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MODEL 1883 US ARMY MESS HALL STOOL:
As pictured in this National Archive photo taken at a
Ft. Sill Mess Hall in the 1880’s, this is a standard
unit and army post issue Model 1883 Mess Hall Stool.
Sold as surplus out of Ft. Sam Houston, San Antonio,
Texas years ago and having survived in private homes,
farms and ranches in the area by continuing service as
milking stools and kitchen step stools, these relics of
the Indian War Army Mess Halls
now surface on occasion.
I have handled
over 100 of these stools so far and they are all a
little different. Most of these stools were not marked,
or the markings did not survive the passage of time and
use. Of those that are marked, I have seen a wide
variation of paint stenciled "US", a "US" stamped with a
metal stamping tool, and specimens stamped with
regimental markings and no "US". The little fire plug
shaped block that serves as the intersection of the iron
rods are also seen in a variety of styles, but all the
same basic domed shape, and were originally intended not
only as a structural support, but also a place for the
soldier to rest his forage cap while at the table.
All the stools are
basically the same dimensions, but I have seen specimens
made entirely of oak, some out of poplar, some out of
walnut, one I think was mahogany, and any number of them
that were a mixture of oak, and/or walnut, and/or
poplar.
I own two that I
use in my display room. One can be traced to Ft.
McKavitt here in Texas and it is stamped "US" dating
from the 1880's and the other is stenciled "CMTC" for
the Civilian Military Training Camp, indicating it was
used in the 1930's, so apparently these stools stayed in
service for some time.
Due to the
variations I have seen, I believe these were supplied by
a number of civilian contractors and were probably
shipped in pieces to the posts in the West, to be
assembled by the troops that received them. The army
commonly provided the barracks and post furniture to the
Indian War army in kit form and it stands to reason as
it made shipping much easier. As a result, I think this
also accounts for the mixture of woods in some of the
specimens.
I used to find
these stools on a fairly regular basis, but in the last
few years they have all but disappeared from the
market. And too, I am competing for those that do show
up with the "foo-foo" antique dealers who buy them to
put a lace doily skirt on them and all sorts of other
indignities. I won't buy one that is not structurally
sound, but they all show evidence of years of hard use
in the classrooms, barns, kitchens and workshops from
which they are rescued.
Based on certain consistencies I’ve seen in these stools
through the years, I have come to the fairly certain
conclusion that during the Indian War period the army
either left the stools unfinished or only applied a
natural rubbed oil finish. Probably due to the wear
through the years, the army began painting to stools
after 1900. I suspect individual units would paint them
as a means of branding them, so they wouldn't "walk off"
to another company area or disappear into barracks. As
the stools were also used in hospitals, work shops, and
offices - anywhere seating was required – I imagine
inventory control was a challenge.
I have had the
stools in all the classic branch of service colors –
yellow for cavalry, red for artillery, various shades of
blue for infantry, white probably for hospital use, and
so on. The various colors were so consistent in hue –
all the yellows the same or similar, the reds the same,
etc. – that it appeared the stools were painted all one
color within the company or regiment. That sort of
standardization certainly tracks with the military’s
sense of uniformity.
Adding to the
army’s efforts, once the stools moved into the civilian
world where painting furniture was in vogue, the
combined results produced some of the most hideous paint
schemes imaginable. I used to strip the paint and
refinish the stools in the natural wood grain, with a
hand rubbed wax finish prior to offering them for sale.
Not only do I no longer have the time to do so, but I
have found many collectors want the original army
applied paint finish intact, so you will receive the
stool with the finish or paint as I find it. The stool
pictured below is an example of what these stools look
like when they are refinished. They are a very
attractive, practical, and convenient addition to your
display room.
I currently have the stools pictured below available for
purchase. |
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NO. 1
MODEL
1883 US ARMY MESS HALL STOOL – STRIPPED:
A small quantity of these
Mess Stools were recently located from one source and
the man that found them had the resources and time to
strip the stools of the multiple layers of old paint.
As is normal, in the stripping process, any glue that
was used to assemble the stools dissolved and the stool
components separated. No damage occurred to these
stools in the stripping process, and more importantly,
the man took enough care and attention to keep all of
the matching components from each stool together which
facilitates reassembly.
All of the
original components are full form and free of any
significant damage, splits or structural problems. They
do show evidence of normal wear, but nothing that
affects the integrity of the stool. In the stripping
process, the wood tends to expand, so in order to
reassemble the components, some of the joints will need
some very minimal hand fitting. No special tools are
required, mostly just some hand sanding of the tenons
where they insert into the holes and a rubber mallet to
seat the joints. Leaving these stools in this
unassembled state not only facilitates shipping to you,
but you’ll have the same experience as the frontier
soldier who, as noted above, received these stools in
this same “kit form” and assembled them once they were
received at the post.
The wood is
overall clean with only very minor traces of the paint
down in the grain, and having been stripped, you have
been saved a considerable amount of work. With
application of a stain of your choice and the
recommended hand applied finish (I use “bar wax”, hand
rubbed), you’ll have a very nice example of these Mess
Stools to add to your collection.
These are
excellent specimens which have become almost impossible
to find, and once finished, they will present as well as
any piece of antique furniture. There are two of these
sets in which the bottom of the seat is maker and date
stamped “1949”, further evidence that these stools saw
continued use by the army much later than originally
thought. Even with this late date, the stools still
adhere to the original 1883 design. If you want one of
these dated examples, please so indicate in your order.
I have four of
these stool sets. As shown in the photo below, all the
components of each one came from the same stool. I
recommend you don’t hesitate, as I don’t know if I will
be able to obtain any more once these are gone.
(0508) $$225
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