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MODEL 1872 HORSE
BRUSH AND SHOE POUCH – EXCELLENT UNISSUED CONDITION:
Introduced with the other newly designed and/or modified
Cavalry equipment introduced in Ordnance Memoranda No.
13, the Model 1872 Brush and Shoe Pouch was adopted to
meet the needs of the Frontier soldier in the years
following the Civil War. The M1859 Saddlebags had been
replaced by the larger M1872 Saddlebags, and this Brush
and Shoe Pouch was issued in addition to the saddlebags,
providing the soldier on campaign in the West, far from
any depots that could resupply his needs, with a
significant increase in his capability to carry items
necessary to maintain himself and his mount. The Brush
and Shoe Pouch was specifically designed to carry the
horse brush in the larger pouch and a pair of pre-formed
horse shoes in the smaller pouch, with fifteen horse
shoe nails carried in the internal pocket of the shoe
pouch. In an effort to capitalize on the stocks of
surplus material on hand from the Civil War, these
pouches were made by converting M1859 Saddle Bags, and
the stitch lines remaining from the pattern of the
former bags can be seen in these pouches. Although made
in limited numbers and further manufacture was
discontinued by the arsenals after the adoption of the
superseding Model 1874 Horse Equipments, there is no
doubt that the units in the West continued to issue
these handy pouches to the troops as long as stocks
existed, being used well into the later Indian War years
and likely the reason that these survive in such low
numbers today.
This set is in excellent condition, showing no sign of
use or ever having been issued. The leather surface is
bright and shiny with no crazing or flaking. All of the
seams are intact and all the billets, standing loops,
internal pocket lacing and flaps are present and
intact. The yoke is legibly stamped “US” and the tip of
the brush pouch billet is inspector stamped. A
milestone piece of Indian War era horse equipment, this
Brush and Shoe Pouch is a significant addition to a
cavalry collection and is of such quality, there would
be no reason to upgrade it. (C 63)
$1500
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