Miles City Saddlery Co.

COLEMAN, BERT T. and C. E. COGGSHALL

Publication: Miles City Saddlery Co, Circa 1911, Miles City

First Edition. Decorative Wrappers. 173pp. Illustrated throughout. 36 Full-page illustrations of Saddles. 7 photographic Plates. This is their Illustrated Catalogue and Price List. They describe themselves as follows: "Miles City Saddlery Co., Successors to C. E. Coggshall, 17-19 S. Sixth Street, Miles City, Mont. Manufacturers of the Original Coggshall Saddles, Dealers in Fancy Bits and Spurs, Fine Saddles and Harness, Tents, Paulins and Slickers, Horse Furnishing Goods, Cowboy Boots and Hats, Montana Art Leather Goods. The Largest Exclusive Saddle Manufacturers and Cowboy Outfitters in the City and the State." Miles City, Montana was a legendary cowtown..."The End of the Trail" for many cattle drives in the late 1800's. Charlie E. Coggshall the saddle trade when he became 50% partner in Furstnow's Saddle Shop in Miles City. Although Charlie wasn't a saddle-maker himself, he was constantly developing improvements in the comfort and quality of saddles, ultimately perfecting the Montana Saddle Tree. Their operation produced thousands of high quality saddles, hiring many saddle-makers, many who produced 4-6 saddles per week. They sold Justin Boots and Stetson Hats, too. In 1909 Bert Coleman, Clem Kathmann, and Frank Jelinek bought out Coggshall and formed the Miles City Saddlery Co.. This Catalogue and Price List is believed to be the First Edition of this perfect-bound, detailed, illustrated, 173 page catalogue, and to have been issued in 1911. We have been unable to confirm this, and have been unable to find any catalogue earlier than 1925; and the prices in that catalogue are significantly higher than the prices in this catalogue. On page 15 they state that this is the latest illustrated catalogue, and also that the Original Coggshall Saddle has enjoyed 16 years of success. Knowing that Cogshall was already producing his saddles in 1894, the 16 years corresponds with the 1911 issue of this catalogue. Some light soiling and minor wear to spine ends. Some damp-staining to top edge of the last few pages, and some slight wrinkling to bottom edge of text block. A tight, clean copy of an important Montana saddlery catalogue.