Al Tietjen

Albert Herman Tietjen was born in Winnemucca, Nevada in 1928 but moved to Reno where he spent time at the ranch of his relatives, the (Elmer) Miller family. Elmer (32) and Al (17) would eventual move to San Francisco in 1946 and start a short lived by renowned partnership making bits and spurs that became “Miller & Tietjen” (stamped MILLER & TIETJEN ). Al was drafted into the Army in January 1951, and served in Korea thru November of 1952. After returning from the war in 1953 he was employed by the Ford dealership in Reno, and in his spare time continued to hone his skills as a bit and spur maker. During this time, he met and married the love of his life, Elsie, in April of 1954. In 1968, Al went into the bit & spur business full-time becoming a world-class maker of some of the finest silver and gold bits and spurs ever produced. Over the years, he was honored with numerous awards for his fine craftsmanship receiving receiving an invitation in 1996 to participate in and exhibit his work at The Gathering of the Living Legends in Calgary, Canada. In 1998 Al was an original inductee into the Cowboy Hall of Fame Traditional Cowboy Arts Association (TCAA) and in 2001 was the recipient of the Governor's Arts Award for Excellence in Folk Arts. Tietjen’s bits and spurs are frequently marked A. TIETJEN RENO, NEV with the date of manufacture.

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