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MODEL 1874 CANTEEN (TRANSITIONAL TYPE 2-3) w/ CHAMBERS BUCKLE SLING – VERY SCARCE INDIAN WARS CANTEEN:  Well documented, but one of the scarcer types of the earlier conversions of the surplus Civil War canteens during the early years of the Indian Wars, this Model 1874 US Army Canteen features a canvas cover and the Chambers Cloth Sling with the brass adjustment buckle. 

As discussed in Doug McChristian’s The US Army In the West, 1870-1880 on pages 211-212, the conversion process involved covering the existent woolen cover with a brown canvas cover and replacing the Civil War linen sling with the drab web Chambers Sling.   The Type 2 conversion included a leather welt in the seam of the two piece canvas cover, and the bottom sling guide was left in place.  The Type 3 conversion eliminated the leather welt, but also removed the bottom sling guide as no longer necessary as the Chambers sling was held in place by the canvas cover, and eliminating the bottom guide removed this point of wear.  McChristian points out that a specimen was found where the bottom sling guide was retained, and he suggests that specimen may be the bridge between the Type 2 and 3 conversions.  In fact, that very “bridge” specimen McChristian cites is the very canteen offered here, recently released from an old Arizona collection.    

This canteen has been covered with the two piece canvas cover without the leather welt, the linen sling has been replaced with the Chambers Sling, and the bottom sling guide remains intact.  Further, this canteen features the early, small, ½” tall “US” stenciled on the cover.  McChristian comments that this is the only Pattern 1874 canteen encountered in his research which had the arsenal applied U.S. property marking.   

The canvas cover is in very good condition, showing only very minor spots of discoloration and soiling, but no wear or tearing to the covers.  The very desirable small “US” stamp on the front is present and legible.  The seams of the cover are intact.  The cork stopper is present as is the retention chain and loop and both are in very good condition with only some minor wear to the bottom of the cork body.    

The sling shows very little evidence of use with only minor discoloration and none of the wear or stringing of the fabric as is so often seen on these web slings.  The original Chamber’s brass buckle is present and full form.    

These early Indian Wars canteens are scarce due to the use they received in service, and this one is particularly significant as it shows the progression of the various modifications and retains the “US” property stamp.  This is the type of canteen which was issued in the early frontier regiments. SOLD

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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