WW1 German Heer M1915 Feldflasche - ENAMELED STEEL CANTEEN & CORK - NICE For Sale

You are offerding on a VERY NICE example of an original WW1 German Heer M1915 ENAMELED Feldflasche (Field Canteen), complete with its original Ersatz Papercloth Cover and Cork Stopper! Introduced during the First World War as Germany moved away from increasingly scarce aluminum equipment, this is the classic wartime enameled-steel canteen pattern carried by German soldiers during the later years of the conflict.

The M1915 Feldflasche was introduced as a wartime replacement for earlier aluminum canteens as strategic materials became increasingly difficult to obtain. Early examples were produced from tinned steel, but because the tin coating wore easily and exposed the steel beneath to rust, production increasingly shifted to enameled steel. The familiar flattened oval body retained the basic form of earlier German field bottles, while the closure system used a cork stopper fitted with a stamped metal cap. Covers were produced in several materials over the course of the war, including Feldgrau and Steingrau wool, brown corduroy and, as shortages became increasingly severe, ersatz papercloth. These late-war papercloth covers represent one of the more distinctive material substitutions of the German wartime economy and are closely associated with 1917–1918 production.

Made of enameled steel with its original lightweight brown ersatz papercloth cover, this example is in VERY GOOD used condition! The bottle retains its original blue-gray enamel finish throughout, with only a few small chips around the neck and minor areas of age-related surface rust. The body remains straight and solid with no major dents, cracks, repairs or structural damage. The original papercloth cover remains present and correctly fitted to the canteen, showing the characteristic thin, coarse woven appearance associated with late-war ersatz material rather than heavier wool or corduroy. All original buttons and snap fittings remain present, althoughthey are beginning to pull away from the fragile surrounding papercloth due to age, corrosion and deterioration of the material. The cover also shows scattered splitting, tearing, staining and general service wear consistent with its delicate wartime construction and more than a century of age. The original cork stopper remains present with its stamped metal top and is still functional, although the cork has naturally shrunk with age and now fits somewhat loosely. Sadly, the original leather retaining strap for the stopper and the external carrying straps/harness are no longer present. No visible maker marks, dates or unit markings are present. A scarce and highly representative example of late-war German ersatz field equipment, PERFECT for any WW1 German infantry, field gear, canteen, or military equipment collection or display!