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MODEL 1872 McCLELLAN SADDLE GIRTHS – A VERY NICE
SELECTION OF RARE INDIAN WAR GIRTHS IN EXCELLENT
CONDITION: Direct from the research collections
of the authors of The American Military Saddle,
1776-1945, this is likely the nicest selection of
the very rare early Indian War period Model 1872
McClellan Saddle Girths assembled since their period of
use. Introduced with the other unique Model 1872 Horse
Equipments in Ordnance Memoranda No. 13, the Model 1872
Girth was the first post Civil War use of the linen
webbing versus the wool and leather girths used during
the War, and this pattern certainly was still in
inventory and was likely used by some of Custer’s troops
at the Little Big Horn.
Manufactured in relatively small numbers, these girths
were issued during a particularly active period of the
Indian Wars which subjected them to heavy use, and many
of the surviving Model 1872 Girths were issued with the
early production Model 1874 Saddles, explaining why so
few specimens survive in modern collections.
It is worthy of note that the majority of the small
number of these 1872 girths that did survive Bannerman’s
Island were found in a single bundle. Unfortunately,
that bundle had served as a tenement for a family of
mice which systematically ate 1” or better holes through
the webbing of each of the girths to make their nest,
and thus ruining almost all of them. All three of these
specimens are in remarkable condition, and given the
rarity of Custer-era
horse equipment that is
usually missing from all
but the most advanced collections, one of these girth
would be a notable addition to your Indian War Cavalry
collection.
I currently have the following girths in stock and each
one is described and priced individually below with
accompanying photographs.
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NO. 1 MODEL 1872 McCLELLAN SADDLE GIRTH –
EXCELLENT CONDITION – MARKED “US”:
Showing no evidence of use,
and having survived in remarkable condition, this Model
1872 Girth is an exceptional specimen. This is the
exact girth shown in The American Military Saddle,
1776-1945 on page 241, Figure 8, item number 2.
The leather safes on each end are in excellent
condition, with no crazing or flexing and a bright
smooth finish, and the iron hardware retains the
majority of the original black japanned lacquer finish.
The nearside safe is legibly stamped “U.S” and bears the
inspector’s initials “HC”. The center strap has some
minor crazing and flaking, but is otherwise solid. The
woven linen webbing has the correct alternating blue and
yellow stripes and has no holes, tears or other wear
points. Measuring 22 7/8” long and 5 5/8” wide, the
girth is full length and retains its full form. (1040)
$395
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NO. 2 MODEL 1872 McCLELLAN SADDLE GIRTH –
EXCELLENT CONDITION – MARKED “US”:
Showing no evidence of use,
and having survived in excellent condition, this Model
1872 Girth is a very nice specimen. This is the exact
girth shown in The American Military Saddle,
1776-1945 on page 241, Figure 8, item number 3.
The leather safes on each end are in excellent
condition, with only some very minor crazing with no
surface loss, and otherwise the leather has a smooth
bright surface. The iron hardware retains the majority
of the original black japanned lacquer finish. The
reinforcement strap across the center has a smooth
surface with no crazing or surface loss. The nearside
safe is legibly stamped “U.S”. The woven linen webbing
is one of the known variations in the color schemes with
wide yellow stripes and narrow blue stripes, rather than
the “wide blue, narrow yellow” stripes seen on other
girths. The linen has no holes, tears or other wear
points. Measuring 22 3/32” long and 6” wide, this girth
is full length and retains its full form. (1041) $350
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NO. 3 MODEL
1872 McCLELLAN SADDLE GIRTH:
Measuring 23” long and 5
5/8” wide, this girth shows very little wear from the
passage of time and no evidence of having been used on a
saddle. The leather safes on each end and the
reinforcement strap across the center are in very good
condition, with only very minor crazing to the offside
safe. The nearside safe retains a bright smooth finish
and center strap shows only some light flexing. Of the
small number of Model 1872 Girths examined, the majority
of them lacked any arsenal markings, as is the case with
this specimen. The woven linen webbing has the correct
alternating blue and yellow stripes and has no holes,
tears or other wear points, and is full length and
retains the full original form,
(1014) $275
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