ORIGINAL CIVIL WAR ERA MEDICAL KEG AMBULANCE OAK CASK

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This auction is for a Civil War Era water keg which would have been one of several carried on the underside or back of the ambulance--in those days, a narrow horse drawn carriage that arrived at a battlefield after the battle was over; carrying supplies and transporting the men who were most gravely wounded back to field hospitals. Because most of the Civil War battles were fought in the humid Southern states during the spring and summer months, the injured and bleeding men were often parched from dehydration through blood loss--a simple cup of water was a tremendous act of last mercy to men who were soon to die. A keg of this same design can be found on page 81 of Dr. Gordon Dammann's book "Civil War Medical Instruments & Equipment". The keg is made of oak staves, it stands about 11" tall on stabilizing "feet" that are made of two of the straps, bent to keep the keg upright on a wagon back or the ground; it is roughly 9 1/2" wide at the middle, tapering down to about 8" at the ends x 20" long. It has five of the original six iron barrel bands in place, one is missing at one end; the band ends are riveted, with most being loose to some degree--this looseness is due to shrinkage of the wood from natural drying since it has not been water soaked for years. The bands are in overall pretty nice condition with no pitting and a nice patina. The only marking found is on one end, it reads "WT 14 LBS", the keg itself weighs 11 pounds before packaging. It has a roller-swivel type carrying handle at the center top, for hanging under the wagon and/or for carrying on the field; there is threaded brass fill hole/plug with cap at the top center and brass turnscrew type faucet on one end; the faucet is currently frozen up with no movement but have never tried to force it or work on loosening it. Has a few old nails here and there in the sides of the cask, think they were added later in it's life to keep the bands in place. Has an overall great patina, signs of honest aging and use but not abuse. A wonderful old piece of Civil War era history! Please see our other current auctions for a vast array of vintage to antique items, most are from our personal collections--we are drastically downsizing and are letting go of many of our treasured pieces collected over many years. We are widely eclectic in taste, just attaching ourselves to whatever we come across in our travels that strikes our fancy--there is sure to be something for everyone! Our low opening bid with no reserve should not be taken as a sign of quality or authenticity, just the way we like to start our auctions to encourage a true auction spirit--YOU set the final price. And, we are happy to combine shipping where practical! International Buyers – We have had MANY successful international transactions over the years and we want yours to be just as enjoyable! Please keep in mind that delivery times can vary greatly from Ebay's estimate, due to a variety of conditions; please allow sufficient time for your item to reach you and contact us with any concerns. Please confirm that this item can legally be sent to your specific location prior to bidding and please note that import duties, taxes, and charges--if any apply--are not included in the item price or shipping cost. These charges are the buyer's responsibility; please check with your country's customs office to determine what these additional costs will be prior to bidding or buying. We report the actual package contents and value (sales price) on the customs form--we do not show merchandise as a "gift" or show lower values; doing so is against Ebay and US Post Office regulations, please do not ask. read more

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