This item was previously sold by The Horse Soldier during the initial releases of the John Geiselman collection. This specimen of the Federal M1858 'Smoothside' canteen is a survivor of the Battle of Gettysburg and is in remarkable condition being picked up within days or weeks of the battle. The tin canteen was one of the items included in the Rogers house sale conducted at the Adams County Court House in Gettysburg on Sep 7, 1937. Referred to as the Cincinnati Depot style, this canteen has two smooth spheroid sides of pressed tin soldered together and is quite strong and intact with just a few dents to the body. Canteen retains its tin spout with soldered collar and its three, iron sling bands but is missing its wool cover, pull ring cork stopper and sling. Piece measures approximately 8" in diameter with all seams still very tight. Artifact exhibits the original, tinned gray metal coloring with a thin coat of scattered rust and NO holes. This US 'Smoothside' canteen, found at an undisclosed location at Gettysburg is identified in John Geiselman's collection by his museum listing.

The Horse Soldier is pleased to offer a number of items from the John P. Geiselman collection, a collection that was on display for many years at the Geiselman Country Store Museum on Barlow - Two Taverns Road. Geiselman began his collecting as a child in the early 1920s, and during the pre-World II period had access to artifacts that had been purchased earlier at the estate sales of the Trostle, Rogers, Rose, Weikert, and Wentz farms - local properties that figured prominently in the battle and its aftermath. During this period he had access as well to the Hill , Plank, and Stewart collections, and was able to acquire other items that had been sold from turn-of-the-century relics establishments such as the Danner, Ziegler, and Oak Ridge Museums. Furthermore, Geiselman carefully documented most artifacts, and collectors perusing the list will be able to note, in many instances, not only the source of the relic and the date of its recovery, but also the part of the battlefield from which it came. In other words, his collection is the last major grouping of Gettysburg artifacts assembled and documented by a local resident.

This item is on sale for 10% off of the listed price.