Item:
ONAC24MA020

In stock

Original U.S. Revolutionary War & War of 1812 Era Wooden Stave Construction Contract Canteen by I. Gamber with Soldier’s Initials

Regular price $1,495.00

Item Description

Original Item. One-of-a-Kind. While the Continental Forces certainly preferred lightweight tin water vessels like those carried by the British soldier, stocks of that metal dried up even before the Revolution was a year old as the British blockade of American seaports tightened. By the spring of 1776, with the summer campaign ahead, the availability of canteens of any kind was essentially gone and Congress turned to the production of wooden canteens to issue its troops. Of course wood was abundant in America and the only metal the colonies could produce, iron, was far too heavy to use for this purpose. Two styles emerged: the “drum” and “cheesebox.” Even with rushed production efforts, the army remained urgently in need of canteens through that summer. It was not until well into 1777 that production had finally reached a point where the Continental Army was able to fulfill the needs of its rank and file and actually begin building up a stockpile. However, even with an improving system of supply, the availability of canteens varied throughout the war.

This is a tremendous example of a staved wooden canteen dating to the period of the 1780s leading into the War of 1812. The canteen measures 7⅛” in diameter and is 3¼” wide, a great displayable size. This example bears a branded maker’s mark, I. GAMBER, a known American contractor of canteens during the late 18th Century & early 19th Century. The opposite side is carved with the initials R.A.B., certainly those of the soldier who carried this through battle. The canteen retains roughly 80% of its original “Spanish Brown” paint, making this a gorgeous untouched example. The canteen is missing its original retaining straps, but displays well as is.

The canteen retains its stopper, however it appears to be a later period replacement. The staves are rather fragile and a tiny bit loose due to loss of nails, but the canteen is overall in great condition. There is some wear around the mouth as shown.

A fantastic example of a War of 1812 Era wooden canteen with a gorgeous maker’s mark. These are almost impossible to find with such markings, making this an exceedingly scarce example. Comes ready for further research and display.

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