Featured in this lot is this silver mounted saddle by saddle maker Don Ellis and is the personal saddle of Eugene "Smokey" Rogers circa 1940's-1950's. The saddle features a wonderfully and professionally crafted leather and silver mounted construction that shows expert tooling to the seat with floral decoration tooled into the fender and skirt as well the seat shows a unique spiraling Cheyenne Roll that is enter twinned with silver and shows a plaque on the top of the seat that gives opportunity for etching. The horn features a large silver concho and the same spiraling design with silver intertwined. The seat size is 15". The saddle features a makers mark stamp on a keeper that reads as follows: Ellis Saddlery - Van Eyes, Ca. Karl’s of Seattle was owned by Karl L. Raab who employed one of the premier silversmiths on the west coast, Don Ellis (1913-1969), to manufacture mountings for their coveted line of parade saddles. Don grew up in Seattle where he was a self-taught silversmith and engraver. During his younger years as a rodeo rider, Don created his first rodeo trophy buckle for Ellensburg, Washington rodeo events. By the 1940s he was making silver saddles as well as gold and silver buckles. In the early 1950s Don created the lavish gold and silver presentation buckles for the Rodeo Cowboy Association and completed his crowning achievement, the Wes Williams’ saddle that is on display at the Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City. Eugene Rogers (March 23, 1917–November 23, 1993), known professionally as Smokey Rogers, was an American Western swing musician and songwriter active during the 1940s and 50s on the West Coast. Born in McMinnville, Tennessee, Rogers joined Spade Cooley's band in the 1940s (who gave Rogers his stage name). Tex Williams, Rogers and other members of Cooley's band formed a group called The Western Caravan. Both groups featured Rogers on vocals for novelty songs. The condition of this saddle is well preserved for its age and shows very slight wear to the seat and fenders but otherwise shows a very well preserved condition. The picture of Smokey Rogers is also well preserved in a frame with some wear to the frame but otherwise is in well preserved condition. The measurements of this saddle are 29" x 19" x 36". The framed photograph measures 12 7/8" x 11 3/4" and the visible photograph measures 9 7/8" x 8".

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