Powder bottles

[Gene L]

A long time ago, I was at a gun show and a guy had bottles of heavy glass shaped about like a canteen and covered with Army-colored cloth. They were rectangular in shape. I asked him what they were and he didn't know. Thought they might be a canteen from foreign use in olden days. I didn't think so as they weren't the cover wasn't designed for carrying and the glass bottles were necessarily fragile. They were corked. He had several and I kinda wish I'd bought a couple of them since they were cheap, but I had not clue as to what they were for.

Then, while looking at a DGW catalog, I saw a photo the identical product stating they were for storage of a pound or so of BP a long time ago. Can't remember much about the specifics, and wouldn't suppose they'd be for individual issue as they're well...glass. My guess is that they were for transport or for garrison use.

Does anyone know anything at all about what I'm talking about?

 

[B.Habermehl]

What you are describing appears to be what were called case bottles. They literally were designed to be shipped in wooden cases. I have my doubts they were ever used in period as powder containers. Rather they were more often used for apothecary and liquor uses. BJH

 

[Cruzatte]

I'm curious; did the bottles in question look like this?

or these?

 

[Gene L]

No, as I remember, none of these posted resemble what I saw. They were basically very plain and rectangular and not marked in any way, no labels. I'm quite sure they were military, just not sure what military.

I agree they were probably for transport up to the front in some army back when. Cheaper to produce than tin, I'd imagine.

 

[jdw276]

Been seeing the set of three recently on a flea Bay site. Are they even close to what was Used? Or is it just the labels that make them appear so?