Click Photo Sailors washing plates in the galley ca 1880-1890's. Notice the naval cutlasses in their storage rack up against the bulkhead all fanned out for easy reach. To the bottom left of the cutlasses you will also see shells being secured on the floor up against the bulkhead.
Back in the day the enlisted galley and mess decks served multiple purposes: all meals, nightly recreation, naval instruction and training, first aid station and operating room during emergencies.
Note the metal and white with blue trim enamelware plates, large round metal enamelware bowls and matching tabbed cups with USN imprinted in blue on the side. The Pirate's Lair has the exact same plates, bowls and cups available for sale!! This type of enamelware was perhaps used as early as the Civil War, and certainly into the 1880's and the SpanAm War through to the Great White Fleet era.
Click Photo!The metal enamelware plate and cup are both white with blue trim and initials USN. Of note is that the sailor who used these two pieces aboard ship has dated them using his enlistment period 1903-1907. Further, he put his official Navy photo of him in his uniform and has it permanently cemented into the bottom of the cup! This is 100% proof positive as to the provenance of this US Navy enamelware. The Pirate's Lair has the exact same plates, bowls and cups available for sale!! This type of enamelware was perhaps used as early as the Civil War, and certainly into the 1880's and the SpanAm War through to the Great White Fleet era.
Click Photo USS Oregon Ca 1896 Berth Cooks MAIN DECK PHOTO. Note the enlisted marine in top row wearing the old 19th century enlisted marine tunic and cover!
Of note are the cooking utensils or galleyware! Large ladle, double handled coffee pot, large meat and butcher knives, large thick glass milk jug, box of baking soda, Gold Dush washing powder, what appears to be a can of peaches or tomatoes, loaves of bread on large white platter, round white metal bowls with blue edge.
At The Pirate's Lair we have available for sale the large ladles, round metal bowls and matching drinking cups!!
Click Photo USS Oregon Ca 1896 Berth Cooks BERTH DECK PHOTO. Note the cat as mascot being held by one of the kneeling sailors. Back in the day animals were allowed aboard ship as mascots and one would find cats, dogs, birds, goats, sometimes even a monkey or two picked up during shore leave at some exotic port of call.
Of note are the same cooking utensils or galleyware as in the above Main Deck photo! Large ladle, double handled coffee pot, large meat and butcher knives, loaves of bread on large white platter and round white metal bowls with blue edge located on the table behind the kneeling first row of sailors.
At The Pirate's Lair we have available for sale the large ladles, round metal bowls and matching drinking cups!!
Click Photo USS Olympia Ca 1890's CREWS MESS. Note the hanging mess deck table which could quickly be secured on the cieling for cleaning, or used as a first aid table.
Note the large round metal bowls and matching drinking cups with USN imprinted on the side. The Pirate's Lair has the exact same bowls and cups available for sale!!
Click Photo enlisted crews Mess USS Massachusetts ca 1905
Click Photo enlisted crews Mess USS Massachusetts ca 1905, Note the large metal cups with small holding tab
Click Photo enlisted Marine Mess USS Massachusetts ca 1905
Click Photo enlisted Marine Mess USS Massachusetts ca 1905, same photo as above but different quality. Note the heavy white handless mugs
Click Photo petty Officers Mess USS Maine Ca mid 1890's before she blew up in Havana Harbor. Looks like someone brought their boy aboard for a meal. Note the heavy white handless mugs, large plain white bowls and a stainless or aluminum water pitcher, possibly coffee pot
Click Photo USS Maine mid 1890's in the Chief Petty Officer's Mess. Note that the table is set somewhat more elaborate than either in the crews or petty officers mess 
Click Photo USS Iowa ca 1898 in the Galley. Note the large wooden barrel being used to mix food and the metal tubs being used to peel potatoes!
Click Photo USS Maine Cooks in the Galley. Note the large coffee pots and basins used to cut potatoes. A baker is holding a large square wooden cutting board with a loaf of bread 
Click Photo USS Akron (ZRS-4) and Airship Ca WWII in the Crews Mess which was commissioned with first flight in 1932 and then crashed in 1933 with the loss of 73 out of the 76 crew members. Note the plain white bowls or dishes, plain white platter, and large stainless water pitcher
Click Photo Enlisted Crew Mess Ca WWII. Note the large white handless mugs, the stainless steel serving tray, plain white plates/bowls and serving dishes, and large stainless steel pitcher down at the end of the table. 
Click Photo Main Galley of the USS Powhatan ca 1911. Note the medium and large size ladles and saw for cutting through bones all hanging on the wall and on the stove
Click Photo Harvard University Enlisted Dining Hall Ca WWII
Click Photo enlisted submariner in jumpsuit getting coffee, note the large white handless mug ca 1950's 
Click Photo enlisted sailors taking a break in a field mess ca early 1900's in Cuba
Click Photo Closeup of enlisted sailors taking a break in a field mess ca early 1900's in Cuba 
Click Photo Washington, DC 1943 Enlisted Mess Hall 
Click Photo enlisted galley shucking oysters into wooden half barrels ca 1907
Click Photo navy petty officers enlisted mess WWII
Click Photo WWII Navy enlisted chow line with seaman performing service. Note the stainless steel compartmented trays and white handless mugs
Click Photo enlisted mess hall on an aircraft carrier ca Vietnam era 
Click Photo USS Utah Christmas Dinner 1911 - again the large white handless mugs
Click Photo USS Utah Galley ca 1919 Note the large ladle being used by the sailor in right background. Looks like they are cutting meat and making hamburger.
Click Photo Ca Early 1900 in Cuba - Washing the Mess 
Click Photo Ca Early 1900 in Cuba sailors kicking back in a field mess. Note the stacked rifles. 
Click Photo Postcard Ca WWII Sailors Washing Dishes. Note again the plain heavy white handless mugs and plain white china used in the enlisted mess.
Click Photo Enlisted Mess Decks ca 1907. Note the large coffee pot hanging from a rope and the plain white bowls and mugs
Click Photo USS Boston Ca 1908 Crews Mess. Note the large coffee pot, wooden half tubs used to prepare food, food and stores locked away in steel cages, and the hanging table in the rear.
Click Photo Civilian Merchant Marine Crewmembers Eating in the Galley of a WWII Liberty Ship. Note the stainless steel compartmented trays, large white handless mugs, large water or bug juice pitchers, and white china bowls. 
Click Photo USS Idaho ca 1919 in the Bake Shop. Note again the wooden half barrels used to prepare food, the long wooden bakers paddle, and the Large Scoop being held by one of the sailors!! 
Click Photo enlisted waves ca 1943 at training center. note the metal trays, large white handless mugs, stainless steel utensils.
Click Photo USS Maryland ca 1926 Mess Deck. Note the stainless steel or aluminum serving tray, large handless white mugs, plates, and bowls
Click Photo USS Utah Men Lined up for Mess. Note the large Mess Pails each crewmember is carrying which was typically used for a watch or berthing section.
Click Photo USS Ossipee Cooks Berth Deck, Early 1900's possibly late 1890's. Note the sausage grill, large coffee pots, spud potatoes, large metal drinking cups also seen in the Cuba Field Mess photos, various cooking implements.
Click Photo On Deck of the USS Monitor Cooking a Mess During the Civil War
Click Photo 1950's Aboard a Submarine in Pearl Harbor. Note the large white serving bowl and other plain white china pieces.
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