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Antiques! => Antique Questions Forum => Topic started by: mart on January 30, 2017, 07:43:22 PM
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https://www.kovels.com/forums/question/civil-war-container-need-help-identifying-this-please.html
Anyone have an idea what this container was used for ?? Has the U.S. in oval embossed in both sides !! Will try to find out what the size is !!
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For some reason I'm thinking and I'm guessing it was for coals for a fire. Hot coals.
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Could be Greenacres !! Thats a better guess than any I have come up with !!
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Pretty sure this is an ammo box. My source for confirming this (my nephew) is in the large group of US Military that you saw just arrived in Poland recently...so, don't have him for expertise for awhile! :(
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Now I can't think of any reason for there to be both a "carrying" handle and a "pouring" handle on a small tin case or container unless it was used to transport a "pourable" item.
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That handle is what I do not get and if you notice,, it is small compared to that sheet of notebook paper !!
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I wonder if the large handle is original? It would take a "hands-on" to possible tell this.
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KC, I think you are correct. The style of that handle doesn't match the style of the metal box.
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https://goo.gl/images/i82Abl
This looks like a similar example. A coal scuttle.
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But this one is 6 in. X 5 in. X 1 1/2 in. !!
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I was thinking maybe they varied in size and shape.
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I showed this to my fiance who has been doing Civil War reenacting all his adult life. He says he believes that it is a meat ration can, but we're going to check with another source.
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It looks like you may have something very special. Here is the reply from our second source, another long time reenactor with a lifetime of studying this era under his belt:
"Oh my god. The Army came out with an experimental combination meat ration can and coffee tin cup in the 1870s. Imagine drinking coffee out of a bacon grease-soaked tin cup. It was a prototype that the troops hated and was short-lived. I'll get more details when I get home tomorrow."
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Well,, that is certainly interesting !! Hopefully this will be a good find for the person who posted it !! Anxious to hear the results !!
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Just heard that they also made some interesting pieces for shaving/holding shaving supplies. The handle would make sense for that as well!
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Interesting item but why would you have a ration box / coffee canister with a top handle like that ?
Looks like someone converted this - possibly a soldier in the trenches
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Interesting item but why would you have a ration box / coffee canister with a top handle like that ?
Looks like someone converted this - possibly a soldier in the trenches
Scroll down to page 32 for some history on this piece.
http://www.history.army.mil/html/museums/messkits/Field_Mess_Gear%28upd_Jul09%29.pdf (http://www.history.army.mil/html/museums/messkits/Field_Mess_Gear%28upd_Jul09%29.pdf)
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I saw one just like it Icpress. The ration box was invented by name in 1872. They use this item prior, but were had made from cups. They were tin. They kept raw meat in it, so the fat of the meat would no get on everything. The army saw it as a necessity in 1872 and hence the ration box.
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Karma points to Rauville and tales7cs. Great research!
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Learn something new everyday! Nice reference Rauville!
Interesting that the one in the reference - the bottom of the handle is free/unattached and the one from Kovel's the bottom of the handle is affixed/attached!
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Interesting item but why would you have a ration box / coffee canister with a top handle like that ?
Looks like someone converted this - possibly a soldier in the trenches
Scroll down to page 32 for some history on this piece.
http://www.history.army.mil/html/museums/messkits/Field_Mess_Gear%28upd_Jul09%29.pdf (http://www.history.army.mil/html/museums/messkits/Field_Mess_Gear%28upd_Jul09%29.pdf)
The link won't load but i searched Google for Field Mess Gear 1872 and found " The U.S. Army in the West, 1870-1880: Uniforms, Weapons, and Equipment " online and it's featured in that book, where they have an image of one in great condition...and it still looks like a bit of trench trickery ! Weird design.
This is the link for it on Google Books
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=n_MimfWYwtwC&pg=PA90&lpg=PA90&dq=us+army+haversack+brace+1872&source=bl&ots=Onit27StDY&sig=DlMSDFhuJyhnoMHgUnf6VIQ5pD8&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwit4M-kpvTRAhUlK8AKHV-uDBMQ6AEIIjAB#v=snippet&q=%22%20meat%20can%20%22&f=false
Great book. I'm going to buy a copy !
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I am sure the loose handle was earlier than the one attached !! The loose handle would tend to get bent and generally be more trouble that it was worth not to mention getting hooked on stuff !! Attaching the bottom at least made it usable !!
Anyone care to guess at a value for the one on kovels ?? I have no clue !!
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See page 32 of this document, sent over by my Civil War reenactor friend. There it is!
http://www.history.army.mil/html/museums/messkits/Field_Mess_Gear(upd_Jul09).pdf (http://www.history.army.mil/html/museums/messkits/Field_Mess_Gear(upd_Jul09).pdf)
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...Anyone care to guess at a value for the one on kovels ?? I have no clue !!
https://auctions.bidsquare.com/view-auctions/catalog/id/556/lot/198532 (https://auctions.bidsquare.com/view-auctions/catalog/id/556/lot/198532)
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Thanks Rauville !! The other one is not as good condition but it will give an idea of worth !!
Thanks everyone !!
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Awesome! :)
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Whoa! Great price for a unique piece of history!