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MODEL 1924
SUBSTITUTE CANVAS SADDLE BAGS – VERY RARE US ARMY HORSE
EQUIPMENT - EXCELLENT CONDITION:
The history of these rare Model 1924 Substitute Canvas
Saddle Bags is one of the more clouded chapters in the
story of U.S. Army horse equipment.
One of the lessons
learned by the army during the pell mell procurement and
production of equipment as the US entered World War One
was that certain critical materials would quickly be in
short supply. One of these war materials was leather
and both the Ordnance and the Quartermaster Departments
found ways to alleviate the problem with new designs and
new materials.
As indicated by the
army’s name for these canvas saddlebags, save for the
materials from which they were made, the design was for
all intent and purposes, identical to the standard Model
1924 leather saddlebags.
At this time, there are
only three sets of these Model 1924 Substitute Canvas
Saddle Bags known to exist. All three are ink stamped
on the inside of both flaps, “JQMD 1932”, indicating
they were manufactured at the Jeffersonville
Quartermaster Depot. While this date appears on all
three known sets, that alone does not preclude that
others could have been produced before 1932, however
there are no known surviving specimens which bear an
earlier date. Adding to the mystery is the only known
JQMD Quartermaster Department drawing – a detailed blue
print of the manufacturing pattern of these bags- is
dated 1939, indicating these bags were still considered
to be a viable piece of equipment on the threshold of
World War Two.
There is no known record
of how many sets of these Model 1924 Substitute Canvas
Saddle Bags were produced, or how many were subsequently
issued. As the horse cavalry was entering the twilight
of its existence, it is unlikely many of these
substitute saddlebags were issued for anything but
testing for serviceability, however these sets are one
of the most desirable due to their rarity.
This set of Model 1924
Substitute Canvas Saddlebags shows no signs of having
been issued or used in the field, and is in remarkably
fine condition. Both of the bags are in excellent
condition, with all of the seams intact and both are
complete with the closing billets and buckles. There are
no signs of wear nor any holes or tears in the canvas,
and only very minor soiling due to storage. The flaps
are both stenciled on the outer surface with a legible
"US", and on the inside of the flaps with “JQMD 1932”.
The seat or yoke connecting the two bags that passes
across the back of the saddle is complete with both web
strap keys used to secure the saddlebags to the foot
loops on the rear sidebar extensions of the saddle, and
the foot loop reinforcement plates on each side, and the
round reinforcement plate for the saddlebag stud on the
saddle in the center, are all intact with no tearing or
wear. Both of the bag liners are present, the near side
(left) bag liner having the correct utensil pockets.
Of particular note, both
sets of the original full length web tie downs straps
are present on the bags. Each bag has a shorter strap
which was buckled to the “D” rings on the girth, and a
longer strap which passed under the horse and buckled to
the opposite bag. All four straps retain their metal
tips and none show any wear or fraying. That these
straps survived intact on these bags is nothing short of
remarkable as they of a size that they could have been
removed for so many other applications through the
years.
Very special in both
rarity and condition, these unique saddle bags would be
appropriate to display on any of the 20Th
Century US Army Saddles for which the McClellan
Saddlebags were issued, and would enhance your cavalry
display to a level few collectors will attain.
SOLD
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