PrintHigh Noon Western Americana Antique Show & Sale's 20th anniversary
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Contemporary spur makers create spurs in their own styles with the "Lone Star" them.
January marks the 20th anniversary of the High Noon Western Americana Antique Show and Sale. And High Noon proclaims the 2010 event will be the most spectacular in 20 years. The annual Western Americana show and sale has evolved into the nation's leading Western show and sale event, bringing together a vast group of Western collectors and dealers from around the world.
Dedicated to preserving the rich traditions of the American West, the show pays tribute to the cultural legacy of the Native American, the cowboy, and the vaquero with the finest and most comprehensive selection of Western antiques, art, and memorabilia — from the historic to the contemporary. At the event, attendees will mingle with others who are likewise captivated by the Western lifestyle while visiting the numerous exhibits of the country's top artisans in leather, silver, clothing, furniture, and more — including the maker of the world's most expensive pair of cowboy boots.
Olaf Wieghorst painting, est. $25,000-$35,000
The 2010 show and sale, featuring a wide range of goods from more than 150 vendors, will take place January 30 and 31 at the Mesa Convention Center in Mesa, Arizona. For the serious collectors and Western connoisseurs, the weekend's main event will be the highly anticipated High Noon Western Americana Auction held at the Mesa Marriott Hotel adjacent to the convention center.
The 2010 auction has already drawn a myriad of national and international attention because of the historic importance of many of the items up for sale. So what's on this year's ballot? For starters, the auction will feature many fine custom saddles, bits, and spurs, including the "Lone Star Project" — a collaborative themed pair of spurs by seven members of the Texas Style Bit & Spur Maker Association. In addition to the saddles and spurs, a diverse collection of badges, chaps, and vintage posters will be auctioned off. And on the Indian front, a large selection of authentic Native American pieces, such as Navajo rugs, moccasins, and baskets will be up for sale.
The Maximilian saddle, or "the People's saddle," est. $100,000-$150,000
The lots will also include numerous original works by renowned Western artists, both deceased and living; but the showstoppers are likely to be two custom-made, historic saddles that will go to the highest bidders. One was a gift for Emperor Maximilian I of Mexico, while the other belonged to a king of the American West — Roy Rogers.
The People's Saddle
Emperor Maximilian I of Mexico was invited to the country because the Mexican people believed his leadership and the establishment of a European monarchy would bring stability to their grief-stricken nation. The native people of Mexico embraced Maximilian and presented him with a gift — a saddle truly fit for a king. Known as "the People's Saddle" because the people of Mexico presented it to the emperor during his imperial reign (1864 – 1867), this rare antique is one of only two documented saddles belonging to Maximilian.
Adorned with a regal horn, the elegant 1860s saddle bears intricate detailing, including a filigreed sterling silver royal crown and a Maximilian monogram, as well as eight other imperial monograms — six in silver and two embroidered on the leather skirts in silver thread.
Roy Rogers with the Rose Parade Plastic Saddle, est. $20,00-$30,000
After Benito Juarez led liberal forces to capture and execute Maximilian in 1867, Jesuit priest Rev. Augustin Fischer acquired the saddle. Fischer gifted the saddle to Julius A. Skilton in 1867, and it has remained in the Skilton family for more than 140 years.
The People's Saddle has not been publicly shown since 1887, but now, for the first time, collectors will have a chance to own the historic saddle, which High Noon has proudly named the key lot of the 20th Western Americana Auction. The saddle has been assigned a presale estimate of $100,000 – $150,000.
Tournament of Roses Saddle
While his saddle may be the 2010 key lot, Maximilian will have to share the spotlight with Roy Rogers at this year's auction. The Roy Rogers-Dale Evans Museum in Branson, Missouri, has donated four commemorative pieces that are sure to start paddle battles among bidders.
Roy Rogers' personal Edward H. Bohlin full-mounted parade spurs on a pair of Roy's custom made "Eagle" boots, est. $20,000-$30,000 for both
The final lot and highlight of the Roy Rogers collection is Rogers' Tournament of Roses saddle. William B. Vandegrift, former president of the All-Western Plastics Company of Scottsbluff, Nebraska, designed the saddle, bridle, and martingale specifically for Rogers after learning that he would lead the 1952 Tournament of Roses Parade. The custom saddle's gleaming white plastic is edged in deep blue and overlaid with ten dozen roses (priced at $20,000 – $30,000).
The other three Roy Rogers lots include a personalized Edward H. Bohlin gun rig that the star used in several of his movies and public appearances and a pair of Rogers' personal Colt .45 frontier model pistols ($20,000 – $30,000), a pair of Rogers' custom Eagle boots adorned with Bohlin spurs ($20,000 – $30,000), and a sterling silver mounted parade saddle also made for the cowboy by Bohlin and engraved with Rogers' name ($50,000 – $100,000).
• FYI: 310.202.9010, www.highnoon.com
For more information about Dr. Julius Augustus Skilton and the Maximilian Saddle and Painting, visit www.maximilian-emperor.com.
