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MODEL 1881 CARTRIDGE BELT
PLATES w/
PATTERN 1885 MILLS CARTRIDGE BELTS -
RARE INDIAN WAR BELTS AND PLATES:
Fresh out of old collections, these Pattern 1885 Woven
Cartridge Belts, complete with Model 1881
Cartridge Belt Plates, are without doubt some of the most difficult
of all of the US Army’s Indian War era cartridge belts to acquire
for your collection.
The Model 1881 Plate was designed and
manufactured by the Mills Company and was purchased by
the army to supplement lagging arsenal productions. Die
struck of thin brass, these plates were not particularly
robust to begin with and in the process of
manufacturing, the tongue was brazed on to the back of
the plate, which further weakened the brass. The
brazing process resulted in the unforeseen side effect
of making the brass brittle which resulted in these plates
being particularly fragile and hence easily damaged when
exposed to service in
the field. The rate of mortality of these plates
has resulted in very few in existence today and many of
those that do exist are damaged or show evidence of a
field repair.
These rare plates are mounted on the Mills Woven Belt
Company Pattern 1885 Woven Cartridge Belts - one cavalry
belt, and one infantry belt. These scarce belts
were manufactured by Mills under a series of somewhat
confusing contracts let by the Ordnance Department.
The belts were ordered with both 45 and 50 cartridge
loops, all to carry the .45-70 rifle and carbine
cartridges, but other than the width of the belt, and
the color and method of weaving the material, the
individual features of the belts were changed as new
contracts were let. Different numbers of eyelets
were set into the belts, varying from none up to 13, for
attaching the bayonets and other equipment and for those
belts with eyelets set in both ends, for lacing two
belts together to fashion a bandolier. The belts
were made with different belt end lengths, with each
progressive contract apparently calling for a
lengthening of the ends in order to provide for more
room for adjustment when worn by the soldiers. The
early production belts had ends 6" long and examples of
these belts are known with ends as long as 10 ½” -
presumably, the product of the later contracts.
The large majority of these belts were modified by the
army into the Model 1885 Cavalry Belt by trimming back
the ends of the belts and mounting a leather tongue and
leather billet with a brass frame buckle.
Relatively few of these belts escaped that modification
to survive in their original length so they could be
used with the Model 1880 or Model 1881 "H" Plates,
making those in the original form quite scarce today.
Seldom do these plates surface on the open market and
the belts are very difficult to find. Once these
two very nice examples disappear into the next collection, it is
unlikely this opportunity will present again any time
soon.
See American Military and
Naval Belts, 1812-1902 by R. Stephen Dorsey, pages
273 and 379, and American Military Belt Plates by
O’Donnell & Campbell, page 562 for more information on
these plates, and 256 - 276, American Military and
Naval Belts, 1812-1902 by R. Stephen Dorsey, for
more information on these belts.
I have been fortunate to
find these nice examples of the plate and belt sets
listed below. Each belt set is
described below in detail with accompanying
photographs.
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NO. 1
VERY NICE MODEL 1881 CARTRIDGE BELT PLATE w/ PATTERN
1885 MILLS CAVALRY CARTRIDGE BELT: As
mentioned above, the Model 1881 Cartridge Belt Plate was
subject to being damaged in service, so a surviving
example in this very nice, full form condition is very
notable. The plate and matching catch are both
fully intact and feature a nice even naturally aged
patina. The US in the oval is undamaged and the
tongue on the reverse is fully intact and still securely
attached. In consideration of the rarity of these
plates, this specimen would never need to be upgraded.
The plate is mounted on a rare Pattern 1885 Mills
Cavalry Cartridge Belt. Full length in its
original form and with all 45 cartridge loops intact,
this belt is a very nice match for the Model 1881 plate
with an even deep tan coloring overall. The belt exhibits some
wear and evidence of use, with some minor scattered wear
to the lips of the cartridge loops, but certainly not to
the extent that the loops are damaged, weakened or
torn. There is no fraying or wear to the edges of the
belt. The center of the inside of the belt is
stenciled "13", the unit inventory control number.
There are none of the brass eyelets mounted on this
belt, indicating that it was intended for issue to a
cavalry soldier. The absence of the box ring and
dismounted sabre hook, which would be added to the Model
1885 Cavalry Cartridge Belts which were modified with
the addition of the leather tongue and buckle billet,
suggest that this belt was intended for wear with, and
over, the leather Model 1882 "Sherman" Cavalry Sabre
Belt. These early Mills belts intended for wear by
the cavalry are quite rare and are seldom encountered on
market.
The length of the belt ends - the woven section without
cartridge loops on each end- indicate this belt was
probably provided under the second contract. The
right end of the belt measures 7" long. The left
end measures 6", where it was probably trimmed back by
the soldier.
Paired with the Model 1882 Sherman Belt currently listed
on this site would make an excellent, and quite
uncommon, addition for an advanced Indian War Cavalry
collection. Overall this is a very respectable
example of this rare belt and plate set. (0241)
$1850
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NO. 2
MODEL 1881 CARTRIDGE BELT PLATE w/ PATTERN 1885 MILLS
INFANTRY CARTRIDGE BELT: As mentioned
above, the Model 1881 Cartridge Belt Plate was subject
to being damaged in service, and such is the case with
this example. While having suffered from the
normal failure of the tongue separating from the body of
the plate, this plate still retains far more of its
original form than is usually seen. The US in the
oval is undamaged and the full profile of the plate
remains, save a very minor part of the right edge as can
be seen in the photographs. Evidently the tongue
on this plate broke away and was silver soldered back
onto the plate, quite possibly during the period of
service. The balance of the plate, to include the
belt bracket on the plate body and the matching catch is
full form and intact, and certainly very displayable
particularly in light of the rarity of these plates.
The plate is mounted on a scarce Pattern 1885 Mills Infantry Cartridge
Belt. Full length, with all 45 cartridge loops intact,
this belt is a nice match for the Model 1881 plate with an
even deep tan coloring overall. The belt exhibits some
wear and evidence of use, with some minor scattered wear
to the lips of the cartridge loops, but certainly not to
the extent that the loops are damaged, weakened or
torn. There is no fraying or wear to the edges of the
belt and the correct four brass eyelets are present and
intact along the center line on the left side of the
belt for mounting the Model 1873 Bayonet.
The length of the belt ends - the woven section without
cartridge loops on each end- indicate this belt was
provided under the first contract. The right end
of the belt still retains the brown polished cotton
binding, and it measures 6" long - the belt end length
stipulated in the first contract with Mills. The
left end shows some wear and has lost its binding,
possibly due to having been trimmed back by the soldier
to 5 ¼”.
Overall this is a very respectable example of this
scarce belt and plate set. (0721)
$1150
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