Rare Revolutionary War American Militia Waist Box C. 1775-1820

When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Rare Revolutionary War American Militia Waist Box C. 1775-1820:
$545.00

Rare Revolutionary War American Militia Waist Box C. 1775-1820. This example is in excellent shape and is roughly 10\" wide by 4\" high by 3 1/4\" deep. Leather is supple and pliable. Slightly worn, some crazing on back straps. Please see photos. It is missing the two nails on the bottom of the box to attach the straps to the box. It appears these nails came out may times and were replaced in period. This would have been the weakest point on the box and would have seen considerable wear. This has fantastic patina on all the nails and great brass tacks. Absolutely excellent rose head nails on the box. Leather nailed to box. Good patina on wood block with a 9-8-7 set up and the holes measureover 3/4\"; being able to accommodatelarge rounds ie Charleville or Brown Bess. Flap shape reminiscent of English styling on boxes in Williamsburg Collection etc. Small pair of lines, not cuts in front flap. These boxes are hard to date. Neumann/Kravic dates them to 1775-1820. Some believe that most waist boxes are attributed to the war of 1812, with few from the Rev War. It is a difficult call. I did recently read an article in the Journal of the American Revolution with a description of American soldiers by a French Observer. He stated that the American soldiers used a lot of waist boxes, often preferred them and even converted shoulder boxes to waist boxes. The British used largely waist boxes during the war. I know some confusion on accoutermentscomes from the interpretationof the ContinentalArmy during Lafayette\'s return Tour and during the first centennialin 1876. Please feel free to ask any questions or contribute. This come from an old upstate New York Collection, recently broken up. Also, on close inspection, 5 of the tacks are of a different style than the others. They look to be replacementtacks. They are still old with patina, but are not like the others. I am uncertain on the age of these tacks. Can see them on the back of the box. Look to be added for reinforcementto weak spots on the straps and flap
Extra: Going through some old notes. Once Saw an old box with brass tacks attributedto the first Seminole war because the collector thoughts it was a \"copy\" by a militiaman admiringthe Indian decoration. The block was a rectangle unlike this one. Also, saw pictures of another with brass tacks, attributedto a Pennsylvania militiamen likely Rev War. Very difficultto placeI guess. Just passing along.