Civil War Soldier's Collapsible Brass Cup, dug Texas, as in books

This is another nice item being offered, it is a Civil War soldiers collapsible brass cup. It has four sections which pull up to form the cup. It has a diameter of 2 ½” and stands 2 ¾” high when opened. Originally there was probably another piece which formed the outer case.

These cups were very popular during the Civil War, mainly because of their size which made it easy to carry in a haversack or backpack. In Time/Life Echoes of Glory - Arms and Equipment of the Union and The Civil War Collectors Encyclopedia, by Francis Lord, there are very similar examples of this cup. In my book “The Civil War Soldier – His Personal Items”, I show a similar dug example of this type of cup (see pictures).

This cup was found in a Confederate camp in Texas. Very seldom are these cups recovered from camps and battlefields, if so, they are in pieces – this one still easily opens and closes. The only other dug example I seen in the past 25+ years is the one in my collection, which is pictured in my book. It would make a nice addition to a display of a soldier’s personal effects.