Mess kit help......

[RodneyO]

Hi All!
Could I please get some opinions on this unmarked Japanese mess kit, postwar military, Japanese camping mess kit or an early Taisho period mess kit? Looks like your standard mess kit (by its self) so I have it next to my IJA mess kit (昭十七) for comparison. You can see the difference in the height and the shorter wire bale handle. The standard IJA mess kit’s top lid cover and inner tray are interchangeable. The body and lid cover are made of aluminum but the front belt loop and side lugs and wire bale handle are made of steel and rusted.

Any help will be appreciated.

Thank you,
Rodney

[RodneyO]

Comparison:

[RodneyO]

Side/top:

[RodneyO]

Open lid:

[RodneyO]

Showa 17/unmarked:

[RodneyO]

Front belt loop:

[RodneyO]

Side lug/wire bale handle:

[J7W22007]

Hi Rodney-san,

Might be a different maker.
Try check the outer bottom of the black mess kit.

Cheers!
Taka

[RodneyO]

Mahalo Taka-san! Never thought about looking on the bottom. It’s really black either being burned from cooking or black paint or combination of the two. Here are a few pictures I took of the bottom with the last one being with the flash on. This just might be an unmarked mess kit. Were the military mess kits, canteens etc. always stamped with date and maker?

Aloha,
Rodney

[RodneyO]

With camera flash on: