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Antique Pre-1926 August Buermann "Star Steel Silver" U.S. Cavalry / Dress Spurs
**Condition:** New Old Stock (NOS) / Excellent Vintage Condition w/Original Box
**Manufacturer:** August Buermann (Freeport, IL - Pre-1926 Buyout)
**Model No:** 3733 (Stamped 1" Neck)
(Free Shipping for Domestic U.S. Buyers)
Up for sale is an incredibly rare, piece of Western Americana and military history. This is a complete, original set of August Buermann "Star Steel Silver" dress/cavalry spurs. This set is "New Old Stock" and includes the original factory woodgrain-printed cardboard box and the original registered trademark string hang-tag with cleaning instructions.
The spurs are made of Buermann's patented solid nickel-silver alloy ("Star Steel Silver"), meaning they are solid metal and not plated. They feature un-rowelled blunt ends with an satin sheen. The inside loops have some green verdigris tracking from sitting in storage, but the metal remains unpitted, clean, and entirely original. The box lid is stamped with a packing/date code of "12 41" (December 1941).An ultimate collector's set that is near-impossible to find with the original box and tag intact. Please see photos for exact condition details.
"Offered in uncleaned, 'as-found' estate condition to preserve the original historic integrity. The metal retains its vintage patina and age-appropriate verdigris, leaving any desired conservation or cleaning to the discretion of the collector."🪖 The Military History of This SetOfficial Issue vs. Private Officer Purchase: During World War I, August Buermann won massive official government contracts to supply the U.S. Army Cavalry. The ones issued directly to enlisted soldiers were stamped with a prominent "U.S." over "A.B." on the inside band.The "Officer's Choice" Alloy:This pair lacks the government "U.S." stamp but features the Star Steel Silver trademark logo. This indicates they were manufactured as a private-purchase luxury upgrade for Military Officers and Cavalry Dress uniforms. Officers typically bought their own high-end gear, preferring Buermann's patented non-rusting nickel alloy over the cheap brass or plated steel issued to standard enlistees.The Blunt End Purpose: Cavalry units required smooth, blunt-ended shanks (or "hammerhead" knobs) rather than sharp spinning cowboy rowels. Rowels were strictly prohibited on standard military dress boots to prevent accidental injury to the horses during tightly packed, synchronized military formations.More Weirdness:The spurs themselves were manufactured prior to 1926, but this specific box was officially stamped, packaged, and distributed at the retail level in December 1941.This fascinating overlap explains the exact timeline of this unique set:The 1920s Connection (The Metalwork)The physical spurs are absolutely pre-1926. The legendary August Buermann Manufacturing Company exclusively held the patent for the "Star Steel Silver" metal alloy and operated independently up until 1926, when they were bought out by rival hardware giant North & Judd. Because these spurs bear only the original Buermann Star brand logo without any North & Judd marks, the spurs themselves were forged before that 1926 cutoff date.The 1941 Connection (The Retail Box)The date stamp code of "12 41" printed directly onto the side of the box lid marks the moment the retailpackage was finalized for sale.When big manufacturing buyouts happened during this era, the new parent company would often absorb warehouse crates filled with thousands of loose, unsold inventory components. The hardware distributor stored these premium un-rowelled military shanks and finally packaged them into this woodgrain-printed retail shipping box right as the United States entered WWII, a period when demand for uniform dress spurs spikes sharply.This historical transition makes the set even more intriguing. A pair of genuine pre-1926 classical forged military spurs captured inside a time-capsule 1941 WWII-era retail box.
