Canteens

Excellent textbook M31 canteen in unissued, mint condition. The canteen and all its parts are nicely marked MN 40 which indicates production by Menesa Metallindustrie GmbH. Neunkirchen-Saar in 1940. Nice detail is that this example features pigskin straps even though it is an early example and it features an unmarked cup which is a rare feature for M31 canteens. Sadly the straps is broken at the bottom as can be seen. Excellent textbook M31 example which is a must have for every canteen collector!

Textbook late war M42 (Eis.) canteen in very good condition. The flask is nicely marked SMM 43 which indicates production Süddeutsche Metallwarenfabrik, Mussbach in 1943. The canteen comes in a textbook configuration with a black bakelite cup and a gabardine cover. Textbook late war example!

Stunning and textbook late war M42 canteen in close to mint, most likely unissued condition. The canteen is a typical late war example with a rough wool cover with small press studs and black pebbled straps. The flask itself is marked SMM 43 and the cup is marked SMM 44 which in my opinion indicates a factory mismatched example produced by Süddeutsche Metallwarenfabrik, Mussbach in early 1944 with left over stock from 1943. Excellent late war M42 which would be hard to upgrade!

Textbook coconut canteen marked HRE 43 indicating production by Heinrich Ritter, Esslingen. Typical example with first pattern friction buckle closing strap. The canteen is in very good condition and complete with its phenolic resin canteen cup. Nice example with a 1944 dated clip and unreadable initials on the straps.

To learn more about the coconut canteens you can read my article about them here; https://fjm44.com/articles/the-coconut-canteen-ritters-mystery-canteen/

Very nice large capacity 1L M31 canteen or Labeflasche in very good condition. This example has a greenish cover and is early dated which could imply this is a tropical issue canteen. The canteen is nicely marked MN 41 / MN 42 which indicates production by Metallindustrie GmbH. Neunkirchen-Saar (MENESA). This canteen is in my opinion a factory mismatched example manufactured in early 1942 with left over stock from 1941. The canteen comes in a textbook configuration with its original black bakelite canteen cup marked gfc 1941 which shows some engravements. Very nice 1L  “tropical” example!

Textbook M31 (Alum.) large capacity canteen or 1L Labeflasche in very good condition. The canteen is nicely multiple times marked C&CW 41 which indicates production by Colsmann & Co, Werdohl in 1941. The canteen comes in the textbook configuration with its original bakelite drinking cup marked AL/S. Textbook 1L Labeflasche which would be hard to upgrade!

Textbook coconut canteen marked HRE 42 indicating production by Heinrich Ritter, Esslingen. Typical example with first pattern friction buckle closing strap. The canteen is in good used condition and complete with its phenolic resin canteen cup.

To learn more about the coconut canteens you can read my article about them here; https://fjm44.com/articles/the-coconut-canteen-ritters-mystery-canteen/

Textbook coconut canteen marked HRE 42 indicating production by Heinrich Ritter, Esslingen. Typical example with first pattern friction buckle closing strap. The closing cap has been replaced and the small leather neck strap is broken. The canteen is in good used condition and complete with its phenolic resin canteen cup marked gfc 1944.

To learn more about the coconut canteens you can read my article about them here; https://fjm44.com/articles/the-coconut-canteen-ritters-mystery-canteen/

Textbook issue coconut canteen marked HRE 42 indicating production by Heinrich Ritter, Esslingen. The canteen is in excellent condition and is complete with its original cup. The bakelite drinking cup is a very nice black example marked 1W/31, gfc 1944. For more information on these canteens look at my article here; https://fjm44.com/articles/the-coconut-canteen-ritters-mystery-canteen/

A textbook steel M42 (Eis.) canteen in excellent condition. The canteen is nicely marked MN 43 indicating production by Menesa Metallindustrie GmbH. Neunkirchen-Saar. Very nice detail is bright green painted buckle on the straps. Textbook example which would be hard to upgrade!

Textbook late war M42 canteen in overall good condition. The canteen has a nice cover with desirable riveted loops, which are sadly a bit damaged. The flask itself is nicely marked MN 43 which (most probably) indicates production by Metallindustrie GmbH. Neunkirchen-Saar (MENESA) in 1943. The canteen comes in a typical late war configuration with a matching cup. Nice late war example!

Textbook M31 (Alum.) large capacity canteen or 1L Labeflasche in very good condition. The canteen is nicely marked DMN 43 which indicates production by Deutsche Metallwerke AG, Neustadt in 1943. The canteen comes in the textbook configuration with its original bakelite drinking cup. Note that the small metal ring which attaches the strap to the screw cap is missing. Textbook 1L Labeflasche!

Nice original M31 canteen in very good condition. The canteen is not matching, the flask itself is nicely marked W.A.L. 40 and the canteen cup is marked V.A.L. 39, which is a very rare manufacturer! The canteen cup features some period personalization. Very nice early/pre war canteen!

Textbook late war M42 canteen in overall good condition. The canteen has a nice cover with desirable riveted loops, which are sadly a bit damaged. The flask itself is nicely marked MN 43 which (most probably) indicates production by Metallindustrie GmbH. Neunkirchen-Saar (MENESA) in 1943. The canteen comes in a typical late war configuration with a phenolic resin cup. Nice late war example!

Steel M42 canteen marked RFI 43 / CFL 44. I found the canteen like this. Although the cup and the flask are not matching I deem that they have been together for a very long time. Textbook M42 style canteen in very good condition that would be hard to upgrade!

Textbook late war M42 canteen in overall good condition. The canteen has a nice cover with desirable riveted loops, which are sadly a bit damaged. The flask itself is nicely marked MN 43 which (most probably) indicates production by Metallindustrie GmbH. Neunkirchen-Saar (MENESA) in 1943. The canteen comes in a typical late war configuration with a matching cup. Nice late war example!

Textbook coconut canteen marked HRE 41 indicating production by Heinrich Ritter, Esslingen. Typical example with first pattern friction buckle closing strap. The canteen is in good used condition and complete with its phenolic resin canteen cup. Hard to find example in the first year of production!

To learn more about the coconut canteens you can read my article about them here; https://fjm44.com/articles/the-coconut-canteen-ritters-mystery-canteen/

‘Last Ditch’ coconut canteen in good condition. These coconut canteens with simplified harnesses are of a unknown, exact specific design. Collectors discuss two possible specific uses for this design. One being that they are post war reissued with a simplified harness. The second is that they are unfinished examples that have been hastily fitted with a make shift strap and cap system in 1945 as a ‘last ditch’ effort. One could argue that they should have then been dated 1945 but this is not per se a must. I have observed many(!) 1942 and 1943 with 1944 dated buckles. This is a indication that either they kept using the 1941, 1942 and 1943 molds up until 1945 ór simply still had stock which could explain the fact that no coconut canteen bodies are produced in 1944. For a early post war manufacture it would not be logical that the straps would vary as much as they do because a post war peace time manufacture would not have the need utilising every single scrap piece of leather. Nor would it be a necessity in a post war Germany littered with wartime uniforms, equipment and for sure canteens.

This is for me, the most logical explanation that this is a ‘last ditch’ effort in fielding these otherwise unfinished canteens or produced from 1942 molds. Rare variant!

Textbook issue coconut canteen marked HRE 43 indicating production by Heinrich Ritter, Esslingen. The canteen is in very good condition and is complete with its original cup. For more information on these canteens look at my article here; https://fjm44.com/articles/the-coconut-canteen-ritters-mystery-canteen/