3-D 12 CUT OUTS GOLD WASH SILVER ENGRAVED 2 PATTERN 12 RATTLESNAKE SPURS+STRAPS

Description

3-D 12 CUT OUTS GOLD WASH SILVER ENGRAVED 2 PATTERN 12 RATTLESNAKE SPURS+STRAPS
3-D 12 CUT OUTS GOLD WASH SILVER ENGRAVED 2 PATTERN 12 RATTLESNAKE SPURS+STRAPS
3-DIMENSIONAL 12 RATTLE SNAKE FIGURAL SPURS
2 DIFFERENT PATTERN AMOZOC SPURS ~ 12 CUT OUTS ~ GOLD WASHED
SILVER INLAID ENGRAVED BUTTONS / SHANKS / HEELBANDS
COILED RATTLESNAKES' MOTIF
IN MINTY CONDITION
ASK A MODERN SPUR MAKER IF HE COULD MAKE THESE SPURS USING ONLY SIMPLE HAND TOOLS ~ AND WHAT HE WOULD CHARGE TO HAND FORGE, HAND CHISEL, HAND SILVER INLAY, HAND ENGRAVE, GOLD WASH, AND HAND EMBROIDER THE SPUR STRAPS ON A PAIR OF SPURS LIKE THIS
Figural objects, such as spurs and bits have always been "Top of the Line"; the most distinctive, unusual, scarce, and expensive to create and own. In spurs, there are only a few figural designs used for the heel bands, shanks, buttons, and rowels. One of the most desirable and eye appealing patterns are spurs with rattlesnake motifs, i.e., snake spurs. There are "Single Snake" designs (just the heel band or shank), "Double Snake" designs (heel band, shank, or buttons), and the most ornate and desirable, the "Triple snake" designs, i.e., the heel bands, shanks and buttons all have a matching Snake Motif. Spurs that are "Double Patterned"; i.e., have different patterns on the outside and inside, are all custom spurs. This fancy two pattern double silver mounted & engraving plus gold wash are only found on custom made to order spurs, and was the most expensive style as it allowed the owner to simply change the spur straps to opposite buttons to have either side of the heel bands worn toward the outside: thus, having two different spur designs in the same pair of spurs.
This is a Fine pair of Minty, superb quality, handmade custom fancy double heel band patterned, with 20 individual cutouts: 8 in the 4 snake buttons, 12 in both the inside and outside heel bands. The spurs are hand silver inlaid, hand engraved, gold washed, 3-dimensional 12 Snake spurs, with fine craftsmanship and original bluing that have only been on a boot a few times. This double pattern is much more work, more costly, and along with the gold wash, are only found on a custom made to order pairs of spurs. These spurs are painstakingly inlaid with dozens and dozens of hand chiseled inlays; then, meticulously inlaid with silver, hand engraved, blued, and then gold washed. Note in the images the delicate, thin gold wash is not that visible. However, in direct sunlight, all the gold wash all over the silver inlays of the spurs is readily apparent. The overall quality is superb and done by the hands of Master craftsmen. Only a wealthy Charro like the Head of the Spread would have been able to commission such a fine pair of custom-made spurs.
Snake pattern spurs is one of the signature patterns created by Luna, the Maestro of South of the Border spurs (see page 79 of the Bit and Spur Makers in the Vaquero Tradition). Luna of Amozoc is known for their distinctive Rattlesnake designs, but only a handful of Luna spurs exist that were engraved, and Maker marked by the “Old Man”, Meliton. There are signature Luna styles and designs found in their innovative spur patterns, and they also had some exclusive spur patterns used only by them. I have seen less than a dozen pairs of Luna snake spurs; both marked and unmarked; and every snake pair had a different snake heel band pattern. I have never seen this pattern of coiled rattlesnake heel band on any other pair of spurs, including Luna spurs. These spurs have many of the identical hallmarks of Maker Marked Luna spurs, the Maestro of South of the Border spurs for 300 years at the same location in Amozoc.
These spurs are heavy for their size; 2 pounds 12 ounces. They are completely hand made in the old style, i.e., hand forged, hand filed, hand chiseled, hand filigreed, hand engraved, hand silver inlaid, and hand gold washed. Being handmade, the dimensions vary slightly. The inside measurement of the heel bands at the open end is about 3”, a full Man-sized spur. These heavy-duty spurs, measure about 6" long overall, with heavy 15/16" thick heel bands that are 1 1/4" tall. It is very difficult to chisel, inlay and engrave a curved surface like the outside and inside heel bands, shanks & buttons. The engraver used fine line engraving, stippled (textured) engraving, zig zag engraving and punch dot decoration for contrast. This is only found on high-end, custom-made spurs. There are a few variations in rattlesnake patterns; and this pair has what I believe is a unique, stylized figure 8 coiled rattlesnake motif with an elongated tail. This pair is also a two entirely different snake patterns for the outside and inside heel bands, shanks, and buttons. Thus, the owner can reverse the spur straps and have 2 entirely different patterns of snake spurs. The outside heel bands, shanks & buttons have a coiled rattlesnake pattern with 3 cut outs and a double line of silver inlaid borders that are zig zag engraved. This outside rattlesnake has crescent shaped rattle snake scales; each hand chiseled, hand silver inlaid, and hand engraved with a stippled (textured) background and a center punch dot decoration; and gold washed. The snake head also silver inlaid gold washed eyes. The inside heel bands, shanks & buttons also have the same profile as the outside heel bands with 3 cut outs but are delicately inlaid with multiple parallel lines, a known Luna style. Each engraved line is hand chiseled, hand silver inlaid, zig zag hand engraved, and gold washed. The snake head also has silver inlaid gold washed eyes.
