Shoulder Board Collection (17th Infantry)

[Buffalo Grunt]

Hello, I was fortunate to add two more pairs of 1872 pattern shoulder boards to my collection this month.  I've just started collecting 19th century historical items from the 17th Infantry and I have a few questions:  I know that the Infantry colors starting in 1857 was prescribed as "SKY BLUE" and then switched back the "WHITE" in late 1884 ... So that would mean that all three pairs of the shoulder boards would have been made after 1884 .. is that correct?  Also, I'm curious to why the Captains Shoulder Boards have a blue "17" and CPT Rank, to where the MAJORS and COLONELS are both silver and white?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks in advance for any information that you might be able to provide .. I'm also looking to buy and pre 1884 Sky Blue shoulder boards ...

 

Don

 

 

[BlueBookGuy]

hello,

just a my opinion  -   if colors of pictures are true to the actual items, I'd dare to say the upper ranks' colors aren't the same. It looks to me like Colonel's 17 and Eagle are decidedly more of a silver color (as it should be in fact) while Major's 17 and Leaves are almost a bronze hue  -   this too, as it should be.

In fact, Major's and Lt. Colonel's symbols being the same they would be made different only by respective colors  -   bronze for Major's leaves and Silver for Lt. Colonel's leaves, after wich full Colonel's eagle does follow in silver as well. 

Regarding Captain's 17 and bars in blue-like color (instead of silver) I cannot speak for sure of the reason.  btw,  GREAT items!!

[ken1967]

Great looking shoulder paddles. I've always loved these pieces!

[FlyNavy02]

Believe the silver bullion devices on the captain's pair have simply tarnished.

 

Agree, very nice.