Kris,

For what its worth....according to the American Beer Can Encyclopedia (1976) by Thomas Toepfer, that type of can (if I understand your description correctly) is termed a "crimped steel" can. Per his description the crimped steel can is..."A term used to describe a 3 piece steel can where body of can curves to join lids." as opposed to the "Straight Sided" which is defined as "a three piece steel can without any curve where body joins lids. This doesn't exactly answer your question, but it may lead you in the right direction at least.

Thanks,

Brian K. Greer
Brian K. Greer
Consulting Cultural Resource Management Assistant/IASO Alternate
Universe Technologies, Inc.
Environmental Branch, Directorate of Public Works
Fort Stewart, GA
(912) 767-0992
Fax: (912) 767-9779
Any unattributed opinions expressed herein are mine and not of those of my employer or the United States Government

-----Original Message-----
From: Kris Farmen [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Thursday, December 05, 2002 1:09 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Can question

HISTARCH...
I'm presently dealing with a mid-20th century can scatter, and I was wondering, does anybody know the technical term for the indented rings that run around the body of the can, paralell to the top and bottom? One usually sees them in cans from the late 1950s onward... and does anybody out there know what their function is?
On a more humorous note, one of these cans is a Nalley Imitation Maple Syrup can, circa 1950s. The lithography is still present, and on one side of the rectangular can, there's an essay on the "craftsmanship" that goes into the production of Nalley's imitation maple syrup. Ahhhhh, postwar American advertsing kitch at its best...

Kris Farmen
Northern Land Use Research, Inc.
Fairbanks, Alaska