COMPLETE CIVIL WAR BUFF LEATHER CAVALRY SABER BELT IN VERY GOOD CONDITION

COMPLETE CIVIL WAR BUFF LEATHER CAVALRY SABER BELT IN VERY GOOD CONDITION

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$950.00 ON HOLD

Quantity Available: 1

Item Code: 2025-2207

This is a complete U.S. cavalry buff leather saber belt in very good condition, retaining not only both saber slings, but the buff shoulder support belt as well. All the double-headed brass buttons for fastening and adjusting the slings and the sliding tighteners are there as well. Originally dyed black, the belt has largely oxidized to brown from the iron used in dying process as almost all of these have, showing some mottling of color. (Some enterprising students recreating the dye process discovered that the color shift probably occurred within months or even weeks of issue with exposure to air, sunlight and the elements.) As is also typical of buff leather, the belt is still very sturdy, solid, and relatively supple.

The belt is the 1851 pattern, but produced about 1864 using the wider waist belt, taller, “one-piece wreath” rectangular eagle saber belt plate, and employing rivets as well as stitching to secure the billets holding the two brass D-rings at front left, with the carrying hook, and the rectangular brass ring at rear. At their tops, the slings are correctly mounted to the belt with their original double-headed brass studs and are fitted with them at bottom as well to secure and adjust each sling after is passing through the upper or lower carrying ring on the scabbard.

These differ from light artillery saber belts in having provision for a shoulder belt to help carrying the weight of the extra accoutrements carried by a cavalry trooper. This one is unusual in still having that shoulder belt with it. In most cases they have become separated over the years.

The buckle and hasp have a matching color and good fit though we note the buckle is bench marked 811 and the hasp is numbered 818. These were assembly numbers used by the maker to keep hand-fitted pieces together until they could be mounted on a belt. Buckles might be inadvertently swapped by soldiers in barracks or campfire cleanings of accoutrements, however, and if they fit no one was the wiser. In this case the numbers are so similar, and the fit is so good we wonder if it happened at the factory. They certainly look like they have been together forever. The surface of the belt is excellent. The interior is the usual cream color seen on these. Maker marks were usually lightly applied in ink and wore off easily.

This is a complete, good looking, and solid cavalryman’s belt rig that would dress up a cavalry display and look great on a shell jacket, or laid out with its full load of accoutrements- saber, revolver and holster, cap, pistol and carbine cartridge box.  [sr][ph:L]

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