Paymaster General Cased Epaulets

Description

Paymaster General Cased Epaulets, in the original Japanned tin with RIDABOCK & CO. 141 GRAND ST. NEW YORK label on lid.

Unidentified by name, but regulations state beginning in 1896, the “silver blind buttonhole” insignia for the Paymaster Department was used on the Paymaster General’s epaulet strap, the assistant PM Gen. had the insignia on the pad of the shoulder knot.  The highest rank in this era for the Paymaster General of the US Army was a brigadier general.

These epaulets are high quality and in excellent condition. Each one has a silver bullion star in high relief sewn to a golded yellow wool ground, and the false embroidered “blind buttonhole” insignia is applied half way on the epaulet strap. The buttons are also high relief screw types and have no maker marking.

Gilt tape, and bullion wire overall is excellent with hardly any stress or soiling to be seen except for a couple of bullions strands missing on one epaulet, and hard to notice.

The undersides are a combination of red velvet and Moroccan leather. Some stress tears from use on the leather, by minimal comparatively.

Without a name, these could be U.S. Army or State used. For informational purposes, the only general officers that these may have belonged to in the U.S. Army are:

• Brigadier General T.H. Stanton. 27 March, 1895 to 30 January, 1899.
• Brigadier General A.B. Carey.    30 January, 1899 to 12 July, 1899.
• Brigadier General A.E. Bates.    12 July, 1899 to 22 January, 1904.

The new Army uniform regulations changed in 1902, as well as the look of these PM Gen. epaulets, so this is the complete list for the general’s this set may have belonged to in the U.S. Army.  I am assuming the most of the state paymaster generals used the army pattern. so the list grows significantly.

This set is extremely scarce. and a most valuable addition to an Army insignia collection.