This is a fabulous set of silver mounted spurs from the Qualey Bros. Joseph Plains, Idaho from circa 1920-1930's from the Ron Gillette collection. The spurs are artfully crafted and portray beautiful inlay and overlay silver construction that shows opulent sunburst rowel with overlay silver to the outside of the frame that is etched with western decorum and is included on the rowel spine and the button that clasps the rowel with dovetail silver inlay to the topside frame of the spur. The spur straps feature heavy harness leather with brass studded decoration with a maker's mark that reads as follows: K. Pomner - Maker - Huron, S.D.

Provenance: From the ex-Ron Gillette collection, collected from Ron directly, the same collection as the set sold by Dan Morphy in June 2024 for $21,000. Those silver mounted Qualey Bros. spurs are very similar to the set offered in this lot.

Tom Qualey (1904-1977) Knut Qualey came from Norway as a blacksmith in 1900 to live in Idaho. He homesteaded a ranch on Joseph Plains, Idaho, and raised his nine children after his wife died in 1915. His sons Jens, Tom, Nels and Olaf would reshape old farm tools or wagon wheel rims into bits and spurs, with Tom being the most talented. In 1920, Tom and Nels began making bits and spurs in their spare time at the ranch, marking them “Qualey Bros.” In 1942 the ranch was sold and Nels stopped silversmithing. Beginning in 1944, Tom, working solo, made pieces marking them “Qualey”. Most of these were sold by either Ray Holes or through Miller Hardware in Grangeville. Tom was a master engraver, who, according to saddle maker Ray Holes, was unequaled in his ability to do precision engraving, using only a forge, hammer, hacksaw and file. The condition of this pair of spurs is extremely well preserved with only very slight oxidation to the steel and to the rowels with some slight wear to the spur straps but otherwise shows a well preserved condition. The measurements of this pair of spurs is 3 1/4" x 10 1/2" x 4 1/4". The collective weight of this pair of spurs is 1lb 14oz..