Possible confederate canteen strap.

[estephenson]

I have added a canteen to my collection that has a strap that is not federal. It is a standard smoothside canteen, no cover and appears to have been used like that. The strap is leather with splits at both sides to keep the canteen from riding around. The buckle is a cast horseshoe buckle.

http://gallery.me.com/e_stephenson#100091

[Jimmayo]

Are there wear marks on the canteen under the split straps?

While O'Donnells new canteen book lists canteens with this strap as US, there are period pictures showing CS usage of this strap arrangement. I have not come across any pictures or documented examples showing US usage. He may have had some supporting evidence of US usage but did not include it in the book. You can draw your own conclusions but I also think it is a CS modification.

Unusual to have a canteen strap dyed black unless it was salvaged leather.

I like it. You got a good one.

[estephenson]

The wear is very evident on the side where half the strap is missing, and the leather is settled well around the canteen. I was in shock when I picked it up. From 3 tables away I thought it was a federal leather strap, which would have been very cool, but as soon as I saw the split it all clicked in my head. I am not sure if it was black or not, but it was heavily oiled to try to keep it from breaking. The most interesting is the piecing of the strap, didn't really come out in the photos. There is thread evident under the bottom loop, but the leather is to dry in that area to see what kind of stitch was used, probably just a harness stitch with skived leather on both sides.