Posted 10 years ago
Bigsarge
(139 items)
Ok folks this is the last of my two day hunting trip I promise. I picked this up because it sorta reminds me of a military mess kit except for it's shape. It is not an official Boys or girls scout mess kit either. I noticed that theirs have their logo on the handle where this one has one. I can not Identify the makers mark on it, I know on the bottom it says Regal but I still was not able to locate the makers mark. I would like to know it's maker and age if you will help me find them. I already know it is missing a Cup.
Your posting has me confused - That IS the Official Girl Scouts emblem on the handle and the maker was Regal Aluminum
Thanks agh, I do not think it is the Girl scouts emblem. The Boy scouts emblem asy Boys Scouts of America I am sure the Girl scouts would be pretty much the same. ai can not figure out what this one is, to me it looks like GSM or CSM I have not been able to find it.
It says GS at the top of the emblem - "google Regal Aluminum Girl Scout mess kit" - I believe Regal Aluminum either merged with or was a subsidiary of West Bend
agh it's abit hard to see but there is an M at the end. CSM or GSM
That's not an "M" it's the end of the ribbon...
T A
It looks like a Girl Scout item to me, with the G.S. mark.
Agh is right...It's a Girl Scout emblem I know they used in the 60's, weather or not the same emblem is used today, I don't know. I would say 1965.
Appears to simply fold in so it's compact and easy to carry.
This is a circa post-1954 kit - the absence of the cup and plaid carrybag are what would determine if 1950's or 1960's circa - the 1940's era did not have the trefoil (GS symbol) stamped on the utensils, only printed on the carrybag and Regal Aluminum wasn't established until 1945.
Girl Scout Mess Kits - Vintage Girl Scout Online Museum
http://www.vintagegirlscout.com/campeqmess.html
You guys are Greatttttttttt!
Coppied
?Since the 1930's, Regal Ware has manufactured over 5,000,000 aluminum mess kits like this. The components of the five piece set, consisting of a frying pan, plate, pot with lid and cup, were made to nest together. The plate became the top and the frying pan the bottom with its handle swinging around to lock everything in place. The only change made over the years was a plastic cup replacing the original aluminum one. A canvas bag made transporting the kit convenient.
Ripley - I would tend to trust the Official Girl Scout Museum website more than a "branding company" website. (also the fact the Regal name wasn't used until 1945) - If you notice in the pictures provided on the museum website, few things had changed on the kits except the carrybag, but on the 1954 kit, the handle had added the reinforcement elongated "dimple" which would prevent the handle from bending so easily. The cup was still made of aluminum, the plastic cup being introduced in 1962 and the plaid bag design altered. - Also checking that same museum website (off to the right side) - the cutlery kits, canteens, first aid kits, etc. used the same trefoil emblem well into the 1950's. - Regal Ware story began in 1945 when J.O. Reigle and two associates purchased the Kewaskum Aluminum Company. It was incorporated as the Kewaskum Utensil Company and in 1951 the company was renamed Regal Ware, Inc. - I believe (but am not certain) that the Regal trademark shown was their first-use trademark, later being changed to "Regal Ware". - The kits made prior (and possibly even to this day), may have also been made by different suppliers (Boy Scout kits, which are very similar, minus the "girlie" carrybag were also made by different suppliers, Wear Ever for one) - just like the other "Official" scout items like first aid kits, pocket knives, etc.
-- I don't want to conflict with any other "researcher", but I do intend to cross-reference certain facts to corroborate information given when I do research an item for someone. - The main point of that is it would eliminate a pre-1945 made kit if the manufacturer did not yet exist.
BigSarge - the statement you show above is from the "West Bend" company history - "The West Bend Aluminum Company was incorporated in 1911 and the Kewaskum Aluminum Company, eventually purchased by Regal Ware founder, J.O. Reigle, began operations in 1919. The Regal Ware story began in 1945 when J.O. Reigle and two associates—L.N. Peterson and Edna Oster—purchased the Kewaskum Aluminum Company. It was incorporated as the Kewaskum Utensil Company and in 1951 the company was renamed Regal Ware, Inc."
And this is from the history page of "Kewaskum Aluminum" -- "Regal Ware, Inc. is a privately-held American-owned company that manufactures and markets stainless steel cookware and bakeware, multi-ply cookware and cast aluminum cookware for families worldwide. The company was founded in 1919 as the Kewaskum Aluminum Company, and was incorporated as the Kewaskum Utensil Company in 1945. The corporate name was changed to Regal Ware in 1945. In 2002 Regal Ware acquired the assets of The West Bend Company, thereby tracing the company’s continuous manufacturing in the United States back to 1911."
-- So basically one can assume from this information that kits were indeed made by this same company under different names, but the Regal name did not show up until 1945.
Thank you agh and everyone else. So I can say it was made some time from 1954 to 1960? I wish I could be exact but it's more than I knew yesterday. Thank you all. Some great feed back came out of this.
BTW agh not that it matters I copied that from here http://www.worldofscoutingmuseum.org/NewAquisitions5.html