Spanish American War gear search! Repro? Original?

[talontree14]

Hello everyone,

 

After finished up my WW1 setup, I am starting to get the urge to start up a Span Am infantry setup. I am trying to find several places to pick up the gear and I am running into a few brick walls. Does anyone know any good sites for repro or original gear?

 

Thanks in advance!

[RustyCanteen]

Not really, I think some were getting their equipment from suppliers of repro 1870s-90s indian wars equipment.

 

RC

[willysmb44]

Even a short timeframe as that had a lot of variance between impressions. For example, a line infantryman from a National Guard unit would look quite different from someone of the same rank within the 'Rough Riders' 1st USV Cav.

Sadly, there's very little interest in re-enacting of that timeframe. It peaked in 1998 with the centential and most of the companies you're likely to hear about either no longer exist or don't make span-am stuff anymore. For example, there is NOBODY making leggings right now. I have a 1st USV Cav CPT's impression and no leggings for it. The best out there is made for cowboy-action shooters and they're really not living history quality at all.

Be wary, as there are websites still out there for groups and vendors, many of them haven't been updated in years and you'd have no way to know that...

[DesertRatTom]

I was surfing for a decent remake of of the 1889 Campaign Hat last night and came across a number of vendor sites, with more than a few having been updated within the last few months. A good start place is Eureka Arsenal, eureka-arsenal.com; their offerings look good and are a bit pricey for me, their links are good, too. As willysmb44 states, you're going to have to figure out what you want to portray as the differences in gear, uniforms &c. vary greatly.

Good luck with your quest. Should you stumble across a decent, a bit 'salty' P1889 for
Best,
Tom

[cco23i]

Here is a good place to get Span Am gear http://www.frazerbro...m/main_page.htm Don't click on the era section just go to the individual areas such as uniforms and such and they have a LOT of stuff.

[talontree14]

I was surfing for a decent remale of of the 1889 Campaign Hat last night and came across a number of vendor sites, with more than a few having been updated within the las few months. A good start place is Eureka Arsenal, eureka-arsenal.com; their offerings look good and are a bit pricey for me, their links are good, too. As willysmb44 states, you're going to have to figure out what you want to portray as the differences in gear, uniforms &c. vary greatly.

 

Good luck with your quest. Should you stumble across a decent, a bit 'salty' P1889 for <$50 US in size 7, let me know.

 

Best,

Tom

 

Through my searches I did stumble across that website. Since I collect primarily personal gear like belts and haversacks, that is where I want to make a "beachhead" so to speak in the Span Am era. It looks liek Eureka is not producing the haversacks at the moment. I see them every now and then on ebay, what is a far price for a decent condition bag?

 

p.s. You got it Tom!

 

-Christian

[Cavdoc83]

Jim Kanne at Eureka Arsenal is a good source for hats. It is all that he is concentrating on at the moment. I got my 1910 Service Hat from him a few years ago, and have been very satisfied. (It's too bad that he gave up on all of the other items. By all accounts, he made some of the best leggings and haversacks). About the only other sources for SpanAm uniforms are Quartermaster Depot: http://www.quartermasterdepot.com/ and The Quartermaster Shop: http://www.quartermastershop.com/

 

Good luck with your impression. There's still a few guys out there interested in that period.

[dadwasajarhead]

Gentlemen,

 

The following website is, by far, the best source of reproduction Span Am War gear: http://www.ushist.com/ . They get their uniforms from the Quartermaster Shop, but they have better prices on accoutrements than most of your on-line suttlerys.

[cco23i]

I would watch buying things from "UShist" I dealt with them once and a few friends tried them and had issues with the delivery and attitude.

[willysmb44]

I would watch buying things from "UShist" I dealt with them once and a few friends tried them and had issues with the delivery and attitude.

They'll also take an order with no intention of filling it. I've twice ordered from them and they accept the order....

...then nothing happens. EVER. They didn't charge my card or anything, they just never let me know they didn't have some things with apparently no intent of ever having them.

The term, "vaporware" comes to mind easily with these folks. I've never succesfully ordered anything from them that actually showed up.

[dadwasajarhead]

Thanks for the "heads up". I must say that they have an impressive web site. I am learning that this does not always equate to impressive service or products. I think that a website is a lot like a mirror. It is intended to reflect an image, but is really a way to focus attention while ignoring the effects of time. Maybe US Hist was good at one time, but as the turn of the 20th century (and 100th anniversary of the turn of the 19th century) fades from view, the inventory that once was, is now also history.

[DesertRatTom]

Other things to keep in mind is certain suppliers & vendors the company used are nolonger in business or have [had to] raise their prices and shipping fees, &c. This is not a defense for companies that show a non-existant inventory, or do the perpetual '...its on order and due in next week.' types.

 

When doing business with a company for the first time no matter how great the website looks, look for a phone number and physical address, try it and talk to someone while paying attention to what your gut is telling you. Vistit the company's home state Secretary of State web site, look 'em up and see their businss license status. The State's SOS maintains logs of complaints along with any actions or warnings the state has issued to a company. On a first contact use a 'dedicated¹' credit card that has a limit that cannot be exceeded, e.g. the company kills the deal right there- no over the card limits honored or allowed. Also the card should offer a decent buyer protection program for item descriptions, quality and warenty and or insurance doubling provisions, and will notify you if the amounts authorized are trying to be exceeded.

FN1 This is a card that is a low credit line that is dedicated to your 'hobby use'. The credit companies

are

hurting, so shop around for a card that will protect you.

