Feature Stories and Reference Articles
Smoke Signals strives each month to give our readers an in-depth look into a topic or person integral to the world of fine Western art and Western Craftsmanship. From historic perspectives and personalities to those much more contemporary, we aim to share this information with you while learning more ourselves.
The Smartest Horse in the World
From your editor: Linda Kohn Sherwood
Most of us have heard about the museum closing. Many of us have been to one or another of the auctions set to disperse the collection. Now that the final auction is coming up this week, it makes me think. What was the organic appeal and reaction to Roy and Dale from within us all? We've talked in our press releases about what good people Roy and Dale were. Their legacy certainly reflects their moral values and how they influenced all of us children of the 40s-50s (more or less). And, of course, Roy loved his children, but he also loved his horse!
I was at dinner last night with my sister-in-law, talking about our relationships with our animals: our horses, our dogs, our cats. Roy's most loyal companion was Trigger! Here was a horse who listened to his every word! Who among us can say we have someone like that! Trigger carried Roy everywhere, danced with him, bowed with him and ran with him. And Roy fell in love the minute he rode him for the first time. Trigger was then called Golden Cloud (after the manager of the California ranch where he was born, a man by the name of Roy F Cloud). He had an easy lope and a calm and willing attitude. I think it was Smiley Burnette, Roy's sidekick in the film Under Western Star", when Smiley commented, "Roy, as quick as that horse of yours is, you ought to call him Trigger." Roy liked the suggestion and began calling Golden Cloud by his new name of Trigger from then on.
Joe: A Blue Collar Thoroughbred
by Bob Cloud
I've known two track stars in my day. One was a high school distance runner who set and held, for many years, the Texas state high school record for the mile. The other athlete was a five-year-old, twelve hundred pound bay gelding named Joe who positively loved to run.
I met Joe the summer of my thirteenth year while I was pretending to learn how to work cattle on my uncle's place near Matador in the Texas panhandle. Joe was a ranch hand himself who had fallen into bad favor with the cowboys that had to work him because of a flaw he had developed. That flaw was his propensity to chase jackrabbits. When one would spook out from under him, he didn't jump away from it like normal, instead he would make one jump then wheel and be after it in a flash leaving the poor sod that happened to be aboard at the time in an immediate state of free fall onto what ever the Texas landscape had to offer. Most of which is hard and sharp.
The Lovely Women of Mexico: Charra, China Poblana
By Danny Neill
The women of Mexico were the first cowgirls in the new world. As young girls growing up on ranches in the fifteen and sixteen hundreds, they learned to ride horses but would only ride sidesaddle as it was not ladylike to ride astride.
Clothing worn by the native women in rural Mexico was known as China Poblana. The legend was often told to young women about a pirate who captured a junk, a Chinese boat, on which a Chinese princess was sailing to South America. Along the way, she was sold to a Mexican Merchant who freed her on arriving to Mexico and had her baptized Catarina de San Juan. She was so charitable and generous that she became known as La China and thereafter, that's what her colorful outfits were called.
Taste and Collecting the West
By James H. Nottage
For some reason, I have been in a philosophical mood lately, reading some favorite old books and considering the broad world of Western American art and artifacts. Please indulge me for a short while.
In certain circles, if you talk about culture and collecting, they think you mean French provincial furniture, English paintings, and maybe Meissen China. There is a definite snobbishness about art and antiques that has been prevalent for generations and it often centers around what someone else says has value and significance. Historically, the "important" arts have been from the lives of those in Europe or part of elite Eastern American society. In 1949, Russell Lynes authored an influential volume entitled The Tastemakers in which he talked about how collectors and the general public are influenced by a wide range of voices coming from museums, scholars, artists, decorators, designers, authors and many others. Each adds to the knowledge, insights, and even ambitions of the collector. Lynes concluded his book writing that "unless I completely misunderstand the real reason for having taste, it is to increase one's faculties for enjoyment. Taste in itself is nothing. It is only what taste leads to that makes any difference in our lives."
