Dear CR listees, I bought a FAVORIT black leather bicycle saddle at the 2006 Cirque this past Sunday.... I've read the archives on all the various lists, on the subject and was hoping someone knew more on the subject of this saddle. One it is HARD AS A ROCK.......but looks like a cross between a Brooks Pro and an Ideale 90, and an IDEALE 92 Diagonale.The leather appears to be in very good condition.It is just downright "hard" with a reinforced" piece of leather glued to the underside of the saddle.Any ideas on softening up the saddle without ruining it! The saddle has a total of nine copper rivets that each have a small "favorit" stamped in them (six on the rear attaching the saddle to the cantle plate and three rivets attaching the leather nose of the saddle to the chrome "snub nose" with chrome rails and tensioner.The rails look very much like a Brooks Pro "copy".The seatpost is integrated into the saddle clamp sort of like an Ideale seat post and clamp made into one integral unit.The seat post clamp says,"Original Favorit Deluxe,on both sides by the clamping nuts of seat bracket to saddle rails. I do not have a picture of the saddle (yet). I've checked the Bike Cult website that has an online museum various SADDLE SHOTS..... The saddle says ''AWB SPECIAL" embossed into the leather sides... I thought the saddle was coolio and had to have, so "I bought it now'', at Cirque 2006. Cirque report to come.It was a great time, and I'm looking forward to CIRQUE X (ten) in Greensboro,next year. I hope to be better prepared for the last show in Greensboro! Thanks Dale for hosting this event each year! Yours truly, Marty Walsh in Vienna,Va.