Our Travel Tent

Overall condition of the canvas is quite good, considering it’s over 90 years old. The outside of the canvas has a considerable amount of staining in various places (see photos 8 and 12, and one canvas bunk is splattered with candle wax (see photo 17). There are two small tears in the roof and fly which have been patched (See photos 13 and 14)

General color of the canvas is dark olive drab green on the inside, which has faded to a khaki color on the outside (See photos 8 and 15)

All the poles are included and all are original, with possible exception of the two sectional poles that support the front of the fly; they are different from the rest and possibly later replacements for the originals.

There is a wooden framework that supports the bunk beds and the rear off the tent (See photos 3 and 6)

The tent has 7 steel stakes for securing the ropes at the front, sides and rear of the tent. There are no ground loops on the bottom of the tent; there are brass grommets along the bottom edge.

There are two identical yellow labels, one on outside of the right and left sidewalls, near the two screened windows (See photos 7 and 16)

Dimensions of the erected tent are: 120” long (from back to front with the fly lifted), 80” wide, 48” high at the very back sloping to 84” high under the main canopy and fly (See photos 6 and 8). The sheet metal storage box measures 12” wide by 12” high by 48” long when closed. When opened to make the table, it measures 24” wide by 48” long by 271/2” high (See photos 1, 9, 10, 11)

There are no canvas portions or pieces missing. The main fly has a 30” extension, and the front of the side walls are curved and have metal twist fasteners, all of which apparently enabled the tent to be attached to a car in some fashion. (See photo 5). The front and back sidewalls on both sides are connected by metal slide fasteners that were forerunners of modern zippers.

The sheet metal box/table is quite rusty on the outside, with a bit of rust on the inside as well. The hinges are OK, and the latches are intact, but not very operable (I secure the closed box with a couple of web straps). All four wooden table legs are intact, but one has the lower 8” broken off and missing (See photos 1, 2, 9, 10, 11)

The tent and all the poles/accessories pack very snugly into the storage box, measuring 12”X12”X48” and weighing a hefty 110 pounds! (See photos 1and 2)

There is no literature or documentation included, but I have placed removable numbered paper labels on all the tent-frame components to aid in proper assembly, which would be quite a chore without such guidance!

03/26/05

Camping on Tour!