Confederate Enlistedmens Spurs, Shank Buttons -Or- Slots?

[IrishRifles]

I am looking for a light, thin pair of reproduction Confederate enlistedmens spurs. I had a pair of Richmond spurs that had slots on the ends of the shanks for securing it to the boot. I see some have buttons on the shank. The Richmond spurs were big, heavy and had sharp squared edges that would dig into the heels of the boots when worn. Because it had slots, it would make the spurs fat at the shank ends due to the leather straps threaded through the slots would not lay flush as it rested on the sides of the heels. I was wondering if anyone knows of a set that is of the period but has buttons instead of slots.

[Ross L. Lamoreaux]

THE man in the know is Ken Knopp at www.confederatesaddles.com. He has tons of research info on that subject. My very limited research has never turned up a pair like that, but they did become very popular in the Florida and Texas cattle industry from the 1880's to today. Go to Ken's site, and if you can't find it, send him a message.

[TB1861]

There is a small book by Howard R. Crouch, Historic American Spurs, that shows one pair of CS marked spurs with buttons, also a few excavated civilian spurs with buttons. Do some research and you will find that English spurs have changed little since the 18th century and they may be an option. I don't know of any reproduction for the reenacting market of button type spurs much less a copy of the Confederate version.

[IrishRifles]

I researched Robert E. Lee wore spurs that had buttons on the shanks. I found these on the above suggested web site.


Pair of Confederate spurs. With leather straps. Ownership of spurs attributed to William Dawson Brown, by previous owner. Size without leather: 3 1/2''w x 4 3/4''l