December 10-13, 2024 Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/10/2024
Another example of an American Revolutionary War cartridge box copied from the 18-hole British "pouches" furnished to Highland, some British light infantry and also Provincial (Loyalist) troops during the war, which were fitted with 18-hole wooden cartridge blocks, with a tinned-iron tray underneath for additional round, spare flints and cleaning supplies. However, as with the other 18-hole American box in the Kochan collection, it exhibits various stop-gap innovations in construction due to wartime supply shortages, notably harness buckles, leather and tinned-iron. Rather than the somewhat elaborate system of leather tabs to secure the shoulder belt as on the other example, this one instead eschews a fitting system entirely. Instead, the 1 3/4 in. W shoulder belt of black, harness leather is instead sewn into the seam joining the flap with the back panel of the box, which at some later in the use history of this box, the belt was cut off 2 3/4 inches out from the same on each side, the remaining short lengths folded back and sewn to the back panel, thereby creating loops for attaching to a waistbelt. A brass stud is used in lieu of a leather button for securing the flap's retention tab and a tray made of wood is utilized instead of one of tinned-iron. The box is slightly reduced in all proportions, beginning with a smaller pine block: 8 7/8 in. L x 2 5/8 in. H x 1 7/8 in. drilled with 18 holes of 3/4 in. diameter. There are three, original "platform" flints in the small flint pocket sewn to the top of the front panel. CONDITION: Overall very good for age and materials; edge wear and scuffing to the leather, the flap retention tab or strap's slit has opened at the edge.