RARE WWII PLYWOOD FOOTLOCKER THAT BELONGED TO MAJ. GEN. GEORGE S. PATTON.

RARE WWII PLYWOOD FOOTLOCKER THAT BELONGED TO MAJ. GEN. GEORGE S. PATTON. Standard issue olive drab painted plywood foot locker with metal reinforced corners & edges, 32″ long x 16″ deep x 13″ high with flat lid, two steel latches & a padlock hasp. Interior has stanchions to support top tray which is missing. Inside lid is marked “NEEVEL MFG. CO. / 1942”. Exterior is marked in white paint in several places & then painted over with black paint “MAJ. GEN. GEORGE S. PATTON”. Another spot on lid is marked in same manor, “HOLD FOR: / COL. B.M. HARLOE G.S.C. / 0-8561”. On top of the lid a small board has been nailed to right front corner which is imprinted “LT. ROBERT G. BOX / RESEARCH GROUP ‘C’ / HQ. SEVENTH ARMY / APO 758 N.Y.C.”. There is also a round purple postage cancellation stamp. Center of locker has an approx. 5″ dull red painted band completely around locker. In the top, on this red band, is an old paper label with red border typewritten “ROBERT G. BOX / HDQS. ATLANTIC BASE SECTION”. Front of locker is printed in black paint with Lt. Box’s name & his officer’s service number “0-2046640”. Left end of box has the white paint stencil with black overpaint “DET.-684 / FOR 8986-KK-I-TAT”. Rear of locker at the top has “BOX” in large hand painted black letters, twice. Below that in white painted stencil with black overpaint is Maj. Gen. Patton’s name & on bottom again with the Col. B.M. Harloe information repeated. Right end of locker has white paint stencil the same as is on left end but without black overpaint. Accompanied by a copy of an email from Fort Knox, KY which states that Col. Bartley Marcus Harloe was in the General’s Staff Corps, August 1940 – August 1942 and was Chief of Staff for the Atlantic Base section 1942-43 in the 7th Army under Gen. Patton. Gen. George S. Patton was promoted to Major General in April 1941 and was in Africa & Sicily 1942-43. He was promoted to rank of Lt. General in March of 1943 while in Sicily in charge of 7th Army. Lt. Robert Box was with the Headquarters 7th Army in Sicily, assigned to Research Group C in 1943 under Gen. Patton. The information regarding Gen. Patton, Col. Harloe & Lt. Box was provided by the Patton Museum, Fort Knox, KY. It certainly can be stated with a reasonable degree of certainty that this was Gen. Patton’s footlocker sometime in the period between April 1941 & March 1943. Given that Col. Harloe & Lt. Box both worked directly for him it can also be reasonably assumed, with a reasonable degree of certainty, that this footlocker was passed from Gen. Patton to Col. Harloe & finally to Lt. Box. Lt. Box maintained this footlocker in his possession from about 1943 until he passed away in the early 21st century. His widow then sold it to the consignor. PROVENANCE: Gen. George S. Patton; Col. Bartley M. Harloe; Lt. Robert G. Fox. CONDITION: About good. Retains most of its orig olive drab paint with moderate soil & some light splinter damage to one end of lid. Hinges, latches & hasps are fine. Some of metal trim is rusted. 4-35360 JR451 (3,000-5,000)

Auction: Firearms - Fall 2008

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	1140	$0.00	RARE WWII PLYWOOD FOOTLOCKER THAT BELONGED TO MAJ. GEN. GEORGE S. PATTON. Standard issue olive drab painted plywood foot locker with metal reinforced corners & edges, 32″ long x 16″ deep x 13″ high with flat lid, two steel latches & a padlock hasp. Interior has stanchions to support top tray which is missing. Inside lid is marked “NEEVEL MFG. CO. / 1942”. Exterior is marked in white paint in several places & then painted over with black paint “MAJ. GEN. GEORGE S. PATTON”. Another spot on lid is marked in same manor, “HOLD FOR: / COL. B.M. HARLOE G.S.C. / 0-8561”. On top of the lid a small board has been nailed to right front corner which is imprinted “LT. ROBERT G. BOX / RESEARCH GROUP ‘C’ / HQ. SEVENTH ARMY / APO 758 N.Y.C.”. There is also a round purple postage cancellation stamp. Center of locker has an approx. 5″ dull red painted band completely around locker. In the top, on this red band, is an old paper label with red border typewritten “ROBERT G. BOX / HDQS. ATLANTIC BASE SECTION”. Front of locker is printed in black paint with Lt. Box’s name & his officer’s service number “0-2046640”. Left end of box has the white paint stencil with black overpaint “DET.-684 / FOR 8986-KK-I-TAT”. Rear of locker at the top has “BOX” in large hand painted black letters, twice. Below that in white painted stencil with black overpaint is Maj. Gen. Patton’s name & on bottom again with the Col. B.M. Harloe information repeated. Right end of locker has white paint stencil the same as is on left end but without black overpaint. Accompanied by a copy of an email from Fort Knox, KY which states that Col. Bartley Marcus Harloe was in the General’s Staff Corps, August 1940 – August 1942 and was Chief of Staff for the Atlantic Base section 1942-43 in the 7th Army under Gen. Patton. Gen. George S. Patton was promoted to Major General in April 1941 and was in Africa & Sicily 1942-43. He was promoted to rank of Lt. General in March of 1943 while in Sicily in charge of 7th Army. Lt. Robert Box was with the Headquarters 7th Army in Sicily, assigned to Research Group C in 1943 under Gen. Patton. The information regarding Gen. Patton, Col. Harloe & Lt. Box was provided by the Patton Museum, Fort Knox, KY. It certainly can be stated with a reasonable degree of certainty that this was Gen. Patton’s footlocker sometime in the period between April 1941 & March 1943. Given that Col. Harloe & Lt. Box both worked directly for him it can also be reasonably assumed, with a reasonable degree of certainty, that this footlocker was passed from Gen. Patton to Col. Harloe & finally to Lt. Box. Lt. Box maintained this footlocker in his possession from about 1943 until he passed away in the early 21st century. His widow then sold it to the consignor. PROVENANCE: Gen. George S. Patton; Col. Bartley M. Harloe; Lt. Robert G. Fox. CONDITION: About good. Retains most of its orig olive drab paint with moderate soil & some light splinter damage to one end of lid. Hinges, latches & hasps are fine. Some of metal trim is rusted. 4-35360 JR451 (3,000-5,000) Auction: Firearms - Fall 2008 Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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