Makers Mark on Dad's Chaps

[Arizona Cattleman]

Found this maker mark on my Dad's chaps and did a little research.... N. Porter, Phoenix AZ

In the late 1850s Newton Porter was born in Independence, MO and by the end of the Civil War Newton Porter was left an orphan. He moved to St. Louis, MO where he was raised by an Aunt and in his teens he started learning saddle making by serving an apprenticeship with a St. Louis, MO saddle maker. By 1875, Newton Porter opened his first saddle shop in Taylor, Texas, and the shop was an immediate success, but by 1881, a fire wiped out the shop and Newton Porter closed his business and moved to Abilene, TX where he reopened another shop and continued working in Texas over the next 8 to 10 years.

It was in 1895 when Newton Porter moved to Phoenix, AZ where he established the N. Porter Saddle & Harness Company, which became one of the finest Saddleries over the next 70 years. After Porter died in approximately 1906, his oldest son, Earl, took over the operation of the business, and he continued to institute the same business practices of his father until his death in 1925 when the business was taken over by Newton Porters youngest son, Fred Porter.

The N. Porter Saddle & Harness Company remained family owned and operated until the closing of the business in the mid 1960s. N.Porter Saddles & Harness Company employed two dozen or more master craftsmen, who tooled and sewed the saddles. Their saddles were world famous for being among the finest made. They also mentored apprentices who often opened their own shops. The design of a swastika or (nohokos) was a Navajo design that was adopted and used by the N. Porter Saddlery & Harness Company, but they eventually went to the Famous Steer Head Logo.


AZ Cattleman

[Ned Buckshot]

Very, Very Cool AC! What a find for you and now with some providance behind it!

Just too cool to own things of your ancestors.

Ned

[Skeeter Lewis]

AC, it would be great to see some close-ups of the chaps. They look terrific. You're a lucky guy.

FWIW, Rick Bachman does a replica of a Porter holster. It would look cool with the chaps.

(On Rick's site, it's #40 'The Territory'.)

[GunClick Rick]

I was lookin for Visalia Saddle Company,but that's just as good,we all just hope to find somethin like that.Nice story.

[Arizona Cattleman]

Gun Click, is this the one your looking for?
http://www.vintagegunleather.com/company-marks/visalia_history.html

AZ Cattleman

[GunClick Rick]

Yep,the orginal building is here on Main street,has a plaque there.About 5 miles east of me is a pawn shop owner that has a whole bunch of Visalia saddles on display,she collects them,grew up with my dad.She also has the orginal oil painting that hung in Roy Rogers museum until he passed.All my Heroes are Cowboys painting.I love this kind of stuff.

[Marshal Will Wingam]

How cool it is to have your dad's chaps with that makers mark on it. It really adds character to them.

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

AC, it looks like you found another nice find, and the maker has quit a history, this just makes it even more special, and your Dads things can live for ever.

       tEN wOLVES 

[Daniel Nighteyes]

Whew!  For a moment there I thought you were talking about having spilled some Maker's Mark bourbon on your Dad's chaps!  Talk about double-trouble...

[Sod Buster]

Whew!  For a moment there I thought you were talking about having spilled some Maker's Mark bourbon on your Dad's chaps!  Talk about double-trouble...

I thought the same thing!