9 in. lg. cylindrical writing kit comprised of 12 wooden slats secured on a tarred canvas backing surrounding a tin cylinder (slats detached from tin cylinder). Pivoting slats lock remaining slats into place via brass brackets to create a flat, rigid writing surface. One of the pivoting slats is stamped "Pat'd Dec. 24.1861." Slats enclose a second piece of tarred canvas wrapped around a tin cylinder designed to contain writing implements including inkwell, pens, paper, envelopes, etc. Contained here are 2 fountain pens, one made by the Eagle Pen Co., a bone tipped pencil made by D.B. Brookes & Bros, a pencil with tin cap patented 11 September 1854 by Myer Phineas Universal, Holder, NY, and a likely original cylindrical inkwell patented 4 February 1861. 

[With:] Civil War patriotic cover picturing a soldier in camp using a roll up writing case to write a letter.