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| Legend: BP=Black Powder, 2pc=Two piece lift-top box, Sld=Sealed, Lbl=Label, Pr=Primer HS=Headstamp, NHS=No Headstamp Color Codes: BL, GRN, WH, YEL, BLK, PLD (PLAID), ETC. |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Caliber | Description | $ | |
| Colt Cartridge Works,
"10 PATENT METALLIC FOIL / Cartridges for Col. Colt's Patent REVOLVING BELT PISTOL Containing 10 |
Colt Cartridge Works,
"10 PATENT METALLIC FOIL / Cartridges / for Col.
Colt's Patent / REVOLVING BELT PISTOL / Address / Sam Colt's Cartridge
Works / Hartford, Conn." One of the rarest of all Colt packets is this SEALED packet of "Tinfoil powder envelope cartridge in soft wrapper, 1855-1858" as described in Malloy, Thomas and White's Percussion Ammunition Packets, p.10 fig.28. The rarity is graded "E" (EXTREMELY RARE") on page 127 of the same reference work. It is said that this packet is one of 3 known and meant enough to the authors, who were (and remain today) considered the leading experts in these packets, to make it one of the 3 pictured on the dust jacket of the most respected reference work ever written on percussion packets. Included in the price is this single example taken from an identical (but open) packet found with the sealed packet shown. I am personally aware of individual cartridges such as these having sold as high as $800 (and that was some years ago). I'm told that there have been sales more recently as high as $1000! As RARE an example of American cartridge history as anything I've ever handled!
|
$10,950 |
|
| .31 "Col. Colt's Patent Revolving Pocket Pistol" | Colt Cartridge Works, drilled
wooden block 6-pkt with full covering intact as well as the wire-pull for
opening. Label overlaps front edge as can be seen in the pix. Truly
"EXCELLENT" condition as opposed to so many that have been opened and pasted
back and are missing the wire.
 |
$425 sold |
|
| .31 "Col. Colt's Patent Revolving Pocket Pistol" | Colt Cartridge Works, drilled
wooden block 6-pkt. The paper covering is all there with no chips or breaks
and the copper wire-pull remains intact. Nice!
 |
$385 |
|
| .31 "For Colt's or Remington's Revolving Pocket Pistol" | H. W. Mason (according to
Malloy, Thomas and White's Percussion Ammunition Packets, pp28-29, fig.95).
Sealed & tight, been in my collection for over 25 years!
|
$385 |
|
| .36 "Col. Colt's Patent Revolving Belt Pistol" | Colt Cartridge Works, drilled
wooden block 6-pkt with full covering intact. The exterior part of the
wire-pull is missing but its presence is visible and obvious beneath the
right end paper. Label overlaps front edge as can be seen
in the pix. An exceptionally clean specimen!
 |
$425 |
|
| 36 "Col. Colt's
Patent New Model Revolving Police Pistol" |
Colt's Cartridge Works, "Col. Colt's Patent /
New Model / Revolving Police Pistol". Drilled
wooden block 5-pkt, SEALED, with full covering intact. Malloy, Thomas & White, pg 13, Fig. 50. Honest, "EXCELLENT" condition" as opposed to so many that have been opened and pasted back. Nice!  |
$425 |
|
| 36 Colt Pkt |
Colt Cartridge Works. "6 Combustible Envelope
Cartridges...for / Col. Colt's Patent / Revolving Belt Pistol..."
SEALED, no tears or splits, copper wire-pull in place at right end. NICE!
 |
$475 |
|
| 36 Colt Pkt |
D.C. Sage. "Six Seamless Skin / CARTRIDGES / for Colt,
Whitney, or Remington's / NAVY PISTOLS.../...Hotchkiss Patent, Feb. 11th,
1862." SEALED, with pull-string in place, EXCEPTIONAL!  |
$500 |
|
| 36 Cal. Skin Ctdg Packet |
D.C. Sage. "Six Seamless Skin Cartridges, w/
percussion caps, for Colt's, Whitney, or Remington's Navy Pistol, 36-100
Caliber." Drilled wooden block packet of 6. Clean, SEALED, about as nice as they come!  |
$475 |
|
| 36 "Colt's Navy Pistol" | "Robert Chadwick, Mfr."
