Original Item: Only One Available. This is a lovely and surprisingly very good condition Civil War cartridge box. It features a cleanly embossed “US” on the outer flap and has a cleanly stamped manufacturer’s mark and inspectors mark on the inside closure flap.
F.A. SNIFFEN
U.S.
ORD. DEPT
SUB INSPECTOR
R. NECE
 
Reuben Nece, of Philadelphia Pennsylvania received a contract to supply 33,000 cartridge boxes from 1863 to 1865.
 
The cartridge box is "Pattern July 1864", Type II, "US" is embossed on the flap, Type II means there are two internal flaps. The July 1864 boxes discontinued use of the earlier ornamental brass box plate, replacing it with an oval "US" embossed on the flap. Type II pattern has inside flap covering the implements, plus a second flap covering the tins, this flap having been reinstated with Type II following elimination in the Type I design. This was the last cartridge box for the rifled musket, weapon development was moving to breech loaders of smaller caliber. The belt straps are centered, sewn and riveted on. The latch tab is sewn and riveted and has a brass pear shaped finial. Two roller buckles are sewn and riveted onto the bottom. Every component is original to the cartridge box, even the tins are original to the box and are of the same equal height and sit flush next to each other. The outer black finish has some cracking which is expected for finished leather this old and the rivets do have some minor verdigris around them as well as the other brass fixtures.