Posted 12 years ago
pickingupb…
(197 items)
Dug this out of a box I had stored yrs ago. Big pan with handle marked US WSC with an elevated small 0 after the C dateed 1918. Collapsable cup in pic 4 and collapsed in pic 3. Small pot w/ handle & lid marked Coty France with embossed Eagle in oval and 5 point Crown on top of oval. Tall Pot w/lid marked mTm and Unis France.The M's are capitalized with tall T between them. Small alum item in pic 3 I have determined to be shaving brush with no bristles left. It is marked Bristles Germany. I don't know if all these items are US but are in good shape for the age. Got a canteen with these, I'll have to find later. This may have WWII items also. Thanks for looking.
After a lot of thought could the small stuff be for soap ect?
thanks a lot ttom
If you look up "collapsible cup" in Militaria on eBay, you'll see 5 listed as Civil War era, one in Spanish American War, and one undated. I also have a collapsible cup like yours that I got with some US WWI mess gear and I think they continued to be produced for sale to soldiers in that period. Although I'm sure they are not issue, they seem to be something some of the troops acquired.
Personal opinion only: I feel by WWI they would be redundant to, and flimsier than, the canteen cup. I imagine some new recruit or rear echelon type seeing it for sale in the PX and buying it, kind of like some of the stuff the stuff they sell at U.S. Cavalry now. Still pretty cool though.
Thanks for your input Chrisnp I really appreciate it. The only item I did not try to research was the collapasable cup. With it inside the mess kit I assumed it went with it but is of tin not alum. How about the other items? Think they are US and from WW I or brought back as a souviner?
I think the tall pot is a European style mess kit. I don't have anything exactly like it in my reference materials, but some European armies had mess kits in that shape.
Thanks Chrisnp I kinda thought it was. Couldn't identify it through my research
Thanks bratjdd
I have a cup like to yours. It is aluminum and I purchased with a an aluminum mess kit marked U.S. JWB Co. 1918 at a garage sale. No divided dish was with it. Yard sale item.