"The Visalia Stock Saddle Company saw its beginning in the year of 1870 with David E. Walker better known as D. E. Walker. The Visalia Style Stock Saddle was the invention of Juan Maratrel who created the very first Visalia Stock Saddle Tree, and D. E. Walker having been a saddle maker bought Juan Maratrel's shop in 1870.
After the purchase D. E. Walker continued to have these saddle trees made with Ricardo Mattley exclusively for the next 20 years for the Visalia Stock Saddle Company. At the time D. E. Walker bought the shop from Juan Maratrel he had a partner named Henry Shuham and from 1870 through 1877 the men ran the Visalia Stock Saddle Company as a partnership. It appears between the years of 1877 and 1879 D. E. Walker had his own Saddlery and Harness Company in Visalia, CA where he continued to produce a Visalia Stock Style Saddle." -[ 08/04/2017]
A pair of bright orange angora hair chaps with a tooled belt bearing the large oval cartouche of the "Visalia Stock Saddle Co. / San Francisco" along with the snake mark at the tip. 38" tall overall with a 28" to 30" waist. Some drying to the backing and slight matting to the hair.
- artist: Visalia Stock Saddle Co.
- hallmarks: VISALIA STOCK SADDLE COMPANY, SAN FRANCISCO, CAL
- materials: angora wool, leather, canvas, commercial findings
- dimensions: length: 38", waist: 28"-30"
- vintage condition
- leather surface wear & abrasions commensurate with age
- snake mark at tip of belt
- some drying and matting to hair
- wear from ethnographic use
- style: Misc704