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Buffalo Coat - Circa 1890 Authentic

Buffalo Coat - Circa 1890 Authentic
Buffalo Coat - Circa 1890 Authentic
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$4,000.00
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Buffalo Coat - Circa 1890 Authentic

  • This is a "Western Memoriabilia Collectors Dream"
  • In very good condition, shows a few wear areas in the inner lining, but overall outside coat in excellant condition for this period in time. Fits an XL man.
  • Full length coat, comes down to the knees

    Whites hunted the buffalo mostly just for their hides, the rest of the buffalo was often left to rot. There was a huge market for buffalo hides for clothing and for export to Europe. For a time, the US Army was a large purchaser of buffalo hides for use as coats. Eventually, the Army had so many buffalo coats lying around; they had to do something with them. From the War Department Annual Report of 1912, Vol. 1 “… on hand at the Omaha depot on July 11, 1911, 4,464 buffalo overcoats, which were purchased at a time when the buffalo existed in great numbers and were issued to and worn by troops during the several Indian campaigns in the Northwest up to 1891. Since that time the department has carefully preserved and stored these coats.” In 1911, 294 coats were sold, but the sale was discontinued when it was decided that troops stationed in Alaska could use the coats.

    Buffalo Coat - Circa 1890 Authentic

    When hearing about buffalo coats and the US Army some people might think about the Buffalo Soldiers. Buffalo Soldiers was the nickname given to African American troops in the 9th ,10th , 27th and 28th Cavalry regiments and the 24th and 25th Infantry regiments, all stationed in forts throughout the west during the 19th century. Various theories offer possible explanations for the Buffalo Soldiers nickname. Some say the Indians compared the hair of the African American soldiers to the shaggy, curly black hair of the buffalo. Others theorize that the Indians saw the dark-skinned soldiers in their long buffalo coats and made the obvious parallel, calling them Buffalo Soldiers. Whatever theory might be correct as to why Buffalo Soldiers got their nickname, it can be conclusively proven that they indeed wore buffalo coats, because there is a famous historical photograph of Buffalo Soldiers at Fort Keogh in Montana, ca. 1890, wearing buffalo coats.

    Buffalo Coat - Circa 1890 Authentic