Scarce packet! While the word "Pistol" is mostly missing due to the
fragility of the paper label covering, the integrity of the box is excellent
with absolutely no splits or breaks in the paper along the top as frequently
seen. String-pull is also intact.
[Has been in my collection for over 25 years!] |
$315 |
|
|
36/38-100 cal. Combustible Ctdgs for Remington's Navy Revolver |
Johnston & Dow. "Combustible Ctdgs / for Remington's
Navy Revolvers, cal. 38-100 / Patented Oct 1st, 1861". Packet of 6,
factory-sealed, with string pull intact. Nice!!
 |
$475 sold |
|
| 36 Whitney or Colt | Civil War era wood-block
packet, wrapped & SEALED with string-pull intact. For the Whitney or Colt's
Mod 1851 Navy revolvers.
[From my personal collection] |
$525 |
|
| 36 Colt, Whitney or Remington's Navy Pistol | D.C. Sage. Another Civil War
packet, these are the desirable "Hotchkiss Patent" (of Feb 11, 1862)
"Seamless Skin Cartridges", wrapped & SEALED in a wood-block pkt of six. 
|
$450
|
|
| 36 Whitney (or Colt or Remington) Navy Pistol |
D.C. Sage. Yet another (and
different) Civil War
.36 Cal. Navy packet, with the desirable "Hotchkiss Patent" (of Feb 11, 1862)
"Seamless Skin Cartridges", wrapped & SEALED in a wood-block pkt of six
ctdgs with
string-pull intact. |
$485 |
|
| 41 Volcanic | Nice, clean specimen with hollow base. Shows light oxidation but looks from all angles as seen in pics.  |
$150 |
|
|
44 Colt Packet (REPRO) |
Paul R. Murphy, Boston Mass. This packet of 6 reproduction
.44 Colt "Combustible Envelope Cartridges", while not a risk to being passed
off as a genuine, "period" packet, it is minty and quite possibly (and feels
like) it contains repro cartridges (unlike the phony packets going around).
Measures
2-7/8" x 1-5/8"
x 1/2".
|
$185 |
|
| 44 Colt Army Packet |
 Hazard Powder Co. Top line: "Pressed Waterproof" (which can't be seen in pic because of reflection on wrap). "Patented March 18, 1862". Nicely sealed soft pack. Has darkening at lower left and missing small bit of upper right label ("F" in "WATERPROOF"), but over-all is in very nice shape for one of these scarcer soft-packs (over 150 yrs old!). The largest of these Colt packets, these 44s are always the most expensive, usually ranging in the $500-600 area for common ones, more for rarer ones. This one priced at the level of a common .36 Colt pkt! |
$350 sold |
|
| 44 Colt 1861 Army/ Dragoon |
Johnston & Dow, NYC.
"Waterproof & Combustible / CARTRIDGES / Cal. 46-100, with Percussion Caps,
/ For Colt's Army Revolvers, Cal. 44-100. / Patented Oct 1st, 1861, Jan 7th,
and June 24th, 1862." Early Civil War soft-pack of 6, SEALED. 
(Scanned, not photo'd.) [From my personal
collection] |
$650 |
|
| 44 Colt & Rem | Frankford Arsenal, "Martin"
[primed] Cartridges, For Colt's
and Remington's Army Revolvers". Very early (1st year) SEALED 12-pack, dtd
June, 1871. Pull string intact w/ none of the common edge splits. NOT a
glued-edge, repaired packet as are so many of these.
[From
my personal collection.] |
$875 |
|
| 44 Colt & Rem | As above:
"Frankford Arsenal, Martin
[primed] Cartridges, For Colt's
and Remington's Revolvers. Very early (1st year) SEALED 12-pack, dtd June,
1871. Pull string intact w/ none of the common edge splits.
NOT a glued-edge, repaired packet as are so many of these."
