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ALLEGHENY ARSENAL BLACK BRIDLE LEATHER ENLISTED
SABRE KNOT – EXTREMELY RARE ARSENAL MARKED PIECE,
POSSIBLY ONLY SPECIMEN KNOWN TO SURVIVE: This
Civil War era Black Bridle Leather Enlisted Man’s Sabre
Knot was manufactured at the famous Allegheny Arsenal,
identified by the plainly legible stamp on the wrist
strap. The style and format of the stamping matches
known examples applied by Allegheny Arsenal to other
items they produced. I suspect this was a pre-War or
early War production and quite possibly an item that the
Arsenal discontinued making as other more critical items
commanded their attention and civilian manufacturers
began to produce sets of cavalry equipment and
accoutrements under contract, including the Enlisted
Man’s Sabre Knots. When I found this knot I surveyed a
number of senior accoutrement collectors and dealers and
I was unable to find anyone who had ever seen an
Allegheny Arsenal marked sword knot, making this
specimen indeed a rare survivor of the Civil War. An
excellent example of the standard issue knot, it
measures 18 ½ ” long and 1” wide, the leather is soft
and supple with no damage to the strap and all of the
tassels are intact, as is the sliding leather keeper.
The leather surfaces of the strap, keeper and knot have
a smooth, shiny surface with no crazing or flaking, and
while a few of the tassels are crazed, none are broken
or missing. Decent, complete bridle leather sabre
knots have become increasingly difficult to find on the
market, so the condition of this offering is notable in
its own right. However, coupled with the rarity of an
Allegheny Arsenal marking, this knot is not only an
exceptional find, it may well be a unique specimen.
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