Saddle and Western Gear Catalog, by Visalia Stock Saddle Company. 144 Pages. Softbound. In the mid-1800's, Visalia, California was a thriving cattle town boasting several prestigious saddlemaking establishments. Among them, the Visalia Company, which set the standards for high-quality elaborately carved and ornamented saddles. This book is an unaltered republication of the rare 1938 Visalia catalog, exceptional for the variety of merchandise it offers. It contains 580 superb illustrations, and lists over 120 items - from Bickmore's Gall Cure to angora chaps, and includes list price, color, size, and other relevant infomation. While much of the catalog is devoted to Visalia merchandise, it also includes the products of other prominent manufacturers such as Stetson and Levi Strauss, and descriptive captions add to the catalog's distinctive character and special brand of humor. Certain to provide a wealth of information, this excellent book, with a charming Forward by the author, will also serve as a wonderful browsing book for collectors, fans of western gear, and nostalgia enthusiasts. $14.95 (BK-0648)