HOWEVER--as you can see from the close-up photo of the bottom edge of
this box (pic below), it was common for box labels, which were coated
with a waterproofing like shellac, to stick to one another in the wooden
crates in which they were packed & shipped.
This box evidently lost several letters of the word "Cartridges" when the box above it in the crate was removed. Then someone with an artistic bent reprinted the word so the labeling looks totally original upon all but the closest inspection. In fact, the previous owner, a very discerning, quality conscious collector, never noticed it during all the years he owned it. You will happy with it as well, especially at this price!
|
$775 |
|
| 44 Colt & Rem | Frankford Arsenal "For Colt's
and Remington's Revolvers". Early SEALED pkt of 12, dtd January 1873.
Pull string intact. Spot on upper rt edge
(visible in scan) is a drop of the original shellac coating. Rare in any
condition, especially so this nice!
|
$950 |
|
| 44 Henry | New Haven Arms (predecessor
to Winchester). Circa 1863-65, these rare New Haven labelings are the "true"
Henry boxes. Winchester evolved from New Haven Arms in 1866 at roughly the
same time they introduced their new Model 1866, the Company's successor to
the Henry Rifle. This particular box is reportedly from an original
(partial) case found in the basement of the Browning Bros' Ogden, Utah
building in the 1870s. The outstanding condition of this box does nothing to
belie that claim. The cartridges also appear entirely native to the box.
This is the exact box pictured at the top of pg 31 of Giles & Shuey and has
been in my personal collection since the 1980s. Similar boxes in less
condition have sold at auction in recent years for in excess of $12,000. Own
the best for display with your Henry!
 [More pix on request but there are no other labels on these boxes.] |
sold | |
| 44 S&W's Army Revolver (44 S&W American) |
Frankford Arsenal, Aug 1871.
Martin primed (preceded Benet priming). Possibly the earliest such dated box
FA box after the discontinued National Armory labelings (pls read next
listing below). Sealed, with string-pull in place. Exceptional!
|
$785 sold |
|
| 44 S&W's Army Revolver (44 S&W American) |
National Armory. "For Smith &
Wesson's Army Revolver". Very scarce, early (April 1871) SEALED box of "Martin-primed"
cartridges. The National Armory, founded in Spfld MA in 1777, was George
Washington's concept designed to safeguard our young nation's armament from
the British. The last dated ammo I have seen from Nat'l Armory is 1871, the
year of this box. Thereafter everything is from Frankford Arsenal. Aside
from a minor flaw in the upper left corner, the box is tight with intact
pull string and no seam splits. This is a real piece of our
country's history! [This packet is virtually identical to 3 other such packets sold during the past 5 years off this very page. You may recognize that I have not changed the description from the original listing: it is reprinted here exactly as it appeared then, except for the "minor flaw" & a much lower price (was $950)]. 
(click to enlarge) |
$675 |
|
|
45 Colt Oct 1873 (RARE 1st date!!) |
Frankford Arsenal. The very first
of these month-dated Colt packets which began with this one and ended with
Aug 1874. Making this date series even rarer is the fact there are no known
packets dated May or July, 1874. Beyond these dates the packets were of the
lighter Schofield loading and were only year-dated, 1875 being the
earliest. Further, the "Colt" call-out was then dropped and "Revolver Ball"
became the official title of the cartridge. Have only had 3 (and only seen
4) of these in 30 years. This one, incidentally, was bought some years ago
from Ray Bentley whose fabulous collection has now been cataloged for
auction by James Julia/Morphy's. The condition is sound & tight on all sides
with no splits and the string pull perfectly in place.
|
sold |
|
|
45 Colt Nov 1873 |
Frankford Arsenal. While Oct 1873 is the
earliest of these packets, it is virtually unobtainable making this Nov
offering the earliest of the dates that (occasionally, at least) come on the
market. Sealed, with pull string and all seams intact. The variance in
coloration of these packets is due to to the uneven lacquer coating used to
weatherproof them.Nice!
|
sold |
|
|
45 Colt Dec 1873 |
Frankford Arsenal. These early
Benet-primed "Colt's Revolver, Cal; .45" (pre-Schofield) packets were
month-dated from Oct 1873-Aug 1874 only. Thereafter, the .45 "Revolver Ball"
cartridges, which were shorter and less powerful to accommodate use in the
S&W Schofield as well as the Colt, were year-dated till 1882. This box is dated December 1873, the 1st month of actual Colt SAA
shipments from the factory. This box is still SEALED w/ string-pull intact!
