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US ARMY INDIAN WARS ISSUE HORSE SHOE NAILS – BOTH
PATTERNS RECOMMENDED BY THE ORDNANCE CAVALRY EQUIPMENT
BOARD OF 1874 – AN EXTREMELY RARE CAVALRY ACCOUTREMENT:
An incredible find of both styles of US Army issue Horse
Shoe Nails that were recommended by the Cavalry
Equipment Board of 1874. Virtually never seen loose on
the market, these US Army horse shoe nails were obtained
from a very small supply discovered years ago in the
original army issue box, very likely found in
Bannerman’s stock. Mixed together in the same original
box were found these two distinct patterns, one of which
– those shown below and identified as “Pattern A” – bear
an embossed globe or image of the earth, identifying
them as made by the Globe Manufacturing Company of
Taunton, Massachusetts. The other nails of a
distinctively different pattern and seen in the
photograph below marked “Pattern B” are unmarked.
The mixture of these two different patterns in the same
box, one of which is identified as a product of the
Globe Company, is compelling evidence that these nails
represent the two patterns ordered to be issued for
testing by Resolution No. 13 of the 1874 Cavalry
Equipment Board as reported in Ordnance Memoranda No.
18. The 1874 Cavalry Board directed that two patterns
of horse shoe nails, those manufactured by Globe and
known by the trade name “Auseable” and a second pattern
made by Goodenough, be issued in equal proportions to
each company of cavalry for testing in the field. These
two patterns mixed in the same box are likely the
remnants of the two patterns of nails leftover from that
field test.
I have segregated this small quantity of nails into sets
of six nails, enough to adequately set a shoe. Each set
of six is of the same pattern as would have been issued
to the troopers to carry in their saddle bags. Please
indicate which pattern of nail you prefer when you place
your order.
This is exactly the sort of esoteric item that seldom if
ever survives the passage of time intact so that they
can be recognized and credited with their proper place
in the history of US Army Horse Equipment. These will
be a great addition to a display of the contents of a
shoe pouch or saddle bag and a collectable that not just
every US Cavalry collection will include. Some months
ago I had listed a hand full of these same nails and
when they sold I never expected to see anymore.
Recently discovered, these nails came from the same
source as that handful and these are the last of them as
I purchased all they had. I honestly doubt that any
others exist outside private collections. $30 per set.
NOTE: ONLY THE SETS OF GOODENOUGH
NAILS (Pattern B shown below) ARE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE.
THE SETS OF GLOBE NAILS ARE SOLD OUT.
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