Original Item. Only One Available. This is an excellent original French WWI Model 1877 2-liter canteen, or bidon, fitted with a brown wool cover of the type associated with French colonial troops. It remains complete with its original leather carrying strap, surviving large cork stopper, leather securing straps, and a worn identification label on the underside. The smaller stopper is now missing, but the principal components remain remarkably well preserved.

At the beginning of WWI, the French Army used both 1-liter and 2-liter versions of the Model 1877 canteen. The smaller 1-liter type was standard for metropolitan troops, while the larger 2-liter version was initially associated particularly with troops stationed in hotter climates, including colonial infantry and the Armée d’Afrique. The demands of trench warfare soon demonstrated the advantages of the larger capacity, and beginning in 1915 the 2-liter Model 1877 was gradually issued throughout the French Army.

Both versions of the Model 1877 had the characteristic two-spout arrangement, consisting of one larger opening and one much smaller opening. The openings were closed with wooden or cork stoppers, normally secured to the canteen by cord so they would not be lost in the field. On this example, the smaller stopper is now absent, as is frequently encountered on surviving canteens, while the larger cork remains fully intact.

The brown wool cover remains in excellent overall condition, with strong stitching and only normal age and service wear. Brown, khaki, or moutarde colored cloth is particularly associated with French colonial uniforms and equipment during WWI, while metropolitan troops became closely associated with horizon-blue cloth. Colonial forces progressively adopted moutarde uniforms during the war, making this brown-covered canteen consistent with equipment intended for colonial use.

The leather securing straps along the body remain tight and retain a very good surface finish. The original leather shoulder strap is also present and remains supple enough to function as intended. The survival of the strap is particularly important because leather carrying equipment on heavily used WWI canteens is frequently found dry, shortened, broken, or missing.

A worn identification label remains attached to the underside of the canteen. The label is partially torn and has faded to the point that its writing can no longer be read. No attempt has been made to reconstruct a name or unit from the remaining traces.

French soldiers relied heavily upon the bidon during WWI, particularly as fixed trench warfare made regular water resupply increasingly difficult. The larger 2-liter capacity proved considerably more practical under these conditions and quickly expanded beyond its earlier colonial use. Period accounts and surviving equipment also show soldiers carrying more than one canteen when circumstances required additional water or other issued beverages.

French Model 1877 canteens were produced with covers in a variety of materials and colors during the war. Dark blue was common at the beginning of the conflict, while horizon blue appeared as the French Army adopted its new field uniform. Brown, khaki, blue-gray, and other substitute fabrics were also used during wartime shortages and changing uniform regulations. By the middle of the war, horizon blue was strongly associated with metropolitan troops while moutarde or khaki became characteristic of many colonial formations.

This example is especially appealing for the excellent preservation of its brown wool covering, strong stitching, complete leather shoulder strap and securing straps, surviving large cork, and retained underside identification label. The missing small stopper and illegible condition of the label are the principal losses, while the overall condition remains unusually strong for a piece of French WWI field equipment.