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SCARCE ca. 1870’s BOXES OF .41-100 RIMFIRE (LONG)
– WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS COMPANY & UNITED STATES
CARTRIDGE COMPANY ORIGINAL PACKETS: These are
very scarce circa 1870’s packets of .41-100
Rimfire Cartridges, also known as the .41 Rimfire Long.
Introduced about 1873, this caliber was offered in many
of the small frame revolvers and derringers of the
frontier era such as were produced by Ethan Allen, Colt,
Marlin, Remington, Stevens, and many of the
manufacturers of the so-called “Suicide Specials” of the
day made by such companies as American Arms, Ballard,
Brown, Forehand & Wadsworth, Merrimack, Moore, National
Arms, and Prescott to name a few.
These two packets were manufactured by the Winchester
Repeating Arms Company and the United States Cartridge
Company, and both date from the mid 1870’s – quite early
and very difficult to find on today’s market. These two
are fresh from an old Texas collection, where they have
been held for many decades. Gems such as these two
packets seldom surface on the open market, normally
passing quietly from one collection to another, and this
is a unique opportunity to add them to your collection
or to display with your pistol.
The packets are individually described below with
accompanying photographs.
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NO. 1 UNITED STATES CARTRIDGE COMPANY
.41-100 RIMFIRE (LONG) – SCARCE ca. 1870’s – SEALED FULL
BOX: This very desirable and highly collectible
unopened “woodcut” box, ca. 1870’s is in excellent
condition. This box has never been opened and all the
edges, seams and side wrappers are fully intact.
The label graphics feature two wildlife and hunting
scenes, pistols and stacked long guns, and the central
United States Cartridge Company shield emblem. Within
the two ovals on each side of the shield, the red ink
“50 METALLIC CARTRIDGES” and “No. 41 Long 41/100
CALIBRE” callouts have experienced some of the
characteristic fading typical on these early USC Co.
packets, but the text in both ovals is still completely
legible, and all of the other label graphics are fully
legible. The top label is fully intact save for a very
small sliver of the label which is missing from the
bottom left hand edge. This loss does not impact the
graphics or text in any way.
The side wrapper on these USC Co. packets had no caliber
callouts, however “41 Long” is handwritten period script
in ink – likely applied by the merchant who sold this
box as a means of identifying the box by caliber as it
sat on the store shelf.
As this box is sealed and the cartridges cannot be
viewed, I am including a single United States Cartridge
Company.41-100 Rimfire cartridge, the exact type of
cartridge which is in this box. The cartridge is full
form and features the “raised ‘US’ in a circle”
headstamp.
Finding examples of these early boxes which are still
sealed and which retain their full legible labels is
almost becoming a thing of the distant past, and this is
a particularly nice specimen in a very desirable and
difficult to find caliber.
SOLD
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NO. 2 WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS
COMPANY .41-100 RIMFIRE (LONG) – SCARCE ca. 1870’s BOX:
This is a scarce, early box
dating from the mid to late 1870’s, featuring the
“METALLIC CARTRIDGES” callout. The early production of
this box is further confirmed by the use of the
incorrect Stetson’s Patent date of “Oct. 24th,
1871”, the correct date being October 31st.
The box has been opened, and has experienced wear
commensurate with its age. The top label is 98%
complete, all of the printed text is legible, and still
retains the bright label coloring. The label wear to
the top label is restricted to the right end edge and
the minimal loss does not affect any of the label’s
text.
The top lid of the box is missing
both end panels and one side panel. These could be
restored if the new owner so decides, with very minimal
effort. The remaining side panel retains the top half
of the “41. LONG RF” callout. The bottom portion of the
box is fully intact and all the edges and seams are
intact. The box is very solid and retains its shape
with sharp edges.
The box contains 42 of the original 50 cartridges. Each
is headstamped with the early raised “H” in a circle,
and all appear to be original to this box.
Even these partially full boxes from the Frontier era
with nice front labels and the original cartridges are
becoming increasingly difficult to find, and in spite of
the wear this box has experienced, it is still a
respectable specimen of a scarce early Winchester box
which will still display well with one of the small
pocket pistols of the era. SOLD
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