This is a nice example of perhaps the most popular form of privately purchased mess set. They were produced by a number of makers. This one is unmarked, but follows the usual pattern. Formed like a pocket knife with wood grips, the knife is mounted on one half and the other half holds the fork and spoon. They lock together using studs and keyholes for convenient carrying and keeping the implements together.

Civil War mess gear was issued to new soldiers by recruiting services and there was large variety, some of it pretty flimsy. This offered the soldier the chance to buy a modern gadget and be the envy of his tent mates. We even see them proudly displayed by soldiers in photographs. The metal on this one is nice. The knife has a good edge. There is some slight graying to the knife and fork, but not much and no nicks or pitting. The spoon is an alloy, necessary to form the bowl by stamping. The wood is very good, with no nicks or gouges.

Mess gear was essential to every Civil War soldier, as necessary as a rifle and more often used, and for the collector is a broad field offering lots of variety. This would display nicely with canteens, cups and the contents of a typical soldier’s haversack, or as an example of the privately purchased gear that soldiers often acquired.    [sr]

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