Up for auction is a genuine, historically significant World War I U.S. Army M1917 Browning wooden ammunition box. This chest was used to supply cloth-belted .30-06 ammunition to the water-cooled Browning heavy machine gun.

RARE MANUFACTURER STAMP:

The highlight of this piece is the incredibly crisp, perfectly legible ink stamp on the inner bottom. It reads "MOLINE FURNITURE WORKS" underneath the classic three-bullet orientation graphic. Moline Furniture Works (Illinois) was a commercial cabinet maker contracted by the U.S. government to support the war effort in 1917-1918.

DESIGN FEATURES:

- Features the iconic beveled/angled lower front corner designed to clear the machine gun tripod yoke.

- Solid oak construction with rugged finger-jointed corners.

- Original heavy-duty steel piano hinge and spring-loaded front flip latch are intact and function smoothly.

- The top lid retains its original recessed channel where the leather handle used to sit.

CONDITION NOTES:

This is a century-old field artifact with great character. The wood is structurally sound with no major rot, though there is a natural age crack along the lower side panel (visible in photos) that does not compromise its strength. The original leather carry handle has worn away over time. The exterior features flaking red paint from post-war civilian use (a very common fate for these surplus boxes used as tool chests), with the gorgeous original weathered oak showing through.

Please see all high-resolution photos for exact cosmetic condition. This is an excellent, honest piece of American military history perfect for display or a advanced WW1 collection!