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MODEL 1841 DRAGOON
ENLISTED PATTERN STEEL SPURS – A VERY RARE PAIR IN
EXCELLENT CONDITION:
This matched pair of Model
1841 Dragoon Enlisted Pattern Steel Spurs is one of the
rarest of the early Dragoon era horse equipments.
Pictured on page 19 and on the cover of The American
Military Spur by R. Stephen Dorsey, that particular
pair of Model 1841 Spurs were the only specimens known
to exist at the time of publishing. Extraordinarily
rare, only a very few pair have surfaced since that
publication became available, and they continue to be
the rarest of the regulation US Army spurs.
The Ordnance Manual of
1841 described the spur as “Spurs, wrought iron,
japanned black: the plate attached to the heel of the
boot by a point behind and 2 screws at the sides – the
shank – the rowel (steel).”
With such a limited
description, the positive identification of the Model
1841 Spur may have been nigh impossible were it not for
a chance discovery. A pair of spurs matching the
Ordnance Department description was discovered on
Bannerman’s Island in the remnants of military equipment
remaining just prior to the island’s condemnation by the
State of New York. A small group of collectors had
arranged to have access to the island and castle to do
some last minute scrounging. They found that the top
floor of the tower had been used to store the “less
desirable” saddles and had been exposed to the elements
for years due to a collapsed roof. It was on this top
floor the collectors found stacks of Ringgold and
Grimsley Dragoon saddles, but time, Mother Nature and
the resident crows and buzzards had combined to affect
the perfect tragedy – these valuable relics had been
rendered into useless relics. However, as a result of
this exploration, a pair of Model 1841 Spurs was found
wired to one of the equipment rings on the remains of a
Model 1847 Grimsley Dragoon Saddle – a strong
association that coupled with the Ordnance Department
description to confirm the identification of this rare
spur.
This style of spur
incorporated the “screw and spike” attachment method
without any leather straps. The heel spike not only
limited the movement of the spur and would cause the
spur to hang on debris as the soldier walked through
rough terrain, the spike also levered against the layers
of leather used to construct the boot heel, in effect
tearing the heel apart. The aggravation caused by the
heel spike was well documented in military
correspondence of the period, and from surviving
specimens, it seems that many of the soldiers alleviated
the problem by breaking the spikes off flush with the
heel plate.
This pair has survived
in full form with the heel spikes intact, all the screw
holes intact, the heel plates, shanks and rowels all
holding their shape and they are in excellent condition
showing little if any wear. This pair appears to have
been plated, probably in tin, one of the early efforts
to prevent corrosion. It is known that the army began
experimenting with plating and brass facing of the horse
equipment and other issued items, all in an attempt to
prolong the service life of the equipment. Some of this
plating exhibits some wear on the upper swell of the
shank as can be seen in the photographs below, likely
the result of wear against the saddle skirt and stirrup
strap. The steel surface is very smooth with no pitting
and the rowels are both complete with all their points
and they spin freely.
The Model 1841 Enlisted
Spur was the issued pattern for a very short period,
replaced in 1847 with the introduction of the Grimsley
Horse Equipments which included a new pattern of spur
made of brass. This short life span in the army’s
inventory, coupled with the limited number of mounted
soldiers during this period, resulted in a low
production and an obviously low survival in today’s
collections. This offering is a exceptional opportunity
to add such a rare set of spurs to your collection.
(1101) $1200
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