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Cowboy Culture: |
The Last Frontier of American Antiques |
By Michael Friedman |
| Schiffer Publishing, Ltd, 4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, Pa., 19310, 298 pages, $79.95 hardcover. |
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| With a revised price guide, Michael Friedman takes on great Western collectibles such as saddles, spurs, boots and guns in this second edition of Cowboy Culture, released by Schiffer Publishing. The author, a Connecticut resident, is an American antiques dealer specializing in early American furniture and folk art. He notes in his preface that the majority of cowboys were poor, and thus did not own many possessions, often making their own "embellishments and decorations." "[H]ere we find folk art of the common man," he writes.
Each of the book's 24 chapters focuses on a different item and showcases objects from private collections, including Friedman's own. These sections feature approximately a page of text for the reader, followed by numerous color photographs of collectibles. Captions containing nuggets of information are provided under each image, along with an approximate value. Perhaps the most extensive chapter features saddles, and contains five sections entitled: "Miniatures," "Vaquero," "Saddlebags," "Rope," and "Ortega." A chapter on badges has "star" power, but none of the badges shown had bullet holes - maybe the outlaws weren't such good shots. A chapter on bits was short, and two focusing on boots and hats seemed short only because they were so much fun to peruse. A chapter on gambling collectibles showcases some pretty fancy poker chips; it is a good bet this revised edition would interest just about any American.
- Amy D'Orio
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