🔎 UNIDENTIFIED Cartridge Box?

fyrffytr1

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Mar 5, 2010
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Southwest Georgia
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Can anyone tell me anything about this cartridge box that was given to me? It is 7 inches wide and 5 inches tall. The front rivet is rough and there is no design on it.
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Generally, cartridge-boxes tend to have square corners at the bottom and (percussion) cap-boxes tend to have rounded corners at the bottom. That rule-of-thumb indicates your find is a cap-box. However, measuring 7"-by-5" is way too large to be just for holding percussion-caps.

In addition to the odd rounded corners, the brass closure-finial being "cork-shaped" suggest it is either not an American-made version or it predates the civil war era by a lot.

(BTW, I have never seen a Confederate-made cartridge or cap-box with a cork-shaped closure finial.)

We need a good photo showing its back, because cap-boxes and cartridge-boxes were worn on the soldier's waistbelt (or sword-belt).
 

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Generally, cartridge-boxes tend to have square corners at the bottom and (percussion) cap-boxes tend to have rounded corners at the bottom. That rule-of-thumb indicates your find is a cap-box. However, measuring 7"-by-5" is way too large to be just for holding percussion-caps.

In addition to the odd rounded corners, the brass closure-finial being "cork-shaped" suggest it is either not an American-made version or it predates the civil war era by a lot.

(BTW, I have never seen a Confederate-made cartridge or cap-box with a cork-shaped closure finial.)

We need a good photo showing its back, because cap-boxes and cartridge-boxes were worn on the soldier's waistbelt (or sword-belt).
The second and third pictures in my original post are of the back. The second is with the belt strap closed over the finial and the third is holding the flap open to see the back.
 

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Seems about the right size for an artillery fuse box. This one is 6 x 5 inches. Civil War era.

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What would be the purpose of the small pouch inside? Could this have been for round balls and the inner pouch held the percussion caps?
 

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I'm reminded of a percussion cap pouch. Always find those brass filal tips from the bottom in Civil war sites.
 

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And. while I am at it here is the rest of the stuff I was given. Some date to the CW and others are post war like two of the buttons. I don't think the powder flask is military.View attachment 2038951View attachment 2038952View attachment 2038953View attachment 2038954View attachment 2038955View attachment 2038956View attachment 2038957View attachment 2038958
I think the last button is a Marine Corps circa 1850's . Also the wooden blob mass has a civil war bullet worm...is that gold nuggets?
 

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I think the last button is a Marine Corps circa 1850's . Also the wooden blob mass has a civil war bullet worm...is that gold nuggets?
The thing in the wood is a bullet. I think it was varnished a long time ago to preserve it. The Marine button is from the 1900s.
 

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I've never found dice while detecting, those sure would be sweet to find one day. :thumbsup:
Dave
 

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