A collection of five (5) small boxes full of cartridges of various calibers for Colt's or Whitney's pocket, police, and belt (navy) pistols, including:

1. Six-count paper-wrapped wooden box of .31 caliber cartridges. Label affixed to front reads as follows: "6 Combustible Envelope / Cartridges / Made of Hazard's Powder, For Either Colt's or Whitney's / Revolving Pocket Pistols, / 31-100 inch Calibre. / Warranted Superior Quality." 

The packaging is in very fine condition. Both the Colt and Whitney .31 caliber revolving pocket pistols were designed ca. 1850 as personal defense weapons. 

2. Six-count paper-wrapped wooden box of .31 caliber cartridges. Label affixed to front reads as follows: "6 Combustible Envelope / Cartridges / Made of Hazard's Powder, For Either Colt's or Whitney's / Revolving Pocket Pistols, / 31/100 inch Calibre. / Warranted Superior Quality." 

The packaging is in very fine condition. 

3. Six-count paper-wrapped wooden box of .36 caliber cartridges for m1851 navy pistols. Printed to front as follows: "6 Combustible Envelope / Cartridges, / Made of Hazard's Powder / Expressly For / Col. Colt's Patent / Revolving Belt Pistol, / Address / Colt's Cartridge Works. / Hartford, Conn / U S America." 

This box is in very fine condition. The Colt m1851 went through several name iterations, including, for a time, the revolving belt pistol, due to the ease with which a wielder could wear the pistol in a belt holster as opposed to larger saddle-holstered models.

4. Six-count paper-wrapped wooden box of .31 caliber cartridges. Printed to front as follows: "6 Combustible Envelope / Cartridges, / Made of Hazard's Powder / Expressly For / Col. Colt's Patent / Revolving Pocket Pistol. / Address / Colt's Cartridge Works. / Hartford, Conn. / U. S. America." 

This box is in very fine condition. 

5. Five-count paper-wrapped wooden box of .38 caliber cartridges. Printed to front as follows: "5 Combustible Envelope / Cartridges, / Made of Hazard's Powde[r] / Expressly For / Col. Colt's Paten[t] / Revolving Police Pistol. / 38/100 inch Calibre. Address Colts Cartridge Works. / Hartford, Conn. / U. S. America."

The Colt Official Police, originally marketed as the Colt Army Special and firing .38 Special cartridges, was released in 1908. The revolver saw brief use by the military but fell out of fashion in lieu of more sophisticated, semi-automatic weaponry, albeit with a brief resurgence during World War II. Subsequently, Colt successfully sought a market for the firearm amongst law enforcement. The name was changed to the Official Police in 1927. It would go on to become one of the most commercially successful handguns ever produced, remaining a police staple through the end of the 1960s. 

Much of the box's exterior paper is worn, revealing the cartridges within, including one wrapped in yellowing plastic. The box is split but held together by the wire. 

[Civil War, Union, Confederate] [Relics, Militaria] [Militaria, Accouterment, Equipment, Uniforms] [Ordnance, Artillery, Ammunition, Arms & Armor, Guns] [Police, Law Enforcement, Police History]