The variance in coloration of these packets is due to to the uneven lacquer
coating used to weatherproof them.This is one
of the most sought-after of ALL Colt packets!
|
$1250 |
|
|
45 Colt Mar 1874 |
Frankford Arsenal, March, 1874. These
early Benet-primed "Colt's Revolver, Cal; .45" (pre-Schofield) packets were
month-dated from Oct 1873-Aug 1874 only. Thereafter, the .45 "Revolver Ball"
cartridges, which were shorter and less powerful to accommodate use in the
S&W Schofield as well as the Colt, were year-dated till 1882. Sealed, excellent original condition.
|
sold |
|
|
45 Colt Apr 1874 |
Frankford Arsenal, April, 1874. As above,
these
early Benet-primed "Colt's Revolver, Cal; .45" (pre-Schofield) packets were
month-dated from Oct 1873-Aug 1874 only. Thereafter, the .45 "Revolver Ball"
cartridges, which were shorter and less powerful to accommodate use in the
S&W Schofield as well as the Colt, were year-dated till 1882. Sealed, excellent original condition. [From my personal collection.]
|
$895 |
|
|
45 Colt |
Frankford Arsenal, June, 1874. These early
Benet-primed "Colt's Revolver, Cal; .45"
(pre-Schofield) packets were month-dated from Oct 1873-Aug 1874 only.
Thereafter, the .45 "Revolver Ball" cartridges, which were shorter and less
powerful to accommodate use in the S&W Schofield as well as the Colt, were
year-dated till 1882. The variance in coloration of these packets is due to
to the uneven lacquer coating used to weatherproof them. Great early box, CLEAN & SEALED! |
$895 sold |
|
| 45 Colt |
Frankford Arsenal, August, 1874, the last month these
"Long Colts" were produced. While the pull-string has
broken off (or been cut) at the corner, it's obvious that it has never been
pulled to open the box as the underlying imprint of the string remains
"under the skin" (see pic). These early
Benet-primed "Colt's Revolver, Cal; .45"
(pre-Schofield) packets were month-dated from Oct 1873-Aug 1874 only.
Thereafter, the .45 "Revolver Ball" cartridges, which were shorter and less
powerful to accommodate use in the S&W Schofield as well as the Colt, were
year-dated till 1882. The variance in coloration of these packets is due to
to the uneven lacquer coating used to weatherproof them.Great early box, CLEAN, SEALED and CHEAP!
 |
sold |
|
| 45 Colt & Schofield 1875 |
Frankford Arsenal, 1875, sealed. This is the toughest date
in this series except for 1876. String-pull is
intact. Nice! |
$565 sold |
|
| 45 Colt & Schofield 1876 ! |
Frankford Arsenal, 1876, Colt & Schofield. This, the year
of Custer's demise at the Little Bighorn, is by far the most sought after,
and least encountered, date in the series, 1875-1881. While the
right end edges show some glue touch-up and there are traces of tape residue
at the right end of the top, it is not significantly detracting (see
pix). The pull-string has definitely never been pulled and the long-side
edges are unquestionably original & intact as is the left end. A great, eminently displayable
example of this extremely historic, 1876-dated box!  |
$925 sold |
|
| 45 Colt & Schofield 1876 ! |
Frankford Arsenal, 1876, Colt & Schofield. AS ABOVE,
except no excuses as to glue and tape. As close to perfect as can possibly
be found! |
$1250 sold |
|
| 45 Colt & Schofield 1877 |
Frankford Arsenal, 1877, Schofield & Colt. Harder date
than any but 1875 & 1876. SEALED.
 |
$525 sold |
|
| 45 Colt & Schofield 1878 |
Frankford Arsenal, 1878, sealed. Completely
original, "no excuses" box. Cheap!
 |
sold | |
| 45 Colt & Schofield 1879 |
Frankford Arsenal, 1879, Schofield & Colt. The last year
of the early style, coated/shellacked boxes. Much less common than the 1878 packets.
