WW2 “Transitional” Duffle Bag (“1945”), Lock, Key (“U.S. / FORT LOCK") Near Mint

Description

Mid - WW2 “Transitional” Duffle Bag (“1945”) with a Mil-issue Padlock, Key, and Tag
(“U.S. / FORT LOCK”
) Near Mint+++ condition!!
These “prosaic” items of ‘everyday utility’ from the Second World War — in NEAR MINT +++ condition — are now almost impossible to find!
This one is made of
OD#7 Medium Weight TWILL
, both the BAG and the SHOULDER STRAP, and NOT of the Heavy CANVAS and Heavy 2” WEBBING typically used by other contractors.
Additionally, as was the practice in the last two years of the war,
WHITE THREAD
was used.
The finish on the Black Painted Steel SNAP HOOK Hardware and the four Brass GROMMETS is excellent!
Printed inside the mouth of the Bag is,
“DOUBLE PROTECTION AWNING CO. / 1945”.
This DUFFEL BAG is CLEAN and was never named. It is free of stenciling, lettering! I spotted a solitary 1/4” puncture on one side and a single smudge. That's it. Whether this occurred in 75 years storage or at the factory itself, I don’t know, but this Duffle Bag has NEVER been abused -- loaded with gear, thrown into the back of a troop transport, or dragged around a ballpark in the 1950s filled with bats, or hauled a Boy Scout's gear to Camp.
*****
The workingSolid Brass PADLOCK (with its matching KEY and TAG) is marked
“U.S. / SET / FORT”
on the front and “
118
” on the reverse was ‘requisitioned’ from a QM or weapons locker by a Soldier for his DUFFEL. It is in EXCEPTIONALLY nice condition!
The Brass KEY which operates smoothly is marked
“FORT LOCK / CHICAGO ILLINOIS”
above a Castle ‘logos’ on the front and
“L54G / J4208”
on the reverse
The Brass TAG is stamped
“
118”
to match the Padlock.