The shanks are 1 13/16 long and very wide 3/4" across, made with 1/4" thick stock. The outside shanks have a hand chiseled, hand silver inlaid, hand engraved crescent shaped rattle snake scales with textured backgrounds & punch dot decoration in a coiled 3-dimensional rattlesnake pattern, en suite with the outside heel band; but in a much smaller, more detailed size, with a double silver inlaid zig zag engraved gold washed line borders. The snake heads also have silver inlaid gold washed eyes. The inside shanks have 5 hand chiseled, hand silver inlaid, hand zig zag line engraved gold washed parallel line patterns in a coiled 3-dimensional rattlesnake pattern, en suite with the inside heel band. The snake heads also have silver inlaid gold washed eyes.
The outside swinging buttons are hand forged, about 1 1/4" across, hand chiseled, hand silver inlaid, hand engraved with crescent shaped scales, textured backgrounds & punch dot decoration in a 3-dimensional coiled rattlesnake pattern, with line engraved zig zag borders and gold washed, en suite with the heel band and shank. The snake heads also have silver inlaid gold washed eyes. The inside swinging buttons are hand forged, about 1 1/4" across, hand chiseled, hand silver inlaid, hand engraved with multiple a zig zag line engraved pattern in a 3-dimensional coiled rattlesnake pattern, and gold washed, en suite with the inside heel bands and shanks. The snake heads also have silver inlaid gold washed eyes. All the buttons are secured to the swingers with hand peened Iron pins. All 4 Iron button swingers are identical, with rounded formed ends that rotate on the heel band shaft, the tops are rounded smooth, and the pins are peened and finished flush with the swingers, as found on custom spurs.
These spurs were made in Amozoc, Mexico, the spur capitol of Mexico for centuries as identified by the Amozoc style rowels. Both the inside and outside hand forged 8 tined Amozoc style rowels are silver inlaid & engraved. Each individual rowel tine is inlaid with a silver panel that is hand engraved with zig zag decoration and punch dot decorations; then gold washed. There is a total of 32 individual silver inlaid engraved gold washed panels on each rowel, for a total of 64 silver inlaid, engraved gold washed panels just on the rowels. As found on custom spurs, the tines taper slightly from center towards the ends in the side view and taper slightly from the center to the tips in the top view. Being handmade, they vary slightly and are about 2 3/4" in diameter. The outside rowel pins are bullet shaped with 6 triangular dome shaped silver inlays. The inside rowel pins have the traditional small silver domed washers. The overall bluing is called gun blue; the color found on both Antique and modern firearms that has a few variations in process and blue color. South of the Border patrons have always like shiny, flashy, eye-catching horse trappings & accoutrements. Spur & bit makers discovered around 1950 that the gun blue was shiny and showier than the traditional charcoal bluing; and thus, began using this more eye appealing and flashy bluing on some of their spurs. Almost all of the original bluing remains, including the inside of the heel bands. There is slight wear to small areas the blue on the inside heel band where it meets the shank from wearing on a boot a few times; but all the remaining blue and gold wash remains intact on the spurs. As are typical on old Mexican spurs, they are not maker marked; unlike the mass produced later spurs being produced for the last few decades. These spurs date to around the 1950’s.
These spurs are in minty condition but have some genuine light wear, mostly on the inside heel band where it meets with the shank and scattered very slight wear on the top and bottom edges of the heel bands. There is light natural patina overall. The gold wash is very delicate and can almost be rubbed off with the fingers. All the gold wash is intact and has slightly dulled by naturally occurring aging of the thin and delicate nature of gold wash over the years. It is extremely hard to photograph the gold wash on the spurs; but when in direct sunlight, the gold coloration is very pronounced and very flashy. Gold wash is only found on custom made to order spurs and is as fancy and you can have a spur made. The spurs are complete with fine, fancy custom made 2" wide pitiado (cactus fiber) hand embroidered spur straps that are deeply 3 dimensionally embroidered with a leaf center panel, with a traditional Aztec double border. The pitiado border goes all the way to the narrow end of the spur strap with nickel plated roller buckles with a leather strap keeper. The straps are lined in tan pig skin leather.
These eye appealing, finely detailed spurs are an investment in minty condition; and appear to have only been on a boot a few times. I have left these in untouched condition that collectors love to see as found many years ago and have not even treated the leather straps. These fancy, finely hand forged, hand silver inlaid, hand engraved, gold washed, figural 12 Rattle snake spurs come from South of the Border, down Old Mexico way; and are quickly becoming a lost art in hand made spurs. Very few artisans have the knowledge and experience to create a Masterpiece such as figural 12 Rattlesnake spurs. The current custom made to order spur makers in Mexico are now a consortium of "Artistas" and make spurs mostly for wealthy Charros and domestic patrons of means. Most south of the border spur makers lack the skills of these Artists and prefer to make more $ making standard patterns and more quantity of spurs in the same amount of time. These flashy, fancy, 2 pattern 12 Rattlesnake spurs would fit into any fine spur collection, Equestrian, Cowboy, Cowgirl, Vaquero, Charro, Charrita, Mexican, Old West, Western, Wild West, South of the Border, Folk art, or Western Americana display, office, den, or Man cave. Provenance available to the new owner.
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