Also Called :

Barrel Canisters, Barrel Boxes

Rarity :

Very Rare

Age :

Early to Mid 19th Century

Price Range :

$400.-$1,750. Depending on size.

Dimensions :

Left to Right:

4 3/8″ diameter x 4 7/8″ Total Height;  Top: 1 1/4″ high; Bottom: 3 3/4″ high

4 1/8″ diameter x 4 3/4″ Total Height;  Top: 1 1/4″ high; Bottom: 3 1/2″ high

4 1/8″ diameter x 4 1/2″ Total Height;  Top:  1 1/4″ high; Bottom: 3 3/8″ high

3 3/8″ diameter x 3 1/2″ Total Height;  Top:  1″ high; Bottom: 2 5/8″ high

2″ diameter x 2 1/4″ Total Height;  Top:  5/8″ high; Bottom: 1 5/8″ high

2″ diameter x 2 1/8″ Total Height;  Top:  5/8″ high; Bottom: 1 1/2″ high

1 3/8″ diameter x 1 3/8″ Total Height;  Top:  1/2″ high; Bottom: 1″ high

Weight :

Left to Right, Total Weight: 1 lb. 2 oz. Bottom: 11 oz. Top: 7 oz.———Total Weight: 1 lb. 2 oz. Bottom: 12 oz. Top: 6 oz.———Total Weight: 1 lb. 2 oz. Bottom: 12 oz. Top: 6 oz.———-Total Weight: 10 oz. Bottom: 7 oz. Top: 3 oz.———-Total Weight: 2.6 oz. Bottom: 1.8 oz. Top: .8 oz.———–Total Weight: 2.9 oz. Bottom: 1.9 oz. Top: 1 oz.———-Total Weight: 1 oz. Bottom: .7 oz. Top: .3 oz.

Provenance :

Left to Right:

Jim Galley, PA-2004

Northeast Auctions, NH-2002

Jim Galley, PA-1991

Jim Galley, PA-1991

Jim Galley, PA-2004

Jim Galley, PA-1991

Jim Galley, PA-1991

Availability :

5 Available

Description:  Of the 3 different Canister sets: barrel shape, round and square, we feel the barrel sets are the hardest to assemble. Pictured here are 7 barrels with a noticeable gap in height in the middle. Also there are larger and smaller ones, Schiffer says up to 10″ high and small ones of 1″. These 7 range from 1 3/8″ to 4 7/8″ high. It is believed that canisters were used to hold tea and spices. They nest nicely together which made them easy to ship.

Barrel characteristics: 1) no rain cloud borders  2) one scene on tops and one on the bottoms (space permitting)  3) 4 of the 7 have numerous white bumps around the tops to help pick up the tops’ slippery slanted sides and also around the base bottoms  4) 2 of the 7 have a blue band border around the slanted top sides-5 do not  5) all bottoms glazed  6) poor physical design-tops slip easily off the bottoms-be careful!

Generally, prices escalate from the smallest to the largest. They are all very rare.

Herbert Schiffer’s 1975 book has barrel canisters on page 99, round ones on page 100 and squares on page 104. Jane Wilson’s 1977 booklet has a barrel canister on page 34, a round one on page 35 and a square on page 12.

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