There are prehistoric ceramics and then there is this canteen. One of the great joys in handling, over the years, many great mint pieces of pottery is the realization that every once in a while an example comes along which defies all reason and sets a new standard of excellence ....in condition, design and execution. So it is with this wonderful canteen.

The surface of the canteen has been polished to such an extent that the white achieves almost a pearl finish; the black is jet black and the overall feel is that of an enameled stove.

The pictures show a beautiful rectilinear pattern with some highly unusual curved elements integrated into the design. Even more astounding is the presence of two human hand forms, one with four fingers and the other with five fingers. This is the only example of such that I have seen or that I can locate in a book. Inquiries with experts in the field confirm the rare nature of the presence of the hand images. All in all - a piece truly without equal.