[JimK1930A]

I have an old Desert water Bag hanging from my bumper of my Model A. Before I take a drive or display my car at a car show, I pour a half to one gallon of water into it. It drips a little until the flax fiber expands and stops leaking. Most people at the car shows have never seen one and ask what it is and what it was used for?
Once in a while I see one displayed on the front of an old car at a show, but never have one with water in it.
I explain that the water bags were used from the 1920's through the 1950's. Water bags are made from flax fiber because it expanded when wet and held the water.
I have a small sign next to my water bag that says:
Desert water Bag
The desert water bag not only held water, but cooled water at the same time. On hot days, water would condense on the outside of the bag and cool the contents through evaporation. People often draped their bags on the front of the car to ensure the cooling action of moving air.
Someone once asked me if I ever drank from the bag?
I replied no, but just the other day I took a sip from the bag and to my surprise, it wasn't as bad as the bag looks from the outside. The printing on my bag is mostly faded off from the sun and saturated water. I keep my nice water bags with many different graphics on display in my garage.