Late 19th Cent. U.S. Cavalry Leather Razor Strop

C-18847 c. 1880s-1890s; Henry Sears & Son - Chicago, IL Heavy leather razor strop constructed for straight-razor honing and maintenance, featuring a long, tapered body with reinforced ends and original metal hanging hardware. One end is fitted with a swiveling ring and stitched leather tab embossed "U.S. Cavalry Strop, " while the opposite end bears a maker's stamp reading "Henry Sears & Son - 1865," referencing the firm's founding year rather than the production date. The working surface shows extensive use wear, consistent with prolonged sharpening and stropping. Henry Sears & Son was a prominent American cutlery manufacturer and importer operating in Chicago in the late 19th century, known for high-quality razors, knives, and barber tools often produced using German or Sheffield steel...