Federal Issue Canteen with Scarce Patent Stopper. Mounted on a near mint Model 1858 government issue canteen is a very rare ...

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Federal Issue Canteen with Scarce Patent Stopper. Mounted on a near mint Model 1858 government issue canteen is a very rare Mellin's Patent Canteen Stopper. It is held in place by a chain and takes the place of the usual cork plug. Constructed of pewter or white metal, the stopper has a cork bottom which fits into the canteen spout and consists of a screw on cap which conceals a section that contains a "filtration device" (which was often just a piece of cloth or felt). Unscrewing the cap reveals a strainer. The water passes through the filtering material and strainer and supposedly purifies the water by doing so. The top of the cap is marked in small letters [M]ellins/ Oct 8. 1861." Designed to fit the Federal issue canteen, they were popular non-issue items with the men in the field and were frequently mentioned in letters and journals.