Original Item: Only One Available. This is a nice original French WWI Model 1877 2-liter canteen, maker marked J.J. Carnaud of Paris, complete with its leather carrying strap, surviving cork, and a period tin drinking cup. The cloth cover is no longer present, leaving the metal body exposed, but the strong maker’s stamp and surviving accessories make this a particularly appealing example of one of the most recognizable pieces of French field equipment from the Great War.

Known in French service as the Bidon Modèle 1877, this pattern was produced in both 1-liter and 2-liter capacities and remained in extensive use during WWI. The canteen is distinguished by its characteristic flattened oval form and two spouts, one larger and one smaller, which were closed with wood or cork stoppers secured to the body by cord or strap.

At the outbreak of WWI, Metropolitan French troops were generally equipped with the 1-liter Model 1877, while the larger 2-liter version was already in use among troops serving in North Africa. The assumptions of prewar campaigning changed quickly once the Western Front settled into trench warfare. Water supply to forward positions could be difficult and unpredictable, and by 1915 the larger 2-liter canteen was increasingly issued throughout the French Army, giving the poilu significantly more liquid capacity in the field.

The Bidon became one of the most familiar objects carried by the French soldier. Water was obviously its primary purpose, but period accounts and collecting tradition also associate French canteens with coffee, wine, and other beverages, depending on availability and circumstance. Soldiers sometimes carried more than one canteen when conditions required additional capacity. The larger French pattern was also attractive to some American soldiers serving alongside the French because it could hold considerably more than the standard U.S. canteen.

This example is maker marked on the side:

J.J. Carnaud of Paris

The marking is clear and adds considerably to the appeal of the piece, giving it a definite manufacturer rather than leaving it as an anonymous wartime example.

The original cloth cover is no longer present. Model 1877 canteen covers varied considerably over the course of the war, reflecting changes in French uniform colors and wartime material availability. Early examples were commonly covered in dark blue cloth, while horizon blue became increasingly common as that uniform color entered widespread service. Colonial troops could be issued covers in moutarde, or khaki, and various substitute fabrics and colors also appeared during periods of shortage.

By 1916, horizon blue had become the standard appearance for Metropolitan troops, while khaki shades remained associated with Colonial forces. Because these covers were exposed to hard field use, moisture, abrasion, and dirt, many surviving canteens today are found with their original fabric heavily worn or entirely missing, as on this example.

The leather carrying strap remains present and supple, and it continues to function as intended. The canteen also retains its cork stopper, although the strap associated with the cork appears to be a later addition.

Also included is a period tin drinking cup, which displays nicely with the canteen and completes the appearance of a working field hydration set.

The canteen shows honest age and service use throughout but remains a very good representative example of a classic French WWI item. The combination of the 2-liter Model 1877 pattern, J.J. Carnaud Paris maker marking, surviving leather shoulder strap, cork, and tin cup makes this a strong addition to a collection of French poilu equipment, WWI field gear, ration and mess items, or Allied trench warfare material.