Stunning multicolored geometric diamond pattern horsehair quirt by the renowned Washington state master hitcher featuring a centered tassel and American flags so detailed that you can make out the stars. Signed and dated inside the hair hitched handle "AC99-31", indicating it was made by Alfredo in 1999 and was the 31st piece that he ever made. Provenance: Ex George Pitman Collection, Rancho Santa Fe, CA Alfredo Campos (b. 1935) from Federal Way, Washington, is one of the world’s foremost horsehair hitchers. In 1999, Alfredo received national recognition for his work through a National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. Born in 1935 in Tucson, Arizona, Campos grew up on his family's ranch, immersed in Western ranching life and skills. He was first drawn to making horse gear with rawhide. Years later, after a move to the Pacific Northwest he became aware of horsehair hitching, teaching himself this complex art form by trial and error, through the study of historic prison pieces, and by referring to Eugene Barnett's book, The Art of Horsehair Hitching. In 1984 an article about Alfredo and his hitching appeared in Western Horseman magazine and sparked an increased interest in this art form.