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I would definetly have to agree with the filter canteens being a good start. Then again, I love tinware, so I would probably be interested in buying anything that is an authentic reproduction.
I'd like to see the English mess tins again. At one time Mr. Cunningham and Nick had them available with the S. Isaac's & Campbell knapsack. I never was afforded the opportunity to get them before. But I would certainly like to have a set now... if they aren't too far outta reach.
1. The "coffee cooler" that was once offered through WisVet. I have one, and enjoy it. It is one of the few pieces that fits well in a saddlebag. They may still be available, but I haven't seen any new stock in a while. I know you know the maker very well. :wink_smil
2. Along the same lines as the above, the Smith cup, Clark cup, and the "civilian" plate that was once offered. The Smith cup had the advantage of an open handle, which facilitated both nesting (stacking) and simply hanging over the edge of a water bucket.
3. The truly large dipper. These show up in collections, and in photographs. They are maybe four times the size of a federal issue cup. I'm pretty sure I know where one is sitting in a private collection, and the owner is friendly towards reenactors and reproductions. (I recently saw something similar made from stainless steel -- ugh -- recently, and had to wonder if it was a modern food service item at first.)
4. A medium size dipper between the issue cup, and the infamous "too small cup" which is, well, just too small. I don't have one handy, but it would be about 2/3 the size of an issue cup. I believe Butch Baker used to make a good cup in this size.
5. Baker used to make nice canisters for the larger mess boxes in roughly pint and quart size. While this is not something an individual or even company (outside of a fixed camp) would have, they sure are handy for battalion level or higher mess boxes. I have two, they have held up well for about 6 years. Zaharias sold these at one time. It's getting hard to get good medium scale food service storage items without either using originals, going to very fragile glass repops, or less favorable alternatives.
6. Sardine cans. Maki's Boxes used to sell these, and may still sell them. (I'm not stepping on toes, just haven't bothered to keep up with things.) I'd really love to see a wider offering of both sardine cans and food packaging in general. One of the more recent tin vendors (Orchard Hill?) had a nice deal on peach can boilers in several configurations.
7. A boiler with bail and lid (not hinged) comparable to the four-issue cup size boiler in the market with the dreaded wooden cabinet knob in the lid -- ugh -- but done right, and about 2 cups larger. This would fill the void where the smallest issue mess kettle is just too big, and the 4 cupper is just too small. As a word of warning, I have seen these in collections, but not recently. Someone out there has them in public view if we look long enough.
8. The small, mid-late war, commercially mass produced small boiler with lid that looks an awful lot like a schoolhouse lunch pail. There's one in EOG, I believe Scott McKay picked up one for a good price a few years ago, and John Tobey at the CR COI reinforced the need for reenactors to realize by mid-war the federal supply system wasn't stocked by one-at-a-time makers in some dark room, but by suprisingly mechanized factory systems. Collectors understand this. I understand just enough to be dangerous, as I have seen these pails offered from the usual Cumberland Store/Lehman's Non-Electric genre sources. They may be right, but they just don't feel right. I'd love to see an article on late war tinware production sometime.
9. Really shoddy tinned spoons and forks. I'd like to know more about the history of this sort of "cheap" tableware, before moving forward.
10. A tin, folding, candle lantern but with the mica glass. Keith Bartsch mentioned this the other day.
11. Along the lines of lighting, a larger tin lantern that would be durable enough to provide enough lighting in HQs tents, be durable, portable, and not the all-too-obvious barn lanterns sometimes seen at even the best events. A few repops are out there, but they are too big, too fancy, and/or too fragile for much field use.
Most of this is food for thought, rather than being able to put a GPS coordinate on relics in museums or private collections, but maybe it will get the creative juices flowing in the suggest-locate-measure-reproduce mode.
Well, take a look at this prototype repro "Arthur's Patent Self-Sealing Fruit Can" ...
Regards,
Mark Jaeger
Mark,
You are not an approved vendor; I understand you are not selling but are putting out information. Good Luck in completing this project and pleas apply for Approved Vendor Status for selling them here when you do.
How about the knife, fork, spoon and plate comprising the group of "Army-issue mess utensils" in the Union EOG, p.225 upper right? Also, a decent matchsafe.
I'd have to second the call for sardine cans, as well as food cans in general...
Mr. Jaeger I'm interested in seeing your prototype for the self sealing fruit cans...drop me an email if you get a chance at mac_attak@hotmail.com
Respectfully,
Ryan McIntyre
Ryan McIntyre
124th New York State Volunteers
Founder of the Squatting Bullfrog Mess & the "Leave your politics at home" Mess
"the Doctor says that I have got the Knapsack complaint that is I cant carry a knapsack that is a disease of my own getting up for I can lift as much as eney[sic] of the boys"
Joseph H. Johnston
March 16th 1863
Camp Convalescent
"It takes twelve men and a corporal up there [brigade headquarters] to take care of a few trees and salute the officers as they pass these are all the orders we have, but it is military I suppose..."
Henry M Howell
March 8 1863
In camp Near Falmouth
I'd like to see the English mess tins again. At one time Mr. Cunningham and Nick had them available with the S. Isaac's & Campbell knapsack. I never was afforded the opportunity to get them before. But I would certainly like to have a set now... if they aren't too far outta reach.
[FONT=Franklin Gothic Medium]David Chinnis[/FONT]
Palmetto Living History Association
[url]www.morrisisland.org[/url]
[i]"We have captured one fort--Gregg--and one charnel house--Wagner--and we have built one cemetery, Morris Island. The thousand little sand-hills that in the pale moonlight are a thousand headstones, and the restless ocean waves that roll and break on the whitened beach sing an eternal requiem to the toll-worn gallant dead who sleep beside."
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