CIVIL WAR ARTILLERY PASS BOX

CIVIL WAR ARTILLERY PASS BOX

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$550.00 ON HOLD

Quantity Available: 1

Item Code: 2026-9592

This is one of three original Civil War pass boxes we recently obtained from the artillery section of an old, well-respected collection that includes a lot of material bought directly off Bannerman’s Island or through their Blue Point Long Island operation, opened after closure of their New York City store. Wood pass-boxes were used to carry the powder charge from the magazine to an artillery piece in fortifications and gun emplacements. Needless to say, it was rather important to prevent sparks, flying embers or debris from cannon firing in the fort from igniting any fresh cloth cartridges and these wood boxes with a carrying handle and hinged lid served that purpose for the heavy guns, much as the gunner’s haversack did for field artillery.

Gibbon’s 1860 Artillerist’s Manual describes them as follows: “Pass-Box.—This is a box used to carry the cartridges to guns in garrison or sieges. It is made of white pine, the sides and ends dovetailed together, and the bottom let in between the sides, and nailed to them and the ends. The top is fastened on with two butt hinges, and kept closed by a strong hook and staple. A wooden handle is fastened with screws diagonally on one end, by which the box is carried.” We show a Civil War photo of a 100-pdr Parrott Rifle with one of the gun crew holding one of these just under the muzzle.

This retains much of its original olive drab paint, one side only showing abrasions and shallow chips. The lid is missing, but it is clear where the hinges were located and the fastening hook is there. - most of these survived as simple, useful storage crates on Bannerman’s island or one of their basements- and the diagonally mounted carrying handle is still in place on one end, as specified by Gibbon.  This measures 15 ¾” not including the handle, 10 ¾” wide, and 11 ¾” deep.

This is rare survivor that would look good in any artillery display, especially one focused on heavy guns or a particular fortification or siege.     [sr][ph:L]

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