German WWI Pattern 500 Round Ammunition Can, Original Camouflage Paint, BSW Contract
This item is listed for historical interest only. It was listed on our site previously but has been sold and is no longer available for purchase.
Sold for: $175.00

Original era manufacture. Wonderful large size steel ammunition can in its original factory applied three color camouflage paint. This large style can originally issued during WWI, saw a variety of uses through the Reichswehr and Third Reich eras. In addition, Germany exported a large quantity of them and other weaponry to Portugal before and during WWII, such as our example. I believe it was in the late 1930's Germany sold Portugal large quantities of MG-13 machineguns along with all of the support equipment, spare barrel carriers, tool kits and oil and kerosene cans. Much of this ordnance lay in Portuguese armories until the late 1980's when it was purchased by a well-known British firm who began selling it to the public. What an amazing pile that was, a true time capsule, one we will likely never see again. This can was made by the German firm BSW and is dated 1938 on the lid, there is an eagle proof on the lower right hand corner.The overall condition is quite nice with some minor paint loss and light surface scratching, but overall quite sound.About twenty years ago, we had over 400 of these cans, most finished in factory OrdnanceGreen, withless than 10 percent arrayed in this original camouflage scheme. All of them are long gone now and we seldom see them offeredfor sale.