The label is not well-centered (laps over front edge). Otherwise nice--sealed, clean and tight!
 |
$325 sold |
|
| 45 Colt & Schofield 1880 |
Frankford Arsenal, 1880, Schofield & Colt. 1880-1882 are
the only years of this original 1870s, Benet-primed, style of these packets that were
not lacquered. "DEC 11 1880" date-stamped in red on top side. Much
less common than the 1878 packets. Looks "case-fresh",
as NEW! '  |
$375 sold |
|
| 45 Colt & Schofield "Horse training blanks" |
Frankford Arsenal, Schofield & Colt, date-stamped on side:
"Oct 30 1882"
 ,
String-pull intact and SEALED! |
$85 sold |
|
| 45 Colt & Schofield 1887(?) |
Frankford Arsenal, Schofield & Colt, date-stamped on side
illegible except "May..." (probably 1887 as all May stampings I've seen
are). Sealed and tight, pull-string still in place. None of the common seam
separations, very nice clean packet! These later dates are far harder to
find than the 1877-81 packets.
 |
$465 sold |
|
| 45 Colt & Schofield 1891 |
Frankford Arsenal, "Nov 2 1891" (stamped on lid top),
Schofield & Colt. This the last type packaging by the Arsenal in this
caliber, a style which ended in 1892. Cartridges by this time were
externally ("Boxer") primed and labeled "Reloading" or reloadable. Sealed,
with string pull in place. Scarce! |
sold | |
| 45 Colt & Schofield 1892 |
Frankford Arsenal, Schofield & Colt. Date-stamped in red
on upper edge: "SEP 14 1892". This is a great, SEALED, example of the
last year of the second style
2-pc 12-pack with original string-pull around center. Bright, EXCellent condition
with string in place under front label.
 |
$295 |
|
| 45-70 "U.S. Springfield Rifle" Sept 1874 |
Frankford Arsenal, Sept 1874, "70 grains Musket Powder.
Bullet, 405 grains." Nice, clean "Indian Wars" example. So many of these are
found with the ends blown out and missing ctdgs. This one remains
factory-SEALED!
 |
$435 sold |
|
| 45-70 "U.S. Springfield Rifle" May 1875 |
Frankford Arsenal. As above but May 1875. "70 grains
Musket Powder. Bullet, 405 grains." Nice, clean "Indian Wars" example.
So many of these are found with the ends blown out and missing ctdgs. This
one remains factory-SEALED!
 |
$425 sold |
|
| 45-70 Blanks 1874 |
Frankford Arsenal 1874. "For Rifle and Carbine". No splits. SEALED and nice! Rare this early and in this pristine condition!
|
$175 sold |
|
|
45-70 Farrington- primed |
U.S.Cartridge Co. This box and loading is unusual in 3
respects: first, the cartridges are all headstamped by month (7 and 8) as
well as year (1879). Secondly, this loading used the Farrington primers
(flat and slightly dished), and was the only company ever to do so. Third,
the box used the patented Fraziers cartridge divider, a serpentine inner
cardboard divider that, to my knowledge, was used only by USC for 1-2 years
and only then in 45-70 and 50-70 calibers. A truly interesting trifecta in
cartridge history and development!  |
$435 |
|
| 45-80 2.4" "SHARPSHOOTER" |
Frankford Arsenal.
Date-stamped "JUN 13, 1883", this was developed in the late-1870s and was
tested in a new military rifle based on the standard issue trapdoor models;
called the Model 1881 Springfield Sharpshooter Rifle, it had a 2.4" chamber
rather than the then-standard 2.1" (45-70) chamber but was never put into
service either commercially or in the military. Exceptionally clean,
"string-pull" mil box, SEALED AND RARE.
