Robert Causey Spurs
Robert Lincoln Causey was born in 1868 in Kansas City into a large family. His father was a blacksmith and taught Bob how to work metal, a skill he would find valuable all his life. Bob Causey ran away from home at age 12 to head west and after he ran out of money for travel he apprenticed as a blacksmith for room, board, and a dollar a day. Bob worked at the blacksmith for four years and this is where he really learned the trade of blacksmithing in addition to bit and spur making. In 1884 Robert moved to meet his brother George at his ranch in Lovington, New Mexico where he lived and worked on the ranch in addition to doing blacksmith work and making bits and spurs in his spare time. In 1888, Robert again moved, this time to Odessa, Texas where he opened his own shop and gained fame for the fancy and high quality spurs he was producing. Never able to stay in one place for too long, Bob was in Eddy, New Mexico by the 1890s and then moved to Artesia, NM in 1906 after marrying. He continued traveling around and made stops in Pendleton, OR working with or for Hamley, as well as Rupert, Idaho before moving back to Eddy (now Carlsbad, NM). In 1924 Causey moved again for the last time to Safford, Arizona where he would live until his death in 1937.
Causey was an expert and creative spur designer and builder and he is credited with designing the Gal-leg spur as well as the horse-head shank design. Causey was one of the few Texas makers known to use silver and copper inlay and he used them well to create beautiful designs. He did not always mark his pieces but bits are typically marked “RLC” on the mouthpiece, while spurs are marked on the inside of the heelband or under the button.
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