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M1904 OFFICER’S DRESS SADDLE CLOTH ORNAMENTS –
MATCHED PAIR OF AID-DE-CAMP FOR A BRIGADIER GENERAL:
As worn on the lower rear corners on each side of the
officer’s dress, dark blue wool saddle cloth, this is a
beautiful, like new, matched pair of M1904 Officer’s
Dress Saddle Cloth Ornaments, as described and pictured
in the Ordnance Department Manual No. 1719, Horse
Equipments and Equipments for Officers and Enlisted Men,
dated 1905:
“Officers of the line serving on the General Staff,
serving as aid-de-camps, or detailed in the staff corps
or departments, will have the regulation saddlecloth of
their arm, except that the numbers [designating the
regiment] will be replaced by the proper insignia.” (A
photograph of the diagram of this insignia as shown on
Plate X in the same manual is shown below.)
Note that the Aid-De-Camp insignia in the diagram
includes two stars, indicating an Aid-De-Camp for a
Major General, where this set has the single star for a
Brigadier General. Measuring 2 1/8” high and 1 ¼” wide,
these colorful insignia feature a gilt eagle surmounting
a federal shield with an enameled blue field inset with
a single silver star, and red enameled stripes
alternating with silver stripes. Both pieces of
insignia are in like new condition with no wear to or
chips out of the enamel and all four attachment loops on
the reverse. The gilt is very bright and these pieces
appear to be unissued. Saddle cloth ornaments of any
kind, for any branch of the service or department, are
fairly scarce items, and finding a matched pair loose on
the market is particularly rare, especially a set for
the dress saddle cloth. With this set as a start, it
would be worth the effort to find or recreate a dress
saddle cloth to enhance your display. $295
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