Help identify old spurs

[Pitchy]

A buddy has these hand made spurs he acquired about 40 years ago.

[Blaine]

Classy!

[DBCinID]

Pitchy,

Beautiful spurs! Around my house growing up, we would have called them Chihuahua spurs. Popular with the Mexican Vaqueros. If made well, they have a wonderful jingling as you walk. Which as a young man, you wanted the loudest most flashy spurs available. If you are actually using them horseback, you generally need to be a decent horseman. The long rowels can contact the horse when you are not intending them to. Conversely, if you intend the contact the horse you can leave some nasty marks, what we would call turkey tracks.

As far as a maker, who knows. There were a lot of unknown Mexican craftsmen that did wonderful work.

Don

[Pitchy]

Thanks guys, he doesn`t want to sell them just trying to find the maker.
There is no name or stamp of any kind on them but they are heavy well made old spurs.

[Griff]

Like Don sez, lots of unknown makers on both sides of the border. Those are pretty nicely done... unless there's some kinda marking on them... or ?

[Mescalero]

Yeah, look Mexican to me, never used spurs myself, thought them to be cruel.

[ollogger]

Worth a good 6 shooter, im sure!
real nice
ollogger

[jazman]

Good cowboy buddy always says: "Never squat down while wearing spurs", and I always thought it good advice.

[OJ]

They look very much like Mexican silver inlaid spurs to me. A friend of my dad brought me a pair that look similar in the 1930s - considered extra fancy since both outside and inside surfaces are silver inlaid - Mexican labor and silver were really dirt cheap in those depression years - though, by standards of the era - probably fairly expensive.



There's a story behind their having been used (and they do show obvious use) - having to do with this young 12 year old cowboy "stealing" (he thought) a 7 year old gelding at local auction for $15 - well under average of $45 then - only to find out his previous owner was intimidated by him and he was really spoiled. I admit to being embarrassed when nobody bid against me - which told me everybody there knew something about that horse I didn't - and I soon found out what that was.

Now, 12 year old cowboys aren't smart enough to be intimidated - took me some time to shape him up - one day I got fed up with his not working right cutting cows out of a herd - decided right then we would establish who was really the boss in charge - those spurs convinced him with only slight touches.

Ranchers paid $5 per day to work cattle using the rancher's horse but the price went up to $8 per day if the cowboy rode his own horse - so I paid for him the first five days I worked him. We moved to the city four years later and I thought I'd make money since everybody had seen me working cattle with him and doing a good job - didn't happen - evidently they all concluded he was a "one man horse" who would only produce for me. Did get my $15 back selling him and $45 for my saddle, bridle, and tack.

The current issue of Western Horseman magazine has a pair of spurs sent in for value estimate - just plain steel - nice but - no silver inlay - estimated value - would you believe - $7,000!!! I would think our spurs would double or triple that.

You might want to contact that magazine for appraisal of yours - they look essentially unused to me.

[1894c]

really nice...love the history that has been shared... :)

[kimwcook]

Yep, Mexican style Vaquero spurs. Charro or Chihuahua, I've heard both.

[getitdone1]

Interesting.

Spurs "jingling" while you walk. Seems like I can recall a portion of a song that goes something like: "Spurs a-jingling." Anyone remember this song?

A martial arts cowboy with spurs on boots would be a dangerous hombre.

Don

[Pitchy]

Thanks everyone, OJ my buddy is heading to find a new Western horseman mag and is he excited.

[41 Redhawk]

Interesting.

Spurs "jingling" while you walk. Seems like I can recall a portion of a song that goes something like: "Spurs a-jingling." Anyone remember this song?

A martial arts cowboy with spurs on boots would be a dangerous hombre.

Don

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_9pVRZ0QKw

[Booger Bill]

Another good use for them was it aided in dragging stiffs and passed out drunks out of the saloons.

[rangerider7]

Those look to be like the ones I have seen that were made in Amozac, Mexico from 1920s to 1930s. There were and still are many makers in Amozac from 1860s until now. I hope this helps your friend.

[Pitchy]

Interesting.

Spurs "jingling" while you walk. Seems like I can recall a portion of a song that goes something like: "Spurs a-jingling." Anyone remember this song?

A martial arts cowboy with spurs on boots would be a dangerous hombre.

Don

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_9pVRZ0QKw

cool

[OJ]

Thanks everyone, OJ my buddy is heading to find a new Western horseman mag and is he excited.

I checked again and they are silver inlaid - though the silver doesn't stand out as it does on the spurs shown here. The writer bought them in Casper, Wyoming, and they were made by someone he claimed to be well known.

I'm no judge of spurs - when I was using mine for practical purposes on a stubborn horse, I was about the only cowboy in the Nebraska Sandhills using spurs for day to day work -( rodeo cowboys riding bucking horses all were required to use spurs in competition).

The man who gave them to me was generous - he was the one who gave me my .410 pistol "Handy Gun" by H&R - which I had to register as an NFA gun the following year - registration was $200 - probably more than he paid for the gun - most expensive (to me) gift I ever got.

At any rate, the spurs are in the Western Horseman April issue on page 110 and they sure don't look as fancy as either pair shown here - even though I used mine more or less daily for about four years - and they do show signs of use - leather shot but replaceable - and one of the inner conchas replaced by a large bolt head..

[Pitchy]

Yours and his look pretty similar, hope they`er worth a bunch.
Thanks again

[Griff]

The Original, from the film: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CUXLuVjO-w

[OJ]

Yours and his look pretty similar, hope they`er worth a bunch.
Thanks again

They probably are worth a bunch - but - like my guns - are worth more to me than any market value - might be a factor for my estate - though my wife is my sole heir and she's the one who gave me many of them - like my Winchester 95 Hi Grade 30-06, Colt 1911 government Models, etc.



As you can see, they occupy a space of honor on this old cowboy turned surgeon's fireplace. In the some four years I used them on my $15 horse, those two items were my main source of income - in days of deep depression. Provided the money I needed for guns and ammo - I had a well used Winchester 94 in 32 special then as my only centerfire rifle.