For your consideration is a pair of N. Porter Saddlery & Harness Company batwing chaps two-toned c. 1920s - 1940s, with basket-weave stamped belt stamped N. Porter Phoenix, Ariz. Newton Porter was one of the best saddle makers of the 1920's. Porter's chaps are very collectable. Newton started his business in Texas in 1875 and moved to Phoenix in 1895, where he established the N. Porter Saddle & Harness Company, which became one of the finest saddleries over the next 70 years. After Porter died in approximately 1906, his oldest son, Earl, took over the operation of the business, and he continued to institute the same business practices of his father until his death in 1925 when the business was taken over by Newton Porters youngest son, Fred Porter. The N. Porter Saddle & Harness Company remained family owned and operated until the closing of the business in the mid 1960s. N.Porter Saddles & Harness Company employed two dozen or more master craftsmen, who tooled and sewed the saddles. Their saddles were world famous for being among the finest made. Whether you call them chaps, leggings, bat wings, woolies, or chinks, the different styles of leather leg coverings are an important part of a cowboy’s gear. Derived from the Spanish chaparreras, they protect a rider’s legs from brush, thorns and the elements. Different leathers cut in various styles have been used but the basic purpose remains the same. Winged chaps, sometimes referred to as “apron chaps” or “batwings” began to appear in the 1800s. A product of the South Texas brush country, they provided protection to the lower leg and the wing was an extension of the fringed side flap on shotguns. The first wings were cut straight and were not excessively wide. Later versions tapered out from the legs and flapped when the wearer walked. Old time cowboys are typically pictured in batwing chaps. These are Western chaps, front pockets with leather ball closures, four (4) nickel conchos on each leg, leather detail on each. This is a great pair of chaps in good condition.