Pommel Bag/Purse - #30

This little bag, Gessell said, is a design from an older style pommel bag for use on a saddle, where the strap can be wrapped around the horn or secured through the gullet. She first saw this as a “revitalized” design by Cary Schwarz, and said she was intrigued, thinking it would make a nice little saddle bag or purse.  The hardware is antiqued brass and sturdy — appropriate for use on horseback – yet the overall design is attractive enough to carry as a nice purse.

Carol Gessell, Saddlemaker (Member)
Ennis, Montana

Having always loved horses and beautiful handmade Western gear, Carol Gessell was given a little Tandy leather kit as a child, which she used to make tack for her model horses. Though she put the kit away when she got older, she pulled it out again years later to make tack for real horses. Gessell started her own custom leather business around 1998, and by 1999 she was able to focus on working leather full-time. Shortly after, she began to build saddles. In 2017, Gessell was the recipient of a TCAA Fellowship. Encouraged by the mentors she met through the fellowship program, she began applying for TCAA membership. Earlier this year, Gessell became the first full TCAA member who is a female.