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I recently was fortunate enough to find a matched set of cantle bags for the M1917 Officers field saddle. These are the first true set of '16-'17 bags I've ever found. They are almost identical to the later made bags usually found with the Phillips Officers saddle. The difference being in the style and material of the buckles and tie down rings. The '17 uses large square brass harness buckles for the straps that attach the bags to the cantle rings of the saddle. They also use the familiar brass wire buckles on the flap straps. Same as those used on the '04 saddle bags. The tie down rings are also brass. On the later bags all of the buckles are horseshoe shaped, and made of nickel steel. The tie down rings at the bottom corners are also made of nickel steel.
George
M1917 Bags Buckles for later bags

They look to be in great shape. I still wonder why saddle bags were made with that pebble-grain leather.

Couvi wrote:They look to be in great shape. I still wonder why saddle bags were made with that pebble-grain leather.

Faux pig. An English saddle maker, Hartley Edwards if memory serves, discusses this fashion in his book on the trade, stating that real pigskin is never used on saddles.

Supposedly pigskin is considered supple and durable in saddles. I have never owned one but have known people who have. Hermes is known for their pigskin saddles.

Found this. Interesting.

http://www.doversaddlery.com/images/art ... erview.pdf

Interesting. I always thought I detected a bit of an idiosyncratic flavor to Mr Hartley's comments, as one would expect from a master tradesman.