MINT OLD SILVER INLAID & ENGRAVED TRIPLE RATTLESNAKE SPURS ~ EMBROIDERED STRAPS

Description

MINT OLD SILVER INLAID & ENGRAVED TRIPLE RATTLESNAKE SPURS ~ EMBROIDERED STRAPS
MINT OLD SILVER INLAID & ENGRAVED TRIPLE RATTLESNAKE SPURS ~ EMBROIDERED STRAPS
12 RATTLE SNAKE 3-DIMENSIONAL FIGURAL SPURS ~ SILVER INLAID
ENGRAVED
2 PATTERN
AMOZOC SPURS~ 12 CUT OUTS
ELONGATED 3 COIL RATTLESNAKE MOTIF ~ IN MINT 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 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 found on custom made spurs 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 Mint, very high quality, handmade custom fancy double heel band patterned, 12 individual cutouts, hand silver inlaid & hand engraved, 3-dimensional 12 Snake spurs with fine artisan and craftsmanship with all the original bluing. The only sign that they have ever been on a boot is the wear to the bluing on the very tops of the inside swinging button shanks. This double pattern is much more work, more costly, and 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, and then blued. The overall quality is excellent and done by the hands of Master craftsmen, and only a wealthy Charro would have been able to commission such a fine pair of custom-made spurs.
Luna of Amozoc is known for their Rattlesnake designs, and only a handful of Maker Marked Luna spurs exist that were engraved and marked by the “Old Man”, Meliton. I have seen a less than a dozen pairs of
Antique
Luna spurs; both marked and unmarked; and they never used the same snake pattern more than once on
antique
snake spurs. 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. These spurs have many of the identical hallmarks of Luna, the Maestro of South of the Border spurs for 300 years at the same location in Amozoc. It appears that a few patterns of antique Luna snake spur patterns were reintroduced in a few custom made to order vintage spurs. This Snake pattern is nearly identical to a known earlier Marked
Antique
triple snake spur pattern done by Luna.
These spurs are heavy for their size; 2 pounds 7 ounces. They are completely hand made in the old style, i.e., hand forged, hand filed, hand chiseled, hand filigreed & hand silver inlaid and engraved, et al. 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 1/4" long overall, with heavy 1/4" thick heel bands that are 1 1/8" 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 scarce and desirable elongated filigreed triple 8 coiled rattlesnake motif. They also have
double patterns,
i.e., the owner can reverse the spur straps and have 2 different patterns of snake spurs.
The outside heel bands 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. The snake head also silver inlaid eyes. The inside heel bands also have the same profile as the outside heel bands with 3 cut outs but are delicately inlaid with oval rattle snake scales; each hand chiseled, hand silver inlaid, and hand engraved with a stippled (textured) background. There are 2 parallel silver inlaid & top & bottom zig zag engraved engravings; and the snake head also has silver inlaid eyes.
The shanks are 1 13/16 long with 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 scales with textured backgrounds & punch dot decoration in a coiled 3-dimensional rattlesnake pattern, en suite with the outside heel band, with silver inlaid & top & bottom zig zag engraved borders. The snake heads also have silver inlaid eyes. The inside shanks have a hand chiseled, hand silver inlaid, hand engraved oval shaped scales with textured backgrounds in a coiled 3-dimensional rattlesnake pattern, en suite with the outside heel band; with silver inlaid & top & bottom zig zag engraved borders. The snake heads also have silver inlaid 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, en suite with the heel band and shank. The snake heads also have silver inlaid eyes. The inside swinging buttons are hand forged, about 1 1/4" across, hand chiseled, hand silver inlaid, hand engraved with oval shaped scales, textured backgrounds in a 3-dimensional coiled rattlesnake pattern, with line engraved zig zag borders, en suite with the heel band and shank. The snake heads also have silver inlaid eyes. All the buttons are secured to the swingers with hand peened Iron pins. All 4 Iron button swingers are identical, with rounded ends that rotate on the heel band shaft, the tops are rounded smooth, and the pins are 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. There are a total of 32 individual silver engraved panels on each rowel, for a total of 64 silver inlaid, engraved 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 rowels have a distinctive chiming sound when spun. This rare feature is purposefully done by the Maker and is only found on a few custom-made spurs. It is unknown how the Maestros forge the rowels to make a distinctive & unique chime. The outside rowel pins are bullet shaped with 6 triangular shaped silver inlays. The inside rowel pins have small silver domed washers. The overall bluing is gun bluing; the same bluing process found on Antique firearms. 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 catching and flashy bluing on some of their spurs. Almost all of the original bluing remains, including the inside of the heel bands. 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 mint condition but have some genuine aging as seen in the protected areas, inside of the cutouts and shank, the patina of the silver, and the light natural patina overall, including the fancy straps. These spurs are complete with fine, fancy custom made 2 1/2" wide pitiado (cactus fiber) hand embroidered spur straps that are deeply 3 dimensionally tooled in a scroll pattern with scalloped borders on the center panel, the outside buttons. The pitiado border goes all the way to the narrow end of the spur strap with nickel plated roller buckles and a double stitched strap keeper. The straps are lined in tan suede leather.
These eye appealing, finely detailed spurs are an investment in mint condition; and appear to have been on a boot only a couple of 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 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 the 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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SELLER'S RETURN POLICY
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false
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v.9.19.2020
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