Guys, I purchased this off e-Bay. It was listed as an original Mills                                                                                                                                 35 loop 30/40 Krag cartridge belt. I have serious doubts as this this being an original.

First, the belt is in too good a condition to be 100 years old.
Second, the fabric has no old smell to it. It actually has a rather new smell.

The metal fittings are brass and the loops are woven into the belt, not sewn but I just can't believe this is an old, original belt.

How can I be 100% certain before I contact the seller?
Any assistance will be greatly appreciated.

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It looks like the real deal to me.

Your Mills Belt looks like an original to me. I am not aware of any reproductions of the 1905 Patent type 'looped' belts, with 'blackened' brass hardware.

IMHO - It looks original and 'well cared for'. It is likely a 'sporting' belt, (not military).

Looks like its been in good storage since it was young.  Very lightly used.

I guess I'm just old and therefore skeptical, but my guess is that it is not particularly old.  The Mills name existed, I think, for some time after their golden years and I suppose this one could be an "original" and a "Mills".  But some of the details are not as they would have been in a 'military' belt (edge finishes at top and bottom). If brass is stored - even carefully - it usually develops a patina.  That's why DI's always want the brass polished every day.  There is also a color to older brass that is not in the brass of the last 50 years or so.  Your observations are telling.  If it walks like a duck…...
If it was sold only as an "original Mills", I suppose that is possible, but if you were expecting a military belt, I think it's a miss.  I haven't visited my references on the Mills belts for some time so without doing so, I guess I would just be happy that it's a Mills type belt that holds some proper ammo. This could have been a belt manufactured for hunters and for the retail market. But in any case it's a nice looking belt and should be useable for a long time.

Not a Mills scholar but it looks real to me too. Probably never issued, just sat in a warehouse until it got sold off as surplus and added to someones collection. I have a bunch of Mills belts and as we oldsters die off these pristine examples of accoutrements are popping up as our collections are sold off by the heirs. Nice.