US M1895 Army Enlisted Forage Hat & Original Issue Box, 1st Cavalry Insignia
This item is listed for historical interest only. It was listed on our site previously but has been sold and is no longer available for purchase.
Sold for: $395.00

Original era manufacture. A very clean example of the pattern of hat which replaced the iconic Kepi for wear by the US Army in 1895. Dark blue wool, wide brown leather sweatband, with a patent leather visor and chinstrap. Size marked in the rear of the hat, 7 3/8.What is remarkable about this example is that it looks as if it just came out of the box, a well used phrase, but in this instance completely true. Paste board box which fits the hat perfectly, with a large 7 3/8 size marking on one end. Making it easy for the QM Sergeant to hand the recruit a proper size hat. The box is basically sound but one corner has broken away and needs to be glued down.An original bright gilded brass 1st Cavalry, D Troop hat insignia adorns the front of the hat, which may or may not be original to the hat. As we know its a simple matter to replace the insignia, but having a Cavalry emblem in place is not a bad thing.Please forgive my next use of an over-used descriptive phrase; "difficult to improve upon", but certainly true.