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Indian Wars & Plains Wars Buffalo Hide Gloves


warpath
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world war I nerd

I've seen photos of WW I aviators wearing similar gloves. I've often wondered if they were made specifically for pilots of if they were the obsolete buffalo gloves as worn on the plains of America.

 

I've also read (but not seen) that buffalo gloves were issued to U.S. troops who served in Russia in 1918 ... I know that the old 1880's buffalo skin overcoats were worn in Russia. Because of that I suspect, but don't know for sure, that the buffalo gloves were also the older pattern from the 1880's.

 

Not to hijack the thread, but I thought that the following was marginally relevant and of interest:

 

"Buffalo Soldier" wearing a buffalo skin overcoat - a pair of soldiers (seated & standing) from the 31st Infantry Regiment wearing buffalo skin overcoats in Siberia circa 1918 - and a surviving buffalo skin overcoat as worn on the frontier and in Russia ... center photo courtesy of the John Adams-Graf collection

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Is there any lining left in your gloves? I have a pair of "Trigger-fingered" mittens that have light brown corduroy in the cuff area and then a light colored cotton gauze looking material in the palm area. The palm area of course shows a lot of wear but the corduroy looks very good for it's age. There is an old repair to the right hand mitt at the base of the thumb-palm and also the outside of the index finger. The smooth palm leather is very similar in color to your gloves and is still soft-supple in condition. Thanks for posting these.

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world war I nerd

While looking for something else, I stumbled across this image that I forgot I had of Buffalo Soldiers wearing buffalo skin coats & gloves ... six of whom are wearing buffalo skin coats & two (reclining & seated, fifth from left) look to be wearing buffalo skin gloves.

 

I was unable to find a specification number issued by the Quartermaster Department for any type of buffalo fur coats, gloves or gauntlets. This was likely due to the fact that both of those garments were presumably never actually issued by the Army. Around 1875 it was recommended that a Buffalo Skin Overcoat be adopted to replace the regulation blanket lined greatcoat which did not offer sufficient protection against the extreme winter climate on the western frontier where temperatures as low as 50 degrees below zero were recorded during the winter of 1876-1877.

 

Apparently the buffalo skin coats, and presumably the buffalo skin gloves, were procured with government funds from local sources as needed by individual units. The "Buffalo Robes" all, more or less, followed a similar pattern, therefore the Quartermaster Department never issued either a formal description or a specification number. It was also said that soldiers serving on the plains purchased and wore buffalo skin leggings, mittens & gloves.

 

 

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All attached is an unnumbered specification for the Buffalo Overcoat I found while doing National Archives research. It dates to 1881. While skimming through QM Annual Reports 1880's to 1910's, it seems as though the Army always seemed to have about a thousand or so Buffalo Overcoats passing through it's supply system annually. I didn't find anything on Buffalo Gloves, but they may be an emergency purchase for WWI.

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Great info and pics...i saw a very similar pair of gloves at an antique store not too long ago, i didnt even give them much thought but after seeing this great thread i might go back and give them a second looksie..any thoughts on values for these gloves, just want to arm myself with value info before a potential purchase...thanks...mike

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Patchcollector

While looking for something else, I stumbled across this image that I forgot I had of Buffalo Soldiers wearing buffalo skin coats & gloves ... six of whom are wearing buffalo skin coats & two (reclining & seated, fifth from left) look to be wearing buffalo skin gloves.

 

I was unable to find a specification number issued by the Quartermaster Department for any type of buffalo fur coats, gloves or gauntlets. This was likely due to the fact that both of those garments were presumably never actually issued by the Army. Around 1875 it was recommended that a Buffalo Skin Overcoat be adopted to replace the regulation blanket lined greatcoat which did not offer sufficient protection against the extreme winter climate on the western frontier where temperatures as low as 50 degrees below zero were recorded during the winter of 1876-1877.

