Pair of 19th Century ‘Gaucho' Spurs
Pair of 19th Century 'Gaucho' Spurs
Price on request.
Impressive pair of 19th Century steel 'gaucho' spurs from the Patagonia region in South America.
In the Spanish Empire spur development was influenced both by Northern European large rowels and by the large circular heel plate derived from Moorish spurs. Spanish conquistadors are often credited with introducing spurs to the Americas. The conquistadors’ spurs, known as the espuela grande, or “great spur,” were typified by very large rowels. These distinctive spurs are still in use in many parts of Latin America.
The first rowel spurs featuring a revolving disc or star at the end of the neck appeared in western Europe around the mid-13th century. They cohabitated with the earlier form, the prick spur, for about a century, before replacing it almost completely in Europe by the mid-14th century. The advantage of the rowel spur over the prick was it allowed the rider to reach the flanks of its horse with one of the points at any angle, making it more convenient for the rider and also reducing the probability of injuring the horse.
30cm long