Cavalry uniforms

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Kurt Hughes
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It has been just over five years since I started this topic, not being someone to rush things I thought I would add to the post, I have started with a couple of dress uniforms and have a couple of non dress uniforms to add at a later date hopefully not in five years time.

First up is a Cavalry 1881 dress helmet, 1885 pattern Cavalry dress coat, shown with 1885 carbine sling, sabre belt, knot, light cavalry sabre, 1884 gauntlets and boots.
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Last edited by Kurt Hughes on Sat Jan 20, 2018 6:26 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Kurt Hughes
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Next up is this 1902 pattern company grade Cavalry officer full dress frock coat. It is dated 1907 and belonged to Lt Neill who was a member of the 13th Cavalry, he served with them during the time of the Punitive Expedition but was not at Columbus during the time of the raid.
It is shown with Cavalry company grade dress belt and Springfield 1902 sabre.

There is an interesting story to this uniform. The coat was purchased by a fellow collector many years ago from ebay, I then bought it from that collector in the United States and have owned it for quite a few years now.
Last year there was an auction of militaria here in the UK, in that auction were some US army items and among them was one lot of various late 19th century US clothing. In the single photo it showed a pair of cavalry trousers but they were not described or shown in detail, I took a chance on the clothing knowing that at least one piece was reproduction. I could not visit the auction but won the lot. When the lot arrived I was looking through the clothing checking for labels and markings etc. Upon examining the trousers that I had now verified as being original I found a label, the name on the label I knew, I owned the accompanying dress coat shown in the photo. I have shown photos of the two tailor labels, you can imagine my surprise reuniting these two items, the odds of them ever being matched back together was slim, particularly as I bought the coat from the US but found the trousers in the UK. All I need to do know is find his dress hat should anyone know of it.
Kurt
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Trooper
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:clap: Good photos, great story!
Thanks for sharing :clap:
Pat Holscher
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Very nice!
Kurt Hughes
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Thank you for the kind replies. I think the cavalry on parade must have looked quite impressive with all that yellow. Something we perhaps do not get a feel for in black and white photos.
Kurt Hughes
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The next addition is one of my favourite items of clothing, an Officers’ short overcoat. These are private purchase coats and are often seen being worn by cavalry officers on the border and in Mexico. In addition is a pair of 1913 riding gloves dated 1914 and pattern 1911 campaign hat.
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Todd
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Kurt Hughes wrote: Mon Jan 22, 2018 3:15 pm The next addition is one of my favourite items of clothing, an Officers’ short overcoat. These are private purchase coats and are often seen being worn by cavalry officers on the border and in Mexico. In addition is a pair of 1913 riding gloves dated 1914 and pattern 1911 campaign hat.
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Here's what i would assume was the AEF winter weight version of this coat - two officers of Battery A, 343rd Artillery in the winter of 1918-19.
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Kurt Hughes
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Todd thanks for the photo. It shows identical coats really clearly including the other variation available at the time, that being those produced with slash pockets. The coat is padded with the addition of a sheepskin lining, ideal for winter in Europe or on the Border.
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Pat Holscher
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The coats are really interesting. Sort of a hardier version of the mackinaw in a way.

Thanks for posting these. That last item in particular is one that I'm sure I never would have been aware of but for these photos. Were they quite common?

Who was the manufacturer?
Kurt Hughes
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Hi Pat

Sadly there is no manufacturers label in my coat. The coats are quite scarce that maybe that existing examples might not be identified as a military coat, equally as you can see they are perfectly practical coat that would have no doubt continued seeing use after the owners military service, unlike the long army overcoat.

Of the surviving examples I have seen one or two have had cuff braid, but looking at photos of officers on the border I have yet to see any with braid, perhaps it was something adopted later in WW1, cuff braid is seen on officer Mackinaw type coats in WW1. There is a great photo of 13th cavalry officers with their families and almost all the officers have this style or very similar coat.
This style of civilian coat saw use for decades later, most similar in appearance but often with minor differences.
Below is an extract from the 'Regulations For The Uniform Of The United States Army 1917'.
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Pat Holscher
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Kurt Hughes wrote: Sun Jan 28, 2018 10:36 am Hi Pat

Sadly there is no manufacturers label in my coat. The coats are quite scarce that maybe that existing examples might not be identified as a military coat, equally as you can see they are perfectly practical coat that would have no doubt continued seeing use after the owners military service, unlike the long army overcoat.

Of the surviving examples I have seen one or two have had cuff braid, but looking at photos of officers on the border I have yet to see any with braid, perhaps it was something adopted later in WW1, cuff braid is seen on officer Mackinaw type coats in WW1. There is a great photo of 13th cavalry officers with their families and almost all the officers have this style or very similar coat.
This style of civilian coat saw use for decades later, most similar in appearance but often with minor differences.
Below is an extract from the 'Regulations For The Uniform Of The United States Army 1917'.
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So that regulation allowed for the wearing of private purchase items, but sort of specified their style and appearance?
Kurt Hughes
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Yes a uniform private purchase coat, but looking at some period photos it would appear that the uniformity was not strictly followed.
Kurt
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