 

Apparently the buffalo skin coats, and presumably the buffalo skin gloves, were procured with government funds from local sources as needed by individual units. The "Buffalo Robes" all, more or less, followed a similar pattern, therefore the Quartermaster Department never issued either a formal description or a specification number. It was also said that soldiers serving on the plains purchased and wore buffalo skin leggings, mittens & gloves.

 

 

 

That is such a cool photo!They look like some tough 'ombres

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world war I nerd

Jon, I should have known that you'd have a copy of the unnumbered specifications for the buffalo coat ... thanks for sharing it.

 

I too had noticed that the buffalo coats showed up in Quartermaster General's annual reports from time to time. One of the entries authorized units in the field to purchase "buffalo robes" from local sources. One of the last time the coats were mentioned (I don't recall the year, but it was before WW I), all the buffalo coats had been shipped to one depot and were being sold to any soldier or officer who was interested in obtaining one.

 

Also, the buffalo coats remained the property of the U.S. Army. When the coats were no longer needed they had to be turned in to post Quartermasters who would store them and issue them to possibly different troops the following winter.

 

The only fur gloves that were officially issued, as far as I know, for winter use were Muskrat Gauntlets: Specification No. 25 adopted on May 31, 1879 - Muskrat Gauntlets Specification No. 142, adopted on April 3, 1885, and Muskrat Gauntlets Specification No. 399, adopted on April 24, 1896. In addition Seal Skin Gauntlets, Specification No. 26, were adopted on May 31, 1879.

 

It's possible that some or all of the fur gloves worn in the above buffalo soldier photo are wearing muskrat or seal skin gloves.

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Jon, I should have known that you'd have a copy of the unnumbered specifications for the buffalo coat ... thanks for sharing it.

 

I too had noticed that the buffalo coats showed up in Quartermaster General's annual reports from time to time. One of the entries authorized units in the field to purchase "buffalo robes" from local sources. One of the last time the coats were mentioned (I don't recall the year, but it was before WW I), all the buffalo coats had been shipped to one depot and were being sold to any soldier or officer who was interested in obtaining one.

 

Also, the buffalo coats remained the property of the U.S. Army. When the coats were no longer needed they had to be turned in to post Quartermasters who would store them and issue them to possibly different troops the following winter.

 

The only fur gloves that were officially issued, as far as I know, for winter use were Muskrat Gauntlets: Specification No. 25 adopted on May 31, 1879 - Muskrat Gauntlets Specification No. 142, adopted on April 3, 1885, and Muskrat Gauntlets Specification No. 399, adopted on April 24, 1896. In addition Seal Skin Gauntlets, Specification No. 26, were adopted on May 31, 1879.

 

It's possible that some or all of the fur gloves worn in the above buffalo soldier photo are wearing muskrat or seal skin gloves.

 

 

It's possible Brian that the gloves could be seal or muskrat, but look at the big man on the right front(first photo)---the gloves match his coat perfectly! Or maybe his hands are just pulled up inside the sleeves--can't really tell. If he is wearing gloves, I conclude that at least this pair were buffalo. Now the fur hats they are wearing probably are muskrat, for what it's worth. Look at the guy laying on the snow---looks like he has some buffalo pants or leggings on! Great photo! Thanks.

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world war I nerd

This really isn't my era , but If I had to bet, I'd say that the seated guy and the standing soldier are wearing buffalo hide gloves and the reclining trooper might be wearing seal skin or muskrat gloves, The hats are definitely either muskrat or seal skin.

 

Forum member 'Navybean' posted a similar pair of buffalo hide gloves that were part of a WW I Siberia or North Russia grouping just a few months ago. I was kind of hoping that he would post photos of those gloves here.

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After reviewing the Buffalo Soldiers group photo again, I think the man at right front, standing, simply has his hands in his pockets! The soldier to his left, kneeling and with his slouch hat on sideways also has his hands in his coat pockets.

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  • 4 months later...

This is a great thread. Part of me has always wanted to own one of these coats, but I imagine that most probably smell terrible?

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