The M31 Canteen and its Variants

[JPhilip]

Hello,
RFI is a well known maker...can't tell you right now the maker's name but i've seen it many many times, both stamped and in volume.
Thanks

[Edward Lionheart]

If it is unmarked that would be an excellent candidate in the Late War style : mixed leather pieces, a buckle with no roller, flat press studs, and so on.
It's up to you to decide if you switch the cups or not.
If I am not mistaken RFI is Rudolf Fissler, Idar-Oberstein, and later switched to another code.

[Petrovich]

Thank you for your opinions, I changed the mug, it even matches the color of the case more.

[BodhiEtheridge]

Bit of a long one but there’s lots to cover for this guy. Firstly it’s a labeflasche (1 liter canteen) likely for use by a sanitäter, made by EEF (Ewald Eigenbrod Aluminium und Metallwarenfabrik, Freiling) in 1944. Also Seen are two matching RBNr codes “RBNr 0/0656/0005” indicating the straps and carry strap were produced by Deutsche Lederwerkstätten GmbH, Pirmasens.

To start with the cup (pictures 2 and 3), it’s the regular aluminum style with rough texture light green paint. The paint is sloppy with some running and some areas with little coverage. It is unusual to see this type of cup on a labeflasche and is also unusual to see so late in the war as aluminum should’ve been replaced by steel (we can see a few other manufacturers still making these in 1944 but not many.)

The cover is a basic cover for the labeflasche nothing too special, we faintly see the maker mark and date. However very clear is the number “.420” this number likely refers to the material used or is a type of lot number. See pictures 5 and 6.

The bottle (picture 4) is mostly normal too, showing the maker and date. There are a few small flaws in the aluminum, an example in the bottle neck is a small lump running the circumference of the neck.

The straps have a handful of features (pictures 7 through 11). The straps themselves are made from pig skin and crudely cut with some areas being thinner and some much thicker. Pictures 7 and 8 show the RBNr code used on the straps. Picture 9 shows the unusual production method of the carry strap, usually made from one piece this example appears to have been factory made as two pieces sewn together. Pictures 10 and 11 show holes that have been lightly punched and still have the leather inside.

Bit of an essay but I enjoy diving deep into these late war canteens as there is a lot to look at (at least for a nerd like myself)

-Bodhi

[Edward Lionheart]

Hello.
To be honest I am less shocked by the fact that the cup is made of aluminium ( remember the HRE 45 cavalry / medic cups ! ) than to see that it is a normal one instead of the truncated cone type.
All examples I have seen so far of medic canteens with a regular cup were obvious forgeries as neither the maker nor the date were a match, but here eventhough it displeases me I am compelled to consider that this is how it came out of the factory.
Why might be hard to explain properly though.
While I am at it are the press studs smooth or do they still show the usual cross pattern ?

[Kateri]

The pigskin straps do a good impression of a pebbled finish
on the outside of the canteen.
Thanks for showing another of your fine purchases and a really interesting item finished late in the war.

[BodhiEtheridge]

Thank you gentlemen for the comments!

Edward, I do agree with you fully it’s definitely unusual to see this cup on the one liter canteens, but I’m 100% this is a matching example.

Here is a picture of the press studs, they show that classic cross pattern.

[Edward Lionheart]

Thank your for the picture, it's another surprise to see a cross pattern and black paint as if it was an early model while the press studs seem to be made of chromed steel.
I do not own any canteen made by the Ewald Eigenbrod Aluminium-und Metallwarenfabrik, Freiling and I don't think I have seen that many of them since I started collecting.

[BodhiEtheridge]

I agree, from the research I’ve done and people I’ve spoke to it seems that the EEF manufacturer did not really change their practice as the war progressed. They seemed to make these aluminum cups and bottles throughout the war (including the regular capacity canteens) without change to steel. My guess is that they didn’t see the point in changing their entire process.

[Edward Lionheart]

I don't know if this is a deliberate choice, technical limitations, a smaller scale of production and / or the fact that material shortages were less severe than in other domains, but usually the cavalry / medic canteens keep most of their early features very late into the war.
What I like the most in that EEF canteen is the contrast between early and late features on the same object. That's nothing new in itself, but here it is, for my taste, especially striking.