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MODEL 1874 SHOEMAKER CAVALRY BITS – A SELECTION OF
VERY NICE PLATED AND BLUED SPECIMENS: This is a
selection of very nice examples of the famous cavalry
bit introduced with the Model 1874 Cavalry Equipment.
Included in this selection are examples which were
finished with the arsenal bluing and the tin and nickel
plating, and a variety of the range of port heights in
the mouth pieces.
Each bit is described below with accompanying
photographs.
These bits would be a nice
addition to any cavalry collection, with no need to
upgrade them in the future.
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NO. 1
MODEL 1874 SHOEMAKER CAVALRY BIT – No. 3
BLUE FINISH IN VERY GOOD CONDITION:
This specimen is a No. 3,
indicated by the 1.5” high arch in the mouthpiece. This
bit was treated with the arsenal blue finish. The
bluing has generally turned a pleasant plum color, but
there is some limited traces of the blue in protected areas.
The bit is in excellent condition with little evidence
of issue and use. It is plainly stamped “R.I.A.”
on the “off side” or right side bar, indicating this bit
was manufactured at the Rock Island Arsenal. Both
of the original “US” bosses are present and intact.
All of the components of this bit are present and in
original form, to include the lower lip bar and both
rein rings. (0926) $475
  
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NO. 2
MODEL 1874 SHOEMAKER CAVALRY BIT – No. 2
BLUE FINISH IN VERY GOOD CONDITION:
This specimen is a No. 2,
indicated by the 1” high arch in the mouthpiece. This
bit was treated with the arsenal blue finish. The
bluing has generally turned a pleasant plum color, but
there is some evidence of the blue in protected areas.
The bit is in excellent condition with little evidence
of issue and use. It is plainly stamped “R.I.A.” on the
“off side” or right side bar, indicating this bit was
manufactured at the Rock Island Arsenal. Both of the
original “US” bosses are present and intact. All of the
components of this bit are present and in original form,
to include the lower lip bar and both rein rings.
SOLD
 
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NO. 3
MODEL 1874 SHOEMAKER CAVALRY BIT – No. 2 TIN
PLATED IN VERY GOOD CONDITION: This specimen is
a No. 2, indicated by the 1” high arch in the
mouthpiece. Of particular note, is the tin plating that
was applied to this bit. The Ordnance Department
continued to experiment through the Indian War period
with tin and nickel plating in an attempt to retard the
effects of corrosion on the equipment in the field, and
this bit is an example of those trials.
Tin was probably the most fragile of the three finishes
applied to these bits, more susceptible to wear and to
the environmental conditions to which they were
exposed. These tinned bits did not survive in large
numbers and they are generally the least common of the
three types. This bit retains approximately 80% of
the tin plating, and still
presents as a very presentable example.
The bit is in very good condition and while showing
evidence of issue and use, it is not misshapen or
abused. It is plainly stamped “ROCK ISLAND” on the “off
side” or right side bar, indicating this bit was
manufactured at the Rock Island Arsenal. Both of the
original “US” bosses are present and intact. All of the
components of this bit are present and in original form,
to include the lower lip bar and both rein rings.
(0507) $475
 
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NO. 4
MODEL 1874 SHOEMAKER CAVALRY BIT – No. 1
NICKEL PLATED CIVILIAN MAKER: This specimen is
a No. 1, indicated by the ½” high arch in the
mouthpiece. Long after the army had replaced the
Shoemaker, the civilian market still recognized it as a
very good design and the demand for it remained high.
Once the stocks of surplus Shoemakers were sold,
civilian bit and spur makers began producing their own
Shoemakers. This bit is stamped “HBH” in bold letters
on the inside of the left side bar. I haven’t been able
to identify this particular maker, but no doubt it is
recorded somewhere and could be found.
Like the army, civilian makers recognized that plated
bits would last longer and were more popular, and like
the Ordnance Department, they plated their bits as this
one has been. The nickel plating applied to this bit is
not as heavy as the plating applied by the army, and
much of it has worn away.
In spite of the wear, the bit is still very solid, is
complete with all the components to include the lower
bar and the rein rings. Both of the original “US”
bosses are present and intact. Although this bit was
manufactured by a civilian maker, it is in the same
form, size, and weight as those made by the army, and it
is a good representative example. (0508) $175
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NO. 5
MODEL 1874 SHOEMAKER CAVALRY BIT – No. 1 NICKEL PLATED
IN LIKE NEW CONDITION: This specimen is a No.
1, indicated by the ½” high arch in the mouthpiece. Of
particular note, is the nickel plating that was applied
to this bit. The Ordnance Department continued to
experiment through the Indian War period with tin and
nickel plating in an attempt to retard the effects of
corrosion on the equipment in the field, and this bit is
an example of those trials. In particularly fine
condition, the plating on this bit survives with 100%
coverage and still retains the original bright glitter.
The bit is in excellent condition with little evidence
of issue and use. It is plainly stamped “R.I.A.” on the
“off side” or right side bar, indicating this bit was
manufactured at the Rock Island Arsenal. Both of the
original “US” bosses are present and intact.
All of the components of
this bit are present and in original form, to include
the lower lip bar and both rein rings.
SOLD
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