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SUPERB VINTAGE OAK CANTEEN IN MILITARY STYLE
About
This is a canteen of the very highest standard,
made of oak timber with brass handles, escutcheon, and cross-bandings,
with a lift-up lid, and two drawers, secured by flaps
fitted in a blue materiel which is in excellent condition.
made of oak timber with brass handles, escutcheon, and cross-bandings,
with a lift-up lid, and two drawers, secured by flaps
fitted in a blue materiel which is in excellent condition.
Age
I reckon it is 1950 to 1970 - before shoddy materiels and workmanship.
Heating
As a sign of the quality of this canteen,
note there are no splits due to central heating.
note there are no splits due to central heating.
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WHAT I SEE IN MY MIND'S EYE
Imagine
12 place settings of Elkington BOSTON in the canteen - for hire!
Why bought
As soon as I saw the canteen,
I envisioned being able to place my cutlery sets in and around it,
to photograph as a high-quality prop for cutlery swaps and sales.
I envisioned being able to place my cutlery sets in and around it,
to photograph as a high-quality prop for cutlery swaps and sales.
Sell
So selling was NOT the reason I bought it,
although given the choice,
adding extra place settings to my hire sets is my first priority.
although given the choice,
adding extra place settings to my hire sets is my first priority.
My Gamble
I have no idea if I will ever hire any cutlery,
but it seems CommonZense to me
that simply by building up a substantial collection of vintage stainless steel,
plus other vintage tableware and decor,
and presenting it in an attractive online catalogue,
at some stage the collection will get noticed,
and hires will result.
but it seems CommonZense to me
that simply by building up a substantial collection of vintage stainless steel,
plus other vintage tableware and decor,
and presenting it in an attractive online catalogue,
at some stage the collection will get noticed,
and hires will result.
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THE KEY IS MISLAID - CANTEEN LOCKED, BUT OPEN
Key
The vendor says he has the key 'somewhere' -
so ( without guarantee ) it MAY be forthcoming with patience,
as he comes to Brighton regularly.
so ( without guarantee ) it MAY be forthcoming with patience,
as he comes to Brighton regularly.
Locked
The lock is locked, without engaging the top,
so the lid is slightly raised.
so the lid is slightly raised.
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CREATING A NEW LAYOUT FOR A DIFFERENT PATTERN
Re-Do
With a fair bit of planning,
I think one could refurbuish this canteen for a specific service,
removing the existing innards to create the perfect layout,
using fresh, new materiels.
I think one could refurbuish this canteen for a specific service,
removing the existing innards to create the perfect layout,
using fresh, new materiels.
Flexible?
Maybe one could make removable innards for the drawers,
so that various sets/any set of cutlery can be displayed / hired with it.
so that various sets/any set of cutlery can be displayed / hired with it.
Image
Simply by placing cutlery in and around the canteen,
a photograph looks a million dollars -
the 'look' I want for CommonZense4Men Project's hire operation as a whole -
I believe everyone deserves access to the best.
a photograph looks a million dollars -
the 'look' I want for CommonZense4Men Project's hire operation as a whole -
I believe everyone deserves access to the best.
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MY MOTHER WOULD HAVE LIKED THIS CANTEEN
Fiddle & Thread
My late Mother spent many years
building up a Fiddle & Thread silver service for 36.
building up a Fiddle & Thread silver service for 36.
Military silver
She was offered a fair quantity of mid-Victorian silver by a dealer,
who was offering to remove the engraving,
but aged 13 or 14, I insisted it stay,
as it was 13th Somerset Light Infantry Officer's Mess silver,
which no doubt travelled on campaigns -
mostly made by George Angell in the 1850s - a bit of history saved.
who was offering to remove the engraving,
but aged 13 or 14, I insisted it stay,
as it was 13th Somerset Light Infantry Officer's Mess silver,
which no doubt travelled on campaigns -
mostly made by George Angell in the 1850s - a bit of history saved.
Rather sad
I think it rather a shame my Mother will never see this,
as her silver would have looked awesome in the canteen,
and the canteen itself on the sideboard in our family home,
built by my great-grandfather,
with stone from our Plymouth quarries.
as her silver would have looked awesome in the canteen,
and the canteen itself on the sideboard in our family home,
built by my great-grandfather,
with stone from our Plymouth quarries.
Quarries
The same quarries from 1812 to 1841
supplied 4.5 million tones of limestone for Plymouth Breakwater -
an engineering feat on a par with the Channel Tunnel -
and later for the Palmerston forts surrounding Plymouth.
supplied 4.5 million tones of limestone for Plymouth Breakwater -
an engineering feat on a par with the Channel Tunnel -
and later for the Palmerston forts surrounding Plymouth.
Ships
We even owned ships in the 19th century,
which took cut stone as far afield as Malaya.
which took cut stone as far afield as Malaya.
Battleship's Bell
Looking at the porch in the picture of Cleeve,
my grandfather was a Royal Navy officer ( my father, a submariner ),
and on his retirement,
he was presented with the bell of the 1910 battleship HMS Collossus
( on which he served at the Battle of Jutland ),
which hung in our front porch as a doorbell,
and could be heard a mile away -
useful in the country!
my grandfather was a Royal Navy officer ( my father, a submariner ),
and on his retirement,
he was presented with the bell of the 1910 battleship HMS Collossus
( on which he served at the Battle of Jutland ),
which hung in our front porch as a doorbell,
and could be heard a mile away -
useful in the country!
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VALUE IS SUPPLY & DEMAND
Value
I have never seen a canteen of this quality before,
and realistically,
I am very unlikely to see another soon.
and realistically,
I am very unlikely to see another soon.
Make use
So if I were to agree to sell the canteen,
I would need to take as many photos as I can
before it leaves!
I would need to take as many photos as I can
before it leaves!
Above
Knife slots, inside of the lid.
