This is an original, opened package of Federal artillery friction primers. The pack consists of a drilled wood block, containing five friction primers, wrapped completely in dark blue paper. The blue wrapper had printed on the front surface, “5 / [image of primer] / FRICTION PRIMERS / FRANKFORD ARSENAL / 1864”. The printing was done in black ink which now makes many of these packs difficult to read. The rectangular package measures 2¼” long x 1½” wide x ¾” high. Package has been opened on both ends and the primers are visible.

Friction primers are short copper tubes filled with black powder used to fire Civil War-era cannons. The primers were used by placing one into the vent hole at the breech of a cannon and pulling a jagged piece of wire (with a long rope lanyard) through the top of the primer to ignite a flammable compound. This, in turn, would ignite the powder charge in the artillery piece.

Entire paper box is in original condition and has been opened to show primers.  [jet]

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