Open Forum

Recently, a member of our community came across a historic trophy saddle associated with Cheyenne Frontier Days.  These saddles have been given out to the winners of the Saddle Bronc Bucking Contest every year since the early 1900s.  On each was a silver plate with ornate script with the date of the competition and the winner's name.  This particular saddle is missing this plate, but there are others from previous and later years that might serve as a model for a replacement.  Does anyone know of a firm that can replicate engraving script from a hundred or more years ago?

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Michael Kassel
Curator of Collections
Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum
Cheyenne WY
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Mr. Kassel,

As always, it depends on how much you have to spend.

Do you have someone that does restoration of antique rifles?  From what I've seen, they routinely have to freshen up engravings on the actions of older rifles.  But this may be an expensive avenue.

If you don't have a lot to spend, I have a computer controlled router that I use to do some engraving.  So if I had a high quality image of an existing one, I could possibly replicate one.  I doubt I could find a computer font accurate enough to create a new one.  But I would want to see one before going any further with that idea.  Google image search didn't turn up much, as most modern trophy saddles are embossed in the leather.  And making it out of zinc instead of silver would save a small fortune.  It might not be a perfect solution, but it should make the piece worthy of display, until you could find an original plate.

Best of luck.

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Bill Browne
Westlake LA
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Original Message:
Sent: 01-25-2019 04:12 PM
From: Michael Kassel
Subject: Historically accurate engraving

Recently, a member of our community came across a historic trophy saddle associated with Cheyenne Frontier Days.  These saddles have been given out to the winners of the Saddle Bronc Bucking Contest every year since the early 1900s.  On each was a silver plate with ornate script with the date of the competition and the winner's name.  This particular saddle is missing this plate, but there are others from previous and later years that might serve as a model for a replacement.  Does anyone know of a firm that can replicate engraving script from a hundred or more years ago?

------------------------------
Michael Kassel
Curator of Collections
Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum
Cheyenne WY
------------------------------

Hi there,

The Metal Museum in Memphis, TN may know of someone. Please give us a call at (901) 774-6380 or email info@metalmuseum.org to learn more.

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Frances Winfrey
Director of Development
Metal Museum
Memphis, TN
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Original Message:
Sent: 01-28-2019 04:12 PM
From: Bill Browne
Subject: Historically accurate engraving

Mr. Kassel,

As always, it depends on how much you have to spend.

Do you have someone that does restoration of antique rifles?  From what I've seen, they routinely have to freshen up engravings on the actions of older rifles.  But this may be an expensive avenue.

If you don't have a lot to spend, I have a computer controlled router that I use to do some engraving.  So if I had a high quality image of an existing one, I could possibly replicate one.  I doubt I could find a computer font accurate enough to create a new one.  But I would want to see one before going any further with that idea.  Google image search didn't turn up much, as most modern trophy saddles are embossed in the leather.  And making it out of zinc instead of silver would save a small fortune.  It might not be a perfect solution, but it should make the piece worthy of display, until you could find an original plate.

Best of luck.

------------------------------
Bill Browne
Westlake LA

Original Message:
Sent: 01-25-2019 04:12 PM
From: Michael Kassel
Subject: Historically accurate engraving

Recently, a member of our community came across a historic trophy saddle associated with Cheyenne Frontier Days.  These saddles have been given out to the winners of the Saddle Bronc Bucking Contest every year since the early 1900s.  On each was a silver plate with ornate script with the date of the competition and the winner's name.  This particular saddle is missing this plate, but there are others from previous and later years that might serve as a model for a replacement.  Does anyone know of a firm that can replicate engraving script from a hundred or more years ago?

------------------------------
Michael Kassel
Curator of Collections
Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum
Cheyenne WY
------------------------------

For historically accurate hand engraving, the silversmiths at Colonial Williamsburg are first rate.  You have to be willing to wait, however.  While they concentrate on the eighteenth century, you could ask them about what you have in mind.  Machine tools, even hand held, leave a different effect.

------------------------------
Colin Windhorst, PhD
Digital Curation
University of Maine
Orono, Maine, USA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 01-25-2019 04:12 PM
From: Michael Kassel
Subject: Historically accurate engraving

Recently, a member of our community came across a historic trophy saddle associated with Cheyenne Frontier Days.  These saddles have been given out to the winners of the Saddle Bronc Bucking Contest every year since the early 1900s.  On each was a silver plate with ornate script with the date of the competition and the winner's name.  This particular saddle is missing this plate, but there are others from previous and later years that might serve as a model for a replacement.  Does anyone know of a firm that can replicate engraving script from a hundred or more years ago?

------------------------------
Michael Kassel
Curator of Collections
Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum
Cheyenne WY
------------------------------

There are a few engravers I've seen around San Antonio that have worked on gun engraving and also do some silversmithing. The only one whose name comes to mind is Terry Theis. I believe he is in Harper, TX. His work was quite nice.

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Suzanne McGarraugh
Exhibit Design Specialist
Mountmaking & Installation
San Antonio, TX
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 01-29-2019 07:50 AM
From: Colin Windhorst
Subject: Historically accurate engraving

For historically accurate hand engraving, the silversmiths at Colonial Williamsburg are first rate.  You have to be willing to wait, however.  While they concentrate on the eighteenth century, you could ask them about what you have in mind.  Machine tools, even hand held, leave a different effect.

------------------------------
Colin Windhorst, PhD
Digital Curation
University of Maine
Orono, Maine, USA

Original Message:
Sent: 01-25-2019 04:12 PM
From: Michael Kassel
Subject: Historically accurate engraving

Recently, a member of our community came across a historic trophy saddle associated with Cheyenne Frontier Days.  These saddles have been given out to the winners of the Saddle Bronc Bucking Contest every year since the early 1900s.  On each was a silver plate with ornate script with the date of the competition and the winner's name.  This particular saddle is missing this plate, but there are others from previous and later years that might serve as a model for a replacement.  Does anyone know of a firm that can replicate engraving script from a hundred or more years ago?

------------------------------
Michael Kassel
Curator of Collections
Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum
Cheyenne WY
------------------------------

It sounds like you have many positive leads. One more is Judson Brennan, in Delta Junction, Alaska. https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n0MZt7bzUXE/WwIj3j6XiZI/AAAAAAAAFA0/e7H_zOORW8MgAHK0APef8z5cv2BEEtHPACLcBGAs/s1600/DSC_3117.JPG

He has a good grasp of the subtle differences that would make one design more appropriate for a specific time period than another.


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Caleb Brennan
Assistant Curator of Sculpture
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
Grand Rapids MI
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Original Message:
Sent: 01-25-2019 04:12 PM
From: Michael Kassel
Subject: Historically accurate engraving

Recently, a member of our community came across a historic trophy saddle associated with Cheyenne Frontier Days.  These saddles have been given out to the winners of the Saddle Bronc Bucking Contest every year since the early 1900s.  On each was a silver plate with ornate script with the date of the competition and the winner's name.  This particular saddle is missing this plate, but there are others from previous and later years that might serve as a model for a replacement.  Does anyone know of a firm that can replicate engraving script from a hundred or more years ago?

------------------------------
Michael Kassel
Curator of Collections
Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum
Cheyenne WY
------------------------------