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MODEL 1912 AND MODEL 1917 CAVALRY BANDOLIERS - MILLS AND RUSSELL COMPANIES - EXCELLENT SPECIMENS AND INTERESTING VARIANTS:  Introduced in the early years of the 20th Century, these Model 1912 and Model 1917 Cavalry Bandoliers saw extensive service in the field to include the Punitive Expedition into Mexico and World War One.   These bandoliers are known to have been modified by removing the three pocket pistol ammunition carriers to allow the soldier to attach the Model 1911 Magazine Pouch. 

Save for a notable variant bandolier, this selection of bandoliers all present in excellent condition and in the original configuration with no modifications.  

I currently have the following examples of these bandoliers, and each is individually listed below with accompanying photographs. 

 

NO. 1   MODEL 1912 MILLS CAVALRY BANDOLIER – IN LIKE NEW, UNISSUED CONDITION:  A like new specimen of the relatively scarce Mills Model 1912 Cavalry Cartridge Bandolier.  In its original configuration, with no modifications, this bandolier has survived in excellent condition, with all of the lift the dot snaps intact, and with no tearing or wear around the snaps.  The revolver ammunition pockets are intact, as are all the cartridge pocket flaps, with none of the flaps showing any wear.  The original darkened finish is present on all the metal fittings.  This Model 1912 Bandolier with the proper curved body has a full length web billet on one end and the proper frame friction buckle on the other.  The darkened brass billet strap is stamped on both sides with all of the appropriate Mills Patent information and dates - the last date being 1916 - and the inside of the far left cartridge pocket flap is ink stamped “NOV 1918” and “MILLS” inside the bullet logo.   (0934) $450

 

NO. 2   MODEL 1917 CAVALRY BANDOLIER – LIKE NEW, UNISSUED – MADE BY RUSSELL – A NOTABLE VARIANT:  In like new condition, this relatively scarce Model 1917 Cavalry Cartridge Bandolier was produced by the Russell Manufacturing Company in Middletown, Connecticut, and it presents as a very interesting variant.  While it is well known that the Model 1912 and 1917 Bandoliers were modified by removing the pistol cartridge pockets which were then replaced by a Model 1911 Automatic Pistol Magazine Pouch, the configuration of this bandolier is completely separate and apart from that modification. 

To explain why this variant is so notable, some explanation on how these bandoliers were woven may be helpful.  The standard configuration of the Model 1917 Bandolier provided a total of twelve rifle cartridge pockets and one set of three pistol cartridge pockets.  The bandolier body, with the integral rifle cartridge pockets, was woven of one continuous piece of webbing.  The pocket flaps were then stitched into the open top edge of the body.  The three pocket pistol cartridge carrier was woven as a separate unit, the flaps were sewn to the pistol cartridge pockets in the same manner as the rifle cartridge pocket flaps on the body, and then the pistol cartridge carrier was sewn to the center of the body as a single unit.

The three pocket pistol cartridge carrier could be removed without resulting in any damage to the integrity of the bandolier body, however removing any of the integral rifle cartridge pockets would severely damage the longitudinal weave of the bandolier body and in effect render the bandolier useless as the severed threads would weaken the bandolier sufficiently that it would no longer carry the weight of the cartridges. 

This bandolier was woven with a total of nine rifle cartridge pockets - four on the left end and five on the right end - in order to allow just enough space between the two sets of rifle cartridge pockets to accommodate three Model 1917 Automatic Pistol Magazine Pouches.  This arrangement was an intentional design modification, done at the time of the original weaving of the bandolier body, and there is no evidence that this arrangement was the result of this bandolier having been modified in the field.  The three magazine pouches are secured in place by three female snaps set into the bandolier body which are engaged by the matching male snap stud set into the belt loop of the magazine pouch. 

It stands to reason that this variation of the Model 1917 Bandolier must have been produced in some number, however limited.  Certainly, with the amount of labor necessary to plan and modify the design, reset the looms, and produce this variation, enough of them must have been ordered by the army and eventually produced to make the overall exercise worthwhile.  That being said, to my knowledge there are no surviving records or published research which document the reasoning or intended issue of this bandolier.  Other than the obvious purpose of providing the soldier with a greater number of loaded pistol magazines, the history surrounding this variation is mute.  There are no unit issue stencils present on the bandolier, nor does it exhibit a significant amount of wear which would indicate limited use, however the context in which this bandolier was found may suggest which units received this variant.  The man who built the collection where this bandolier was found had a definite interest in early 20th Century Cavalry Machine Gun Companies.  His collection included a number of groupings of uniforms and personal gear which were identified to various cavalry machine gun companies, all dating in the 1916-1930 era.  It is possible he acquired this bandolier as part of one of those groupings.  Unfortunately, any such association was lost with his passing.  

