For Immediate Release: January 14, 2022

Media Contact: Mariah Contreras, maria@talk-strategy.com.

Sid Richardson Museum in Ft. Worth Celebrates its 40th Anniversary with Stunning Saddle Exhibit

Renowned saddle maker Edward H. Bohlin’s parade saddle will be a highlight of the Museum’s anniversary celebration.

(FORT WORTH, TX) – The highly acclaimed Sid Richardson Museum located in Sundance Square in downtown Fort Worth, Texas, is celebrating 40 years of the art of the American West with a focused exhibition featuring the work of one of the most iconic saddle makers in the world, Edward H. Bohlin. The two saddles on display along with matching gear are accompanied by photos and materials that tell the story of how they came into the collection and the connections to the annual Fort Worth Stock Show, and in particular the All Western Parade, the largest non-motorized parade that kicks off the exposition each year.

Bohlin left his homeland of Sweden at 15, determined to be part of the American West. Landing first in Montana and then Wyoming, he settled into Los Angeles, where he became known for his meticulous craftsmanship that drew the attention of cowboy royalty and celebrities. In time he developed a world-wide reputation as a premier leather craftsman and silversmith, creating parade saddles for Hollywood cowboy legends including John Wayne and Roy Rogers. His leather and silver works of art became synonymous with the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade as cowboys and other equestrians proudly employed Bohlin saddles and spurs along the parade route. Bohlin saddles and other Western wear remain highly coveted by Western art collectors today.

Sid Richardson and Amon Carter were close friends in Ft. Worth. Archived correspondence between the businessmen shows a constant exchange of gifts, with two of the most extravagant being parade saddles and matching gear made by Edward Bohlin and given to Richardson by Carter. One of the saddles on display is one of a set of four saddles that were presented to Stock Show officials in 1947 in honor of their recent success with the exposition. These saddles were ridden in the parade by Stock show leaders along Main Street where the Sid Richardson Museum has been open to the public since 1982.

“It’s fitting that we begin our 40th anniversary celebration with the craftsmanship of Bohlin’s parade saddle(s) and sharing a bit of the connections between the collection and the Fort Worth Stock Show,” noted Scott Winterrowd, Sid Richardson Museum Director. “This exhibit conveys the spirit of the American West that drew a young Swede from his homeland, the same spirit that continues to inspire Western collectors today.” In the case of this exhibit Bohlin’s incredible dedication to his craft is reflected in every detail, from intricately and artistically engraved sterling to masterful leather work, all lovingly crafted by an experienced cowboy, trick rider, and roper who never lost his love for the West, much like the patrons of the museum.

This exhibit is on view with the continuing installation, Picturing the American West, a thematic exhibition of over 40 works by Frederic Remington, Charles Russell and other Western art masters. To further mark its fortieth year, this fall the museum will host Night and Day: Frederic Remington’s Final Decade. The exhibit will examine works made by the artist from 1901 – 1909, exploring and juxtaposing depictions of the American West under the dazzling light of day and the shadows of night. The show will run from September 24, 2022 to May 2023. For more information visit sidrichardsonmuseum.org.

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About the Sid Richardson Museum
Located in Fort Worth’s historic Sundance Square, the Sid Richardson Museum opened in 1982 and serves as a
permanent home for the artworks acquired by Richardson between 1942 and 1959. The Sid Richardson Museum
primarily features its permanent collections and special exhibitions of paintings from premier Western artists that
are refreshed annually.