What you have is a real WWI trench with the provenance of being in Canfield's book by serial number. At almost 100 years of age it has obviously seen years of service with different users. Who knows how many times it has been refinished over those years and by what process. That is a very cool 97 with a great history and would make a great addition to any collection.
"There's a race of men that don't fit in,
A race that can't stay still;
So they break the hearts of kith and kin,
And they roam the world at will." - Robert Service