This bandolier has survived in excellent condition, with all of the lift the dot snaps intact, and with no tearing or wear around the snaps.  All of the cartridge pocket flaps are intact, with none of the flaps showing any wear.  The original darkened finish is present on all the metal fittings, showing only minor wear in a few isolated spots from handling and storage. The web billet is full length with the proper unmarked darkened bronze tip on one end and the proper frame friction buckle on the other. 

The body shape features the correct straight body which was produced by the Russell Manufacturing Co. as a result of simplifying the bandolier design in 1917 in order to streamline the manufacturing process. 

The inside of the far left cartridge pocket flap has a faint ink stamped RUSSELL in an oval cartouche and what appears to be “1918”.  The inside surface of the body, just under the magazine pouches, is also ink stamped with a faint "RUSSELL" and what appears to be "1918".   

The three Model 1911 Magazine Pouches are all full form and other than exhibiting some minor soiling from use and storage, all are in excellent condition.  The lift the dot snaps are fully functional with no tearing or wear present around the snaps, and the male snap stud on the inside of the belt loops are all present.  As viewed left to right, the first pouch is manufactured by Russell and the other two are manufactured by Mills.  The Russell pouch is company marked on the reverse of the belt loop with the "Russell" in the oval and the two Mills pouches are stenciled with the company patent information on the underside of the flaps. 

This is a very interesting variant in excellent condition and it would make a special addition to even the most advanced collection of early 20th Century woven cartridge belts and bandoliers. (0933)  $625

 

NO. 3  MODEL 1912 MILLS CAVALRY BANDOLIER – IN LIKE NEW, UNISSUED CONDITION:  A like new specimen of the relatively scarce Mills Model 1912 Cavalry Cartridge Bandolier.  In its original configuration, with no modifications, this bandolier has survived in excellent condition, with all of the lift the dot snaps intact, and with no tearing or wear around the snaps.  The revolver ammunition pockets are intact, as are all the cartridge pocket flaps, with none of the flaps showing any wear.  The original darkened finish is present on all the metal fittings.  This Model 1912 Bandolier with the proper curved body has a full length web billet on one end and the proper frame friction buckle on the other.  The darkened brass billet strap is stamped on both sides with all of the appropriate Mills Patent information and dates - the last date being 1916 - and the inside of the far left cartridge pocket flap is ink stamped “SEPT 1917” and “MILLS” inside the bullet logo.  (020)  $750

 

NO. 4   MODEL 1917 CAVALRY BANDOLIER – LIKE NEW, UNISSUED – MADE BY RUSSELL:  A like new specimen of the relatively scarce Model 1917 Cavalry Cartridge Bandolier produced by the Russell Manufacturing Company in Middletown, Connecticut. 

In its original configuration, with no modifications, this bandolier has survived in excellent condition, with all of the lift the dot snaps intact, and with no tearing or wear around the snaps.  The revolver ammunition pockets are intact, as are all the cartridge pocket flaps, with none of the flaps showing any wear.  The original darkened finish is present on all the metal fittings. The web billet is full length with the proper unmarked darkened bronze tip on one end and the proper frame friction buckle on the other. 

The body shape features the correct straight body which was produced by the Russell Manufacturing Co. as a result of simplifying the bandolier design in 1917 in order to streamline the manufacturing process. 

The inside of the far left cartridge pocket flap has the traces of the ink stamped RUSSELL in an oval cartouche and what would have been the month and year of manufacture - neither of these stamps are legible.  The inside of the domed pistol cartridge pouch snaps is marked “CARR’S PAT. ’13.   

These bandoliers were exposed to extensive service to include World War One, and through the years they are known to have been modified by removing the revolver ammunition pockets to allow the soldier to attach the Model 1911 Magazine Pouch.  This unmodified specimen in such fine condition is a rare item to find.   (0430)  $300

 
 
 
 
 
 

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