These are the extremely rare 'Gideon Robinson/ Patented/ Dec. 2d 1862' Civil War Shoulder Straps signifying the rank and service of Major US Infantry.

 

The patented technology utilized in this strap is the wrapped wire trim, turned and twisted to appear to be the different grades of bright and dull trim. See the published reference book; ‘Straps, The Evolution of United States Army Shoulder Straps’ by Dr. H. G. Lanham, pages 43-45.

 

The straps are in excellent shape with very readable patent info on rear of each. A single strap is sized at approximately 1 5/8th inch wide and about 4 ¼ inches long. The wire trim is very compact and has some visible height coming up off the strap body. The straps are identical when viewed from the front.

 

From the rear both show the correct and original Patented Info. One strap is stenciled on the body with remains of what might be glue, while the other has the stencil added to a thin backing that has been applied to the strap body. Each has a small cost label on rear. The strap bodies are the same, the back just appears different. I'm sure Robinson was experimenting on how to mark these straps when selling.

 

A through review of the images shows all the correct and rare details. These straps have great condition and are an extremely rare type not normally seen in the collecting field.