As a western military contractor, James B. Sickles and Company often escape notice, but with experience making saddlery dating back to the early 1840s they produced substantial numbers of accoutrements during the Civil War, including gun slings, holsters, bayonet scabbards, cartridge boxes, waist belts, cartridge box slings, etc. as well as full sets of infantry accoutrements including 10,000 for .69 caliber arms and another 10,000 for .58 caliber arms on 1862 US contracts to be delivered to the St. Louis Depot, and at least another 20,000 .58 caliber sets on 1863 contracts.

This is a very good example of one of the company’s percussion cap boxes. This uses the one-piece, shield-shaped flap with integral latch tab that fits around a brass finial on the bottom of the box. The box has a secondary, inner flap, with sewn half-circle side-ears to better seal the top box, with the flap stamped with the company name inside the top edge of an oval cartouche, “ST. LOUIS” along the lower edge, and “MO.” at center. The interior shows the rectangular strip of sheepskin sewn the back edge of the box whose fleece would help keep the caps from bouncing out if the flap was unlatched. As usual, the wool is long gone. The reverse has two narrow belt loops with impressed border lines, firmly in place, secured by stitching and reinforced with a rivet at bottom.

The box has nice color and finish showing just a few scratches, some wear on the latch tab and crazing to the finish on the flaps from flexing in opening the box, but only a few tiny flakes. It does not appear to ever have been treated with any polish, dressing, or preservatives.

This is basic accoutrement box in any collection and might well be missing from collection of cap pouches showing different patterns and makers, and would also fit a specialized display of Sickles products and marked gear.  [SR][ph:L]

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