New finds

[lawrence_n]

I saw a pic at an online auction and threw in a bid. The picture didn't have scale but it looked like 2 small artillery shell casing (37mm or 40mm?), a piece of trench art, a shoulder title, and a medal. Well! What I ended up with was two 20mm Hispano Suiza cannon shell casings, a WWI victory medal, and a C.F.A. (Canadian Field Artillery) shoulder title. What I had thought to be a piece of trench art turned out to be a pepper shaker made in Arras with the town coat of arms in the shape of an artillery projectile. It's the first one I've ever seen, but I was told that they were made as a pair to sell to the soldiers as mementos. Enterprising folks, those French. With some research, these were the property of a Gnr. J.P. Young, who enlisted in the Cobourg Heavy Battery in 1917. Neat, eh?

Information

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[Flying10uk]

trench art

If everything that people nowadays describe as WW1 "trench art" had actually been produced in the trenches I have my doubts that there would have been much time left over for fighting.

[Surpmil]

"He's a cheery old card", said Harry to Jack,
As they marched up to Arras with rifle and pack,
But he did for them both by his plan of attack.

Trench art was I would think mostly the work of those in the rear echelons who had the tools and the time do do it, more than those in the trenches.

No doubt plenty of the locals got in on the act too, as not everyone can work in an estaminet or a bordello.

[browningautorifle]

Trench art was I would think mostly the work of those in the rear echelons

More by the rehab establishments to give the wounded something to do and provide an source of funding. Many just like to believe that troops did it, if you see the state of the forward lines you'd doubt that. When they rotated rear for a break, they weren't sitting around either, there was little slack time.

[lawrence_n]

If everything that people nowadays describe as WW1 "trench art" had actually been produced in the trenches I have my doubts that there would have been much time left over for fighting.

Agreed! I've seen real trench art (with provenance), but some pieces of so-called trench art look just too good to be the real deal. I'm fully aware that some soldiers were extremely gifted, artistically, and had skills they'd acquired in civvy street. I've seen some of the carvings in the deep dugouts and tunnels in which they took refuge. You can see the crude works but some of the stonework is obviously the work of a sculptor or master mason. As I'd mentioned, the picture from the auction wasn't the greatest and it looked like a piece of trench art. Further information dispelled that.