Conchos and spots

[Will Sellit]

Has anyone in their research found when Conchos and spots were used on holsters and belts?
 I have the book "Packing Iron" and I really do not see any indication that spots or conchos were used to decorate any type of leather until after 1900. I only find that possibly someone would add a few themselves but this was not common.
If anyone has found any references of the use of these prior to 1900, I would appreciate if you could let me know.

Thanks.

Will Sellit
NCOWS 1799
SASS 19776

[St. George]

Your best bet in actually dating those decorations is going to be a period catalog from a supplier to the Saddlery trade.

If it appears on horse equipments - then most likely - in some form - it'll also appear on that worn by the Cowboy - and decorations of that type have a long history going back across the pond.

The older rigs I've seen or owned were from the late 1880's and on, and were fairly simply made - yet 'visually arresting' - as a couple of the ones seen in 'Packing Iron'.
Probably due to the fact that in large part - the 'true' gun rig - the one with a cartridge belt as opposed to a waist belt - was in wide use and highly visible, and offered more 'surface' for decoration.

The American Cowboy liked a bit of ostentation, from time to time - and while he never had much money - what he had - he'd spend  on things that could be 'seen' and that struck his fancy.

No Shrinking Violet, he...

I've seen entire rigs where spots and rivets were what held the whole thing together - but those were 'Bunkhouse-made' , and the quality varied with the abilities of the Cowboy and those things that were available to him at that moment.

Good luck in finding dated documentation, and when you do - it'd be good to share your sources with everyone.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Tommy tornado]

I could be totally wrong, but I thought that spotted belts and other items with spots on them were used and traded by mountain men.  In the buckskinning books a lot of people are wearing belts/knife sheaths with spots in them.  They also seemed to be very popular with natives on just about every type of weapon they used.

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[St. George]

What you're seeing are lead-filled brass tacks.

Close - but no cigar...

They were plentiful - easy to install and well-liked.

Spots are larger, as a 'general' rule - and were used largely as decoration - as were Conchos.

Tacks were used for decoration as well - but they also were used as tacks - giving them a 'duality of purpose'.

Scouts Out!

[Will Sellit]

Thanks everyone for your help and I hope the information keeps coming.
After I started this topic, I picked up the book "Winchester An American Legend" by R.L.Wilson,  and on page 55 there is a picture dated 1889 of Buffalo Bill Cody, and he is wearing spur straps with conchos and spots. Now I know his attire was pretty showy and extreme, but I have to think he was not the only person to do this.
I want to verify the use of the spots and conchos used on holsters and belts for around the 1888 time period for my persona in NCOWS.
I simply have to have a rig made by that Nolan Sackett fella because I think his work is the most beautiful I have ever laid my eyes on. I am just trying to justify it for my persona time period.
Again, thanks for your help and if anyone has additional information please let me know.

Will Sellit
NCOWS# 1799

[St. George]

Then you're in luck - time-frame-wise.

If I were you - I'd contact Nolan Sackett as soon as you read this...

He's building a rig for me - and is great to work with.

His website is that of Wild Rose Trading Company - www.wrtcleather.com - and there are great examples to peruse - or - you can look through your copy of 'Packing Iron' - write down the page numbers - and give thought to what 'you' want in a gun rig.

Just remember the old adage - 'less is more...'

Vaya,

Scouts Out!