Baldric

[Trooper "D"]

Detailed photos of "U.S. Militia Officers Baldric & Pouch." It certainly is elaborate, well worth a look.

Link:

Stewarts Military Antiques - - US Civil War Era Militia Officers Baldric & Pouch - $895.00

- US Civil War Era Militia Officers Baldric & Pouch: Original era manufacture. Based on a French Giberne design, as worn during Napoleon III's Second Empire. Black patent leather shoulder strap with a silver brocade obverse. The strap features a gilded brass lionhead which is attached by a thin...

stewartsmilitaryantiques.com

The little chains get me. In not sure why the lion and the shield are chained together. I also don't understand having knotted gilt cording with metallic Bollo tie ends wrapping around or hanging off of one shoulder.
I have a newly acquired Le Mat Army Revolver and I am thinking about making a lanyard for it. Chain is and idea. I don't know where I would connect it. No gilted lion or shield handy so maybe around the neck with a chain. I used to go to fabric shops and get samples of their gold coloured cords, and ropes, and trim, and piping for use in my US/CS cap production. I found some things that might work for that lanyard. You should have seen the little ladies in Michael's looking me over and quickly looking away when I looked up from what I was doing. Still get that actually. My appearance is uh...shall we say unconventional. Long hair, dark sunglasses(prescription) some hat or other that looks like its been through combat or an army cap. Now I even have a beard. Not what the little stitchers are used to. I think they fear I will rob the place or that I am stealing. I find it amusing even if it is insulting. I've made all kinds of things for my Living History personnas that I could never afford before. Some of it is very cool. But ya can't show those folks at fabric shops what it is you do and I have no need nor compunction to share that info even if it would ease their sensibilities.
Not likely that I will be trying to reproduce something like the item from the auction now. I was thinking about the gilded baldric strap here though. Just for fun and showing it off to my fellow reenactors. My sights have lowered over the last few years.
Cheers!

 

[Trooper "D"]

The officer's baldric is a copy of the one used in Napoleon lll's army. In the U.S. it was a fashion copied by some state militias, not the U.S. Army. Its official designation is "militia officer's baldric." Like other garrison gee-gaws such as feathers, it served no practical purpose.

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A sabretache is a flat pouch worn by mounted men suspended from a belt. This link is to a resplendent variety of examples.

Link:

EmpireCostume - Sabretaches

I think feathers have a great purpose. They look splendid on military headwear. And it is fun chasing them along with the Hardee Hat across the parade ground in windy days. Keeps a soldier fit.

 

[Rhea Cole]

For many of us there really is only one Baldric.

"I have a cunning plan that cannot fail!"