(2) SPUR BOOK DESCRIPTION:  The late Howard Crouch did groundbreaking work on American spurs in his book, Historic American Spurs, which, until 2015, represented the only available reference on Civil War used spurs.  Enter the 2015 FIRST Edition of Confederate, US and Other Civil War Used Spurs, which took Crouch's works a quantum leap forward.  Many thought that the First Edition was the be-all and end-all of the word on CW used spurs.  But, as good as Confederate, US & Other Civil War Used Spurs is, there can never be an end to the research on so vast a subject until the very last spur is found, identified, and researched!

Until then - and don't hold your breath - the SECOND EDITION of Confederate, US and Other Civil War Used Spurs (see other items for the reader with a serious interest in CW used spurs) makes a great leap for mankind and takes the First Edition to an even higher level!  The Second Edition contains over TWICE the material as the first.  Because of the increase in photographs and narrative, the Second Edition had to be ENLARGED to 8.5 x 11 inches with two columns per page compared with the 5.5 x 8.5-inch, single-columned First Edition.  And, as with the First Edition, the 2nd is replete with full color photographs of spurs, multiple examples of the same type spurs to show variations, and close-up details of their features.

The four chapters of the First Edition are expanded to five in the Second.  But you miss the new Chapter 1 that shows how spurs are cast and made and that presents examples of a wide variety of SPUR STRAPS that greatly aid in identification of CW era spurs.  The chapters of the First Edition are as follows:

Chapter 1 describes Confederate spurs and details how to distinguish them from post-war look-alikes by examining features such as rowels, strap plates, and file and sanding marks.  While retaining Crouch’s classification system, such as CS 1 for the Richmond Spur, CS 2 for the Brandy Station spur and so on, and the various features of CS spurs are used to achieve these classifications and to allow other, previously unknown, spurs to now be classified as Confederate.

Chapter 2 examines non-CS or non-US government issue private purchase and civilian spurs, the varieties of which are virtually endless.  These spurs were used by both Confederates and Federals alike.  Some are petite, but were unquestionably used by cavalry and some are large and heavy-duty and may well represent as-yet unidentified CS spurs.

Chapter 3 concentrates on US spurs, the core of which is based on the US Model 1859. There were a great many makers of US 1859-style spurs and several new varieties are identified and examined. Any collection of US spurs is not complete without these, and many of the handful of known examples have already been auctioned away at the June Heritage action, and the rest patiently await you at the December 2020 and February 2021 actions.  Other US-type spurs, such as Eagle Spurs, Dolphin Spurs, and more, are also examined.

Chapter 4 wraps up the study on spurs by examining Colonial and Mexican spurs. Colonial spurs were often called upon to return to duty in the Civil War when the cavalryman found a pair in grandpa’s trunk in the attic.  Mexican spurs are not an obvious Civil War spur, but a great many of these that were brought home from the Mexican War in the late 1840s were again called to service during the Civil War.

SORRY, NO INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING!  The small markup on this book just does not allow me to spend the time researching international postage costs on an individual basis.  Further, international shipping requires me to make a special trip to the Post Office so as to complete a customs form.