Red Lancer Officer’s Toilette, c.1812.  This beautiful field toilette, a circular gold-tooled leather box, is 5 1/2 high and 3 inches in diameter with a clasped and hinged top. The bottom half contains a silver cup which in turn acts as the receptacle of a formed leather insert lined with green satin and containing folding cutlery (knife, fork and spoon) all stamped and/or with original paper labels, an ivory toothpick and an ivory tube that unscrews in the centre, and a small silver spoon. Carried on campaign by senior Officers of means, these exceptional military accouterments were an extravagant respite from the usual, standard issue field kits.  See pp35 of Pawley’s The Red Lancers where a very similar kit of the Red Lancers is featured.  This canteen comes from the collection of respected Empire author/dealer, Bertrand Malvaux.