EGA Trench Art Lighter

[Cobra 6 Actual]

Just picked up this World War I trench art lighter with the EGA on one side:

 

 

On the reverse is the French Rooster welcoming a U.S. warship with the Statue of Liberty in the background:

 

[268th C.A.]

Now that a cool lighter! I have a pillow case with a French rooster & a US eagle.

[Cobra 6 Actual]

Thanks, it's the only WWI USMC lighter in my collection. As an aside, I was curious about the use of a rooster as a French symbol and found out that it dates back to the collapse of the Roman Empire and the formation of Gaul. It finds its origin in a play on the word 'gallus' (Latin for rooster) and 'Gallus' (Gallic or Gaul).

[Brig]

That's a beauty, and I am very curious what else that pattern EGA may be on, as there is a horribly cast cover EGA on the market that is a fantasy piece....and it looks strikingly similar to the emblem on your watch

[Cobra 6 Actual]

OK, Brig, but mine is not a watch, it's a trench cigarette lighter. They're fairly common, particularly the ones made with a brass hex nut and a couple of coins. This design, however, is rarer.

 

I think the EGA design on my lighter is simply a French 'interpretation' of what the correct emblem should look like. To my knowledge I don't believe this style of trench lighter is being reproduced (I have about 30 different ones, so am hardly an expert; but again, I've never seen this embossed style reproduced).

[Brig]

Oops, meant lighter

 

I wasn't implying your lighter was fake, but that the craftsman of it's interpretation may have been the inspiration for the fantasy cover piece, which is why I wonder what else may be out there made by his hand and if one of that man's pieces inspired a faker to create a cover emblem from its design

[Cobra 6 Actual]

Oops, meant lighter

 

I wasn't implying your lighter was fake, but that the craftsman of it's interpretation may have been the inspiration for the fantasy cover piece, which is why I wonder what else may be out there made by his hand and if one of that man's pieces inspired a faker to create a cover emblem from its design

You've got me there: I was an Army guy, so have a few MC pieces and know that this is an earlier style of EGA, but that's about the extent of my knowledge. Feel free to copy this image and post it where you think it will do the most good to address your question.

[teufelhunde.ret]

Quite the conversation piece, explains the potential origins of the EGA that is posted by Brig

[Cobra 6 Actual]

Quite the conversation piece, explains the potential origins of the EGA that is posted by Brig

Thanks! I have one book on trench art ... I'll take a look at it this weekend and see if i can find out more bout this particular lighter. And, I should mention that although these are called 'trench' lighters, they most probably were made in rear areas by support troops or civilians.

[Brig]

I imagine most of these really high quality ones were made by local craftsmen, or during occupation, as I can't imagine a troop in the trench have the time or tools necessary to do such fine detail

[Cobra 6 Actual]

I imagine most of these really high quality ones were made by local craftsmen, or during occupation, as I can't imagine a troop in the trench have the time or tools necessary to do such fine detail

Exactly so, Brig: where would they find a drill or a metal die set in the front lines? I have a few of the lighters that look like the designs were scratched out with a nail ... they seem more like the kind of work you'd expect from guys living in the mud and without access to better tools.

 

And, I didn't find this design in my trench art reference book, but then several other lighters I own are not in there either. And, by the way: Good luck with your quest to track the movement of this design.