A bit of my US WWI collection

[GTB]

Hi Mike

Great pics of your collection. Always happy to see other members' collectables and to learn from them.

I don't have many US insignia items but will root out some older pieces in line with what you've shown.

Thanks for sharing

GTB

[Mitter2k1]

Originally Posted by GTB

Hi Mike

Great pics of your collection. Always happy to see other members' collectables and to learn from them.

I don't have many US insignia items but will root out some older pieces in line with what you've shown.

Thanks for sharing

GTB

Thanks for sharing these with us GTB and the cavalry insignia is very nice! Do you have a photo of the back that shows the catch for the pin? That is usually a good place to help date some of these earlier examples. I will have to get some photos of my WWI officer's insignia and some of my pre-WWI insignia and show you what I mean.

Thanks,
Mike

[GTB]

Best I can do. One can also just discern thru the blurring the 2 curved strengthening bars to the numeral and letter
Appreciate you confirming a date if poss. I know it's early.
GTB

[Mitter2k1]

Originally Posted by GTB

Best I can do. One can also just discern thru the blurring the 2 curved strengthening bars to the numeral and letter
Appreciate you confirming a date if poss. I know it's early.
GTB

Sorry for the delay GTB. That would be from around 1902 to just prior to or early WWI. From my experience, the cutout style insignia from 1902 to WWI used a round wire style pin catch. There may be some variation on some of these if they were jeweler made for an officer, but I have never handled or seen one firsthand to confirm or deny this. The WWI insignia's used a flat stamped style catch for the pin on the insignia. I'll post a couple of photos for comparison.

Pic 1- Top 2 Pre-WWI Infantry Insignia with wire style catch. The gold (gilt) was worn with the M1902 dress uniform and the other with the field uniform. The bottom example is WWI era Infantry insignia with the flat stamped style catch.

Pic 2- Side view with them in the same order.

Thanks,
Mike

[GTB]

Thanks, Mike, for a very informative and in-depth reply.
Am I correct in assuming that the cavalry badge would be worn on the slouch hat?

GTB

[Mitter2k1]

Originally Posted by GTB

Thanks, Mike, for a very informative and in-depth reply.
Am I correct in assuming that the cavalry badge would be worn on the slouch hat?

GTB

GTB, only the versions with the screw back, pin back were worn on the collars.

I will post some examples that I have from 1905 to WWI.

Thanks,
Mike

[Mitter2k1]

As promised, here is some of my cutout style insignia. I will tell a little about each as I go along.

First up (photos 1 & 2) are some New York State Infantry insignia. I think these were used from around maybe the 1880's to the early 1900's. This particular style was attached to the uniform by small stamped brass split pins. I have seen them referred to as a sewn on style, but I haven't actually seen them attached in that manner. These feature the early flintlock style rifle and I believe would of been worn on the collar of a sack coat. Some of the uniforms from this period varied from state to state as did the regulations from regular army to state militia.

Next we have some various infantry insignia. The gilt insignia on the top row was worn on the M1902 Army dress blue uniform. On the second row starting on the left is a WWI era infantry officer insignia without designations and one for company B. The last one is a M1905 infantry insignia worn on the early field uniform. This particular one has a regiment number and company letter. With these 2 present, this indicated use by an enlisted man, officers would only have the company letter.

Lastly we have two darkened M1905 hat badges and a gilt Spanish American War era hat badge. This is the screw back style I mentioned a post or two ago.

Mike

[GTB]

A nice accumulation you have there, Mike.
I guess posterity will thank we collectors for professionally and caringly amassing these fragile bits of our countries' military history. The added pleasure is when research pays off and hitherto unknowns are finally given an identity
Thanks again for all your input. Can't have enough of it

GTB

[Mitter2k1]

Thank you GTB, and yes, I hope that someday my collection is passed on and it is treated as I have done. One day this stuff will almost cease to exist and outside of museums, collectors will be the ones preserving it. A fellow collector once said, "we are all stewards for our collections, preserving it only for the next that comes along."

Mike

[Mitter2k1]

Here are a few more items from the the musty den inhabited by wool and canvas I call an office.

This is a M1910 haversack. I will save you all from a very lengthy post about how it is put together and the contents, and instead give a link that has already done all of the hard work for me. I would love to explain as much as possible, but literally I could type a 3 page essay and probably leave out some sort of pertinent information. However I will say this. It is a nightmare to assemble and my wife has some choice words for me upon a request for assistance with it. There are multiple configurations of with the gear that could be carried that were based on certain situations in which the soldier would be experiencing. The pack itself attached to the ammo belt and was used to carry a number of items necessary to the soldier.

Here is a list of the items off the top of my head that could be carried on or in the haversack.

Mess Items- Fork, Knife, Spoon (with a sheath for the knife and fork), Meat Can, Bacon Can (With Meat Ration), Emergency Ration, Condiment Tin (Contained Salt, Sugar, and Coffee), and 4x Hard Bread Rations
Entrenching Tool and E-Tool Carrier
Bayonet
Shelter Half, Guy Rope, Tent Pole, Tent Stakes, and Wool Blanket
Poncho and Extra Articles of Clothing(Wool Shirts, Socks, and Underwear), Wool Overcoat, and Extra Boots
Toiletry Items
Helmet

I am sure I am probably forgetting something as there were a number of possibilities and some of the items were tied to the outside.

Here is a link that explains the packing of it and the headache that was endured by those that had to do so.

http://www.hardscrabblefarm.com/80th/infantry_pack.htm

And here are some photos of it fully assembled with in the long roll configuration.

If anyone has any questions or would like to see some different angles, let me know.

Thanks,
Mike