AFGHAN GUN ACCESSORY BELT

[rickystl]

Hello all. Here is a new aquisition. I experienced a weak moment and just had to have this. LOL For now, I'm calling it Afghan since it exibits the typical style and accessories found on these belts. This is quite a neat belt with many accessories, a a couple surprises. I've taken all of the items off the belt to more easily describe and photograph each item. I'll re-attach all the items to the belt in what I think would be a likely manner, and take a couple additional photos with the belt and accessories together. Meantime, hope you enjoy. Here are a bunch of photos. Comments are most welcome. And thanks for looking.
Rick.
Here is a list of the items:

1. Waist Belt. With unusual double tounge and engraved brass buckle.
2. What appears to be semi-armoured crouch protection (?) Decorated brass attached to heavy leather. Really curious about this item.
3.Main charge powder horn, with tilt-up leather spout, which looks like it originally had a slightly longer thumb piece. Made of horn, and still usable. A few granules of black powder were still in the horn.
4. Smaller priming flask with worn, carved decoration, with it's original leather stopper, and VERY COOL decorative leather suspension hanger. Brass buttons say: "Bombay Artillery". Might be war souveniers (?). A few granules of black powder were in this one also. Flask is still usable.
5. Powder measurer with ratten reinforcement and traces of red and green paint. Still usable.
6. Single brass belt hook. There have been discussions in the past as to the purpose of these hooks. Don't recall if it was ever resolved. Possible for just hanging general purpose items (?) Very decorative heavy brass.
7. Hand Steel. For flint and steel firemaking. Has a brass and long leather belt suspension. And even has it's own holster. VERY NEAT !!! Could still be used.
8.Single pocket pouch with decorative brass cover on the flap and ends. Pouch is usable. Inside the pouch was a bunched up piece of old unbleached linen. NEAT !!
9. Slightly smaller pouch with a double pocket inside with similar brass decoration on the flap and ends. Inside the pouch was another small amount of the same linen - and - a small piece of knapped flint, which was likely used with the steel for firemaking. I did not expect, nor was it advertised that there was anything inside the pouches. NICE SURPRISE FOR ME !!

The brass pieces need a bit of careful cleaning. And the leather needs a bit of preservative. I'll do this and re-assemble the belt and take some additional photos. Again, thanks for looking. Rick.

[rickystl]

MORE PHOTOS

[rickystl]

OK MORE PHOTOS

[rickystl]

STILL MORE

[rickystl]

LAST ONES

[kahnjar1]

Hi Rick,
You have to be pleased with this don't you? Took a bit of prodding from a few mates but you got there in the end.
The only comment I can pass apart from the fact that what you have is full of interesting bits, is that the buckle appears to be typical of those from Oman....see pic below.
I have also attached a pic of the full rig from the sellers listing.
Stu

[AJ1356]

Very nice and complete acquisition. I don't believe it is Afghan though, to me it has a lot of Indian aspects to it and I am having a hard time finding any Afghan aspects. The brass work, the birds in the buckle, the circles marks and many others, not to mention the British artillery of Bombay (Mumbai) badges, all scream Indian, maybe even South Indian.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by kahnjar1

Hi Rick,
You have to be pleased with this don't you? Took a bit of prodding from a few mates but you got there in the end.
The only comment I can pass apart from the fact that what you have is full of interesting bits, is that the buckle appears to be typical of those from Oman....see pic below.
I have also attached a pic of the full rig from the sellers listing.
Stu

Salaams kahnjar1....Nice Omani boys belt...These were sometimes made with castings done using cuttlefish bones as the mold.

With Afghan belts it is always interesting as spoils of war often adorn the Afghan belt. Old buttons and parts of Bugles etc...

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Kubur]

Originally Posted by rickystl

Hello all. Here is a new aquisition. I experienced a weak
9. Slightly smaller pouch with a double pocket inside with similar brass decoration on the flap and ends. Inside the pouch was another small amount of the same linen - and - a small piece of knapped flint, which was likely used with the steel for firemaking. I did not expect, nor was it advertised that there was anything inside the pouches. NICE SURPRISE FOR ME !!
Rick.

Hi Rick,

I'm really jaleous, what a very beautiful belt!!
And what a nice surprise, the treasure box...
Beautiful Afghan belt buckle with the typical twin doves...

Best,
Kubur

[Pukka Bundook]

Very interesting to see a complete outfit like this, Rick!

If it Is from Afghanistan, the Bombay 1st and 2nd Mountain Batteries of artillery served there between 1878 and 1881.

To me, it adds up. :-)

More later.

Richard.

[rickystl]

Hello all. Thank you all for your kind comments. Yes, Stu's right. It took a bit of proding from a couple members and a bit of hand holding. Of course, I wanted it. And they said I needed it!!! Some friends. LOL!!
It really is a neat belt assembly. So many neat accessories to study. I'll do a bit of careful cleaning this week.
Stu: Thanks for adding the pic of the assembled belt from the seller. I should have done this first.
Richard: That was also my thinking. It does make sense.

I want to display this belt without using a man sized manikin. So I got the idea of using a coat/hat stand and wraping the center post with bubble wrap to equal about 36" in diameter, and then covering the bubble wrap with red or blue material. Sounds a bit hoaky, but it would also allow me to display this belt, my other Afghan belt and cartridge bandolier, as well as hang my various horns and flasks. But maybe you guys have a better idea?

Rick.

[kahnjar1]

Yep Sounds good. Rather than bubble wrap what about a large diam cardboard or plastic tube and cover that with fabric. Seems to me you would need a large amount of bubble wrap to get to 36"!!
]

[rickystl]

Hi Stu.
I somewhat mis-spoke. I should have said that equal to about a 36" belt size to equal an average man's waist size. LOL So it would not be that much bubble wrap. Yes, the cardboard tube or plastic pipe (pvc pipe) could work. But I thought the bubble wrap idea was good since it would be very light weight and offer some "flex" to snug the belts up and help to keep the belts from sliding downwards.
And as long as I'm at it, I could add this Choora/Pesh Kabz to the belt accessories? What do you think ?

Rick.

[kahnjar1]

Hi Rick,
Nice looking Pesh/Choora. I suspect by the look of it that the scabbard is much newer than the knife. Scabbards are usually decorated but this looks plain. Also is that machine stitching along the bottom?
The Pesh/Choora knife would certainly be in keeping with the belt and you will now also need to add a Khyber Knife (Salawar) to the rig. Looks as if you are going to start collecting blades by default!

[rickystl]

Hi Stu.
Yes, it looks like machine stiching to me. It appears to be an older scabbard with a much latter leather cover. The blade itself is still strong and sharp.
Rick.

[David R]

What struck me was how closely the buckle and other bits resembled the fittings on a Roman military belt of the first Century AD.

[Kubur]

David,

I think that you are more than right.
I had the same thought with the Caucasian belt, so Roman for me.
And I don't talk about the Kindjal and the Roman gladius...
I guess Romans stroke the Caucasian / Central Asian traditions (including Rick's belt, that I suspect to be from Northern Afghanistan).

Kubur

[Kubur]

more clear

[rickystl]

Thank you all for your interest and comments. Much appreciated.
I'll let you know how the coat rack stand idea works out. LOL. It will at least allow me to display a bunch of items in one corner.
Rick.