Original U.S. WWII Stamped Trench Art Shell with Rose & Vinery Work with Bastogne Inscription on Base

Original Item. Only One 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 is a lovely WWII artillery shell, likely of French or German origin, which has been meticulously stamped and decorated with motifs of roses and vinery. The detail is tremendous, with the individual midribs & veins etched into each leaf. This was a piece that certainly took a great deal of effort and time to complete.

The shell measures 13⅞” tall with a 3⅜” base diameter. There are no markings on the shell which would identify the country of origin. The bottom of the shell is scratched BASTOGNE which may indicate that the round was fired into the town of Bastonge, but the engraving is crude, and we have no provenance to back this up.

Comes ready for further research and display.