GUEST
It's what I believe is a Civil War cartridge pouch. It has a regimental number on it, and I don't know if that's a New York regiment or a Massachusetts regiment.
APPRAISER
Where'd you get it at?
GUEST
It was in the house that my parents bought down on the Cape at the very end of World War II. So we've had the house for a long time, and there were a bunch of things in the attic, and that's where it came from.
APPRAISER
Would you be surprised if I told you it's a little earlier than Civil War?
GUEST
Yeah, I would be.
APPRAISER
Well, in a century before then, we had some guys come over from England, and they wore red coats. And if you notice in the center of the plate, it's got some red.
GUEST
I noticed that.
APPRAISER
That's because this is an original Revolutionary War soldier's cartridge box.
GUEST
No kidding.
APPRAISER
And it's not 43rd New York, and it's not 43rd Massachusetts.
GUEST
43rd light infantry.
APPRAISER
It's the 43rd light infantry of the British soldiers from the Revolutionary War.
GUEST
My Lord.
APPRAISER
They were not only in Boston, they were at the Battle of Bunker Hill.
GUEST
Yes.
APPRAISER
They were at the Battle of Lexington. And we don't know for sure, but it's quite possible that this cartridge box that's sitting between us today was at those battles.
GUEST
Really?
APPRAISER
And not only is it an original Revolutionary War cartridge box, it's a fantastic Revolutionary War cartridge box. It's got everything you could possibly want on one. When you do encounter these, usually they're worn out, thrown away. This one is above spectacular. There aren't enough superlatives for this box.
GUEST
Really?
APPRAISER
It's got the original buff leather shoulder sling. Did you ever notice this?
GUEST
Yes.
APPRAISER
It held a pick on a hook to clean out a hole in the musket so it would keep firing.
GUEST
Yes.
APPRAISER
We have the brass plate with "43rd Light Infantry." We have the red cloth behind it. The box is solid as a rock. It's just flawless. It's got the original closure tab still present. It's got the original wooden block on the inside of it.
GUEST
Right.
APPRAISER
It's got the original finial on the bottom, the metal finial.
GUEST
Right, right.
APPRAISER
And finding all of those things together is like lining up all of those numbers on the lottery ticket. It doesn't happen but once every so often.
GUEST
Hmm.
APPRAISER
If this was a Civil War cartridge box, with the sling and everything, you're talking around $1,000, maybe $1,500 if it's really pretty. This is a whole different ballgame with this one. This one on today's market would retail for between $20,000 and $25,000.
GUEST
My Lord. That's amazing. I mean, it's amazing that it's Revolutionary War.
APPRAISER
I love this one.
GUEST
Never expected that.
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