Lot Essay
Edward H. Bohlin (1895-1980), the nephew of the Swedish painter Anders Zorn, arrived in the United States in 1910. He worked first as a cowhand in Montana before opening a shop there selling tooled leather goods and tack. Subsequently he joined a travelling horse show as a trick roper, continuing to do leatherwork to supplement his income. The story of his introduction to his first great customer is legendary - performing in Los Angeles in 1922, someone in the audience called out to Bohlin "Hey kid, how much do you want for the coat?". Without hesitation, Bohlin called back "35 dollars!" The buyer was Tom Mix, who at the time was the most famous of the celluloid coyboys.
Bohlin stayed in Hollywood and in time his shop, specialising in western leatherwork, magnificent saddles and other tack became famous throughout the world. A tireless inventor as well as a gifted artisan, Bohlin replaced the traditional wooden saddle tree with a fiberglass one of his own design, thereby making the saddle lighter and more durable. The chasing and engraving on the silver conchos and other adornments was always extremely imaginative and of the highest quality.
Many of the leading Hollywood stars of the day commissioned saddles from Bohlin, including Will Rogers, Hopalong Cassidy, Monte Montana, Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, Dale Evans and Clayton Moore (who is perhaps better known as the Lone Ranger). Luminaries in other fields such as Ronald Reagan, Lyndon Johnson and the King of Kuwait also purchased saddles and trappings, while the Maharaja of Jahore ordered nine of them. Other commissions caried out by Bohlin were more unusual: for Tom Mix, Bohlin entirely furbished his automobile, inside and out, with tooled leather mounted with silver panels engraved with pistols and other cowboy motifs. A silver telephone with western motifs was ordered by Mae West, who later had it gold-plated because her maid complained that it needed constant polishing.
This Bohlin saddle and the following lot were made for Mr. and Mrs. Irve C. Bolman of San Diego about 1950 and appeared in the annual Rose Bowl parades in Pasadena for many years. After the Boldmans' death, they were purchased by a mid-western businessman in 1983 and for several years provided the focal point of the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar in Jackson Hole.
Bohlin stayed in Hollywood and in time his shop, specialising in western leatherwork, magnificent saddles and other tack became famous throughout the world. A tireless inventor as well as a gifted artisan, Bohlin replaced the traditional wooden saddle tree with a fiberglass one of his own design, thereby making the saddle lighter and more durable. The chasing and engraving on the silver conchos and other adornments was always extremely imaginative and of the highest quality.
Many of the leading Hollywood stars of the day commissioned saddles from Bohlin, including Will Rogers, Hopalong Cassidy, Monte Montana, Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, Dale Evans and Clayton Moore (who is perhaps better known as the Lone Ranger). Luminaries in other fields such as Ronald Reagan, Lyndon Johnson and the King of Kuwait also purchased saddles and trappings, while the Maharaja of Jahore ordered nine of them. Other commissions caried out by Bohlin were more unusual: for Tom Mix, Bohlin entirely furbished his automobile, inside and out, with tooled leather mounted with silver panels engraved with pistols and other cowboy motifs. A silver telephone with western motifs was ordered by Mae West, who later had it gold-plated because her maid complained that it needed constant polishing.
This Bohlin saddle and the following lot were made for Mr. and Mrs. Irve C. Bolman of San Diego about 1950 and appeared in the annual Rose Bowl parades in Pasadena for many years. After the Boldmans' death, they were purchased by a mid-western businessman in 1983 and for several years provided the focal point of the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar in Jackson Hole.