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exit55 · ‎01-31-2022

Can someone tell me what this is? I came out of a trunk that belonged to a WWI veteran. It has his leather skull cap in the trunk along with other items (letters, etc) so I know it is WWI. Veteran was in aviation per family. Item is leather. Approximately 12" long. Opening at top(?) is approximately 6" X 2 ".

lalja · ‎01-31-2022

You have leather motorcycle or horse riding shin guards (gaiters).

The pictured set is probably horse related as they appear to be brown and have a stippled finish (US WW1 motorcycle guards were black and had a smooth finish).

Gaiters of this type were also widely used in the private sector (horse, motorcycle messenger and etc.)

If your guards are military issue, they should have an embossed "US" stamp on the inside.

Your item seems to be in very decent condition.
Hope I helped.

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lalja · ‎01-31-2022

You have leather motorcycle or horse riding shin guards (gaiters).

The pictured set is probably horse related as they appear to be brown and have a stippled finish (US WW1 motorcycle guards were black and had a smooth finish).

Gaiters of this type were also widely used in the private sector (horse, motorcycle messenger and etc.)

If your guards are military issue, they should have an embossed "US" stamp on the inside.

Your item seems to be in very decent condition.
Hope I helped.

maxine*j · ‎01-31-2022

Looks like one of a pair of leather puttees, or gaiters, to me. Do a Google image search along that line.

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maxine*j · ‎01-31-2022

Sorry cross-post.

And, yes, you are right that they are gaiters. I said "puttees" or gaiters, only because so many people now seem to use the words interchangeably (altough they shouldn't) so in seaches for comparabes, it's good to use both. If OP has only one,. though, it may be a tough sell.

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