Original French WWI Trench Art Lot with Matching Shells & AETCO Shell

Original Items. Only One Lot Available. Trench art is any decorative item made by soldiers, prisoners of war, or civilians where the manufacture is directly linked to armed conflict or its consequences. It offers an insight not only to their feelings and emotions about the war, but also their surroundings and the materials they had available to them.
Not limited to the World Wars, the history of trench art spans conflicts from the Napoleonic Wars to the present day. Although the practice flourished during World War I, the term 'trench art' is also used to describe souvenirs manufactured by service personnel during World War II. Some items manufactured by soldiers, prisoners of war or civilians during earlier conflicts have been retrospectively described as trench art.

This lot is composed of three French 75mm Artillery Shells and one cut-down British 4.5 inch howitzer shell turned into trench art.

The two matching 75mm shells depict oak leaves and acorns with stylized and flared tops. They are both dated 1916 and are 13½” tall. The third 75mm shell is dated 1918, measures 12¼” tall and has a strange set of letters stylized as a circle, AETCO. We haven’t found any information about this, making for a good research project. The British howitzer shell is similarly engraved with greenery and is dated 1917. It is 5¼” in diameter and 3½” tall.

A lovely set, ready for further research and display.