This is a very nice piece! It is an original Civil War soldier's cartridge box. This is the classic .69 caliber style that was used during the Civil War. The outer flap still has the very nice original "US" cartridge box plate present with nice clear lettering. When you raise the outer flap you are greeted by the inner flap of the implement compartment. These Oliver boxes were made without the standard inner flap and since they didn't use the inner flap they would sew the "ears" directly onto the outer flap. The "ears" are missing from this one. The inner flap has the remnants of the Civil War maker mark of H.W. Oliver from Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. According to the maker book Oliver only had army contracts for cartridge boxes in 1863 and 1864. That lets us know that this one is definitely a Civil War production cartridge box. These model 1864 .69 caliber boxes were often issued to the western theater soldiers that were suing the outdated smoothbore rifles and muskets. The innermost compartment has the original tins intact with a fine look. On the bottom of the box it has both of the original roller buckle as well as the finial and the closure tab. The box has the original leather shoulder sling intact. These were issued without an eagle breastplate but you can see the slits on this one where it was cut for a plate at one time. There are couple of tears int he leather of the sling but as you see, it displays quite well. This is a fine displaying set that will look great beside your Civil War .69 caliber musket or rifle.