L.D. Stone & Co. San Francisco Spurs

A stunningly intricate pair of California target pattern spurs. The condition is truly amazing, they appear unused with some original bluing remaining, and the mark is clean and sharp. The 3/4 drop shanks hold 1 5/8" rowels with chased chevrons. The original double heel chains are attached on hand-cut hangers. Stamped deeply inside heelband on each spur: "L.D. STONE & Co. / SAN FRANCISCO". The engraving is crisp and of the highest quality. The attached straps are border tooled with scalloped edges and have bucking horse conchos. One of the best examples of Stone spurs we’ve seen.
EX: Bill and Marilyn Lenox Collection.

Lot 155, Brian Lebel's Old West Auction - January 20, 2017, Mesa, AZ.
Sold $12,980

Tom Qualey Spurs

A fabulous pair of 100% original Tom Qualey spurs, purchased directly from Tom by the consignor's father in the 1950s (his initials, “KAB” are stamped on the off-side). A large and impressive pair, they have 30-point rowels and "Qualey" inscribed in script on the inside of the heel band. Split heelbands with double buttons, splayed shank ends and fully engraved on one side, half on the other. Rare and highly collectible.

Lot 231, Brian Lebel's Old West Auction - January 20, 2017, Mesa, AZ.
Sold $9,440

Tom Qualey (1904-1977)
Knut Qualey came from Norway as a blacksmith in 1900 to live in Idaho. He homesteaded a ranch on Joseph Plains, Idaho, and raised his nine children after his wife died in 1915. His sons Jens, Tom, Nels and Olaf would reshape old farm tools or wagon wheel rims into bits and spurs, with Tom being the most talented. In 1920, Tom and Nels began making bits and spurs in their spare time at the ranch, marking them “Qualey Bros.” In 1942 the ranch was sold and Nels stopped silversmithing.
 
Beginning in 1944, Tom, working solo, made pieces marking them “Qualey”. Most of these were sold by either Ray Holes or through Miller Hardware in Grangeville. Tom was a master engraver, who, according to saddle maker Ray Holes, was unequaled in his ability to do precision engraving, using only a forge, hammer, hacksaw and file.

Visalia Stock Saddle Co. Spurs

These are Visalia's No. 81 fine California spurs with swell bands, intricate inlays and flat sided 2 1/4" shanks. The 10-point, 2" rowels have chevron chased points. Stamped inside heelband: "VISALIA STOCK SADDLE CO." Amazing condition and all original. As-new but no original finish remaining. Per Griff Durham, the leading Visalia authority, "Most Visalia iron was marked with a gang stamp, but they had so many contract makers some may not have had one provided and, as in this case, marked their work with individual letter stamps with the inevitable uneven results. Gutierrez, for example, used individual stamps for his maker's stamp, not all of the same scale in some cases.”

EX: Bill and Marilyn Lenox Collection.

Lot 156, Brian Lebel's Old West Auction - January 20, 2017, Mesa, AZ.
Sold $5,310

Stunning Edward H. Bohlin Texas Sesquicentennial Spurs

Created in the mid-1980s by then-owner of the Bohlin Company, Danny Lang, this striking and impressive pair of one-of-a-kind, double-mounted, intricately engraved parade spurs overlaid in sterling and three-color 18K gold, was designed to celebrate the 1986 Texas Sesquicentennial. The pair has the trademark cookie-cutter rowels inset with engraved sterling washers, jinglebobs secured by silver spots, and four upturned buttons mounted with gold hearts. The off-side features raised gold longhorns and trumpets “TEXAS” down the shank, while the front is adorned with a bold and golden, heavy gauge 5-pointed star, the Sesquicentennial dates of “1836-1986” and Danny Lang’s “DL” initials. The fully floral tooled, laced and lined black two-piece spur straps are decorated with sterling stars and feature 3-piece engraved silver buckle sets. Outstanding, unused condition.
PICTURED: Page 41 of the 1980s, #15 Edward H. Bohlin Company Catalog
EX: Harry Hudson Collection.

Lot 97, Brian Lebel's Old West Auction - June 10, 2017, Fort Worth.
Sold $17,700.

Impressive Tom Qualey (1904-1977) Grangeville, Idaho Spurs

An exceptionally fine, intricate and pristine pair of silver overlaid and inlaid double-mounted spurs by the renowned Grangeville, Idaho, master spur maker. With Tom’s signature maker-mark “Qualey” distinctly scribed into both bands, the breathtaking pair is built with a double-buttoned Cheyenne style split heelband, central high domes, barrel chap guards, and marvelous 30-point, 2 1/2" polished rowels. Fully floral carved russet color two-piece leathers with silver buckles are affixed via 2” scalloped and engraved sterling conchos.  Undeniably, one of the finest representative pair of Tom Qualey’s work that we have seen in quite a while. For a similar pattern, see Page 257 of “Bit and Spur Makers in the Vaquero Tradition,” by Ned and Jody Martin. 

EX: Bill and Marilyn Lenox Collection.

Lot 289, Brian Lebel's Old West Auction - June 10, 2017, Fort Worth.
Sold $11,800.

Charlie Sample's Personal Parade Spurs

Renowned 1930s Hollywood silversmith, Charlie Sample's (1903-2003) personal pair of silver mounted parade spurs. The only known maker-marked pair of Charlie's spurs extant. Marked "CHAS. / SAMPLE / MAKER" & "Sterling" the spurs are in excellent condition and feature split "Cheyenne" heel bands, clover leaf rowels and affixed floral carved straps with Mexican peso conchos. Buckle sets marked "STERLING / CHAS. L. SAMPLE / L.A. CAL." Straps marked "ED G GILLMORE / STUDIO CITY / CALIFORNIA".

PROVENANCE: Accompanied by a notarized letter on Charlie Sample’s letterhead, dated November 3, 1994 attesting to the authenticity of the “pair of Silver Mounted Spurs, engraved on four sides” and made in 1938. He states, “[t]he silver coins were a gift to me from Alfonso Bedoya. Mr. Bedoya worked with Humphrey Bogart on the classic film, ‘Treasure of The Sierra Madre’.” The letter is signed, “Charles  Sample Sr / Gold & Silver smith”.

LITERATURE:
Featured prominently in “Bit and Spur Makers in the Vaquero Tradition,” by Ned & Jody Martin, 1997.

Lot 257, Brian Lebel's Mesa Auction - January 21, 2017
Sold $34,500