Canon City Horsehair Bridle with Bob Baldwin Gal Leg Bit

Canon City Horsehair Bridle with Bob Baldwin Gal Leg Bit

Bob Baldwin, prisoner #9647 maker-marked, silver inlaid, Gal Leg bit attached to hitched red and black diamond pattern horsehair bridle constructed with split reins and slider, flat 1 ½” wide cheeks, brow and nosebands, round multi-strand headbands and hitched hair rosettes. The bridle and bit are mounted on a custom wall hanging stand and were rumored to have given to the Canon City Warden, Tom Tynan, as a gift in the early 1920s

Bob Baldwin was born in North Carolina shortly before his family moved to Colorado around 1892. He was sentenced to his first stint of 3-10 years at the Colorado State Penitentiary in Canon City in 1912, for burglary and larceny -- along with his recidivist father and two brothers. Paroled in February of 1914, he immediately returned to his home and wife in La Veta, Colo. His wife gave birth to a son ten months later but in May of 1915, when the child was only 6 months old, Baldwin was arrested for the heinous crime of suffocating the infant. He was charged with first degree murder and on June 29, 1915, convicted and sentenced to life at the State Penitentiary. He served nearly ten years and then, one day, just simply disappeared. For the warden, Tom Tynan, his escape became a huge embarrassment and prisoner #9647 whereabouts remains a mystery to this very day. Unfortunately, Dora Baldwin was again pregnant when her husband murdered their son. Taking no chances, she moved to California, divorced Baldwin, and eventually remarried -- raising her new boy without even informing the child of his natural father. It was not until Dora's death, that the child, now long grown, learned the truth returning to Colorado where he eventually discovered the whole gruesome saga.

Lot 566, Sold $12,100
Brian Lebel's Mesa Old West Auction - January 21st & 22nd, 2022 - Mesa, AZ.

The Estate of Larry Howard

Brian Lebel's Mesa Auction - January 21, 2017
Lot 51: Tom Mix's Personal Cowboy Boots. Sold $5,175
Lot 52: Bob Baldwin Canon City Spurs made for Tom Mix. Est. Sold $16,100

Lot 49: Tom Mix's Personal Batwing Chaps.
Brian Lebel's Mesa Auction - January 21, 2017
Sold $19,550

Larry W. Howard passed away at his home in Dewey, Arizona on August 9, 2016. It will go down as a sad day in the cowboy collecting world, as Larry was one of our own, and one of our best. Larry did things the right way – he was fair, honest, generous. He was well-respected and well-liked by dealers and collectors because if you knew Larry, you knew two things about him: 1) he knew the good stuff, and 2) he would treat you fairly. 

Larry was, like so many of us, an incurable collector. But when Larry fell for something, he collected the best – whether cars, saddles, spurs, buildings… it didn’t matter. Larry understood that the best items in any category would always be great. His admiration of Tom Mix lead to a collection of some of the world’s best personal Tom Mix items. 

He was a collector and lover of California spurs and bits, and believed that the work involved was truly fine art. He strove to make sure that art got the credit it deserved.

Larry also appreciated the “art” of dealing and collecting. He didn’t like that the collecting world had gotten complicated. He felt that collecting and selling had lost its fun. He started his show in Prescott, Arizona to host a gathering of friends and collectors, so that they could spend time together and have fun. Like the old days. 

He had many friends and followers, and I think that over almost 30 years of running shows, I’ve been asked, “Where can I find Larry Howard’s table?” more than any other dealer. Larry liked to hear everyone’s opinions, especially his own. The thing is, he was usually right. I counted on him for his opinion quite often myself. I will miss him, and his opinions.

-- Brian Lebel, January 2017

Lot 260: Canon City Double Mounted "Slipper" Spurs.
Brian Lebel's Mesa Auction - January 21, 2017
Sold $10,925