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MODEL 1885 2ND
PATTERN McCLELLAN CAVALRY SADDLE – EXCELLENT AND
VERY DESIRABLE INDIAN WAR SPECIMEN: This
is an excellent example of the very desirable and
comparatively scarce Indian Wars era Model 1885 Second
Pattern McClellan Saddle. Well documented in Ordnance
Memoranda No. 29, and one of the most familiar of the
series of McClellan Saddles issued during the Western
Indian Wars period, the Second Pattern Model 1885
McClellan is closely associated with the historic Apache
campaigns in the American Southwest.
Manufactured at the Rock Island Arsenal for a relatively
short period of time, these Model 1885 McClellans saw
extensive service on the frontier and eventually in the
Spanish American War, and both conflicts accounted for a
high rate of consumption with few decent specimens
surviving to enter the surplus and eventual collector’s
market. This specimen, although showing the expected
evidence of use, has survived in excellent condition.
The seat is very solid, featuring smooth, bright shiny
leather overall, with only minor flexing and isolated
crazing to the surfaces. So many of these Indian War
era saddles are found in states of extreme wear with
open seams and worn or broken edges. All of the seams
on this saddle are intact throughout with clean smooth
edges, save for a very minor chip out of the trailing
edge of the right rear side bar on the underside of the
saddle – something that would not be apparent when the
saddle is on display. There are the traces of some
numerals stamped into the upper surface of the left side
bar behind the cantle, likely unit applied inventory
numbers.
The quarterstraps are all intact and unbroken,
connecting at the full form safes on both sides and both
safes are complete with the girthing straps. The near
side (left) quarterstraps have been reinforced where
they wrap around the girthing ring - well executed
saddler work which was done during the period of use.
This unit saddler work is further evidence of this
saddle’s use on the frontier. Both of the original
girthing safes are full form and consistent with the use
and wear of the saddle.
The near side safe still
bears legible portions of the Rock Island Arsenal stamp
– that this stamp survives is a distinct added value.
Typically, only one safe and one side of one stirrup
were stamped with the arsenal’s identification during
the manufacturing process, and it did not take much wear
or time in the field for these stamps to fade away
completely.
All of the brass hardware to include the coat strap
mortise plates, foot loops, staples and rings are
present and intact. It is noteworthy that the brass
rings on the front of the off side sidebar and on the
near side cantle foot loop both show the characteristic
elongating where they were pulled out of round by the
suspension of the heavy equipment carried by the
soldiers – testimony of this saddle’s use on campaign.
The stirrups are both full form, have complete solid
leather hoods with bright shiny, smooth surfaces, and
full form unbroken wooden frames.
The stirrups show some
wear, as all true Model 1885 Stirrups do, but one still
retains a legible trace of the “ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL”
stamp. The "US" in the oval is stamped on face of both
of the hoods, however both are very faint and for the
most part only the oval border is discernable. Both
stirrups bear the traces of unit applied inventory
numbers along the front center lower edge of the hoods.
More importantly, these stirrups are a matched pair,
have been together forever, and, for all appearances,
they are original to this saddle. The stirrup straps
are full length originals with the correct iron buckles,
with no weak points and retaining a very nice finish.
Of particularly valuable note, this saddle still retains
all six, original full length coat straps, each held in
place with the original riveted leather stop on each
strap that captures the strap in the slots or foot loops
to keep them from being removed. This feature alone
sets this saddle apart from most surviving examples, as
these coat straps were subject to wear and tear, and to
being lost, and original replacements are almost
impossible to find on the loose.
Completing this saddle is a correct Model 1885 McClellan
Saddle Girth. In very good condition, this girth shows
minimal use, with full form leather safes, all the
stitching intact, and all of the main twisted horsehair
strands fully intact and showing minimal wear. There is
some separation to the smaller cross woven stabilizing
horsehair strands which kept the main strands from
tangling, but this does not affect the integrity of the
girth. This is common evidence of wear and apparently
in this limited extent did not disqualify the girth for
continued service, otherwise this girth would have been
condemned and the parts would have been salvaged out by
the unit saddler. These Indian Wars production girths,
like any of the early pattern equipment, were subject to
the longest exposure to use, wear and tear, and poor
storage, and they are quite scarce. This girth is a
definite added value to this saddle.
While considering this saddle, it is worth keeping in
mind examples of Indian War era saddles are quite scarce
in any condition. The combination of the relatively
short periods of manufacture, the limited quantities of
saddles originally produced, the severe terrain and
conditions to which they were exposed during their
service life, subsequent modifications at the hands of
company level saddlers, arsenal employees, and later
civilian owners, and finally the poor conditions in
which they were stored after the relatively few
survivors passed into the surplus market all contributed
to a very low survival rate and very limited numbers in
the collector market today. To find an example of a
Model 1885 Saddle in any condition is worthy of note.
That this saddle has survived in the condition that it
has – complete with all six coat straps and the correct
girth - is nothing shy of remarkable and without doubt,
it is a rare offering – one that is seldom
encountered.
As the final saddle of the Western Indian Wars, the
Model 1885 McClellan Saddles have an air of historical
magic all their own, and are still one of the most
sought after pieces of cavalry equipment by serious
Indian War collectors. Overall this is an excellent and
complete specimen of the Second Pattern Model 1885
McClellan Saddle, one that is difficult to find
available on the market, and seldom found in even the
most advanced Indian War collections. It is unlikely
that you would ever have the opportunity to upgrade this
one. (0204) $7500
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