Western Leather Goods, Union Made
By James H. Nottage
Near Midnight Pass
When we think of classic Western cowboy saddles, chaps, gun belts and holsters, cuffs, bridles, and other goods it is easy to picture independent business manufacturers scattered throughout the frontier. While small shops were common, there were also major factories and going concerns that might have large numbers of skilled leather workers. As early as the 1850s, union organizers became active. By the 1890s, the United Brotherhood of Leather Workers On Horse Goods could boast members in a large portion of the big shops. Among the rarest stamps to be found on some of cowboy goods, is that of this labor union.
Black Powder Framed Peacemaker–
What Does it Mean?
Among many Peacemaker fans, there's a misunderstanding of the terms "black powder" frame or "smokeless" frame, so let's clear the smoke.
By Phil Spangenberger
Among today's shooters and Colt Single Action Army (SAA) revolver collectors, we often hear the terms "black powder frame" and "smokeless frame." These are relatively modern terms (dating from roughly around the mid-20th century when gun collecting was gaining in popularity) and are used primarily to describe the era that a Colt Peacemaker represents. The "black powder" moniker comes from the fact that, the first Peacemaker Colts were made with a cylinder base pin retaining system that used a single screw, located at the front of the revolver's frame. In 1896, at around serial number 165,000, Colt changed over to the so-called "smokeless" frame, where the cylinder base pin is held in place by spring-loaded cross-pin screws. Ironically, this system has nothing to do with smokeless powder, since Colt did not guarantee any of their 1873 Single Action Army revolvers for use with the then new smokeless propellant until around serial number 180,000 (1898). Furthermore, this system had been employed as early as 1877 and again in 1878, on Colt's double-action models. It's simply a modern collectors' term to differentiate between the two types and/or eras of manufacture of the 1873 Colt SAAs.
Charles F. Lummis:
A Westerner with a Mission
By William C. Reynolds
Like so many things in Los Angeles, the landmark Southwest Museum was helped getting started by a character - a college dropout. Charles Fletcher Lummis (1859-1928) had all the makings of a classic pioneer entrepreneur. He was a journalist, publisher, photographer, amateur anthropologist and passionate historian of the American Southwest. If he were in L.A. today he would have a screenplay rolled up in his back pocket he would want you to read as well. Lummis was a writer for a fledgling newspaper out west called The Los Angeles Times. In 1894 he became editor of a new magazine he started that promoted visiting the West, Land Of Sunshine. Among his other self appointed taskings was to push for the preservation of the California Missions as well as helping create L.A.'s first free public museum of the regions art, history and culture.
All these accomplishments were part of Lummis' personal mission to celebrate and help protect what he perceived as a rapidly disappearing appreciation for the pastoral "days of
the Dons" of the old Californios of the early 1800s. So when Lummis came to Los Angeles he found that while there was a mildly nostalgic remembrance of the "old days" - the remnants of that truly elite Californio culture were either leaving or deeply in debt due to the rapid influx of new immigrants coming up from contemporary Mexico, individuals with little or no memory of the area's elegant agrarian past. This was unacceptable to Lummis, and as an educated easterner he brought with him a natural understanding of how to not only celebrate this unique pastoral history of the area but also promote its uniqueness and romantic attraction. His participation in creating the Southwest Society in Los Angeles presented a unique opportunity to record and protect the spoken history through the regions Spanish songs - in a way only Lummis could describe, "Before they disappeared like snow in the California sun." Using the most contemporary of tools, an Edison wax-cylinder recorder, by 1905 he had recorded over 100 songs in twenty-four native languages and over 400 Spanish compositions. A task he continued until 1912. In 1923, he published fourteen in his classic sheet music collection, Spanish Songs of Old California with the help of composer Arthur Farwell. The collection includes serenades associated with life on the rancho along with nursery songs that had been taught in many of the area's early mission schools.
As a staunch advocate of regional cultural promotion, Lummis' work as pioneering folklorist helped create a roadmap for later folklore ethnologists to follow. Uniquely, he was quite clear as to what he was accomplishing at the time as he felt the continuance of the viejo Californio culture's roots were critical to the "civilized" evolution of the area. An area he saw as a place where others would travel to for both "rest and revitalization." He was a unique and passionate westerner, a force to be reckoned with. A friend of his, Gene Rhodes, wrote a final tribute to Lummis after his death, "He was a remarkable man - his scholarly thoroughness, his appalling industry, his rapier-like wit, and the militant heart that never feared to make a foe in a good cause. He finished what he started and he paid for what he broke."
