^Lot 3355 RARE CIVIL WAR 10-TUBE BLAKESLEE "QUICK LOADER"

SPENCER CARTRIDGE BOX FOR CAVALRY.Dubbed "Quick Loader" by the soldiers, this cartridge box was an invention of Col. of Erastus Blakeslee, commander of the 1st Connecticut Cavalry, a unit who was armed with Spencer carbines in early 1864. He recognized the need to enhance the effectiveness of this weapon while on horseback. The box, which was carried on a strap over the shoulder, contained 10 removable tin tubes, each of which held 7 .56-50 Spencer cartridges. The 7 tubed cartridges could be inserted into the magazine about as quickly as a single round. This provided the cavalryman with awesome firepower of 77 rapid-fire rounds for the additional weight of only 7 pounds. This is one of 32,000 boxes produced in 1864-65 by Emerson Gaylord of Chicopee, Massachusetts under army ordnance contracts. Over 20,000 of these were sold as surplus to the French government at the time of the Franco-Prussian war, most survivors are in poor condition, this fine cartridge box is an original and authentic complete example that would be difficult to upgrade. CONDITION: about as nice as you will find a Civil War leather accoutrement, fine markings, leather retaining most of its original black dyed surface with scuffing on edges, closure tab is broken off, all 10 removable tin tubes, & its original strap are intact. PROVENANCE: David Berenson estate collection. (02-27317/JS). NON-GUN. $4,000-6,000.