Sold $2,000 June 17, 2023 Kansas City Cowboy Gear and Regalia Collection 1880-1960
Do you know the name Chas P. Shipley? If you live
in Kansas City and think it sounds familiar, perhaps
you’ve seen it in huge letters on that 1900s brick
building down in the west bottoms near our old
Kemper Arena. Charles Shipley was world famous
for saddles and leather goods. He was also a Kansas
City philanthropist and served on the board of the
Art Institute. His firm was commissioned to make
this pair of special-order boots for the American
Royal rodeo around 1950. With their fancy cut-outs
and elaborate stitching, they served as an award to
the American Royal rodeo champ that year, and
then returned to the Shipley family when they sold
for $2,000 in June 2023 at our auction of the John
Royle Collection.