Learn more:
Much of this article's information, and much more, regarding this topic - the romantic appreciation of the Californio and its implications in the twentieth century, can be seen in McWilliams', North from Mexico, and Leonard Pitt's, The Decline of the Californios: A Social History of the Spanish-Speaking Californians, 1846 - 1890 (Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1966)
Up in Smoke...
When Your Collection
Bites the Dust
By Bob Sandroni with help from
his treasured co-pilot and wife, Lora
On October 22, 2007, my wife and I suffered the loss of our 7,500 square-foot home in Lake Arrowhead, California. In a few hours, our mountain sanctuary for 18 years, our family destination for holidays, birthdays and other milestones, and our showcase for our Western and Native American art disintegrated.
Gone were more than 1500 antique weapons, hundreds of salesman saddle samples, historic chaps and gun belts, museum quality Native American beadwork and oil paintings.
What can one learn from such a tragedy? A lot. What prevented this disheartening disaster from becoming an emotional and financial debacle?
Special Announcement from Roy Rogers Jr.
I have been personally agonizing over how to start this letter. I guess I will start by saying thank you. Thank you for the years of love, support, prayers and loyalty to the Rogers Family. You, the fans, and our Board of Directors, are the ones who have kept our family's museum going for over 42 years. It has been a wonderful ride. After millions of visitors and countless stories of what Roy and Dale have meant to you, the Board of Directors have voted to close our doors of the Museum at the end of 2009. This has not been an easy decision. Many very emotional and financial issues have been addressed by all of us, as you can well imagine.
The decision to close the Museum has come after two years of steady decline in visitors to the Museum. A lot of factors have made our decision for us. The economy for one, people are just not traveling as much. Dad's fans are getting older, and concerned about their retirement funds. Everyone is concerned about their future in this present economy. Secondly, with our high fiscal obligations we cannot continue to accumulate debt to keep the doors open. This situation is one I have not wanted to happen. Dad always said- “If the museum starts costing you money, then liquidate everything and move on.” Myself and my family have tried to hold together the Museum and collection for over 15 years, so it is very difficult to think that it will all be gone soon.
What will happen to Roy Rogers, Jr and his family? For those of you that have heard I am retiring, nothing could be farther from the truth. My company, Golden Stallion, and its show tribute to Roy and Dale, will continue. I plan on taking the show to another venue in Branson. We are looking for space now. The show will also be available to travel around the country and take the message of Roy and Dale wherever we travel. I feel that this country needs the message that Roy and Dale always put forth, not only in their professional lives, but in their private lives as well.
The Museum's last day of operation will be December 12th. We want everyone to have the opportunity to visit the Museum one last time to see the collection in its entirety. This will be your last chance to see Roy and Dale's collection. Tell your friends and encourage them to come, before we close. This will be your final chance!!
Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers. Remember, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans will live forever in our hearts and minds, and will continue to ride across the silver screen through their movies. Every time you think of Roy and Dale, that warm feeling you have always felt, will always return.
Watch our website for further announcements and special dates.
I leave you all with Dad's favorite saying- Good bye, Good luck, and may the good Lord take a likin' to ya! See you in Branson, or on the road.
Love to all of you!
Happy Trails.
Dusty and Family
High Noon is honored to help the Roy Rogers/Dale Evans Museum spread the beauty, memories and artifacts inside its walls out into the hearts and homes of people all over the world.
December 3, 2009 – Christies in New York will be offering musical pieces from Roy and Dale in their Country Music Sale in New York
www.christies.com/eCatalogues/index.aspx?id=422E6D74FC4B0F3F8525756D0058A2C3
On January 30, 2010 we will offer a few of the very special pieces owned by Roy and Dale in our annual auction to be held in Mesa, Arizona. Included will be one of Roy’s fabulous Bohlin silver saddles as well as his personal Bohlin Spurs, Gun Rig and Colts plus his Rose Parade Grand Marshal saddle, as well as buckles and personal clothing
On July 14-15, 2010 High Noon will be offering approximately 600-800 other high quality, very personal items from the Roy and Dale Museum. High Noon is teaming up with Christie’s Auction House and will hold the auction in New York City.
Please watch both the museum and High Noon websites for more details.
