED
G.S. Garcia #13 Inlaid "Peanut" Silver Spurs Item # SP922 $5,800.
G.S. Garcia Engraved No. 10 Spurs - Roy Rogers Museum Collection Item # SP945 SOLD
Item # SP907 $4,200.
G. S. Garcia Silver Engraved Spurs No. 75 Dandy's Item #SP947 SOLD
G.S. GARCIA LEATHER
Item #UA901 $9,500.
G.S. Garcia Leather Headstall and Bit Set Item #HS109 Inquire For Price
G.S. Garcia Heart Concho Batwing Chaps, circa 1910 Item #CH555 $6,500.
Item #UA201 / $3,200.
Your purchase of any 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)
Legacy of Silver and Saddles - G.S. Garcia to J.M. Capriola Co. 1864 - 2004 Signed by G.S. Garcia's Granddaughter- Dee Dee Garcia White Your purchase of any items made in the G. S. Garcia Elko Shop will include a complimentary copy of "Legacy of Silver and Saddles": G. S. Garcia to J.M. Capriola Co. (Limit One Copy Per Client)Item #DD100 / $90.
G. S. Garcia's Garcia Saddlery Co. 1924 Catalog Reprinted and Signed by Dee Dee Garcia White, G.S. Garcia's Granddaughter. Item #DD101 $45.
G. S. Garcia bits and spurs were marked in different ways, depending on the maker and the date made. Those pieces marked with the backward "N" were made prior to 1910.
In 1904, G. S. Garcia won the Gold Medal for his silver show saddle entered at the St. Louis World's Fair - and thereby began his vast world-wide popularity and the overwhelming success that has been continued for generations. The silver on that saddle, bridle and bit was the work of Alsalio Herrera. G. S. Garcia was involved in every aspect of design and implementation. In 1904, G. S. Garcia won the Gold Medal for his silver show saddle entered at the St. Louis World's Fair - and thereby began his vast world-wide popularity and the overwhelming success that has been continued for generations. Much later on, G.S. Garcia's granddaughter, Mrs. Dee Dee Garcia White, generously made that saddle available for viewing at the Nevada City Museum in Carson City, Nevada - where it is currently on display. Henry Garcia, son of famed G .S. Garcia, left his father's shop in Elko, Nevada in 1935 to open a branch of the family's saddlery in Salinas, California (about 100 miles south of San Francisco). The family had enough capital to establish a branch in a different area and felt that Salinas presented an opportunity to be in an area of more rapid economic recovery and higher population. Henry was only 23 years old, but was thoroughly trained in all aspects of saddle making and bit and spur crafting. The shop he rented was at 10 W. Gabilan Street. By 1939, Garcia Saddlery was making the championship saddles for the Salinas Rodeo events. Every year for over 15 years, Henry Garcia also donated a Garcia saddle to the Rodeo. The brothers convinced their mother (Mrs. Saturnina Garcia) to leave Elko and join them in Salinas, but not until that year. During WWII, the store closed its doors temporarily. Materials for saddle making were diverted to the wartime effort, and the US Army requisitioned the store building to use as a recruiting office. Les Garcia entered the military and made some good contacts which allowed him to arrange for a contract with the Army to provide US soldiers with leather wallets. Even mass-produced, those wallets were beautifully adorned with either the signature Garcia Acorn or Rose patterns and then hand-laced. As soon as the Army contract was concluded and the war came to an end, Henry and Les Garcia re-opened the Garcia Saddlery and continued the family business. By 1948, they were offering their wares in a newly styled 31-page catalog filled with saddles, headstalls, bits and spurs, boots, belts and buckles, trousers, shirts and cowboy hats. The Garcia tradition of saddle making and silver smithing continues today.
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