Details about Side Saddle Made For Mrs Andrew
This stunning museum quality side saddle was made in by Peats Jolwyn for Andrew Watt and sons of Edinburgh on a Haynes and son tree. The paper labels on the underside of tree state it was for Mrs Carnegie- this was Louise Whitfield Carnegie wife of the famous philanthropist and steel magnate Andrew Carnegie. The saddle is one of a pair and I have confirmed that the matching gentleman a saddle belonging to Andrew is kept at the Carnegie Birthplace museum in Dunfirmline. I was going to take a trip to the museum by offer of the curator to photograph the two saddles reunited but unfortunately have not had the time- it is a trip the new owner would be wise to take to add value and provenance to this side saddle! The saddles are both mentioned in the autobiography of Mrs Louise Whitfield Carnegie and it is believed that they were made as wedding gifts. The saddle safe displays intricate love knot stitch work, Celtic in design and also displayed on the stone cross marking the burial place of Andrew Carnegie. The saddle is of pigskin with doeskin seat and is a very modern design for the period- possibly an influence of a type of saddle Louise was riding in America before her trip to Scotland. It is the most beautiful and intricate saddle in the best of condition that I have come across, the serge wool panels are still uncovered with linen and it is clear from the condition that this saddle was not used very much! The seat is broad with a slight dip and the panels are beautifully designed and wide and flat that fit our modern horses remarkably well! The underside of safe has a small pocket with a pair of doeskin gloves, there is a leather 3 fold girth made by Robson and cooper of York, a stirrup strap and a 11.5cm internal foot width safety stirrup with the stamp of Hawkins and wheeler never rust. The only non original fitting to this saddle is two extra buckle guards to preserve the flaps and a new point strap to attatch a balance girth to (none supplied) The saddle measures 16" from cutback to rear of cantle and " across widest part of seat. The leaping and fixed heads are quite broad, well padded and pigskin covered, the safe is padded and fancy stitched. The saddle offside flap is quite long typical of the period and the tree is a 'compass point tree' (too long points rather than the more modern short point on offside) it offers great stability and the fit is approximately a medium to medium wide with generous flare to the tree points. The saddle has not been adjusted or altered from original except the safety addition of the point strap under near side flap. This is really a museum piece of huge interest to collector and even moreso to a collector of American history because of its previous owner! I have priced this saddle below a specialist auctioneers valuation as very sadly have to sell to fund repairs to horsebox, this is a stunning unique one of a kind saddle with genuine provenance and history and I would love it to go to a new owner who will appreciate it for what it represents. Please contact me for any further pictures or information and I will be glad to put the winning bidder in touch with the curator at the Carnegie birthplace museum. Please note postage worldwide is an estimate only - overseas bidders please contact me for the correct postage cost to you. UK postage is via DHL and will be insured Collection also welcome.