Original British Napoleonic Era Wooden Canteen Marked to 7th Regiment of Foot - Circa 1810

Original Item. One-of-a-Kind. Prior to 1810, a British artisan-inventory had developed a system of machinery by which he could cut and form all of the component pieces of wood, as well as assemble them into finished canteens, thereby cutting the time and expense of hand-coopering, as such had previously been made. The mass-produced water bottles were made with oak faces or sides, with flat staves cut and inlet with grooves, allowing them to function similarly to the shaped staves made by traditional coopering, all held together by iron bands. This new methodology was a boon to the Quartermaster General, who needed to acquire tens of thousands of water bottles on an annual basis to equip British and allied troops in the field. This is a gorgeous Napoleonic era canteen marked on the side with the following designation: VIIG38 The other side also has the VII painted. This likely indicates issue to Company G of the 7th Regiment of Foot, with 38 likely being a soldier or inventory number. T