Received this purchase from French eBay a few days ago:
Model 44 Ideale, first of this model I have seen. Seems quite old, perhaps pre-WWII. Note that it is not marked B&T (Berthet et Tron) but F&T. Could this be Freres Tron? Could this saddle predate the time when Marcel Berthet joined the firm? If so, how old would that make it? Unusual saddle - it measures about 152 mm wide, about the same as a B17 Narrow (or Swallow or Swift), but an extraordinary 300 mm long, whereas few other leather saddle are more than 280 mm long. Placed next to a B17, it is noticeably longer. Anyone ever seen an all lether saddle this long? Anyone know anything about the model 44?
Regards,
Jerry Moos Big Spring, Texas, USA