Identified Carbine Cartridge Box Dingee and Lorigan Makers New York / SOLD
Identified Carbine Cartridge Box Dingee and Lorigan Makers New York - Inventory Number: LEA 436 / SOLD
Daniel McEntee - 24 years old. Enlisted on 1/12/1864 at Buffalo, NY as a Priv. On 1/12/1864, he mustered into the Unassigned New York 24th Cavalry.
This identified Civil War carbine cartridge box has great color and finish. The buckles and tabs are in place and a period altered strap on the verso appears to be arsenal done. The interior wood block bored out for twenty carbine cartridges. (Spencer rounds fit perfectly.) The cover shows some minute crazing from flexing and the reverse some handling marks, but no significant flaking or finish loss, some crazing on the reverse.
The inner flap is deeply and crisply stamped, “Dingee & Lorigan / Makers / New York.” Henry A. Dingee was the son of Robert Dingee, a well-known early maker of U.S. army accoutrements. Henry and his brother, Robert Jr., had carried on the business until Robert’s death in 1851, and Henry continued his own thereafter. He had several army and marine corps contracts in the Civil War and partnered with George T. Lorigan on contracts from 1863 to 1865 that included infantry accoutrements in 1863-64 and contracts for 18,550 carbine boxes and 20,000 carbine slings, among other things, starting in May 1864.
The box is a nice example of the universal style of carbine box that became standard, with a removable wood block that could be changed to fit different cartridges, this example has a pencil inscription of “McEntee" on the top of the drilled wooden block. The box has the mid-war style of attaching the latch tab more securely with a rivet and semi-circle of stitching but still conforms to older specifications in having a horizontal belt loop and bottom buckles for use on a shoulder sling that was rarely employed, the vertical belt loops have been replaced with a horizontal strap to mount it on a saber belt or carbine sling. The implement pouch attached to the front of the box is in place, along with its flap and locking tab, again with nice finish.
Identified carbine boxes are tough to find. This one would improve any cavalry display.