box for your review

[paul kennedy]

I wanted to ask for opinions on this box, if I could.

[Martin W]

Hi Paul,

i cannot answer your question in regards to the box itself,but the badge looks like it was from one of the Victorian Rifle Volunteer units,although am not sure what County The 52nd RV's represented.

I have a couple of badges for the Worcestershire RV's who's county precedence number was 39.

I may me wrong here ?

Regards,Martin.

Edited November 7, 2013 by Martin W

[IrishGunner]

The badge is of the 52nd Oxfordshire Light Infantry Regiment

The Regiment merged in 1881 with the 43rd (Monmouthshire) Regiment of Foot to become the Oxfordshire Light Infantry Regiment. And then in 1908 it Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry Regiment.

I can't say anything about the pouch, but given the regiment's history, it should date before 1881...at least the badge.

Edited November 7, 2013 by IrishGunner

[Martin W]

The badge is of the 52nd Oxfordshire Light Infantry Regiment

The Regiment merged in 1881 with the 43rd (Monmouthshire) Regiment of Foot to become the Oxfordshire Light Infantry Regiment. And then in 1908 it Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry Regiment.

Thanks for clarifying that Rick.

My opinion was based on this illustration from R.W Bennett's book,"Badges of the Worcestershire Regiment".

Anyway,nice badge Paul.

Regards,Martin.

Edited November 7, 2013 by Martin W

[IrishGunner]

Martin, your instincts were correct and your comment sent me searching in one of my books to see if I could make a county connection. I found the 52nd Regiment of Foot badge (like the one above) in the book, "Discovering British Military Badges and Buttons" RJ Wilkinson-Latham. It's a very basic volume, but sent me in the direction of Oxfordshire Light Infantry.

The 52nd is a relatively famous Waterloo regiment. The pouch is definitely an interesting piece...

[paul kennedy]

Thank you both.

[Andrew Clark]

It's a half size mock-up of an infantry cartridge box of the napoleonic period, prabably made for a child's fancy dress or a display item.

Although it has the rough size of a shoulder pouch, it's construction has the rear strip for passing the crossbelt through, but is missing any iron buckles below for fastening them.
As a shoulder pouch it has no mountings for a belt to attach to the sides, which while they might be missing, makes it unusable.

It's construction method is neither one nor the other and appears to be a wooden frame with glued leather or heavily lacquered cloth, neither of which are a contemprary style till much later.
Cartridge boxes didn't have a badge on the flap at that date, and the pouchbox wouldn't have such a crude construction method.

Overall my impression is it's a victorian display piece or prop rather than being a military item as such

[peter monahan]

It's a half size mock-up of an infantry cartridge box of the napoleonic period, prabably made for a child's fancy dress or a display item...

Overall my impression is it's a victorian display piece or prop rather than being a military item as such

I agree with Andrew. It's definitely not an issue item, being a primitive copy of an early nineteenth century box [1790-1830 ish]. I hadn't caught the size thing, but is definitely home made and Andrew's explanation makes sense - a toy or prop.

Peter