Work Saddle

edited by David Barth, 30 January 2009.
Courtesy The Forney Museum of Transportation at 4303 Brighton Blvd., Denver, Colorado.
Photos were taken in February 2009.

This is a Work Saddle.

This saddle was made by the Hermann H. Heiser (HHH) Saddlery Company. Hermann H. Heiser was born in Germany on June 29, 1836. Young Heiser began an apprenticeship in the saddle and harness-making business. After moving to the United States in the mid-1800s, Heiser opened his own saddlery in Wisconsin. He was extremely careful about minute details. After a couple of years in Wisconsin, he sold his shop and moved to Colorado, opening his own general merchandise stores in Central City and Blackhawk in order to fit the needs of the miners.

He sold both businesses, moved to Denver in the late 1800s and reestablished himself in a building located on Blake Street. He made his shop his life work. His daily routine was from 6 am to 11 pm, and he took no vacations.

When Heiser died in 1904, his three sons took over the business until around 1919. when Ewald Heiser bought his brothers' interest. In 1945, Ewald sold it to the Denver Dry Goods Company who used the Hermann H. Heiser name and trademark.

Heiser's work was always stamped with the famous H.H.H., the ninth registered trademark in Colorado.