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CIVIL WAR LEATHER CASE FOR AN ARTILLERY PENDULUM
HAUSSE SIGHT:
Produced to carry the
Pendulum Hausse Sight, this Civil War era implement
pouch bears a strong arsenal stamp and has survived in
remarkable condition. The pendulum hausse was a unique
sighting device developed to enable the artillery gunner
to properly sight his gun in uneven ground, and was so
necessary to the gunner’s art that he carried the hausse
on his body in this specially made case.
A number of the Civil War era Pendulum Hausse sights
(seen below in the Ordnance Department diagram) were
manufactured at the St. Louis Arsenal, so it follows
that the arsenal would also produce the accompanying
cases such as this specimen. Legibly stamped on the
face of the pouch flap, this case is stamped “US ARSENAL
ST. LOUIS”. Originally made of russet leather, this
case still retains a nice caramel color. The body of
the case measures 8 ¾ “ by 2 ½” and features the full
length doubled shoulder strap. The seam is complete and
intact, as is the flap closing loop sewn to the front of
the case. The case shows very little evidence of aging
or use, and the leather surface is smooth and clear with
the exception of an area at the bottom of the front of
the case where the surface of the leather shows some
surface crazing.
Overall this is a quite a specimen that has endured the
passage of time very well, and one of the implement
cases that seem to be as scarce as the Pendulum Hausse
Sights. $475
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