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MODEL 1874 BRIDLE CROWN PIECE – COMPLETE WITH BROW
BAND AND BULLSEYE ROSETTES: For the early
Indian War Cavalry collector, these original Model 1874
Bridle Crowns are a rare offering. Complete Model 1874
Bridles are seldom offered on the market and when they
do appear, they are quite expensive. This is an
opportunity to acquire the foundation component of the
bridle with the two distinctive rosettes intact which
would display well on its own, or could be restored if
you so desired. Any competent leather worker could
fashion the cheek pieces and the throat latch from old
leather and they would have a complete bridle at a
fraction of the cost of complete bridle.
If you wish to restore one of these crown pieces to the
full bridle, I can support your efforts with copies of
the original diagrams from the Ordnance Department,
detailed photographs, and recommendations of
leatherworkers who are capable of executing the work.
Depending on what my supply of materials is at the time
you place your order, I may be able to supply you with
the original buckles and enough original period leather
strapping to complete the restoration. Even with the
additional expense of the buckles and paying the
leatherworker, you are going to have a complete bridle
at a much lower investment than an original would cost.
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NO. 1 MODEL 1874 BRIDLE CROWN PIECE:
This bridle crown has the full crown piece, brow band,
both rosettes, and all four full length billets which
buckled into the cheek pieces and throat latch. Three
of the billets are original to the crown, and the fourth
was replaced during the period of use, a common repair
executed by the company saddler as he maintained the
equipment and kept usable pieces in service. This type
of repair was an absolute necessity on the frontier due
to the limited supply of leather and the distance from
the arsenals back east. The leather is supple, with a
smooth even finish.
The top of the crown is stamped with a legible “ROCK
ISLAND ARSENAL” stamp and a unit inventory stamp, “56”.
The underside of the crown has the numeral “57” and the
name “BERRY” carved into the leather, most certainly the
number and name of the soldier’s horse. This bridle
crown will be a nice addition to a sophisticated early
Indian War Cavalry collection. (0307) $200
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NO. 2 MODEL 1874 BRIDLE CROWN PIECE:
This bridle crown has the full crown piece, brow band,
and both rosettes. Two of the four billets are full
length. The two billets for the cheek pieces were
spliced with replacement billets during the period of
use, and those billets apparently wore out – a testament
to how long these pieces of equipment were maintained in
service through the efforts of the company saddlers.
This type of repair was an absolute necessity on the
frontier due to the limited supply of leather and the
distance from the arsenals back east. The two billet
butts are still strong and would support a restoration
effort. The leather is supple, with a smooth even
finish.
The top of the crown is stamped with a legible “ROCK
ISLAND ARSENAL” stamp and with a variety of unit
inventory stamps, including “C 2 CAV 31”. The underside
of the crown has the letters “AH” carved into the
leather, either the initials of the soldier or possibly
the name of his horse. This bridle crown will be a nice
addition to a sophisticated early Indian War Cavalry
collection. (0307) $175
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