Brass Napoleon Award New guy needs help identifying items

[Taylor Ratliff]

Woah, you are amazing at finding all of this information. Much better than me probably since I have no idea where to even start aside from searching the forums for links.

 

[Billw12280]

Very nice collection, as @ucvrelics has stated everything looks legit. I do believe the "WAT" on the buff cartridge box sling could also be the soldiers initials as opposed to the inspector's stamp. The lack of rivets on the cartridge boxes point to pre 1864 IIRC. Congratulations and thanks for sharing!

 

[UCVRelics]

Thanks, When it comes to Confederate Veterans items I know a little. He is more than likely in this photo.

 

[Taylor Ratliff]

Thank you Billw12280 for the information. I plan on buying the book that ucvrelics mentioned to get a good foundation of knowledge of these items. I will probably be purchasing many other reference books over the coming years to add because knowledge is power and I gotta work on a personal library. Haha

 

[Taylor Ratliff]

Thanks, When it comes to Confederate Veterans items I know a little. He is more than likely in this photo.
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Well I certainly strive to be as knowledgeable as you are when it comes to this stuff.

 

[UCVRelics]

Thank you Billw12280 for the information. I plan on buying the book that ucvrelics mentioned to get a good foundation of knowledge of these items. I will probably be purchasing many other reference books over the coming years to add because knowledge is power and I gotta work on a personal library. Haha

Before you spend a bunch on books check and see if they are available online for FREE. I like FREE

 

[UCVRelics]

Well I certainly strive to be as knowledgeable as you are when it comes to this stuff.

You need to strive higher than that as I'm just a dumb ole country boy

 

[Taylor Ratliff]

Me too. Haha I will have to check around since I wasn't aware that anyone would offer free PDFs of good reference material. I just figured that I would have to bit the bullet and buy, but I will certainly download free online versions anytime possible.

 

[Taylor Ratliff]

You need to strive higher than that as I'm just a dumb ole country boy

Surely not. Haha

 

[Package4]

Here are some pictures. The pictures might show the sizes being a bit off, so after I took the pictures, I measured them with with the measuring tape on them. The cartridge box with the breast eagle on the black sling is 7.5" x 5.75" x 2" and is marked J A Baker New York. The cartridge box with the white buff sling is 8" x 6.5" x 2"-2.25" and is marked H Dingee N York. This white buff sling is a bit suspect since it is only 2" wide and the other sling is 2.25". Perhaps you guys can enlighten me on it since it looks well weathered to look the part, but there is also a ghosted oval imprint left behind on the white buff sling with three slits where it looks like a belt buckle was put on it and worn for a good time. More pictures and information to come with more items.

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The White buff sling is correct at 2" wide (specification called for 2.25" but buff tends to shrink a bit with age), these slings were made for the M1839 cartridge box, please provide pictures of the obverse of all pieces and we can give you a better idea of what you have. The M1839 box will not have belt loops and are in a .69 caliber configuration. The holster, cap box and cav box all look to be period correct as do the other two boxes, but pictures of the rear will give us more data to date the pieces.

You have a very nice collection going.

 

[Taylor Ratliff]

Sure, I can get pictures of the back side of the items. Give me a minute to go take some pictures.

 

[JOHN42768]

Congrats on some nice items

 

[Package4]

Hello everyone! I am new to the forum and collecting CW relics so I could use your assistance in identifying these cartridge boxes, percussion cap boxes, holster, wooden hammer made by a CW veteran, etc. I know that the the nicest cartridge box with a oval US plate is a Dixie Gun Works reproduction, but I believe that everything else could be original. Any information about these items as well as good reference material that could help me out with this stuff would be greatly appreciated.

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Also you might want to very gently remove the leather throngs from the inside flaps of the boxes and remove the box plates to see if there are markings on the back side of the box plate. You are looking for a manufacturer's stamp and possibly a soldier's carved name.

 

[Taylor Ratliff]

Also you might want to very gently remove the leather throngs from the inside flaps of the boxes and remove the box plates to see if there are markings on the back side of the box plate. You are looking for a manufacturer's stamp and possibly a soldier's carved name.

I haven't gotten that ballsy yet, but curiousity will get to me sooner or later. I have some dug examples that I need to examine the backs of as well that are in a display case. Is it common for them to not have any manufacturer's marks on them?

 

[Taylor Ratliff]

The cartridge box with the buff sling does not have any belt loops so that is good. Would you happen to know why it looks like a three prong oval buckle was put on the buff sling?

 

[Package4]

So as I suspected the white sling box is a M1839 .69 caliber box is original condition, very nice early pre-war box. The WAT are soldier's initials. The other box was manufactured by Laura S. Baker (New York) and is a pattern M1861 box that looks to be .69 caliber and was manufactured in July of 1862. Look closely and I think you will find that it is not J A but L S Baker. The box is fairly rare as only 5000 were made in .69 and another 5000 in .58. Very nice!

 

[Package4]

The cartridge box with the buff sling does not have any belt loops so that is good. Would you happen to know why it looks like a three prong oval buckle was put on the buff sling?

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Box was most likely used by a militia unit and no telling what was put on the shoulder strap, could have been a US oval plate. Looks like an eagle breast plate was on there as well.

 

[UCVRelics]

@Package4 is spot on as the outline is an oval which rules out the early 3 prong 1830 square officers plate so it will have to be a militia plate of some sort as the discoloration doesn't match an eagle breast plate. Now the hunt begins for a militia plate that fits that space for the original plate.

 

[Taylor Ratliff]

So as I suspected the white sling box is a M1839 .69 caliber box is original condition, very nice early pre-war box. The WAT are soldier's initials. The other box was manufactured by Laura S. Baker (New York) and is a pattern M1861 box that looks to be .69 caliber and was manufactured in July of 1862. Look closely and I think you will find that it is not J A but L S Baker. The box is fairly rare as only 5000 were made in .69 and another 5000 in .58. Very nice!

It most likely is L S Baker, and my eyes are just horrible at reading these markings. In my defense, the waxy goo, grime, and verdigris makes it a bit hard to make out the markings, plus the fact that I have no idea of any of the manufacturers so I can't say "yeah that kinda looks like that...". I am however stuck saying " what the....hmm...well maybe if I hold the box at this angle and the light at that angle...hmm...nope, that didn't work...hmmm..." haha

 

[Taylor Ratliff]

@Package4 is spot on as the outline is an oval which rules out the early 3 prong 1830 square officers plate so it will have to be a militia plate of some sort as the discoloration doesn't match an eagle breast plate. Now the hunt begins for a militia plate that fits that space for the original plate.

I like the way you think! But I have absolutely no idea how hard those are going to be to find as well as how much it will cost.