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
