HELP! Civil war collectible or later civilian copy?

[browningautorifle]

point me to a site or appraiser

You, like so many others that come here want to hear what you want to hear. Why not just leave it and imagine what you want to imagine? Or, we can keep telling you what it isn't. Anyway, here's a bit easier link to follow...

The Civil War Canteen - Third Edition by Robert Jones, Paperback | Barnes

respected individuals,

You're very kind...

Information

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[gew8805]

Well Lawrence, at the risk of offending you and receiving the same condescension as you have given Patrick and Jim - both respected individuals, by the way - I will tell you that your canteen is nothing like the standard canteen patterns made and issued during the American Civil War by either side, it is post World War One, probably later, especially the strap which has features dating after 1945. It is civilian, not military.

Follow rcathey's recommendation on references.

[Patrick Chadwick]

it is post World War One, probably later, especially the strap which has features dating after 1945.

Thanks gew8805.

And for the benefit of Lawrence and others, may I point out that I have no knowledge whatsoever of canteens, Civil War vintage or otherwise. My judgement was based on observation of the materials, nothing else, hence the proviso "as far as I can tell from the photos", which I usually add, but regrettably appear to have omitted in this case.

Styles can be imitated, marks can be falsified, but material ageing is difficult to fake. Cloth and leather are notoriously difficult to preserve, and museums such as the Victoria and Albert have problems with materials merely being exposed to light, temperature variations, and the natural humidity of the surrounding air. Materials that in many cases are younger than the American Civil War. Give the V&A a call if you don't believe me.

Of course, an original artefact may have been preserved at a constant temperature in darkness with zero humidity - such as may actually occur with grave goods - but for the articles with which we are concerned on these forums, that is, to say the least, extremely unlikely.

So look at what you see. If it looks like it was made last week, chances are that it was.

[Flying10uk]

Your canteen looks remarkably similar to a canteen that you've already posted a picture of on another thread and I have tried to give an answer.

https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=68246

We've all made mistakes when buying collectables/antiques/etc/etc, we've all over-paid at some point and we've, probably, all been ripped-off, at least once. Hopefully, with experience, by learning by our mistakes and by listening to others we don't make a habit of it.

[browningautorifle]

Your canteen looks remarkably similar to a canteen that you've already posted a picture of on another thread

In which he said...

The canteen feels too flimsy for a military piece and I'm assuming it's a civilian made "military style" canteen.

[lawrence_n]

Thank you all, and forgive me if I was a little snippy. I'll probably put it on the table at the next gun show for $5.

[Flying10uk]

Lawrence, the chrome plating process is less than 100 years old, so anything that has chrome plating on it is likely to be less than 100 years old.

https://www.finishing.com/460/30.shtml

You may get a little more than $5 for your canteen but I wouldn't know how much someone would be prepared to pay for your example. You can't put a $5 price tag on your canteen and then, when you get someone interested, increase the price but you could "feel the market". You can do this simply by putting a price tag on your canteen with a price that you are comfortable selling it at, perhaps, partly based on what you paid for it and also what similar canteens are advertised for. If no-one is interested you may then wish to gradually reduce the price in an effort to attract a buyer.

[WallyG.]

One other aspect that has yet to be mentioned... I was in a Confederate reenacting unit for 5 years or so. This hobby has been going strong for more than 50 years. One of the aspects of reenacting the civil war is that large quantities of period style/design/manufactured reproductions have been made... some of better quality than originals. After several years in the field... the repro items take on wear and tear and exposure degradation.. just like the originals did. Without handling the item in question I'd say that it was a civil war reenactor's canteen.

[lawrence_n]

[QUOTE=Flying10uk;457014]Lawrence, the chrome plating process is less than 100 years old, so anything that has chrome plating on it is likely to be less than 100 years old.

https://www.finishing.com/460/30.shtml
It's not chrome plated! It's tin and sloppy solder (from what I'm seeing). And to WallyG, I'd not thought of the reenactors market and you can imagine that it's not too strong up here in Canada, but I may market it as such at the next gun show. The canteen may not be 100 yrs. old, which is the generally accepted age to be called antique, but it's definitely vintage and from the soldering of joints, it looks to me to be rather crudely made, maybe an itinerant tinker's work.

[Flying10uk]

It's not chrome plated! It's tin and sloppy solder

That's your opinion, others may think otherwise.