For Email Newsletters you can trust
Search:

Blue Painted Canteen

These small canteens date from the war of 1776 and were made by hand. The center disc, seen in the picture below was removed to carve out the interior as the canteen was made from a solid piece of wood . . . I'm guessing it's ash, from the grain visible on the sides.  While the strap is missing, the three leather tabs fastened with hand cut nails are still intact.  These canteens are scarce, not only because of the age but for the reason that they held water or other liquid and the wood deteriorated and repair was virtually impossible after any length of time.

 While initials and dates are often found on these canteens, recording the person to whom it belonged and sometimes the war in which it saw service, in this case the owner chose to decorate it with a gold starburst over the soldier blue paint.  The surface is dry and the paint is 99% intact with only some minor wear on the edges and around the bung hole as one would expect due to age and usage.  This form was popular in New England from 1760 - 1840.

F4J20818

0512

Questions?  Ask the Ferret!

© 2003 - 2024 House of the Ferret