Very early Revolutionary War rundlet/canteen, circa 1740 – 1780, as in museum

This is another nice early piece coming out of a 60-year collection of French & Indian War, Revolutionary War, and War of 1812 artifacts. Being offered is an early Revolutionary War wooden Rundlet Canteen. It measures 6 ½”wide with a diameter of 5”. It has a staved body and is bound with interlocking hoops of hickory, making it a water-tight container. On one end is carved or stamped with the initials “DGJ”, possibly the soldier’s name.

Revolutionary War Era Army and/or Militia Soldiers would be required to bring a portable water canteen when reporting for duty. This keg was probably made in the early part of the 1700s and would have been used during the French & Indian War and the American Revolution. With this size, the soldier probably had a strap tacked to it for carrying, or a sling.

There is an example of this rundlet in the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC (see pictures). In my book "The Civil War Canteen - Third Edition", I discuss some of these early canteens in the beginning of the book (see pictures).

This rundlet is pretty tight for its age but does have some minor rot on one end. This collection began in the late 1950s and was created by private acquisitions, closed museums, and from lake divers. The collector meticulously displayed and cataloged every piece along with any known provenance.

This is the first time it has been on the open market, and it is truly a great piece of early American History. It definitely merits a place in an advanced collection or museum. As with all the pieces in this esteemed collection, a Certificate of Authenticity will be included. As with all items on the website, a very friendly layaway is available.