Dixie W. Thompson's Loomis Saddle

The saddle was built by Al Loomis, working in his brother’s shop, and the tooling is clearly the fine detailed floral work of that shop.The edges of each component are also embroidered in the piteado style with cactus fiber and the seat is quilted. The saddle pad is also tooled on the edges. As evidence that silver was added after initial manufacture, one can see conchos overlaying the delicate tooled leather. Overlaid with engraved silver, the bridle bit “is as elegant as Señor Madrueño could make it, which is saying a great deal.” Overall the silver work is attributed to Edwin Field (1820-1902). A unique element of the construction of the bridle and breast collar is the use of silver wire, knitted into cord using a centuries old technique sometimes referred to as “Viking Knit” or “trichinopoly chain.” As described in the 1893 article, the Mexican “dollars were cold-drawn into fine wire, which is closely crocheted into sections joined together with heavy links and rings.” The author goes on to describe the bridle as being “covered with fluted silver, except the brow-band and nose-piece, which are finely engraved. Two slender chains cross the face under a six-pointed star.”