Antique R.T. Frazier Fully Tooled Saddle
Pueblo, Colorado | Late 19th – Early 20th Century
Overview
This exceptional R.T. Frazier saddle, crafted in Pueblo, Colorado, represents a scarce and highly decorative example of regional Western saddlery. Featuring a large high-back seat, extensive hand tooling, and bold figural carving, the saddle reflects the craftsmanship and visual authority prized in high-quality working and presentation saddles of the late 19th to early 20th century.
Particularly notable are the lion-carved jockeys, bull-head carved extra-wide fenders, and matching fully tooled saddlebags, all of which point to a saddle made well above utilitarian standards. The clear R.T. Frazier and R.G.D. Trade Mark stamps confirm maker attribution and professional manufacture in Pueblo.
Design & Construction
Large high-back seat, offering commanding profile and rider support
Fully tooled leather throughout with cohesive floral patterns
Lion-carved jockeys, symbolizing strength and authority
Bull-head carved extra-wide fenders, a powerful and uncommon motif
Matching fully tooled saddlebags, original to the saddle
Rich, even leather color with attractive natural patina
Clearly marked “R.T. Frazier”, “R.G.D. Trade Mark”, and “Pueblo”
R.T. Frazier of Pueblo, Colorado, was an active Western saddler during the late 19th to early 20th century, producing well-made saddles distinguished by solid construction, regional character, and decorative carving. Saddles bearing the stamped mark “R.T. Frazier,” “R.G.D. Trade Mark,” and “Pueblo” reflect professional manufacture and registered branding, indicating an established maker operating within Colorado’s important saddlery centers.
Surviving examples by R.T. Frazier are uncommon, and saddles retaining extensive tooling, figural carving, and original accessories—such as matching saddlebags—are particularly desirable among collectors of Western saddlery and American frontier material culture.