Cowboy Saddle Tag. by Al Furstnow: MONTANA SADDLE MAKER

[Montana] Al Furstnow. Cowboy Saddle Tag. Miles City, Montana: [No publication information.] [Circa 1934?] Color saddle tag with string tie. 8 x 16 cm. Fine.

Al Furstnow, learned the saddlery business from his father. At age 19, he worked for Collins in Cheyenne in 1881. He worked in Miles City for Goettlich for about a year starting in 1883 and then for Collins in Omaha in 1884. He bounced around to Cheyenne and San Francisco and then came to work in Miles City for Robbins and Lenoir in 1894. In August, he opened Furstnow's Saddle Shop with himself as the sole employee. Al Furstnow made "The Saddle That Made Miles City Famous." He is credited with having made the first two flower hand-stamped saddles created in Miles City. One was made for Great Britain's Lord Sidney Paget and the other was made for Leigh Remington, of the Remington Arms family.