WWI German Canteen/Swedish Markings?
Moderator: John W. Howard
WWI German Canteen/Swedish Markings?
I have obtained a unique canteen thinking it was WWI German due to the markings and gray cover. It is basically the typical aluminum tear-shaped canteen that the Germans use, having been polished (you can tell by small dents). It has a grey felt cover like the Swedish ones, but unlike both the Swede and german models, it does not snap shut along the side. Instead, a piece of grey felt pulls around the neck and snaps onto itself. The canteen has the loop like the Swedish, but on the leather, stamped, is the Imperial Crown (I believe, due to the looping dome portions, similar to the crown on the 1914 EK). Also, it is marked 'I11K'. Any ideas? I bought it to resell thinking it was German, and if it's Swedish then I got screwed. Either way, I'd like to know about it. Thanks
Re: WWI German Canteen/Swedish Markings?
Sorry, but it sounds like a Swedish waterbottle - the crown is very similar to the WW1 German Imperial one. Don't worry too much, I once bought an East German w/b in mistake for a wartime one, but as it was intended for re enactment use, I didn't mind too much.Brig wrote:I have obtained a unique canteen thinking it was WWI German due to the markings and gray cover. It is basically the typical aluminum tear-shaped canteen that the Germans use, having been polished (you can tell by small dents). It has a grey felt cover like the Swedish ones, but unlike both the Swede and german models, it does not snap shut along the side. Instead, a piece of grey felt pulls around the neck and snaps onto itself. The canteen has the loop like the Swedish, but on the leather, stamped, is the Imperial Crown (I believe, due to the looping dome portions, similar to the crown on the 1914 EK). Also, it is marked 'I11K'. Any ideas? I bought it to resell thinking it was German, and if it's Swedish then I got screwed. Either way, I'd like to know about it. Thanks
