More WWI History and A Question

[Jessesky]

Hey guys,

I’ve been taking the time to display more of my militaria at home so it can get the enjoyment it deserves. I thought you’d enjoy seeing it, I also have a unique question.

This is a WWI US gas mask of the British pattern. It belonged to Lieutenant M.H. Newton of the 328th machine gun battalion, 85th division. With a little research I was surprisingly able to find a newspaper publishing circa 1918 in regards to the 328th machine gun battalion and a gas attack in the Argonne Forrest. (I will add a copy).

My question is, (not to glorify war) but do you think those stains on the carrying satchel are rust or oxidized blood? Is there any way to tell?

 

[LRDGCO]

Almost certainly not blood. Oxidized blood runs more to black and would have flaked off canvas over time such that, we're the stains from blood, they would be much fainter.

 

[drk1]

Greetings and thanks for your interest in preserving artifacts from the Great War and your question. I agree with everything that Mr. Lrdgco said, but.... if you really want to know, there are a couple of alternatives. The first and easiest would be to try some luminol. It's available in a spray form, which is also the easiest to use, for less than $20 a bottle. If it is blood, you could go one step further and try sending a sample to one of the DNA testing companies AncentryDNA or 23and me. Let us know what you decide. Thanks again.

PS. In light of your interest, just wanted to mention the upcoming meeting of the Ohio Valley Military Society. If you are close enough to Louisville, Ky, it's certainly worth the effort. Thanks again.

 

[Col. Harrumph]

FWIW my father's dress whites, from WWII, had similar orange-y stains. Rust.

 

[Dr.Rob]

That's a pretty amazing collection of historical artifacts

 

[CapnMac]

Very impressive.

Gas Masks, especially century-old ones are particularly tricky to display. Finding a suitably chemically-neutral mount is complicated.

If you use a fibreglass or acrylic manikin head, your best bet is to use talcum powder (sparinlgly) to slip the mask on. This after using window cleaner to be sure that all release oils used in moulding are off.

It can be tempting to use styrofoam heads for helmet and similar display. From my own experience, it will behoove you to give such heads a couple coats of water-based acrylic paint to keep historical stuff away from expanded foam. It would be different if the heads were cast in a high-density, closed-cell foam like XPS or ICN; sadly they are all in low-density EPS. Also, do not do as a buddy of mine did, and use inexpensive shower caps on the heads--the vinyls in the shower caps reacted with the foam which then got into the webbing.

 

[Jessesky]

Very impressive.

Gas Masks, especially century-old ones are particularly tricky to display. Finding a suitably chemically-neutral mount is complicated.

If you use a fibreglass or acrylic manikin head, your best bet is to use talcum powder (sparinlgly) to slip the mask on. This after using window cleaner to be sure that all release oils used in moulding are off.

It can be tempting to use styrofoam heads for helmet and similar display. From my own experience, it will behoove you to give such heads a couple coats of water-based acrylic paint to keep historical stuff away from expanded foam. It would be different if the heads were cast in a high-density, closed-cell foam like XPS or ICN; sadly they are all in low-density EPS. Also, do not do as a buddy of mine did, and use inexpensive shower caps on the heads--the vinyls in the shower caps reacted with the foam which then got into the webbing.

Thank you for the tips. I have it displayed on a canvas wrapped cork head. I figure it would fare well on this material

 

[CapnMac]

No sweat. I've been collecting militaria for more than 30 years. Been through the wringer on finding good/right ways to display stuff. Had ten "heads" at one point (a mis-match of foam heads and wood pedastals) and even a couple of manikins.
Used to haunt liquidation listings checkign for store closures, as that was a way to get display cases, store fixtures and the like at very reasonable prices (store fixtures do not retail for anything even resembling reasonable prices).