Original Item. Only One Available. This is a rare example of an early Indian War Period M-1874 Canteen with original cotton web sling. Very few of these canteens were initially made, and even fewer survived. This should not be confused with the far more common Model 1878 Canteens, which saw service into the Spanish-American War.

These early Model 1874 Canteens started life as surplus Civil War Model 1858 pattern canteens, which were then converted to the M1874 Canteen specifications. This example is a Bullseye example, making it that much more rare. This involved removing the cover, and then usually one or all three bales were removed, and a cotton web sling with friction buckle was installed. Interestingly, the top two bales are retained on this example, but the cover is entirely of the period and correct.

This pattern is quite rare, and examples with intact canvas shoulder straps are definitely scarce on the market. This is only one of a few that we have ever seen. The canteen itself was originally a Model 1858 Bullseye canteen, maker marked around the throat for J. Hall Rohrmann of Philadelphia, with an 1864 contract date. The shoulder strap is in good condition, showing heavy wear and deterioration from age, with some minor tearing and fraying along the edges. The brass buckle definitely has some patination and verdigris present. The front side of the canteen is marked with a stylized 5 / C, for Company C,  5th Regiment, and the other side is marked with N.G.P., denoting issue to the National Guard of Pennsylvania. Considering the style of font on the one side, it's possible the canteen saw federal service and was then used by the NGP later. Above and under the NGP is the roster number 45, stamped multiple times.

Overall condition for the canteen is very good with heavy staining on the cover and rust on the exposed metal. The cork stopper still sits snugly in the mouth of the canteen and can be removed and all stitching is still tight and complete, though there are some small holes in the cover. This is a complete canteen, and as far as we can tell there are no missing parts or repairs done to it.

For the Indian Wars collector seeking a very interesting M1874 canteen that started life as a genuine U.S. Civil War Issue. Ready to research and display!