Original German WWII Afrikakorps Coconut Canteen by Ritter with Bakelite Cup and Leather Harness – dated 1940 Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice original German Deutsches Afrikakorps (DAK) laminated wood canteen (Tropen Feldflasche), often referred to as the “coconut” canteen, due to its unusual appearance. These are constructed of pressed laminated wood over an aluminum body, sometimes secured by rayon straps. This is a Pre-War example, equipped with a leather harness, as opposed to the usual tropical web. The Heinrich Ritter company produced this before, during, and after the war, using different markings.

The compressed wood laminate is in very good condition, with no major cracks or defects. Comes complete with an original leather carrying harness and its leather strap around the neck, which are both in very good condition, though they definitely do show some cracking due to age. The rear belt attachment buckle on the harness is painted in Heer Green and is maker marked Patent / Ritter.

Canteen features the correct aluminum core and an original early bakelite cap, which still has the correct rubber seal. The back of the canteen is clearly marked:

Ritter
Alfurit
D.R.P. a.

The maker marking on this indicates pre-wwii manufacture by Heinrich Ritter of Esslingen. The other markings indicate that it is a registered design with the German trademark office. The bakelite cap does not have a date we can see, but it may have mold markings under the washer, however we were not able to remove it.

The included bakelite cup is in very good condition, showing a bit of wear from service, but no major chipping or cracking. The bottom is dated 1940 and is stamped with maker code gfc, for Julius Posselt in Gablonz an der Neisse, Sudetenland, a maker of bakelite.

Condition overall is very good, showing moderate use. THe main condition issues involve the leather harness, which definitely has shrunken over time, with some splitting at the seams. It has a small name tag reading Haase R. on the rear, and looking at the leather securing strap, it looks like it was used with an aluminum cup for period of time. Definitely a set that saw long use during the war.

This is a great and rare Afrika Korps canteen with cup. A fine addition to any collection.