By James W. Nottage
October, 2009 Smoke Signals
Leonard Pitts, a columnist for The Miami Herald, wrote a column recently lamenting that in our increasingly digital world physical things are disappearing. The time is coming when we may not have real newspapers, books, record albums, photographs, and even art. Pitts wisely pointed out that the demise of those objects also implies that the people who make them are facing extinction as well.
By Ron Soodalter
September, 2009 Smoke Signals
It happened like this:
Custer and most of his command have been dead three weeks. Some eight hundred Cheyenne have jumped the reservation at Fort Robinson, and several companies of the Fifth Cavalry under General Wesley Merritt - around 400 to 500 men in all - are on a mission to keep them from joining Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull. Along either Hat or Warbonnet Creek, in the broken hill country that defines the Wyoming/Nebraska border, the army’s scouts spy some thirty of the Cheyenne waiting in ambush for two unsuspecting army couriers...
By Bill Heisman
August, 2009 Smoke Signals
I have been building and collecting saddles, spurs and bits since the early 1970s and have been a full-time bit and spur maker since 1988. Most of my work involves the more intricate and ornate California style of bits and spurs.…Research has been a passion of mine ever since purchasing Bill Mackin's Old West Collectibles book back in 1979, accumulating a large and comprehensive resource library. However, hands-on restoration, not books have taught me how to differentiate between old and news spurs of comparable styles.
By William Reynolds
July, 2009 Smoke Signals
That phrase aptly describes a special person in the history of early California and vaquero art. They were spoken by Alfred Douglas Harmer about his beloved father, and only begin to introduce the artistic and social contributions made by Alexander Harmer, an artist considered to be the first important painter of the West and a leader in California’s art community of the late 1800s and early 1900s.
By Jayne Skeff
June, 2009 Smoke Signals
As antiquers, we’ve known all along that antiques are green. We’ve known that the wicker basket bought at Target will be in the trash bin long before that Indian basket begins to show wear. We’ve known all along that the Monterey cupboard will long stand after the Ikea bookcase has bit the dust. We’ve been preserving and recycling before the word “recycle” hit Webster’s. But have any of us really thought about the benefits of being designated “green” businesses.
By James W. Nottage
May, 2009 Smoke Signals
A correspondent to a saddle and harness journal in the spring of 1894 wrote about California women abandoning the side saddle to ride astride. It comes as no surprise that independent minded women in the West might cast “aside” the proprieties of Victorian manners, and after all, even equestrian traditions had to adapt to the needs and environments of the American West.
By James W. Nottage
April, 2009 Smoke Signals
If you are new to collecting, it can be difficult to know who to trust. You see dealers at shows, you see their ads in magazines, and you hear talk about them within the collecting fraternity. Which dealers are honest and how do you know who might be most helpful to you in developing your collection? Here are a few suggestions that you might keep in mind.
By James W. Nottage
March, 2009 Smoke Signals
Albert Nottage worked his way through the Great Depression as a locomotive engineer for the Union Pacific Railroad. Through those hard economic times, he managed to create a world-class collection of American coins.
By Linda Kohn Sherwood
High Noon Western Americana
Cowboys & Indians Magazine, September 2007
Next to the horse and the hat, much of what creates the romantic aura of the cowboy is the rest of his gear. The poetic nature of the horseman’s trappings has long inspired stanza and verse, drawing and painting.
By Linda Kohn & Joseph Sherwood
High Noon Western Americana
Los Angeles, CA When collectors think of “Folk-art” images of Amish quilts, duck decoys and Navajo rugs come to mind. However, one of the finest and rarest of the American textiles, the HORSEHAIR BRIDLE, is often overlooked.
by B. Byron Price
From California Vaquero Traditions, Luis B. Ortega
Ed Borein knew another artist when he saw one, even if the artist’s medium was rawhide and not paint or bronze. As a former cowboy himself, the easel painter also recognized fine braiding when he saw it, even if the braider carried his work in a barley sack. Borein knew, too that Luis Ortega had a special gift for his ancient art, although his skills were not yet fully developed.
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Editorial Submissions Questions/Feedback
Linda Kohn Sherwood, Editor
smokesignals@highnoon.com
Smoke Signals is not responsible for unsolicited materials.
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