This regulation Model 1839 US cartridge box plate is excavated, but was carefully cleaned, giving a fairly pleasing non-excavated look to the face, but with the reverse showing an uneven surface and present, but bent and rusty loops, making clear it was dug. The face now shows a slightly lighter patina to the raised surfaces of the letters and rim, and slightly darker patina in the recesses, which is pretty natural from handling. There are some light scratches, a half-dozen small dings to the letters, and few dings to the edge, but nothing distracting. The letters and rim are well defined. The reverse is a mottled light and dark gray, the more oxidized lower spots showing whiter. The loops are present, but flattened, and showing brown from oxidation which has stained some the lead-solder fill beneath them.

These plates were introduced in 1839 as both ornamental and practical, in helping keep the cartridge box flap down if left unlatched. They were standard issue to infantrymen until mid-1864 when the new pattern boxes omitted them as cost-saving measure and substituted a simple embossed US in an oval in the leather flap, though many, perhaps most, infantry continued to wear their older pattern gear.    [sr] [PH:L]

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