Anyone know what this is?

[Stu Kettle]

I found it in a antique shop in Ogallala. Thought it was a leather covered canteen when I spotted it, but it's not.  The guy who consigned it said it was an ammo box.

[Niederlander]

The emblem looks like a Navy Officer's hat device.  I have no idea what the box is for.

[Pitspitr]

Naval C-Drum carrier?

[Stu Kettle]

Naval C-Drum carrier?

I thought maybe a drum carrier (I didn't notice the anchor on the emblem til Dale said Naval) but I don't think it's big enough (& I didn't think to measure it) & the two blocks built into the side of it seem like they are specially place to make something fit.

[Drydock]

Gentlemen, take a look at that device again.  It is indeed a naval officers device, but that of a USN MEDICAL officer.  Note the staff of  Hippocrates (?) crossed beneath the anchor.  The Device itself seems from the Pre WW1 era.  I suspect a medical container of some sort.

[Stu Kettle]

Gentlemen, take a look at that device again.  It is indeed a naval officers device, but that of a USN MEDICAL officer.  Note the staff of  Hippocrates (?) crossed beneath the anchor.  The Device itself seems from the Pre WW1 era.  I suspect a medical container of some sort.

Good eye. Definitely medical - so much for the ammo box theory.

[Major 2]

I was thinking a US Naval Gunner Clinometer case ... I'd would go along with WW1 vintage

[St. George]

The clinometer makes a sort of sense - as does an Engineer's case for one of the many measuring devices associated with them.

What doesn't make sense is the use of a hat badge as a decoration - and that's what I believe it is - a simple leather case, that someone put an attractive patriotic-looking badge on - perhaps for a play - perhaps because it looked pretty.

Just so's you know - if it's military - the leather will generally be of a 'robust' construction for continued service, and there will be stampings of initials on the case body, as well as on the leather straps - indicating who made it, and who inspected it.

In this case, I doubt they'll be found.

Also - Russet leather's associated with post-1900 equipments, while black indicates earlier service, and we stopped placing metal devices on things after the Civil War - finding that embossing worked nicely, and didn't add to a greater cost like accouterment plates did.

It most closely resembles the case for a 'D-TEX' Watchman's Clock - the sort of thing that a Night Watchman carried when making the rounds and inserting a key that embossed a tape that reflected the time it was embossed - ensuring that the watchman was making his rounds in a diligent manner.

Scouts Out!