 

This is directed to the new folks that are just getting started in the hobby. A mail order or e-business transaction is a roll of the dice, listen to folks that have dealt with companies in question, but remember what went well or bad with one guy isn't always the rule. A parting thought, when using a hard copy cataloge, consider using a USPS Money Order- if you get taken, the Post Office has more resources than you to pursue postal fraud isses.

[fstop61]

http://www.saw1898.com/uniform.php

This is an old link-perhaps it might help-I did Span-Am impression back in the 1990's (2nd US Inf.) and at the time Burgess had the best hats. I guess the business has since folded. The centennial, for me, was a little bitter-sweet- really never caught on like I thought it might. Did one "battle" and several living histories (Florida) and that was it.

[DesertRatTom]

I contacted Burgess about a decade ago talking with the owner or a principal buyer. They lamented not being able to get anymore campaign hats, simply there was no one making "...quality reproductions to original specs... and what they could find would have been at least 2x the prices they were selling at [then]." their words. The guy was heart broken that did order more originally. Economics had caught up way back then.

[willysmb44]

The centennial, for me, was a little bitter-sweet- really never caught on like I thought it might. Did one "battle" and several living histories (Florida) and that was it.

I know plenty of people who bought all the Span-Am gear, also convinced the centenial was going to be a big thing. They all told me the same thing, that is fizzled out with little interest. I was never able to take part because I knew I'd be going though my Officer's Branch course during that timeframe, so I never bought any of the stuff. I wound up getting some good deals later from those who'd bought all kinds of uniforms and gear that many of them never even wore. I saw photos of an event in the South a while back, and it was sad that there appeared to be maybe half a dozen "Spaniards" and maybe a dozen US troops and that was it. Even the tiny WW1 and WW2 events in the south in the early 90s drew much higher numbers than that!

That said, I've never wore my complete 1st Cav officer's uniform anywhere. There's never been much of an interest in the timeframe and I think most people now know it isn't worth the money to start making new items due to a really low demand.

[DesertRatTom]

It's a shame that the era was not recognized by all, except ironically the repeal of a SpanAm era communications tax.

 

If anyone following this thread has one to sell, I'm looking for a SpanAM campaign hat- P-1889, snow flake vents, size 7, can be a bit 'salty' and not have a gold patina. Please PM me if you have one for sale.

 

Tom

[talontree14]

I am plleasantly surprised this post has got this much attention! The more I look at the gear, I find it more appealing, especially when you look at the transition from Span AM to WW1. In my searches I have run into reproduction belts as pictured below. A looped cartridge belt, with a large brass buckle. I know these were not used during the Span AM war, so are they complete fabrications or were their belts like this?

 

Ebay link:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/221135550866?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

 

-Christian

[Marine0311]

Got my canteen and haversack here.

 

http://www.cooncreek...l/Products.html

 

Had to clean out the canteen of rust. Its well made but their black leather slings could use some work.

In all, good people and we should be thankful people provide gear for this era at all.

[willysmb44]

Coon Creek is operated by good people, but a lot of their stuff really isn't up to most living history standards. For example, their leggings are really very sub-par for anything other than cowboy action shoots...

[ludwigh1980]

For Span Am campaign hats, if you want quality and price to go with it try Dirty Billy's Hats. Thier stuff is top notch quality.

Web site: http://www.dirtybillyshats.com/

 

 

Terry in Colorado

[willysmb44]

For Span Am campaign hats, if you want quality and price to go with it try Dirty Billy's Hats. Thier stuff is top notch quality.

Web site: http://www.dirtybillyshats.com/

I have to disargee in the strongest possible terms with this. I ordere a hat from them once and it was the worst experience I've ever had with any vendor or any kind (even normal stuff companies). The hat came back much later than promised, they had called saying they needed more money halfway through the process, and it was an entire numbered hat size too small. And to top it off, when i returned it, the guy in charge actually looked up my phone number and left the most hateful voice mail I've ever gotten, calling me all kinds of stuff simply for returning it and that I wouldn't be 'allowed' to ever order from them again for returning the hat, stating, "we just don't need your business that much..."

I have since actively gone out of my way to steer as many people away from this outfit as I can based on what happened to me with them. I have heard other horror stories from people dealing with them as well since then.

If someone gave me one of their hats, I'd set it on fire before I'd wear or keep it.

[Bill Fean]

I totally agree with willysmb44.

 

I have a DB 1889 campaign hat and its nothing like an original. To stiff, wrong "snowflake" design, the color is off, the sweatband is wrong. Not a good reproduction at all. I have an 1889 hat from What Price Glory and it is PERFECT!!!!!!!!!!!!! ( though the price will scare some off) . It is dead on though. I'd stay away from Db also.

 

I do a Span Am impression for the local Memorial day parade, and yes, the repro gear is difficult to find.

 

Bill

[hueytaxi]

Fairly new here and have a picture of my grandfather and uncle post WWII in their uniforms. My grandfather was a Corporal in Co. M, 3rd Regiment, Nebraska Infantry. Deployed to Camp Cuba Libre near St. Augustine where most of his unit caught yellow fever. A few did ship to Cuba as an occupation force. The armistace was signed while the unit was inroute to Florida. I had his pristine 45-70 until two years ago when I returned it to another of his living sons. I will try to include the photo, but if not the Photobucket link should work. The hat was not issue.

 

http://smg.beta.phot...tml?sort=2&o=28

[ludwigh1980]

Hmmm.....good to know. I examined some of DB's hats made 10 years ago, mind you, Pre-civil war Dragoon and was impressed. Don't have any dealings with DB lately so I don't know what or how they produce now.

 

Terry

[Marine0311]

I had my sights set on a Eureka Arsenal 1889 campaign hat.

http://www.eureka-arsenal.com/index_frame.htm

Im going for the cheaper wool felt version, anything I should know about quality of wool?