Eduardo Grijalva was born and lived his life in Magdalena, Sonora, Mexico where by the age of 20 he was working as a ranch hand and learning the craft of bit and spur making. Grijalva soon began working full time making bits and spurs and eventually his sons joined him. His bits and spurs were […]
Ralph Graham was a self taught bit and spur maker and worked full time during his life in other occupations. He produced mostly bits, but a few spurs. His work is exclusively silver overlay with a characteristic single-point engraving style.
Gus Goldberg was trained as a saddle maker and operated his own shop in Sacramento before going to work for Main & Winchester as a saddle maker. Goldberg eventually partnered with Staunton Bros in Winnemucca, NV as Goldberg Staunton Saddlery. After a few years Goldberg bought out Staunton Bros. and the business became simply Goldberg […]
Manuel Gil was born and appreticed in bit and spur making in Mexico. On a trip to Mexico, G.S. Garcia met Gil and invited him to come to Elko to work. Gil worked for G.S. Garcia in Elko, and later at the Garcia Saddlery in Salinas. He also worked as a contract maker for Visalia […]
Les Garcia was perhaps G.S. Garcia’s most talented son in the craft of silver work. He was trained by Herrera at the Garcia shop in Elko, NV in the making of silver parts and in engraving. Les followed his brother Henry to Salinas, CA after the death of thier father, but eventually Les retired from […]
Henry Garcia was one of G.S. Garcia’s sons and he helped run the Garcia Saddlery in Elko, Nev. Henry’s responsibilities included leatherworking and saddle-making so he is not well known as a bit and spur maker. After G.S. Garcia died, Henry moved to Salinas, California to open his own shop. After a couple years, Les […]
Guadalupe Garcia was born in Sonora, Mexico but was raised in California in the San Luis Obispo area. He apprenticed in a saddlery shop and eventually moved to Elko, Nevada and opened his own saddlery business. He had seven children and his sons Henry and Les took over the company after his death. The Garcia […]
John Fox was born in Colorado but moved to Wyoming at age 9 to live with his uncle and eventually working as a ranch hand. John learned bit and spur making from Henry “Dutch” Thar and
Juan Flores was born in Santa Barbara but spent most of his career in Las Cruces where he popularized the Las Cruces bit design. He is well known for that bit and it is unknown if he produced any spurs. His bits were not marked but typically had strips of silver overlay without engraving and […]
Dick was born in Colorado but moved to California and at 30 years old bought an existing saddlery with a partner, who he bought out after a year or so. His business sold bits made by Miller and Tietjen, and Henry Garcia’s business in Salinas. He then started a wholesale business selling imported spurs from […]
