SCARCE CANTEL PATENT CANTEEN WITH PAINTED SOLDIER’S INITIALS

$1,500.00 ON HOLD

Quantity Available: 1

Item Code: 1268-221

Patented October 14, 1862, by Lazare Cantel, a New York City maker of trunks and other leather items, these canteens were designed to obviate the objectionable taste leather canteens gave to their water by gluing a tin foil liner to the inner side of the leather, which was then pressed into shape to form two halves of the body, which were in turn fastened together by copper rivets around the perimeter, which also  secured a metal neck. A cork stopper was secured by a small chain attached to a thin metal cap, and thin brass escutcheon plates were riveted over slots in the upper shoulders of the body through which a shoulder sling would pass.

This is a good example showing a nice personalization in a set of soldier’s initials in white paint on one side showing it was actually carried: “C.W.N.” over “K.” that we take as a company letter. The leather has a good deep brown finish, about 90 percent intact, but showing abrasion along one raised edge and part of the bottom edge on either side. The paint of the letter “N” is gone, but the initials are fully legible. The stopper and chain are in place. There is no patent stamp visible, likely indicating an early, pre-patent production as does the lack of the brass reinforcing band around the base seen on about 20 percent of these, by O’Donnell’s estimate, made in response to complaints about the necks coming loose or leaking. The strap is a typical cloth canteen strap that is crudely sewn around the slots on the canteen shoulders and likely replaced a broken leather one. The strap bears a large “NEW JERSEY” ink stencil, much more the type of marking added by a soldier than an ink stamp by a maker or inspector, and could be a clue to C.W.N. of Company K or relate to another owner. In any case, this is a scarce Civil War canteen that displays well, showing some use, but with the attractive personal touch of the soldier’s initials, making a nice combination of history and eye-appeal.

This fine piece is from the Texas Civil War Museum collection.[sr][ph:L]

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