Rations

[DougCooper]

Re: period frying pan

anybody who lives on Possum Trot Lane has got to be authentic :D Seriously, Frank is the man on fry pans. One of the those "pry it out of my cold dead hands" pieces of kit. I carry his 11" version everywhere and have been offerred cash for the "antique" several times. Original pans (and Frank's)are much lighter than most repro's. Frank's prices are excellent as well (don't tell him).

[Jimmayo]

Re: period frying pan

Pards:
what exactly do the period handles look like , is there a web site that shows a period correct handle? thanks .

I also heard some where that canteen halves can be used and where common but I think that might be more of a confederate thing, and not a union.


Rob

Got a pic of a frying pan handle on this page http://www.angelfire.com/ma4/j_mayo/tools/tools.html

IMO Canteen halves are more of a unionism than a confederate. At least I have found more halves in union camps (6) than in confederate camps (0).

[straggler]

Re: period frying pan

Using the 'manage attachment' feature to attempt adding a photo of
Frank's fry pans.

[Kykeydet12]

Re: period frying pan

Pards;
thanks I wasn't sure quite what the whole thing looked like. but now I have a picture and remembered. i will see about getting one . thanks to you all , and let santa claus bring you something other than hardtack this christmas ...... hmm, maybe coal will be good ..... or maybe a toothbrush.



Rob

[John Peterson]

Re: period frying pan

This is from the Dover Stamping Company catalog of 1869. It was a Boston based company that wholesaled various sheetmetal wares and tinners tools, etc.

In addition to "plain", they were also available "tinned" and "polished." The handle pictured here was mass produced and very common from the 1840s into the 20th century. By the 1860s they were replacing the hand-made style handle that Mr. Ellis produces. More recently made pans can be easily "retro-fitted" by drilling out the 3 spot welds and putting in rivets. They are not difficult to find at barn sales, junk shops, etc. and only need the rivets to make them period appropriate.

[64OVI]

Re: period frying pan

Speaking of cooking equipage..is there a source for spiders?

Kent Dorr
"Kick It up a Notch" Mess

[Clark Badgett]

Re: period frying pan

I have to agree with Jim here. The only place I've ever seen canteen halves mentioned as fry pans was in Union soldier recollections. Anybody have and Cornfed references?

[John Peterson]

"spiders"

Speaking of cooking equipage..is there a source for spiders?

You'd have better luck finding spiders with 18th century period sutlers. (for example, here's a sheet iron one:
http://www.gggodwin.com/308.htm) and there is a reason for that.

In some cases "spider" has been used interchangeably with "frying pan" but, as many probably realize, it typically was a legged pan, meant to be used for hearth cooking or sometimes a trivet put over coals and upon which a pan might be set. They survived past the 1860s but their usage was already tapering off by that time as more and more households began to use cook stoves. till, the practice of hearth cooking persisted, primarily in poor rural homes.

Spiders are neat and I would be the first to admit that I have a thing for period cooking wares ... but many of us have seen campfires at events with an abundance of heavy iron cooking accessories. Some of those ironwares might even be authentic to the period, however, they are out-of-place in that setting. If you must use a fry pan, a plain old sheet iron (as opposed to cast iron) frying pan would make a lot more sense. From a practical point of view it's lighter and you don't have to worry about getting poked with those legs; and for another thing, it would be more commonly available during the 1860s than a spider.

On the other hand, some of us just can't resist cool toys ... I've got lots of period cooking utensils that will never make it to an event. I recommend thinking the scenario through before bringing a spider to an authentic event. (For example - it might work as a pilfered item in a winter-quarters setting.)


My 2 cents

[Kykeydet12]

Re: period frying pan

pards:
how authentic is cooking food in your tin cup? I've done it before in boy scouts , ands made many a cup of coffee in my old cup, but how period is it ?

[John E. Tobey]

Re: period frying pan

FWIW, here's a photo of a frying pan that was carried by a Federal soldier. Once part of a GAR exhibit in Trumansburg, NY, the tag says: "Frying Pan Knife Fork & Spoon that went from Atlanta to the Sea." It was the property of Henry Rudie of the 137th NY. It is 7-1/2 inches in diameter, and weighs only 13 ounces.



John Tobey

[markj]

Alleged ID'd Hardtack

Greetings,

As always, you be the judge:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2215641061&category=13960

Regards,

Mark D. Jaeger

[ScottCross]

ID'd Hardtack

While working at the Wisconsin Veteran's Museum, I worked on the Civil War items transferred there from the State Historical Society of Wisconsin. Included in the transfer were dozens of original Civil War hardcrackers. This one on ebay is very similar if not identical to those I cataloged: shape; size; condition; etc. Even the old ink identification on it is similar to identifications I have seen on some. More than likely, it is a Federal piece of hardtack and not Confederate.

[Johan Steele]

Hardtack

I am trying to find the correct dimensions for a hard tack box as would have been used to issue 50 lbs of hard tack. I have checked numerous references and have had no luck. I am rather certain their was a thread on it on the old forum but again have had no luck in my search.

Can anyone point me in the correct direction? I'm planning to build three or four for my wifes cook impression to store kitchen items and I would also like to make a pair to have laying about camp as a convenient camp stools for my Company.

THank in advance for any assistance.

[hardtack1864]

Re: HardTack boxes

Go to dixie leather works. They have what you need, but don't put the rope on the box and the higes either.

[Clark Badgett]

Re: HardTack boxes

From Kautz's Custom's of Service
Length- 26", height (ends)- 11" width- 18"

Also from an article James R. Loba & Leslie D. Jenson in the Journal of The Company Of Military Historians Vol. XLVIII No. 3, fall 1996 contains diminsions of 3 original boxes: all measurements are length, height(ends), width and in inches.

Robert Sterns, Brooklyn NY, Sept/62- 25 3/4, 10 3/4, 18.
Kendall Bros & Co. June/63- 25 3/4, 10 3/4, 18 1/4.
A.T. Hanks, Brroklyn NY, May/64- 25, 11 3/8, 17 7/8.

Ends seemed to be of thicker wood that the sides and tops/bottoms. Also the originals examined for this article had the top/bottom pieces tounge and grooved from 2 similarily sized pieces. Two of the boxes retained vestiges of their sapling banding. I would suggest you obtain this issue for your files, as it is very informative. Lots of nice pictures too.

http://company.military-historians.org/journal/journal.htm