Oxbow Trading Company Sells Carriages And More

Oxbow Trading Company Sells Carriages And More 32-5-6 Stagecoaches, buckboards, cast iron horse heads, decorative light posts and more can all be ordered from Oxbow Trading Company. This Canyon City, Oregon company sells by mail order and website, and they sell items you won't likely see elsewhere. In addition to horse-drawn vehicles, they also carry harnesses, parts and craft items. "Our main business is vehicles," says Jim Jensen, co-owner with Mary Alexander. "I've been making them since high school. We get harnesses from some Amish harness makers, and we went from purchasing antiques to reproducing them in a useable form." In addition to an entire line of horse drawn vehicles, new and refurbished, you can also order: toy fire trucks, oak stave water barrels, a chandelier made from spurs, bear traps, cast iron horse heads, implement seats, decorative lighting, tack hooks, yard ornaments, street lamps, and more. While some pieces are reproductions, others are genuine antiques picked up at auction. Recent listings on the company website that have come and gone include a chuck wagon once owned by Buck Owens and a wagon used in the movie Lonesome Dove. Visitors to the website or those who receive the company's catalog are encouraged to call or email their orders, as stock is often limited and items can disappear quickly. Oxbow operates out of a turn of the century opera house. Jensen says the 12,000 sq. ft. building is full of unusual items, most of which will end up for sale at some point. "We do a lot of auctions, both as a buyer and as a consigner," he says. He notes that callers may hear a message indicating they're at auction or on the road for a week or more. "We arrange to make deliveries, and then we go to auctions on the way and find vehicles or other items to bring back and restore," he says. While Jensen, Alexander and their two full time and two part time staff restore vehicles for resale, they also build new horse drawn rigs and do custom restoration. "We can rebuild from almost any point and make it look however the owner wants, whether new or antique," says Jensen, who also locates special rigs for customers. "I enjoy finding things for people." Refurbishing may be as simple as finding a part for a wooden wheel farm wagon passed down with the farm or finding a special type of delivery wagon. "Maybe Grandpa started the business with a horse drawn vehicle, and so I locate one for a person," he says. "Anything with a good name visible on the side is a good collector piece." A fully outfitted reproduction of an 1880's stagecoach sells for $39,500, while a farm/freight wagon with a length of 12 ft. and a width of 38 in. or greater starts at $5,800, depending on options. If you want to be carried to the grave in style, you can even buy your very own hearse for $15,800. "We sell stagecoaches to cities for historical tours, to guest ranches and others doing business with the public," says Jensen. "Big realtors may buy one to use to show property in a development." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Oxbow Trade Co., S. Canyon City Blvd., Canyon City, Ore. 97820 (ph 541 575-2911; fax 541 575-2675; oxbowtradeco@centurytel.net; www.oxbowtradeco.com).

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