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MODEL 1839 PISTOL CARTRIDGE BOX – AS ISSUED WITH
THE MODEL 1836 AND 1842 SINGLE SHOT PISTOLS - RARE
SPECIMEN STENCILED “PATTERN” AS USED BY THE CIVILIAN
CONTRACTORS AS A STANDARD SAMPLE: As the army
introduced new models accoutrements and began to let out
contracts for the sets of accoutrements to civilian
manufacturers, the contractors required a pattern piece
to ensure that the pieces they made and delivered would
be accepted by the army. The Ordnance Department
retained the “sealed pattern”, the specific accoutrement
that the Ordnance Department employees had manufactured
to specifications and that had been reviewed and
accepted by the examining board. In order to secure a
working pattern piece to use in their respective work
shops, the contractors were required to send an employee
to the arsenals where the contractor’s employee was
allowed access to the “sealed pattern”, and while at the
arsenal he would make his own pattern piece to take
home. These “pattern” boxes were, and are, extremely
important links in the Ordnance system and are
significant relics documenting the history of the US
Army’s equipment. As you can imagine, these pattern
pieces are quite rare, likely survived in very limited
numbers, and are seldom offered for sale.
The Model 1839 Pistol Cartridge Box, introduced for the
Dragoons to use with the M1842 Aston Pistol, and likely
used with the M1836 Pistols still in service, features a
single tin insert that provides two lower compartments
for full packets of ammunition and 5 smaller
compartments in the upper tier, each to hold four
individual rounds once they are removed from the
packets. As described in the 1841 Ordnance Manual, the
body of the box measures 6.2” long, 1.3” wide, and 3.5”
high. These M1839 Pistol Cartridge Boxes were often
modified through the years to carry different cartridges
by modifying the tin liner or replacing it entirely with
a wooden block drilled to carry the desired rounds,
hence finding one of these early cartridge boxes with
its original liner is very rare, to the point that many
collectors have never had the opportunity to handle a
specimen, much less add one to their collection.
This Model 1839 Pistol Cartridge Box is in very good
condition, showing only minimal evidence of aging. The
belt loops, the interior flap, and the closing tab are
present, intact and full form. The leather surface
throughout is smooth with no flaking or crazing. The
interior of the flap is boldly stenciled in black ink
“PATTERN” so as to identify and keep separate this
pattern piece from the normal production boxes and keep
track of this valuable asset in the contractor’s shop.
The correct tin liner is present. One of the upper
dividers is loose, but present and the other three
dividers are intact. There is no evidence that the
brass oval “US” plate was ever attached to this
cartridge box as the slots for the plate are still tight
and show no wear. This is not surprising as the plate
would have been secured from a separate contractor and
would have had no direct bearing on the manufacture of
the leather box. The proper plate, the same plate used
on the carbine cartridge box measuring 2.8” by 1.6”,
could be obtained and added if you so desired.
This rare collectable is very appealing on several
levels – by being an excellent example of the important
pattern boxes and contractor system, and as an excellent
example of the early, rare M1839 Pistol Cartridge Box –
making this piece an important addition to even an
advanced accoutrement or Dragoon era collection.
SOLD
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