This is an outstanding and rare original circa 1800’s Deer Lodge Montana State Prison horse hair hitched bridle headstall with original 19th Century bit, as well as matching reins and quirt. The bridle features a wonderfully and professionally crafted hitched horse construction that features hitched horsehair / horse hair covering the entirety of the bridle and shows two sets of celluloid rosettes with horses head decoration in its center and shows a high port solid shank bridle bit with a round cricket shown it the port center. The brow bands (and entire piece) show a scarcely seen pattern. The headstall features geometric patterns hitched into the headstall along the cheek straps and the brow band and the crown piece and shows tassels ended in Turks head knots throughout the headstall. All natural hand dyed horse hair. The condition of this hitched horse hair bridle is good with some fading and oxidation to the bit but otherwise shows good overall condition. The measurement of this bridle is 36" x 6 1/2" x 7 1/2". Provenance: Owned by Bob Pennington the President of American Federal Savings (now Opportunity Bank of Montana) from Helena, Montana, the piece was purchased by Bob in the 1960’s at the Deer Lodge and is from the Inmate Store; the piece was also featured in the Hawk Hill Press in 2015 and in the April edition of Cowboys & Indians from 2016. Truly the best Deer Lodge headstall we have ever had and likely the only bridle headstall, bit, reins and quirt set of this early of age on the open market.