[Pic is brighter than actual] |
$350 sold |
|
|
45-70 "Morse" |
Frankford
Arsenal. The "Morse, Model 1886" cartridge utilized a 3-part case with a
removable base, rubber seal and flanged tube case, all of which was supposed
to facilitate reloading in the field. And it may have worked well; but,
according to the literature, it was an innovation that is said to have only
lasted from March 1886 to Feb 1887. Clearly that's not quite accurate
because I have a box in my collection dated Mar 3, 1887; nonetheless, it was
obviously a short-lived experiment. This box is SEALED with the string-pull
intact and date-stamped "Sep 26, 1886". [From my personal collection] For more on this I refer you to an excellent write-up by Guy Hildebrand, aka "Old Ammo Guy", in his June 2004 piece which can be viewed on his site [www.oldammo.com/picindex.htm], and while you're there check out the rest of his site: you MAY buy something, you WILL learn something! 
|
$475 |
|
| 46 R.F. "Rem Carbine & Ballard's KY Rifle" |
UMC. Here is an exceptionally RARE & EARLY 50-rd BOX!!
Heavy and big, this beauty is 4.75"L x 2.5"W x 2"H. The label is the early
and desirable UMC "Dog Logo". |
$695 sold |
|
| 50 Remington Army | Frankford Arsenal, May, 1873.
Original, sealed 10-pack of Benet-primed ctdgs for the Rem Army pistol.
Usually found with the date cut out (so-called "Bannerman boxes"*) this box
is just the way it left the Arsenal!
 *"Bannerman boxes": referred to as such because Bannerman's NYC "army surplus warehouse", as it w/b called today, hired women to cut off the dates from 1860s-1870s ctdg packets so buyers wouldn't know how old the ammo was they were buying when Bannerman offered it at the end of the 19th and early-20th Centuries. |
$450 sold |
|
| 50-70 Gov't | Frankford Arsenal, 1867. This
is the very first Center-Fire cartridge to be used by the US military This
"Martin bar-primed" cartridge was designed for use in the 1866 Springfield
Rifle. Within a year however (Mar 1868), the improved Berdan priming system
was adopted and these bar-primed cartridges were immediately rendered
obsolete. This SEALED 5-pack can readily and without exaggeration be called
RARE! Great condition with NO problems or repairs whatsoever!
 [From
my personal collection.]
|
$695 sold |
|
| 50-70 Gov't | U.M.C. "U.S. Standard"
Berdan-primed "Metallic Cartridges". Military style box but labeling more
likely commercial, ca 1873. Box has been opened so we have a
good view of the really nice original ctdgs within. Now shrink-wrapped, you
can barely tell the box has been opened, looks sealed. This is the only one of these I've ever had in over 30 years of collecting and dealing!  |
$525 sold |
|
|
54 Burnside |
Burnside Rifle Co. Very RARE string-tied, Civil War era
packet of "10 Cartridges with 12 Caps". Have only ever seen 4 or 5 over the
past 32 years with this being the only one I've ever owned. [From my personal collection]  |
$765 |
|
| 56-50 Spencer |
 J. Goldmark (NY). This
rather fragile "soft-pack" contains 42 rds with the label on the
top end of the
wrapper. According to John Barber's book, The Rimfire Cartridge 1857-1984,
this company was only in the cartridge business from 1864 to 1866. Later,
the name is found on Winchester percussion cap tins indicating that
Winchester acquired the Goldmark business at some point after the Civil War.
Obviously a very scarce packet that, unlike most Goldmark pkts I've seen,
has somehow held together this very heavy load in a rather delicate paper wrapping
for over 150 years! |
$650 | |
| 56-50 Spencer | Sage Ammunition Works. Ca mid/late-1860s, this square box contains 42 ctdgs in 6 sealed, unmarked packets of 7 rds each (the magazine capacity of the Spencer). While the label shows scuffing and there are small tape removal stains at the lid corners, the box is very solid with none of the usual bottom seam splits. A great early & historical display item--CHEAP!!  |
sold | |
100 years of Winchester Cartridge Boxes, 1856-1956
One Hundred Years of Winchester Cartridge Boxes, 1856-1956
