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WORLD WAR ONE MILLS EAGLE SNAP MEDICAL OFFICER’S
BELT – COMPLETE w/ MANY OF THE SCARCE CONTENTS – A VERY
NICE SPECIMEN: A scarce offering, this very nice
Mills Rimmed Eagle Snap Medical Officer’s Belt in almost
like new condition and has survived the passage of time
intact with many of the pieces of special medical
equipment and supplies which were originally carried in
the belt by the doctor.
The belt proper is complete with all the eyelets and
closures which still retain all of the original
blackened finish, the eagle snaps are all present,
retain their subdued finish and all function properly
with no fasteners pulled loose from the woven material.
The belt shows no wear or
damage and all of the edges are still crisp. The rear
adjustment section of the belt is faintly ink stamped
“MAR 1918” – difficult to make out in the photography,
but much more legible when viewed in person. The
underside of the flaps on both large pouches is stamped
“APRIL 1918”. All three dates are accompanied by the
Mills Bullet logo. Both of the blackened belt tips
still bear the legible Mills Company patent and logo
stampings.
The only sign of wear is a pair of
small wear points on the face of the left front large
pocket. This is the pocket which carries the medicine
and pill vials, originally in the aluminum spring
mounted carrier, and apparently the tips of the springs
or the attaching rivets wore through the webbing from
abrading against the inside of the pocket. The holes
are quite small and they are covered when the pocket
flap is lowered in the closed position, not noticeable
when the belt is displayed.
The contents of the pockets are as follows:
Left Front Large Pouch: The pouch
contains six bakelite pill bottles, each complete with
its screw on lid, and each in very good condition with
no cracks or breaks.
Left Front Small Pouch: A Syringe
Case in the original OD green felt bag, complete with
the snap. The aluminum syringe case is marked “MED DEPT
U.S.A.” on the hinged lid and the case is full form with
no dents and the lid opens freely on the intact hinge.
The case contains the fully functional syringe – marked
“TAG”, one of the known manufacturers of these sets - ,
the two needle assemblies, and the needle cleaning wires
in the tube. The green felt bag has some of the
characteristic wear from abrading against the web
pocket, but the pouch is still solid and full form with
the seam intact.
Right Front Large Pouch: A canvas Medical
Officers Instrument Belt Case. The pouch is very clean
and in excellent condition with all seams intact, no
wear or damage, and both snaps intact and functional.
A full, unopened paper packet of 12 suture needles, the
packet dated with the 1917 contract information.
Right Front Small Pouch: A glass
bottle with a nickeled screw top which still retains the
cork washer.
This Medical Officer’s Belt is in
very nice condition, and features the majority of the
correct and necessary medical equipment and supplies.
To find such a belt of this quality with the contents
intact is becoming increasingly difficult and this
specimen is one worthy of adding to your collection.
This is the quality of belt that normally moves quietly
from one collection to the next with never seeing the
light of day.
SOLD
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