$3,750.00
Quantity Available: 1
Item Code: 480-202
These canteens were easy to make by coopers and woodworkers and were turned out all over the Confederacy, becoming the quintessential “Rebel canteen” that was essential to the southern soldier and a sought-after war souvenir by his northern counterpart. The turned wood faces are connected by wood staves and the whole is held together by narrow iron bands around the circumference, themselves kept in place with three brackets that also function as retainers for a shoulder strap. This one is missing its spout, but still preserves part of its original narrow leather shoulder sling. The color and surface are very good with a pleasing rich brown tone.
One face is carved in a nice, period script: “Savannah, Ga. / May 22d 64.” The date is a bit of puzzle. The city did not fall into Federal hands until December 1864- Sherman made it a Christmas present, of sorts, to Lincoln. There is thus the possibility a Confederate carved the date when he received it or in commemoration of some personal event. On the other hand, the lettering looks later, we note the “64” is rather poorly done compared to the rest of the carving, and that it seems to be done over something that was rubbed out. Our guess is that the date actually reflected a postwar acquisition of the canteen as a war souvenir in Savannah and some misguided collector or seller altered the original number to what he thought would be a more acceptable wartime date. Nevertheless, this is an absolutely dead-real and fully original Confederate canteen almost certainly carried by a Georgia soldier. [sr] [ph:m]
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