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MODEL 1868
McCLELLAN CAVALRY SADDLE – EXCELLENT SPECIMEN OF AN
EARLY INDIAN WAR PATTERN: This is an excellent
example of the scarce early Indian Wars Model 1868
McClellan Saddle. The first Indian War period
modification of the McClellan Saddle following the Civil
War, this saddle features the correct brass molding that
was added to the top edges of both the pommel and cantle
as described in the Ordnance Department regulations.
Complete with all quarter straps, girth straps, stirrup
straps, sweat leathers, hooded stirrups, and with all of
the iron and brass hardware intact, the condition of
this saddle is remarkable. While showing some signs of
issue and use,
the rawhide covering is
complete with no splits on the visible surfaces, and has
a pleasant aged, caramel color. There is a very
minor separation inside the bottom arc of the pommel,
while all the other seams are intact. The skirts are in
full form and supple, and the saddle bag retaining
straps are intact on both of the skirts. The quarter
straps are full length, join at spaded “D” rings, from
which depend full length girth straps. The two sweat
leathers are in very good condition with both stirrup
strap loops present on each one.
The stirrups are particularly interesting on this
saddle. In very solid condition, with strong wooden
frames that have no splits or damage to either one,
these stirrups have been modified in a very typical
manner by having the toe area of the hood removed. The
standard Civil War McClellan Saddle Hooded Stirrups
featured a narrow tread and a closely fitted leather
hood, both of which served to provide the soldier with a
very short space to fit his shoe or boot, making it
difficult to “keep” his stirrups. In response to the
soldier’s complaints, as the hooded stirrup developed
through the models that followed both the wooden tread
and the depth of the front bell of the hood were
increased to provide a better purchase on the stirrup.
In the interim, while the Civil War era stirrups were
still in use during and after the war, the soldiers
modified the stirrup hoods to allow the foot to sit
deeper in the stirrup for a more secure seat. One
method employed by the soldiers was to cut out almost
the entire front of the stirrup hood, as can be seen on
this pair. These field modified stirrups are fairly
rare for once the saddle was turned in these modified
pieces were often discarded by the Ordnance Department
as ruined items of no further value and they did not
survive in storage to eventually make it into the retail
system in such places as Bannerman’s. Finding these
field modified stirrups is almost impossible, and they
are a very nice feature of this saddle, attesting to its
use on the frontier.
Overall this is an excellent and complete example of the
early Indian War Model 1868 McClellan Saddle, difficult
to find available on the market and seldom found in even
the most advanced Indian War collections. (1009) $4,200
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