Saddlebag

Object Name:

Saddlebag

Object ID:

1966.545.289

Date:

1860-1865

Description:

Saddle bags, leather and metal, Civil War. Bags connected by strap ~18" long, tapers from width of 6" at bag to 1.2" at narrowest area. Bags have straight top edge; sides extend downward 6", then start to curve to a lower midpoint to make rounded bottom edge. May be slightly wider near bottom edge before starting to curve inward. Creases in side of bag. Cover flap semicircular in shape, 5.7" high. Slight point at bottom of its edge. Two separate compartments inside bag. Front one has top edge that curves down slightly at center, drops about 1" down from edges; total height 5.5". Behind it is another inner surface that extends to top of bag. Second surface has narrow V-shaped slot in center. Three holes on either side of slot; some leather thong material laced through three of the holes. Below top edge of front surface, two holes adjacent to each other with same spacing of holes in secondary surface above them. Near bottom edge on front, rectangular iron buckle with tongue, sewn in place by strap ~5.5" long. This strap extends past bottom edge of bag. Beneath it another strap of similar width sewn together to hold a second rectangular iron buckle and tongue. Bottom strap extends downward ~11" and has slightly rounded end; has five holes in it near its top end. Cover flap has 6.5" strap sewn to its back surface near bottom, slightly-pointed edge. All straps slightly over 0.5" wide. Cover strap has four holes in it and can fit through topmost buckle. Above bag, wide band between the two bags has plain leather strap ~1" wide sewn to its front surface. Strap passes through slightly canted slot, extending beyond edge of strap by ~3". It is canted upward ~10 degrees. Small hole adjacent to slot near its bottom edge. Other end of connecting band has similar strap that passes through slot. Both straps angled and point in same direction. In narrow neck of strap, single hole in center. Hole ~0.3" diameter. Other bag has some leather lacing through two holes under its front, flat surface. Sides of bag creased and crushed together in such a way they can't be expanded to full depth. Seams and edges of bag all hidden and well-made. Oval paper label on back of strap at one end with "289" written in ink.

Material:

Leather
Iron

Dimensions:

H-1.5 W-9.3 L-36.2 inches

Provenance:

From the Horace W. Harmon Collection. Harmon catalog entry #289: "Saddle bags Cav, War of Rebellion. F. Bannerman".

Credit Line:

Gift of Horace W. Harmon