On anachronism done deliberately.

[sharpiefan]

(OK, this isn't specifically for women in re-enactment, but it is about re-enactment, so...)

I have just acquired a c.1880 hot water fountain/boiler for use in a Napoleonic-period camp to enable us to have hot water 'on tap' for tea/coffee and musket cleaning. We're not the first unit to have one of these - I have seen two other units with something very similar - and I was wondering...

Do you or your group intentionally use something that is anachronistic for your chosen period because it looks 'right' or it makes life at events that much easier? And if you do, has it been pointed out by others as being anachronistic?

Comments

[sharpiefan]

I've not come across references to anything similar to what I've acquired, though there are plentiful references to large cast-iron 'Flanders cauldrons' or 'Flanders kettles' which were probably something like Dutch ovens, on a bigger scale (it was something like one per company, which would make them massive!!). Light Infantry and Rifles had smaller tin kettles, which they shared on a ratio of one kettle per six men. They probably would have cooked their food in it and then boiled water in it afterwards for tea.

There's a reference to the 95th Rifles brewing a cauldron of tea outside the farm of La Haye Sainte on the morning of the Battle of Waterloo, and offering a cup to passersby - including the Duke of Wellington.

What I have acquired is this:

It was described by the seller as being late Victorian, c. 1880s

I think it makes more sense, historically, for them to have had something they could use for both cooking and boiling water in - why carry more stuff around than you need to, after all?

[msmcknittington]

What I'd be worried about with that, more than the anachronism, is if there's lead content in the metal or the soldered joins and about the rust that's on it. If it's cast-iron, then I'd get busy with some steel wool and scour the rust off. But first I'd grab a lead testing kit from a hardware store and make sure it's safe to use.

[sharpiefan]

Yeah. That and a whole bunch of wire wool... :D The rust on the outside is only surface rust; it hasn't eaten through anything. I'm going to get that off and get some black-lead to polish it with to give it a bit of protection, too.

[msmcknittington]

I am so glad you're being careful about the lead! It's in so much stuff up until the 20th century, and I am sure it would still be if not for government regulations.

[sharpiefan]

I just double-checked that join - it's not soldered at all. The spigot's threaded and it's screwed in. It may look like there's solder there, but it's just a bit of discolouration and nothing major at all.

I still intend to get that wire wool, of course; there's some rust residue inside that needs cleaning out before we can start using it.

[sara]

You beat me to it, that's exactly what I'd worry about. Because that join sure looks like a lead-based solder.

[msmcknittington]

Man, I don't even think they used anything but lead solder in the 1880s. The only other possibility I can think of is a rubber connector, and that would be long cracked and useless by now. And would be probably have lead solder underneath it. :P

[sharpiefan]

I just double-checked that join - it's not soldered at all. The spigot's threaded and it's screwed in, tight. It may look like there's solder there, but it's just a bit of discolouration and nothing major at all.