Tell me more! Stirrups - Help Dating

[PATex]

I picked these up today and couldn't find any similar examples with the US insignia. Any help dating is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[captaindrew]

Can't help with your question but welcome to the forum from South Florida and the Reenactors Forum. I'm sure someone here will be able to help before long.

 

[gentlemanrob]

Welcome from NE Georgia and General Lee's forum! Wish I knew the answer to your question but I am sure one of site experts will be able to help.

 

[UCVRelics]

Welcome From THE Heart Of Dixie. The reason you can't locate any others is someone has take a US bridle disk and applied it to the stirrup covers. Most US Army Cav stirrup cover were embossed with a US. Also, the maker and or inspectors marks should be stamped in the wood on the bottom of the foot piece.

 

[PATex]

Thanks for the follow up.

 

[UCVRelics]

No problem we are always willing to help.

 

[Frederick14Va]

The US insignia shown was taken off of some harness blinders. These utilized a three point crimp attachments on back. Horse bridal rosettes with the US embossed are usually thicker and used a bar attachment on the back which the harness straps went through. This would roughly date to the WW-I era

 

[Seduzal]

Welcome to CWT from the Smoky Mountain side of North Carolina. Just jump right in and enjoy.

 

[Larryh86GT]

Welcome from WNY

 

[Blessmag]

And I thought this was about a medical devise...dating...boy was I wrong

 

[PATex]

Thanks all!

 

[Ralph Heinz]

Civil War McClellan saddle stirrups were made without the later stamped US in an oval on the leather hood itself (similar to the CW Union belt buckle) but this occurred during the Indian Wars time period in the late 1870's and was in use from that point on until the McClellan saddle was done away with before WWII. That stamped US in an oval is correct for those later time period stirrups as shown by ucvrelics and would have been on thousands of these stirrup "hoods." After the ACW, the width of the wood stirrup tread was increased to 4" wide about 1869.

I have no idea why the US brass disks from horse blinders were applied to those stirrup hoods and why they are missing the stamped version on the leather.

 

[UCVRelics]

I have no idea why the US brass disks from horse blinders were applied to those stirrup hoods and why they are missing the stamped version on the leather.

Civilian made to appear military?

 

[zburkett]

When did they begin to die the leather black. My stirrups are brown but have the US oval stamped into the leather.

 

[Frederick14Va]

When did they begin to die the leather black. My stirrups are brown but have the US oval stamped into the leather.

McClellan saddles starting with the M1859 were black leathers. They switched to brown/russet leather with the M1904.

 

[O' Be Joyful]

McClellan saddles starting with the M1859 were black leathers. They switched to brown/russet leather with the M1904.

Why, black and then to brown? Was it the cost or did someone finally figure out that the darker color would generate more heat and transfer it to the rider's *** and other extremities?

 

[Ralph Heinz]

Why, black and then to brown? Was it the cost or did someone finally figure out that the darker color would generate more heat and transfer it to the rider's *** and other extremities?

Black leather was dyed that way. The change in 1904 was to natural leather which darkens to brown in strong sunlight and the use of things like neatsfoot oil. Just put a piece of natural tanned leather outdoors in the sun for a couple days and you'll see it darken a shade of more depending on how long it is exposed to the sun.

There were later 1904 McClellan saddles that were black -- for US Army funeral services and I used to own one in like new condition.